Neil
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- Apr 26, 2004
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Cliff Mountain via the winter route directly from Flowed Lands.
Paricipants: Alistair, Dick, Dominic, Neil, Pat, Val and, recruited on the trail, Mike.
The forecast called for cloudy skies but when Dom and I wheeled into the Upper Works trailhead (Dom at the wheel for his first driving lesson) the sun was beating down and in spite of a slight nip, spring was definitely in the air.
We were underway by 8:20 and as we ascended the Calamity Brook trail we must have passed 25 people on their way out. Lots of sleds. Half way to Flowed Lands we met up with Mike (again) who was trying to fix his Atlas snowshoe that had popped a rivet from the foot plate (or whatever you call the thing that lies under the ball of the foot.). It just so happened that I had some of those plastic tighteners in my pack and they were just what the doctor ordered. Lower down on the trail Alistair had already worked on Mike trying to recruit another pair of snowshoes for breaking trail up Cliff. Now Mike was a little more keen. (Nevertheless, it was I who had the ace of spades strapped on to the back of Dom’s pack.)
By the time we got to Flowed Lands it had clouded over and after feeding and watering (Val’s wasabi dried peas were a big hit) we signed out. Mike was not 100% confident about his snowshoe so I pulled out my ace by getting Dom to turn around to show the spare Northern Lite snowshoe I had decided to bring along. So when we left Flowed Lands and entered the bush we were a group of seven. We were lucky too, because there was an old trail faintly discernable but with a base of support. This trail went straight up the drainage and followed exactly the compass bearing I had dialed into my Silva.
At first, we felt we were embarking on quite an adventure not really knowing whether we’d make it up this route but we were soon considering ourselves darn lucky to have the old tracing. Whenever we got off the “trail” we sunk in deep and floundered helplessly. And talk about blowdown! I looked down through some holes next to the trail and to my surprise we were often more than 10 feet above solid ground. Incredible! Fortunately, we only fell in the occasional blowdown trap.
Val’s GPS was mostly used as an altimeter but it also showed us we were right on track. You have to be careful when you follow an old snowshoe trail because you never really know where the thing leads.
On the lower reaches of the mountain the route passes directly below a beautiful set of cliffs. You get great views of Flowed Lands, the cliffs and the MacIntyre range. From Flowed Lands to Cliff’s summit there are only about 1500 feet of vertical and with Dom in the lead the entire way we eventually broke out at a level clearing just below and to the NNE of the summit. After a bit of hemming and hawing we rounded the summit to its south side and picked up the usual herd trail which led us to the top. There was a thin shroud of cloud cover that opened and closed around us and the surrounding summits. For example, at one moment we could see Colden perfectly and the next it was gone. Same with Redfield, Marcy, and Gray, just to mention those ones. We got to spend a lot of time on this fairly open and broad summit (thanks Floyd) and at around 2PM we headed down. There was plenty of big fluffy snowflakes being blown about (hither and thither) by the gentle breezes and as we descended we got views of the entire Macyntire Range whose harsh features were softened by a translucent veil of white filmy clouds.
My ace of spades came into play half way down Cliff when one of Alistair’s MSR snowshoe foot plates self-destructed totally and irretrievably. The other one was just about gone also. I initially offered my spare shoe to Alistair for $300 but seeing as he was a little light in the cash department I relented and loaned it to him for nothing.
Once back onto Flowed Lands we were greeted by the sight of Dominic running back and forth across the landscape through knee-deep snow just for the fun of it. He came running over to me and between gasps for air, described enthusiastically and with eyes a-sparkle, the views he’d gotten of Colden and Algonquin. If you could bottle that and sell it either you’d become an instant millionaire or they’d throw you in jail.
All that was left was the 4.5 mile treck down the Calamity brook trail to the TH and a sure sign that spring is in the air was that we didn't use our headlamps in spite of getting out at 7PM.
So now there is a bombproof trail on Cliff's winter route. If you use it send a monetary contribution to Alistair's new snowshoe fund.
__________________
Find a pace that works for you and you can use it for the rest of your life.
Paricipants: Alistair, Dick, Dominic, Neil, Pat, Val and, recruited on the trail, Mike.
The forecast called for cloudy skies but when Dom and I wheeled into the Upper Works trailhead (Dom at the wheel for his first driving lesson) the sun was beating down and in spite of a slight nip, spring was definitely in the air.
We were underway by 8:20 and as we ascended the Calamity Brook trail we must have passed 25 people on their way out. Lots of sleds. Half way to Flowed Lands we met up with Mike (again) who was trying to fix his Atlas snowshoe that had popped a rivet from the foot plate (or whatever you call the thing that lies under the ball of the foot.). It just so happened that I had some of those plastic tighteners in my pack and they were just what the doctor ordered. Lower down on the trail Alistair had already worked on Mike trying to recruit another pair of snowshoes for breaking trail up Cliff. Now Mike was a little more keen. (Nevertheless, it was I who had the ace of spades strapped on to the back of Dom’s pack.)
By the time we got to Flowed Lands it had clouded over and after feeding and watering (Val’s wasabi dried peas were a big hit) we signed out. Mike was not 100% confident about his snowshoe so I pulled out my ace by getting Dom to turn around to show the spare Northern Lite snowshoe I had decided to bring along. So when we left Flowed Lands and entered the bush we were a group of seven. We were lucky too, because there was an old trail faintly discernable but with a base of support. This trail went straight up the drainage and followed exactly the compass bearing I had dialed into my Silva.
At first, we felt we were embarking on quite an adventure not really knowing whether we’d make it up this route but we were soon considering ourselves darn lucky to have the old tracing. Whenever we got off the “trail” we sunk in deep and floundered helplessly. And talk about blowdown! I looked down through some holes next to the trail and to my surprise we were often more than 10 feet above solid ground. Incredible! Fortunately, we only fell in the occasional blowdown trap.
Val’s GPS was mostly used as an altimeter but it also showed us we were right on track. You have to be careful when you follow an old snowshoe trail because you never really know where the thing leads.
On the lower reaches of the mountain the route passes directly below a beautiful set of cliffs. You get great views of Flowed Lands, the cliffs and the MacIntyre range. From Flowed Lands to Cliff’s summit there are only about 1500 feet of vertical and with Dom in the lead the entire way we eventually broke out at a level clearing just below and to the NNE of the summit. After a bit of hemming and hawing we rounded the summit to its south side and picked up the usual herd trail which led us to the top. There was a thin shroud of cloud cover that opened and closed around us and the surrounding summits. For example, at one moment we could see Colden perfectly and the next it was gone. Same with Redfield, Marcy, and Gray, just to mention those ones. We got to spend a lot of time on this fairly open and broad summit (thanks Floyd) and at around 2PM we headed down. There was plenty of big fluffy snowflakes being blown about (hither and thither) by the gentle breezes and as we descended we got views of the entire Macyntire Range whose harsh features were softened by a translucent veil of white filmy clouds.
My ace of spades came into play half way down Cliff when one of Alistair’s MSR snowshoe foot plates self-destructed totally and irretrievably. The other one was just about gone also. I initially offered my spare shoe to Alistair for $300 but seeing as he was a little light in the cash department I relented and loaned it to him for nothing.
Once back onto Flowed Lands we were greeted by the sight of Dominic running back and forth across the landscape through knee-deep snow just for the fun of it. He came running over to me and between gasps for air, described enthusiastically and with eyes a-sparkle, the views he’d gotten of Colden and Algonquin. If you could bottle that and sell it either you’d become an instant millionaire or they’d throw you in jail.
All that was left was the 4.5 mile treck down the Calamity brook trail to the TH and a sure sign that spring is in the air was that we didn't use our headlamps in spite of getting out at 7PM.
So now there is a bombproof trail on Cliff's winter route. If you use it send a monetary contribution to Alistair's new snowshoe fund.
__________________
Find a pace that works for you and you can use it for the rest of your life.
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