Browse Reports By Period: 2018 RSS2018-11-16T03:05:00+0000The weather forecast was originally for rain, so we expected to be making more use of the hut, but by the time the long weekend arrived, it was sunny and warm. Our group of eight met at the gas station in Squamish before repacking into just two cars for the drive up the service road. Some work had been done on the worst parts of the road, but it still required being slow, and cautious. We did see some cars without all-wheel-drive, but they were either parked 2km from the trail-head, repairing a flat tire, or leaking oil. On Saturday (Nov 9) there was just a sprinkling of snow at the start of the trail, and it only got a little heavier as we worked our way up. Between stopping for lunch, and being cautious scrambling over the rocks it was a 4.5hr hike up. We arrived to find the cabin already warm since there were a couple of BCMC custodians at the hut (David Scanlon, and Ed). The cabin is amazing. It's sealed well enough that there were no mice. Water from the creek is just a short walk away, the view of the sunset from the porch is great, the foam sleeping pads were nice (even though I think everyone brought their own), and the fire keeps things cozy (almost too hot at times so I regret not bringing a cooler sleeping bag). The custodians were very helpful. In addition to David calling me on Friday to let us know the road and trail conditions, and helping chase away the dozens of day hikers over the weekend, He and Ed also offered a number of great suggestions for hikes in the area -- and left footprints in the snow to follow. As a result on Sunday the group split up. Some headed up Martin Peak, some up Watersprite Tower, and some did both. While we were hiking on Sunday David was working on building a trail up to Demon Ridge (I'm not sure if it's possible to connect to the Demon Ridge trail that branches off the Watersprite Trail, but that would be an interesting alternate route to try in the summer). Some of the group explored the new trail on Monday before hikin... Read more

]]>2018-11-16T03:05:00+0000This is one way of going to Squamish, from Vancouver, for downhill cycling, sans car. This past summer, the Squamish Connector shuttle offered a Vancouver-Squamish service for Vancouverites, including bicycles. As that is a summer service, it ceased at the end of September. Consequently, my options for going to Squamish for some downhill biking were poparide.com, car-rental, and Translink. If one finds a ride that handles bikes, then poparide may be suitable. _I_ chose the Translink option: 1. I took the 257 express bus to Horseshoe Bay, from downtown Vancouver. This was at something like 6 am. 2. I took the 262 bus, from Horseshoe Bay to Lions Bay. This runs only during weekdays. ... Uh, well, even if it does run during weekends, its timetable was highly unsuitable. On weekdays, I can take a very early bus, and arrive at Lions Bay at 6:50 am. 3. I biked from Lions Bay to Squamish, a distance of about 30 km. Not fun on a downhill bike! I locked-out both suspenstions, and raised the saddle to a comfortable pedalling-height. The sun hadn't risen, so, lights and reflectors were called for. I really dislike this route, even on a _road_ bike in _summer_ daylight! It simply is not safe enough for my tolerance. Despite its popularity with road cyclists, and having ridden it a number of times, I avoid it as much as I can. There are two long inclines in the second half of the trip, perhaps as long as 1 km each. After Brittania Beach, there is a long, winding stretch without a shoulder! I've ridden this twice on a downhill bike, and stayed on the sand-covered side as much as possible; this is an unsafe stretch of road! Once in Squamish, I rode up the Garibaldi Park Road to the second parking lot, then took the Ring Creek Road (or whatever it is called) to the start of the Half Nelson trail. Did it three times. It was godly! Thanks to SORCA and their trail builders. As Squamish Connector primarily serves the residents of _Squamish_, its last Vancouver-bound bus is at 2:30 pm, ... Read more

]]>2018-10-23T00:46:00+0000What can we say group of 5 of us got together and headed up Sky Pilot. The smoke was so thick that on the summit you couldn't see Habrich never mind all the other views that should have been there. We left the top of the gondola at 9:50 and worked our way along and up. While I was the trip organizer Derek Fenton took on the job of getting us to the top. Derek is an excellent leader making sure we moved at a pace that everyone was happy with but at the same time still getting us there. The glacier was still mostly snow with a patch of ice starting to form. Since we had opted not to bring crampons we walked around the ice and up to the ridge and pink slabs. Having watched some gopro videos from the pink slabs I had hauled a rope all the way up there. However once there I learnt it goes at grade 3 (not 5.3)  so personally I won't be taking a rope again.  Made our way to the summit enjoyed a snack and a glimpse of Habrich through the smoke, then  headed down. Thanks to Pinar, Roger, Fiona and Derek for a great day and bagging a summit I first saw 20 years ago.  Notes: outback runners were fine, hiking poles yes, ice axe yes, crampons no, rope 40m  if you don't like down climbing (nice new rap rings on the route)   

]]>2018-08-20T15:27:00+0000TRIP REPORT – RAINIER VIA EMMONS21-22 JULY The initial trip idea was to do Emmons-Winthrop route as seemed to me more interesting than the Disappointment Cleaver route while still keeping it moderate but recent updates from the climbing rangers speaking of several climbers falling into crevasses, disappearing snow bridges, almost no parties summiting on the previous two weeks and the possibility of the route shutting due to more open crevasses/schrunds made us decide on the planning forum to do the DC route instead; the approach to first camp –Muir- is much shorter and so is the elevation gained on both days, plus the route is being maintained by commercial guides with ladders and fixed ropes. We met at the Paradise Valley center at the Rangers office, they opened the office at 7am we got there at 6am and found already a group bivying at the door. 2nd on the line but with most permits already gone would be tight, the guys in front of us get it, the ranger says that we can camp in Muir icefield ,right before the normal camp, we say yes, he looks again to book it and boooom gone (as there 5 ranger offices maybe someone booked in those 3 seconds?) DC route is off the list. We saw a few people going without permits but apart from being very poor form and illegal means that you are making already a busy climb busier and more dangerous for everyone. We could wait until 10am to see if there are no-show permits but not very likely and if that failed would be too late to do anything.   The ranger gives us the speech about why we cannot climb DC (conservation, overcrowding…)and ask any alternative plans? Mummm well Emmons via Schurman? Looks and yes enough permits for the 5 of us, warns us about the late season conditions but seems quite positive and says that most people turning are inexperienced, the route definitely goes to the top without major hazards and reassures us that if we have prepared for that route should be solid although tight on time…its already 7am we have t... Read more

]]>2018-07-30T18:37:00+0000TRIP REPORT Habrich and Sky Pilot14th-15th July Part 1 Habrich/Escape Velocity After bad weather two weeks ago we were able to re-schedulle the trip. Met at the church at 10ish took the Gondola a bit late and started hiking right the way, once the trail branches out of the Valley Trail…it’s straight up an alpine version of the Grouse Grind while carrying climbing gear. When we got to the climb oh oh, two parties ahead, they probably came on the first gondola and beat us to the start. The follower on the first rope struggled a bit on the 5.9 with some hanging, yelling (PS:so funny that this person a complete stranger at the time is someone I just climbed Rainier with and happens to be a very cool BCMC member that I am so glad I met, Rich)…everyone was kind off tense as with 6 more pitches and behind two parties could be a loooong day, the leader of the second rope (a british couple) launched to pass them before Rich got to the belay I guess linking P2/P3 and did so. That was the last time we saw either party climbing, the british couple when up at lightspeed and we ended up sharing a belay as they were rapping. I shared the anchor atop of P2 with Rich but as they went on to link their pitches onwards and we had decided to let pass Tim/Pav… we didn’t see them again until the top. All smooth sailing and super enjoyable. I was going to do a pitch by pitch breakdown but I don’t think this climb needs it, the topo is a clear as they come and with plenty of bolts and bolted belays getting loss would be admirable. The “first pitch” is literally two moves with two bolts to gain the ledge to belay the second one…we didn’t link them cause there was a party ahead so we decided to “climb it” and watch them tackle P2 while snacking (on the way down Pav and me didn’t even rap it, just down climbed it using the PAS to clip on the bolts aid style). The 5.9 pitch has a bit of an awkward corner crack/chimney type move but it’s just a couple of moves with all the gear you could possibl... Read more

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