Mount Abbott

Perley Rock

This was to be our last day on skis this season. Except for last week we've been backcountry skiing every week since early November. That's pretty good for a bunch of weekend warriors. So what happened on our last outing of the year?













Full photo set: https://goo.gl/photos/BgSsjQRiBiDiKZU56

Youngs Peak Traverse

Lower Illecillewaet looking towards Terminal Peak


Illecillewaet


Three skiers checking out the entrance to Forever Young.


Ridge on Youngs Peak


Ken! Of Team Vancouver Asulkan fame.

Bow - Yoho Traverse Wapta Icefields

We talked about doing this trip for years. The completion of the Richard and Louise Guy Hut finally made us book it and go.



Day 1: The canyon leading to the Bow Hut.


Bow Hut.


Day 2: Mount Collie icefall in the distance.


Near the top of the Collie Icefall looking back towards the Bow


Looking down towards the ridge that leads to the Guy Hut


Gaining the ridge


Descending to the Guy Hut


Guy Hut


Guy Hut


Day 3: Des Poilus Glacier


Off the Des Poilus and heading to Isolated Col


Guy Hut from Isolated Col


Descending sketchy snow from Isolated Col towards the Stanley Mitchell


Stanley Mitchell Hut


Stanley Mitchell Hut


Day 4: Departing Stanley Mitchell


Slog-a-rrific


An amazing trip. This blog post, made months afterwards, doesn't do it justice. Poor visibility would have made this trip extremely challenging. In particular through the Collie Icefall and along the ridge leading to the Guy Hut. But we got lucky with the weather and everything went perfectly.

Here's the full photo set: https://goo.gl/photos/ya42zp4qkuwnASWU6

Ursus Trees and 8812 Bowl

It was raining when we picked up the guys in Revelstoke. It rained on the drive up to the Pass and it was still raining as we skied away from the very quiet Visitor Centre. We were soaked to the core within 30 minutes. Honestly if any of us had wavered for just one second we would have bailed.

Thankfully none of use did and we were rewarded. Part way up Ursus Trees the rain turned to snow. Then a wind blew in that tugged at the all enveloping mist. Within just a few minutes there were patches of blue sky and our spirits rose. Our ski down through the trees is was surprisingly good.



The change in weather called for a change in plans. We quickly abandoned Ursus Trees and headed for Bruins Ridge to take Damon somewhere new.





The weather steadily improved as we climbed.





Then down in a completely untracked 8812 Bowl.





Not exactly cold smoke but considering how the day started it seemed pretty amazing to us.

Vaux Moraines (with Brian!)

A warm and foggy day on the Vaux Moraines.



Visibility was in and out all day.



But we got some turns in.



And came across this porcupine den that we first saw last weekend.



Did I ever share our video of the porcupine from Glacier Circle a few years ago?

Glacier Circle June 28-30 2008 from Andrew Parker on Vimeo.

Dome Glacier with the ACC

Day two of the ACC Wheeler weekend that Brenda organized. It was great to catch up with some of the folks that we only see once or twice a year. Superb conditions on everything north facing but solar aspects were getting crusty. Winter is far too short.

Lookout Col with the ACC

For several years Brenda has organized a weekend outing for the ACC Okanagan. Based out of the Wheeler Hut it's a lot of work but she enjoys it and finds it rewarding.

It's a lot of responsibility for an amateur leader. Most of the challenge is to make intelligent terrain decisions throughout the day. That's obvious. I think we have enough knowledge of the area that under favourable conditions she (we) can do that. But when avalanche hazard is high and the visibility is poor, combined with a large and expectant group, the day has the potential to be stressful at best or to go pear shaped in a hurry at worst.

Realizing our limitations Brenda passed on responsibility for the trip to Sabina who is an ACMG assistant ski guide. She was happy to volunteer as an amateur leader for a couple of days.

Best. Decision. Ever.

First there was a Special Public Avalanche Warning issued for the weekend. Then a participant blew out her knee late on the first day and Sabina coordinated a helicopter extraction.






Above all we were grateful for Sabina's presence and to not be making the decisions. I'm not sure that we would have had the guts (presence of mind?) to call for a rescue. In the self-rescue scenario it would have been a long and drawn out operation that went well beyond nightfall. We had the resources but who knows how that would have played out for the victim? Or for the rest of the group doing the rescuing? Counter that against the risk taken on by the professional search and rescue personnel coming to our aid. Plus the cost. Is there an inherent responsibility for backcountry travellers to self-rescue in all but the most life threatening situations? Or should they use the system and resources available at their disposal when the need arises?

Every situation is different. In general we fall strongly into the latter camp. But having said that we also believe that the right decision was made in this case.

Definitely a learning experience. Went skiing. Took part in a rescue. Dug out a helicopter landing pad on the side of a hill. Learned that cell phones are good. Reaffirmed that VHF radios are good. Had philosophical discussions. It was an interesting day.