Neil
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- Apr 26, 2004
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I awoke at 5 and decided to get things going quickly so we could profit from the snow crust. We thought we could bag 3 summits. (I had filled Dave in on the whole notion of peakbagging and it became a running gag…things like needing such and such a mountain etc.). We were out the door at 7. There was not a cloud in the sky and all I had on was a thin base layer synthetic shirt and a pair of tattered wool liner gloves. There was not a cloud in the sky and we walked at a brisk pace on the lake’s perfect surface. We decided to use Lac L’s frozen tentacles for both ingress and egress to a lake and mountain we had never explored. The conditions had never been so swift.
We donned our snowshoes for the quick 1 km hop over to L. and in no time we standing on our brand new lake determining the best route up our new mountain. From there we would have to choose between mighty Mt. J. 3 kms away or Mt. Lacordaire which was right next door separated from our first objective by what, on the map, looked like a major stream, almost a river in fact. It was only 8:30 but the slope faced directly into the sun and was quite mushy. It was so hot! We got a rhythm going that was not too tiring but the sweat was pouring down our faces all the same. From the summit we could see that Jobin was also facing the sun.
Pics 193-206
Neighbouring L’s northeast side not only looked interesting but was in dark shadows. We crossed Jobin off the list. As we descended we eventually heard a roaring sound. It grew louder and louder as we approached the river. When we could see it, it was wide and open. It looked very placid in spite of the roar. As we got closer we realized there was a set of falls. This indicated narrowing and a potential crossing spot so we aimed for the roar.
Pics 209-213
Sure enough, the frozen snow and deadfall got us over easily and we began a very satisfying ascent up steep and frozen snow slopes.
Pics 216-222
The summit view was panoramic and in spite of a soft breeze we could stay as long as we liked without getting chilled. We did our usual compass routine. Our initial plan was to descend the 400 feet to the lake on the southwest side. The idea of ploughing through all that mushy snow directly into the sun’s blast was unappealing so we took a bearing to the river, above the falls.
This made for a cakewalk through a cliff enclosed, curving drainage. The river was wide open but we walked along the side in the sunshine. The snow and dark water made a nice contrast. We noted that the snow on flat, exposed areas was much more supportive than in the woods and were able to cruise along right on top. A few sections brought us a little close to the water’s edge for comfort but the ice held firm.
Pics 223-229
Back on the lake the morning’s conditions had deteriorated a bit and we walked on a thin layer of slush. When we stopped we could hear the ice melting.
Pics 230-233
Back at the cabin we went through the same routine but spent a lot of time figuring out the camera.
Pics 252 -257Pics 252-257
We also decide to surgically explore the ice just so we’d know just what we were walking on. There was a 2 inch layer of porous ice on a 6 inch layer of water over top of a thick layer of very solid ice whose thickness we couldn’t determine without swinging the axe through 6 inches of water and getting soaked. 247Pics 235-247
The next morning Dave got the heat and the breakfast on while I luxuriated in my sleeping bag. It was our last day and we had a more modest itinerary so we sat around chewing the fat longer, enjoying the coffee and music. We headed up the lake at 8 to a creek we often use for access to the various hills we like to climb. Normally we cruise quickly through the chain of elongated beaver ponds that are separated by beautiful narrow gorges while en route to bigger and better things. Today we had no choice but to ascend the easily climbed little cliffs that line the gorges in order to bypass open water. We slowly made our way upstream and couldn’t help noticing a huge set of cliffs directly above us that may or may not have been climbable. We decided to go further upstream and find an easier route up to the top of these cliffs. We were blown away at how interesting it was up there on the other side of the curtain of cedars that so effectively hide everything. We were basically following our noses and soon the creek was completely out of sight. Another set of cliffs ran along what we figured was our desired course so we headed for an opening between a knob and the cliffs. Mt. Temple was in full view so just for the heck of it I took a bearing. We knew we were within 100 meters of the creek so with the bearing line we could pretty well pinpoint our position. We were 600 meters from our cliffs and the line of cliffs we had been about to follow went off to nowhere at a 45 angle from our desired trajectory! Sobering stuff. As we proceeded we quickly found out that the ridge we were on was cut tranversley by gorges at fairly regular intervals so we went down and up. The blowdown was the absolute thickest impregnable mess I have ever had the pleasure to traverse. Huge trees were crisscrossed randomly and at times we gazed downwards into very dark bottomless holes. We often gambled that a frozen snow patch suspended between two trunks would hold us. Sometimes we won and sometimes we lost going in to our waists, getting our snowshoes stuck. It was hot, tiring work and finally we got through it all and headed further from the cliffs’ edges to where the trees were rooted in thicker soil and took a breather. We had one last climb up to the first set of cliffs we were actually aiming for and once we got there had no views. I wanted to try and go straight down but cooler heads prevailed and chose a gentler line of descent and popped out of the cedar curtain right back where started on one of the beaver ponds. I asked Dave just what had we accomplished by all that whackin’. Lowered bad cholesterol levels and about a thousand calories burned. Pics 259-279Pics 259-279
It was really, really hot now and when we got back to Lac A we could see that there was a narrow rim of water between the shore and the slushy ice. I stepped onto the ice but broke through and felt my snowshoe hit bottom. I easily kept moving onto the slush layer but kept breaking through it about up to my ankles. After about ten feet I was on solid ground and removed my snowshoes. As we sauntered back to the cabin we figured we were pushing the envelope on winter and that maybe it was time to git while the gitting was good.
From the cabin to the next lake on our way home we had about a km on a logging road and portage trail. Hauling our sleds behind us we ploughed through the mush that was about mid-shin in height. Nothing to do but take it on the chin and find a rhythm, which we did for the next half hour. Just before the lake I stepped onto what looked like reasonable ice beside the creek bed we were following and broke right through with one leg. Oh well.
With shirts off and pant legs rolled up we walked briskly, marvelling at the outrageous (for us) conditions. We are used to much tougher conditions either lake surface or weather wise. From time to time we punched through the soft ice onto the (hopefully) solid ice below but otherwise the trip back to the cars uneventful. Pics 281-Pics 281-289
We donned our snowshoes for the quick 1 km hop over to L. and in no time we standing on our brand new lake determining the best route up our new mountain. From there we would have to choose between mighty Mt. J. 3 kms away or Mt. Lacordaire which was right next door separated from our first objective by what, on the map, looked like a major stream, almost a river in fact. It was only 8:30 but the slope faced directly into the sun and was quite mushy. It was so hot! We got a rhythm going that was not too tiring but the sweat was pouring down our faces all the same. From the summit we could see that Jobin was also facing the sun.
Pics 193-206
Neighbouring L’s northeast side not only looked interesting but was in dark shadows. We crossed Jobin off the list. As we descended we eventually heard a roaring sound. It grew louder and louder as we approached the river. When we could see it, it was wide and open. It looked very placid in spite of the roar. As we got closer we realized there was a set of falls. This indicated narrowing and a potential crossing spot so we aimed for the roar.
Pics 209-213
Sure enough, the frozen snow and deadfall got us over easily and we began a very satisfying ascent up steep and frozen snow slopes.
Pics 216-222
The summit view was panoramic and in spite of a soft breeze we could stay as long as we liked without getting chilled. We did our usual compass routine. Our initial plan was to descend the 400 feet to the lake on the southwest side. The idea of ploughing through all that mushy snow directly into the sun’s blast was unappealing so we took a bearing to the river, above the falls.
This made for a cakewalk through a cliff enclosed, curving drainage. The river was wide open but we walked along the side in the sunshine. The snow and dark water made a nice contrast. We noted that the snow on flat, exposed areas was much more supportive than in the woods and were able to cruise along right on top. A few sections brought us a little close to the water’s edge for comfort but the ice held firm.
Pics 223-229
Back on the lake the morning’s conditions had deteriorated a bit and we walked on a thin layer of slush. When we stopped we could hear the ice melting.
Pics 230-233
Back at the cabin we went through the same routine but spent a lot of time figuring out the camera.
Pics 252 -257Pics 252-257
We also decide to surgically explore the ice just so we’d know just what we were walking on. There was a 2 inch layer of porous ice on a 6 inch layer of water over top of a thick layer of very solid ice whose thickness we couldn’t determine without swinging the axe through 6 inches of water and getting soaked. 247Pics 235-247
The next morning Dave got the heat and the breakfast on while I luxuriated in my sleeping bag. It was our last day and we had a more modest itinerary so we sat around chewing the fat longer, enjoying the coffee and music. We headed up the lake at 8 to a creek we often use for access to the various hills we like to climb. Normally we cruise quickly through the chain of elongated beaver ponds that are separated by beautiful narrow gorges while en route to bigger and better things. Today we had no choice but to ascend the easily climbed little cliffs that line the gorges in order to bypass open water. We slowly made our way upstream and couldn’t help noticing a huge set of cliffs directly above us that may or may not have been climbable. We decided to go further upstream and find an easier route up to the top of these cliffs. We were blown away at how interesting it was up there on the other side of the curtain of cedars that so effectively hide everything. We were basically following our noses and soon the creek was completely out of sight. Another set of cliffs ran along what we figured was our desired course so we headed for an opening between a knob and the cliffs. Mt. Temple was in full view so just for the heck of it I took a bearing. We knew we were within 100 meters of the creek so with the bearing line we could pretty well pinpoint our position. We were 600 meters from our cliffs and the line of cliffs we had been about to follow went off to nowhere at a 45 angle from our desired trajectory! Sobering stuff. As we proceeded we quickly found out that the ridge we were on was cut tranversley by gorges at fairly regular intervals so we went down and up. The blowdown was the absolute thickest impregnable mess I have ever had the pleasure to traverse. Huge trees were crisscrossed randomly and at times we gazed downwards into very dark bottomless holes. We often gambled that a frozen snow patch suspended between two trunks would hold us. Sometimes we won and sometimes we lost going in to our waists, getting our snowshoes stuck. It was hot, tiring work and finally we got through it all and headed further from the cliffs’ edges to where the trees were rooted in thicker soil and took a breather. We had one last climb up to the first set of cliffs we were actually aiming for and once we got there had no views. I wanted to try and go straight down but cooler heads prevailed and chose a gentler line of descent and popped out of the cedar curtain right back where started on one of the beaver ponds. I asked Dave just what had we accomplished by all that whackin’. Lowered bad cholesterol levels and about a thousand calories burned. Pics 259-279Pics 259-279
It was really, really hot now and when we got back to Lac A we could see that there was a narrow rim of water between the shore and the slushy ice. I stepped onto the ice but broke through and felt my snowshoe hit bottom. I easily kept moving onto the slush layer but kept breaking through it about up to my ankles. After about ten feet I was on solid ground and removed my snowshoes. As we sauntered back to the cabin we figured we were pushing the envelope on winter and that maybe it was time to git while the gitting was good.
From the cabin to the next lake on our way home we had about a km on a logging road and portage trail. Hauling our sleds behind us we ploughed through the mush that was about mid-shin in height. Nothing to do but take it on the chin and find a rhythm, which we did for the next half hour. Just before the lake I stepped onto what looked like reasonable ice beside the creek bed we were following and broke right through with one leg. Oh well.
With shirts off and pant legs rolled up we walked briskly, marvelling at the outrageous (for us) conditions. We are used to much tougher conditions either lake surface or weather wise. From time to time we punched through the soft ice onto the (hopefully) solid ice below but otherwise the trip back to the cars uneventful. Pics 281-Pics 281-289
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