spearhead beta

[enem]

has anybody done the spearhead traverse recently ?

was wondering what the snow coverage is like, and whether

crevasses are a nuisance...

 

any info much appreciated!

[stinkyclimber]

I was day skiing out of Whistler all the way to the Overlord shoulder last weekend. Slot coverage seemed fine. Definately do-able. Snow coverage is only down to the base of the Green Chair on Whistler, and much higher on Blackcomb. In the alpine, it is nicely consolidated. Most cornices seem to have already come down. Probably a fun time to do it, and quick travelling conditions too. Certainly, you won't run into anyone else! Have fun.

[Dru]

i heard an interesting tidbit about a famous Whistler local who has done the Spearhead 2x in one day and is gunning for 3 laps in a day on it. Take that Dan -!

[PaulB]

That rumour was in this Ski Canada story a couple months ago. I'd guess it's Pehota, Chilton or Condon, but I don't know who the hot shots are these days.

[Dru]

none of the above, my informant said it was Keith Reid

[snoboy]

KFR, that's what I heard too.

[Ziff]

yes, it is Keith, but so far he has not done it 3 times in one day. The fast times are for the shortened version and out singing pass, not the full traverse. Not that it matters, he is still moving fast!

[rtholmes]

So does this mean visiting the village 3 times in a day or does it mean just going from the whirlwind/fissile col to the east col on blackcomb twice each? I think this is an interesting style point: does using the lifts detract from being able to say you did it x times in one day? Usually to say you did something 'in a day' means car to car so really you should get to the village 3 times (start, finish, and once in between) if you're doing it twice.

[Dru]

you can tell him that next time you see him and see what he says

[PaulB]

The fast times are for the shortened version and out singing pass, not the full traverse.

What is considered the "shortened" version? When they bypass Iago and go down into Fitzsimmons Creek?

 

Going between the East Col and Singing Pass (via Iago) on each lap, with an exit down the Singing Pass trail or from the Blackcomb-Decker col would be impressive.

 

I expect that you could count on one hand the number of people who've done the Spearhead without using the lifts in recent years.

Edited May 21, 2004 by PaulB

[Ziff]

By "shortened" I meant going down Fitzsimmons Creek and climbing back up the Overlord Shoulder. As well, descending Singing Pass as opposed to going over the Musical Bumps on the way out.

 

I do know one guy who did the spearhead in a day without lifts from vancouver. Left Vancouver at 3:00am, skinning up Blackcomb by 5:00 am, around Fissile and out singing pass by 9:00pm. Home in Vancouver by 11:30pm. He said it was a long day! No doubt.