mavs00
New member
{Long, as usual}
Naturally, while out west here in British Columbia, we decided to do a little hiking too. The first place we chose to hike was about 35 miles north of Whistler in the Joffre Lakes Provincial Park. The main trail (only trail) in Joffre Lakes leads several miles up a cirque passed 3 glacially fed lakes. The last one being right in the bowl of the cirque. The lake is surrounded by the towering peaks of the Joffre group that rises 1800’-2000 ft above. The Joffre group is a series of 6 primary peaks aligned in the comma shap, and there are also three glaciers between them that feed the lake(s). They are the Matier, Stonecrop and Tszil glaciers. The peaks range from 7600’ – 9150’, most of which involve difficult technical climbs and are not recommended in summer (from this direction) due to the instability of the glaciers.
We had our sights set on one that is accesable, Mount Tszil, (a 7800’ stony peak down towards the end of the group). A pretty easy one, by some accounts, and for reasons discussed below, we quickly learned that British Columbia easy ain’t back east easy. Most of the “easy” tag is in elevation gain/distance compaired to most peaks, not in the difficulty of the terrain. Only a fraction of park visitors, venture far up the valley to climb a peak.
We started off from the trailhead (3800’) and entered a typical BC coastal rainforest with tons of towering hemlocks, cypress and Douglass firs. Within 5 minutes, we reached the first lake, which was one of the most unnatural bluish colors I’ve ever seen. We also got a good look to where we were headed. Back into the forest and over the next few miles (and 1100’ up) we hikied through mixed forest, interspersed with open meadow, chalk full of huckleberry & raspberry bushes. Prime Grizzly country but luckily, we didn’t see any. Soon enough, we passed the second and considerably bluer lake, which is framed by the peaks above and the mass of the Matier glacier.
The last lake is the biggest and right in the bowl, with much of the area barren of vegetation. The contrast between the blue/green of the lake, ice blue/white of the glaciers and the grey bulk of the mountain walls is striking. The entire area sounds like and ocean too, as the powerful streams of glacial runoff drop hundreds of feet to the lake below. A prettier spot for a break I’ll never see.
From there, we began to enter the alpine zone (5200’), but it’s a more gradual thing than back east with mixed wildflowers and stunted firs (still 40’-50’) at first. As you climb up the valley, there is “a trail” that leads toward the Tszil Glacier, but its little more than the occasional cairn among millions of jumbled glacial rocks. Barely a trail at all. At about 6000’ feet we reached the first obstacle. The trail leads up a glacial moraine that rises 300’+ feet above the valley. Steep walls (not cliffy, but frggin’ aye steep) and a narrow ridge of 8 – 18 inches wide combine to make for an extreme test of nerves. Its a solid 200 M long (600-700’) and rises a few 100 feet. I never thought I’d see the Day, but it was at that point that both Katie and Ash, said “NOPE, NO CHANCE”, and there mountain day would end there. They urged me and Nick on and choose to go down and hang at the lake to chill and feed the Whiskey Jacks (Grey Jays).
Nick and me continued on and headed up the rocky headwall to the col between Tszil and Tayor Peaks. No trail or cairns any more to lead us. Just below the col, we hit a small, steepish snowfield that we carefully navagated. At the col, we began to see the Canadian Rocky coastal skyline. Hundreds, if not thousands of craggy-rock sculptures interspersed with glaciers that are thousands of years old. Mount Tszil’s rocky cone thrust 900’ above us.
Nothing but true rock-whacking from here. We choose a leftish line that appeared to have a nice seem that climbed through the rocks at a reasonable angle. It took us a touch closer to the shear rock face that fell 1500’ to the valley floor then I’d like and we had a few small steep snowfields to dodge, but it went smooth enough. Once we got toward the top, we had to double back to the right toward the summit and over a longer ice field. But sure enough, we soon sat at the summit of “a REAL mountain” (Nick’s definition, since we had to cross glaciers to get there).
The views were astounding at we looked far and wide over the glaciers and jagged peaks. It was amazing, but at the same time, aside form the cairn marking the top, there was a distinct man does not belong here” feeling. We stayed only a few minutes to get back down to the girls.
On the way down, we had lots of time to discuss the day. It was truly amazing and that this “little mountain” was tougher than all the biggest ones back east. Truly amazing. That doesn’t take anything away from “our mountains”, but serves to remind us that these rocky glaciated peaks are serious business. I’ll let Katie add her unique perspective.
All to soon the hike was done. The stats, 13 miles (RT), 4000’ vertical, 8:30 hours, does NOTHING to give you any sense of the terrain we passed.
-PICTURES- might help give some sense, but not enough. Here’s a taste, Nick on top of Mt. Tszil (2378 M)
Naturally, while out west here in British Columbia, we decided to do a little hiking too. The first place we chose to hike was about 35 miles north of Whistler in the Joffre Lakes Provincial Park. The main trail (only trail) in Joffre Lakes leads several miles up a cirque passed 3 glacially fed lakes. The last one being right in the bowl of the cirque. The lake is surrounded by the towering peaks of the Joffre group that rises 1800’-2000 ft above. The Joffre group is a series of 6 primary peaks aligned in the comma shap, and there are also three glaciers between them that feed the lake(s). They are the Matier, Stonecrop and Tszil glaciers. The peaks range from 7600’ – 9150’, most of which involve difficult technical climbs and are not recommended in summer (from this direction) due to the instability of the glaciers.
We had our sights set on one that is accesable, Mount Tszil, (a 7800’ stony peak down towards the end of the group). A pretty easy one, by some accounts, and for reasons discussed below, we quickly learned that British Columbia easy ain’t back east easy. Most of the “easy” tag is in elevation gain/distance compaired to most peaks, not in the difficulty of the terrain. Only a fraction of park visitors, venture far up the valley to climb a peak.
We started off from the trailhead (3800’) and entered a typical BC coastal rainforest with tons of towering hemlocks, cypress and Douglass firs. Within 5 minutes, we reached the first lake, which was one of the most unnatural bluish colors I’ve ever seen. We also got a good look to where we were headed. Back into the forest and over the next few miles (and 1100’ up) we hikied through mixed forest, interspersed with open meadow, chalk full of huckleberry & raspberry bushes. Prime Grizzly country but luckily, we didn’t see any. Soon enough, we passed the second and considerably bluer lake, which is framed by the peaks above and the mass of the Matier glacier.
The last lake is the biggest and right in the bowl, with much of the area barren of vegetation. The contrast between the blue/green of the lake, ice blue/white of the glaciers and the grey bulk of the mountain walls is striking. The entire area sounds like and ocean too, as the powerful streams of glacial runoff drop hundreds of feet to the lake below. A prettier spot for a break I’ll never see.
From there, we began to enter the alpine zone (5200’), but it’s a more gradual thing than back east with mixed wildflowers and stunted firs (still 40’-50’) at first. As you climb up the valley, there is “a trail” that leads toward the Tszil Glacier, but its little more than the occasional cairn among millions of jumbled glacial rocks. Barely a trail at all. At about 6000’ feet we reached the first obstacle. The trail leads up a glacial moraine that rises 300’+ feet above the valley. Steep walls (not cliffy, but frggin’ aye steep) and a narrow ridge of 8 – 18 inches wide combine to make for an extreme test of nerves. Its a solid 200 M long (600-700’) and rises a few 100 feet. I never thought I’d see the Day, but it was at that point that both Katie and Ash, said “NOPE, NO CHANCE”, and there mountain day would end there. They urged me and Nick on and choose to go down and hang at the lake to chill and feed the Whiskey Jacks (Grey Jays).
Nick and me continued on and headed up the rocky headwall to the col between Tszil and Tayor Peaks. No trail or cairns any more to lead us. Just below the col, we hit a small, steepish snowfield that we carefully navagated. At the col, we began to see the Canadian Rocky coastal skyline. Hundreds, if not thousands of craggy-rock sculptures interspersed with glaciers that are thousands of years old. Mount Tszil’s rocky cone thrust 900’ above us.
Nothing but true rock-whacking from here. We choose a leftish line that appeared to have a nice seem that climbed through the rocks at a reasonable angle. It took us a touch closer to the shear rock face that fell 1500’ to the valley floor then I’d like and we had a few small steep snowfields to dodge, but it went smooth enough. Once we got toward the top, we had to double back to the right toward the summit and over a longer ice field. But sure enough, we soon sat at the summit of “a REAL mountain” (Nick’s definition, since we had to cross glaciers to get there).
The views were astounding at we looked far and wide over the glaciers and jagged peaks. It was amazing, but at the same time, aside form the cairn marking the top, there was a distinct man does not belong here” feeling. We stayed only a few minutes to get back down to the girls.
On the way down, we had lots of time to discuss the day. It was truly amazing and that this “little mountain” was tougher than all the biggest ones back east. Truly amazing. That doesn’t take anything away from “our mountains”, but serves to remind us that these rocky glaciated peaks are serious business. I’ll let Katie add her unique perspective.
All to soon the hike was done. The stats, 13 miles (RT), 4000’ vertical, 8:30 hours, does NOTHING to give you any sense of the terrain we passed.
-PICTURES- might help give some sense, but not enough. Here’s a taste, Nick on top of Mt. Tszil (2378 M)
