Browse Reports By Category: Mountaineering RSS2024-07-01T22:02:00+0000Group of 9 BCMC members summited Sky Pilot, beginning from the gondola upper base. We had ideal spring conditions - snow from above the forest section until the Pink Slab. Snow was perfect - consolidated, easily walkable and boot pack friendly. Crampons and microspikes were very handy, but on the steep finish (40ish degrees) crampons and ice axes proved the most advantageous. The scramble was excellent - dry rock and great visibility. Summit was windless but small clouds passed by constantly changing the view. The climb down was also great - snow allowed for a lot of glissading! Debrief on the patio to finish the day off.

]]>2024-07-01T22:02:00+000010 hardy souls from BCMC made the trek up to Sky Pilot valley, with really good snow conditions (no post holing!). Drizzly on the way up, got to the Pink Slab and found the rock wet and slick. Climbing was sketchy with consequential exposure. Weather was windy, foggy and snowing occasionally. Group consensus was to turn round and head down. We enjoyed some glissading and a beer on the patio during our debrief! Main lesson learned was identifying group abilities and experience prior to the climb.

]]>2024-06-24T04:31:00+0000A successful summit bid was completed this past Friday/Saturday, with rather challenging snow conditions. The start date was moved up due to more favourable weather forecasts. Originally slated for Saturday/Sunday, we started on Friday due to the potential for cloud, snow and rain early Sunday morning. Meeting up in Langley, the group made its way across the border in 2 vehicles, whose occupants ended up being on the same rope teams. We stopped briefly in Glacier, WA for some tasty treats from the Wake 'n Bakery and also the District Ranger Station for any beta they had to offer. Once up at the trailhead we quickly geared up for the hike up to Black Buttes camp. The snow line began in the last hundred feet of the trail, just below treeline. Gaiters went on and poles/ice axes came out. We quickly longed for the shade of trees as the sun beat down on us and reflected back up from the snow. Not long after leaving treeline we were partly comforted by a slight breeze. Travel up to Hogsback Camp was steep but with good traction. The population of campers was growing as we passed, which was foreshadowing of what was to come. Our team witnessed one party head up to high camp but then turned around, which quickly became clear to us as to why... the snow was DEEP. Thanks to some amazing young team members breaking trail, we slogged up another 1000ft, post holing the whole way, which despite as painful as it was, the views were stunning. Just as group morale was beginning to wane, we reach the Black Butte camping area. Relieved to reach some established tents, we were oddly greeted by some skiers with: "move along, we don't want you waking us up in the early morning" (eye roll). Thankfully there is plenty of suitable terrain in the area and we put a good deal of space between us and those needing beauty sleep. Camp setup was quick, and as we were busy melting snow we began some skills review: snow anchors, crevasse rescue systems and roped glacier travel techniques. Once pract... Read more

]]>2024-06-09T20:37:00+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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