Bill Kerr

I had trouble motivating myself to do Burstall pass yet again given the low cloud and snow in Calgary but I needed to get out and do something so I joined up with a group of young friends on a last minute whim.  The weather cleared up and was calmer than any time I have been there.  Felt like we stole a day.  Good little adventure with some great people.  About 1000 m gain and 20 km RT.  Some good turns in boot top snow on hard base on the RH gully/ramp exit SE off the main South most peak.  The avi conditions were stable so we skirted along the base of the steep slopes on the lower bench and back to the pass.  From the pass we dropped in to the left to ski the best treed runs in some very good powder. 

I was not expecting good photo conditions so had not checked my camera and the battery died so no pictures so I was glad Vern showed up.  The setting and light conditions were great but Vern’s artistic talent adds a lot to the pictures.

Vern’s Burstall Pictures

Full screen slideshow for maximum appreciation .

Dave Salahub – 500 Ascents in 33 years(1976 to 2009)

A long time friend of mine – Dave Salahub e-mailed about skiing Little Temple by way of Lake Annette in Paradise valley.  Good snow coverage in Lake Louise area this year so sounded interesting.   Dave, Dan Roulston and Brian Hunter and I followed old trail to the bridge below lake and then Dan broke trail up to lake, around the right side and up moraine to ridge.  We decided to gain the ridge (carried skis for 50 m) and then skied up the ridge through trees as the wind was gusting very heavily.  We broke out of the trees and continued up the snow until it changed to scree/boulders.  The wind gusts were 100+ km/hr and Brian and I did some of the scree but turned around when the skis came off.  We skied down through the trees a bit and then contoured over to the gully and back to the lake. Visibility was poor with the blowing snow and skiing was variable with alternating hard pack and pockets of softer snow.  There were rocks to avoid above the lake but good coverage for late November.  Dan and Dave continued to the summit and then also skied down the gully between the ridge and Mount Temple. 

Dave had picked this summit because it had been his first summit as a 15 year old Venturer/Boy Scout in 1976 and now 33 years later, it also was his 500^th summit.  I asked him what were his most interesting and memorable peaks from the 500( note the Grand Teton did not even make the top 20!)

HI Bill.  - The 20 most interesting/memorable peaks was a great exercise.  Here are some of my favourites (and as mentioned it seems the best memories come from not necessarily the peaks as they do from the trips that surrounded them).  In no particular order:

Gora Avachinsky (2741m, 2007)– volcanoe ski ascent in Kamchatka- one of those places I always wanted to visit.  Some great spring (corn) skiing and an interesting approach (started with a 6-wheel drive Russian Kamaz transport truck which got high centered in the soft snow which was replaced by a full snowcat which we got stuck in the raging spring creek followed by a good ole snowmobile….)

Assiniboine (3618m, 1987 w/ Mark M) – September long weekend – nasty conditions on the standard route from Hind Hut – took us longer to descend/rap downclimb than it did for the ascent.

Mount Whitney (4419m, 1989 w/Diane) – I think it took us 10 hrs one way for this “hike” in what was up to thigh deep snow after a huge fall storm.  We were on our honeymoon.

East Ridge of Bugaboo Spire (Bill B, Kelly, Dave and Jim) – 13 hrs and a very real climb on that fantastic granite!

Mount St. Helens (Jody, Mark, Bob, Gregg) – after it blew in 1980, the summit was closed to all hikers/skiers until they opened the peak up in June of 1987.  They had a permit system of 100 max hikers per day.  We went down on a road trip, and did the hike after sleeping in our car at a forest service kiosk on the south side of the peak (to get a permit for the hike).  Did Mt Hood the next day.   I returned and did this hike again in 1991 with Diane.

Elbrus (5621, 2003 with four Russians from Nizhny Novgorod) – about six weeks  after the two climbers from Medicine Hat had perished, I was on the peak in what had to be similar conditions (terribly high winds, blowing snow, zero vis).  Kept our smarts and with GPS and good gear we summitted and returned.  Had a 60-hour period with not a wink of sleep due to very difficult camp conditions wind/lightning, thunder.

Half Dome – in 1989 with Diane and again in 2005 with Jeff Gair– a great hike and the railings in a fantastic setting and the crowds didn’t bother me a bit.

Licancabur (5921m, 2004 with Jeff Gair) – the culmination of a spectacular ten days in the Atacama Desert of Chile/Bolivia.  Like being on another planet for a vacation.

Mount Bierstadt (4287, solo) – first of about a dozen Colorado 14’ers I was able to hike as a result of some frequent biz travel to Colorado and as stopover on Houston trips.  A January day trip winter ascent with snowshoes – 10 hrs one way but that was starting from my house in Calgary.  Way to go Air Canada…..

Orizaba (5536m with Jeff Gair in 2000) –volcano bagging trip to Mexico, inspired for me by the memory of a lost colleague and climbing friend, Robert Burge.  Had views of Popocatapetl (5452m) blowing ash and steam as we summitted reminded me of that earlier trip to it’s summit with Robert in 1985.

Columbia (1987 with Margetak) – for me I think about the sixth try to do that ski ascent.  Finally hit great weather and from a camp near the trench, a great ski/scramble and another place I never have to go back to!

Castleton Tower (Bill Betts, Kelly, march, 1989) – another fantastic rock climb and a great introduction to desert sandstone climbing.

Mount Nelson (2007) – a big scramble day in the Purcells.

Cerro Condor (1990) – snowcovered peak on Tierra del Fuego that was the first peak Diane and I climbed on a year-off travelling trip. 

Pico Lagazuio (Italian Dolomites, 2008) – I made two via Ferrata trips to the Dolomites in 2008 in connection with North Africa biz travel.  Did about a half-dozen popular and excellent via Ferrata routes, this one featuring a series of wartime tunnels that resulted in about 80% of the 650m vertical to summit the peak being scrambled with headlamp INSIDE the mountain.  Headlamp/helmet and via ferrata harness…..

Mount Stephen (2004)– fantastic and classic rockies scramble on a perfect hot August day.  Fell asleep for two hours on the helipad on the summit.

Mount Temple – must be something about this one.  Did it for the first time at age 19 with a high school friend.  Have returned a few times, and it was as enjoyable this past summer as it was the first time.

Cirque Peak – Dolomite area has always been a favourite of mine. 

Pigeon Spire (1987) – way too much fun on solid rock in a scenic area!

Little Temple (1976 and 2009) – last Sunday just feels good – nice peak in a familiar area connecting me back to my teenage hiking roots.

Angels Landing (Zion, numerous times) – just a great hike in a fantastic valley – Zion is a favourite place of mine along with many other places in Utah.  Not so much scrambling done over the years, but a hike that I do at least once every time I’m down there…

San Jacinto (3302m, 2008).  The mother of all hikes.  Cactus to Clouds.  Just under 10 hrs one way, but with a documented 3370m total vertical gain including downs along the way from the starting point at the Museum in Palm Springs.  The worst of it were the first two or three hours under headlamp in the 25C heat of the desert at night.  The best of it is that your knees get a breather – you take ¾ of the downclimb on a tram.

But amidst those, there will always be the local favourites – scrambling and easy rock routes on Yam, Mt. Temple, Ha Ling Peak, Grotto, and Heart Mtn – peaks that it seems will be worth repeating for as long as the legs and lungs will allow…….

Great attitude, interesting list and a great accomplishment.

Little Temple is a very good ski trip.  About 20 km RT and 900m.  Took us about 7.5 hrs? and everyone was on tele gear except me.  The AT skis were good uphill, in the trees and on the windslab in the gully but the gradual uphill stretch of trail on the way out and the 2.5 km on the Moraine lake road were a bit of a pain on AT gear.

Pictures are here  Little Temple

Good shoulder season trip with Wietse, Vern and Kelly. Would not want much more snow than this but worked out okay despite full on snow bizzard at the summit.  Powderface trail closes on Dec 1 so one of the last weekends to try this.   RT was 8.5 hrs and about 21 km and about 1100 m total elev gain. I took about 4.5 to summit.  I would stick to the ridge all the way up except for the one highpoint that has an obvious trail on the west side. Sidehilling on loose rock and snow does not save any time or effort. The alternate descent worked out well and the rockband was at most moderate scrambling with snow.  We bailed off the right into the trees near the bottom of the ridge to avoid the reported rock slabs in the left creekbed which we didn’t want to deal with given the snow cover.

Pictures are here  Howard

Wietse’s Pictures

Vern’s Pictures

Kelly’s pics

Met So, Ali and Andrea  in the park lot who had just done Bryant and had done Howard last week.  Their pics at  So’s Howard Pics and So’s Bryant pics from same day as we did Howard.

Winter camping always involves carrying a lot of extra gear.  I have seen a lot of stuff on sleds and pulks but the simplest idea I have seen is these crazy carpet sleds.  I will test this version # 1 this winter and update with modifications and improvements.  Can Tire Carpet is $3 and weighs nothing so easy cheap setup that slides with very little resistance.  I read one trip report where they used them for a week on a glacier where they moved several times.  A  rigid sled with rigid poles could carry more gear but be a pain on the downhill.  The best info on rigid pulks is Skipulks which has a free downloadable booklet on various buid your own designs as well as expedition quality sleds for sale.

The carpet only needs to last on the way in/up as the idea is to pull the heavy group gear like tent, stove, fuel, heavy food, etc and roll up the carpet and attach to pack on the way out. Note one user has said hers has lasted for 3 or 4 trips so far.   On the way down there will be less bulk without the food and less weight without food and fuel.  I like the simple concept for short 2 to 3 day trips.  Testing to start this winter.

Comments from someone who has used one:

It is great to have some tips based on first hand experience.

1. the sled will pull better if you can roll the sides up a bit as well

- good - I can tighten the side straps which will pull up the sides from the gromments and probably run better in the ski track.

2. Incorporate a bit of bungy cord in your attachment system. It gives a bit and helps when pulling.
Good idea.

3. Make sure it’s securely attached. I’ve seen them attached to backpack straps and the strap blows and the sled careens a 1000 feet down slope narrowly missing crevasses.

- Yikes - separate attach for both cords and an extra safety attach.

4. Don’t load ‘em too heavy. Anything over about 30 pounds and they really suck. - Okay

5. I made a bag for mine that zips along the front, so that, in a pinch, I can access stuff if I need it during the day, but it’s far better to only put in stuff that you don’t need during the day. -

Hydroseal bag has roll top and quick buckle entry - face backward.

6.the size of your packed dry bag is going to make it a tough pull if that is the real size of the load you are planning on puling. They do pull better if there is less bulk on the sled.

- Okay - I also have a 30 L drybag - maybe that would be better. Probably makes more sense to have each person have a smaller bag/sled than to try carry all the group gear in one large heavy and bulky bag.

I have used 5mm cord just because I had some laying around - probably could use something much lighter and same goes for straps on the sled.

Pictures and more discussion are here.  Ski Sled

The shortening days and a week of cloudy overcast weather made me crave some outdoor mountain time. Getting up to go to work in the dark doesn’t feel good and even morning workouts and playing hockey 3 times a week does not fulfil the need to exercise outdoors.   I managed to crank off a couple hours of skiing at Canada Olympic Park on artificial snow last weekend but still needed more.   Not enough snow to ski tour so decided to hike Pigeon Mtn.  Trip was about 12.5 km and about 1050m including  60 m for the lower SE summit.  Calgary was raining and just starting a wet snow storm as we left but the mountains were fine and we even got some much needed sunshine.  Summit was cold and windy with some snow pellets but we avoided the big squalls that seemed to hitting the higher peaks.  We went down by bushwacking to the old ski runs but I would not do that without a GPS and it would have been better with more snow - especially for the boulder fields. As an alternative - there was a shortcut down trail/route that comes off the up trail about . 4 km after it come out of the trees - on the left/south of a bluff of trees in a gully.  It would be steeper than the up trail but we saw a cairn and trail that came out about 2/3 of the way up the powerline.

Note that this mountain has closures from Dec 1? to June 15? for wintering and calving sheep herd.

Overall good late season trip to do with hiker friends.  Weather not an issue although miss some of the views.  I kicked or rolled a bunch of rocks off the trail on the way up in case I ever want to ski up to Skogan pass although I don’t know what is covered by the closures.

Pictures are here

Pigeon Mountain

Brett - about 1600 m and 22 km - 9 hour RT. About 6 hrs up and 3 hours down. Bike trail for 55 min - bike out - 13 minutes!

Brett had never been on my radar but I took a picture from Isabelle a couple of weeks ago and Kevin wanted to do it so I started to do some research.  Sonny and Dave Stephens had it in their top 5 or ten and Andrew and Bob said it was one of the most difficult - second to only Smuts!  Now I was interested. 

The bike in was a 55 min  ride and push and we went by some cairns and hid the bikes at the largest cairn by lots of broken rock in an open area.  We found no real trail and just thrashed up the blowdown and deadfall mess - on moss and broken rock - angle up to right to gain hanging valley at most open spot. Travelled up valley on broken rock and then up on right through larch trees/ramps to the low point in ridge. 

Hiked ridge for a while until it turns to rock. Two downclimbs.  First one we went down on left side as go down and I cleaned rock off the ledges.   We stuck to the ridge crest as close as could to get full scramble value and usually better rock.  One section of broken knife edge was dicey.  There were usually options to go around difficulties (moderate scramble) on the climbers right /west side but usually looked slabby and down sloping or broken so easier but not necessarily safer.   The second downclimb was a layer of the same poor quality friable fractured quartzite that we had on Isbelle.  We were right on the ridge so we went part way down (5 m)and didn’t like the rock quality - steep, dirty, broken and loose with no good landing.  Rather than backtrack and go down lower and around which looked scrappy and loose, we decided to bring out the 30 m rope, slung some rocks and climbed along the crest which involved a 5m downclimb into a notch and then up a pillar.  The climb back up out of the notch had a fun 5.4 move on the pillar but we felt much safer on better rock.  Vern has a picture of the pillar as he downclimbed it on his way down the ridge.  Rest was easy to summit - close to 6 hours with rope work.  The ramblers apparently bypassed the second downclimb by going 20 m down to the right earlier and around on ledges .  I think it is safest to either do that or the technically harder ridge crest than doing the full downclimb which looked very steep and scrappy.

Good views - somewhat spoiled by smoke.  I am always somewhat wary of alternate descents but this one was 10/10.  We went south to a col and then great scree. Down 3-400 m in 15 min. Then 15 min sidehill down and right to a col on south west side of peak.  Then excellent sheep trail all the way back around to the low point in the ascent ridge.  The peak could be ascended easily this way but the treadmill scree would be murder. Descended into valley and followed easiest open lines along valley bottom and then down through deadfall mess back to bikes.  The 13 minute bike ride was a real rush.  

Overall a good stand alone trip with a good descent, good views.  I was not that interested in doing Pilot and Brett on the same trip.  The scrambling on the ridge was fun but I was not impressed with the rock quality in several spots.  Definitely a difficult scramble based on taking the ridge crest or doing the second downclimb - could be a dangerous area if not careful, rushed or tired from doing Pilot. 

Pictures are here

Brett

Participants - Kevin, Dave S, Brian H, Marta W, and John. Good company and conversations helped but this was not a favorite trip.  I was busy sat and was not too organized so I did not check the weather or anything.  I was chilly on Murray last week so this time I wore a long sleeve top which did not breathe and I was hot all day. Sunday was probably hottest day of the summer, bright sun and no wind. I drank my 3 liters and then 2-3 more from a stream on the way down.  As I put on my helmet I also remembered that I had forgot to get a haircut so that did not help.  Overall I was overheated and listless most of the day and the loose rock demanded attention.  Way too easy to kick off big chunks.

The scramble is straight forward but the upper mountain is very loose and most of the rock is broken fractured quartzite or sandstone - angular and poor handholds and footing.  We went up the first gully/bowl and escaped onto the RH(SE) ridge -lots of cairns -which we followed around to the left until we hit the cliffs of the upper part. We then traversed left to the first big gully. The crux rockband is at the bottom of this gully and is difficult scrambling  on solid silty limestone for 20-30 ft.  Then up the gully and left onto summit ridge.  Travelled around the left side of summit block and up onto broad summit. The down scrambling required close attention due to the poor rock.  On the way down several of us tried the shortcut across several small ridges/gulleys to ascent ridge and the top of the first gully which went but it was much looser than the ridge route and not really worth it. The Hawk Creek access trail is good but a long walk each way.   Total RT was  ~ 18 km and ~1600 m - a little over 5 hours up and 10 hrs RT.

Great views compared to the smokey/hazy views of most of summer.

Glad to have done it but doubt I will ever be back.

Pics are here

Isabelle

Marta’s pics - good pics of route and upper part of mtn.

Scramble with Kevin on Friday Sept 4.  8 hour RT - Mainly sidehilling and scree slog on bad rock - glad it was partly frozen together.  I can see why this trip is rated so low - “Only for diehard rockies scree fans” was a favorite quote from the trip reports - partly offset by good views.   Three hours to Cegnefs and then another hour and 45 to Murray.  Went in by ski trail and old road on RH side of creek and crossed over.  Went out by old road on south side and Transalta dam and road.  Okay - slightly longer and not necessary as long as creek is low enough to cross.

Snow and frozen rain/hail on upper 1000 ft.

Good talk with Colin J. on hike in. (eighth guy to do the 11,000 footers)

Pictures are here

Murray/Cegnefs

Will add Kevin’s pics later.

Goat Mountain traverse from North to South or from Yamnuska to Hwy 1A.

Friday Aug 28/09 with Wietse and Kevin.  About 10 km and 1100 m and 1400 m  total.  We took 13 hours as we did as much of ridge as we could and did 4 raps.  Beautiful sunny day- great time with good guys.  Never harder than 5.3 but not much hiking. Lots of exposure. Used a 30 m single rope, a few slings and some small cams to 2 inch.

Most of trip report is in comments with the pictures.

Interested in feedback on Bypass trail for people going S-N direction(1A to Yam) and where people rapped or got off the SE ridge of Unnamed. Send an e-mail or leave a comment.

Thanks

Pictures are here.

Goat Traverse

Wietse’s pictures

Summitpost Route Description

Hiked up to base of Gap with a buddy.  Explored on the rock but too loose and exposed for a hiker.

Tried out a new camera - Olympus 565UZ.  My friends with DSLR’s will howl but I have owned top quality SLRs and I am not a good photographer so the extra capability is wasted on me. 

The ease of use and advantages of a small lightweight(13 oz.) ultra zoom(20X) offset the disadvantages for me.  The ultrazooms do have slightly poorer image quality, are slower and don’t do as well in low light conditions but  I was able to pick up the 565 at a discontinued price of $320 CDN so it is a cheap experiment compared to a DSLR.

Pictures are here - check out the tele shot of a weather station and the butterfly shot.

Gap Mountain