Tanner Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 MY buddy steve and I are looking for a moderate one day winter climb. Easy Ice/mixed low 5th class, snow faces... anything between Vancouver and hope is close enought. I Only have a Two wheel drive so thats limiting for some areas. I was thinking about Welch peak, cheam, or somthing accross from yak peak(adventure climb) Any Ideas of routes and the access/approch info would be great! Tanner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 Standard route on The Lions, or the NE buttress of the West Lion for more of a challenge. I wouldn't call Needle (across from Yak) an "adventure climb" cause its one of the most popular winter destinations around. Welch is kind of long to do as a day trip with only a 2wd. Make a good weekend out of it. Standard route on Blanshard Needle is a lot of fun in the winter. Or how about - Ben Lomond. Take the skicapilano.com shuttle up the Furry Creek road and giv'er from road end! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dberdinka Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 West Ridge of North Twin Sister (Twin Sisters Range near Mt Baker) is a popular 1-day winter objective. Relatively long approach all on gated logging roads. 2wd is fine for getting to the gate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 North face ramp on Mt Harvey is a real good alpine cruise too. DEpending on conditions and choice of route from top of ramp to east ridge crest, it can vary from all 45 degree snow ramps plus some tree thrashing, up to short 60 degree WI2 and easy mixed rock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanner Posted December 13, 2004 Author Share Posted December 13, 2004 Thanks thats helpfull Mt Harvey looks interesting. What would I need? I guessing two tools, scews and a small rock rack? Dru do you think the route would be iced up yet? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 North Farce of Harvey looked pretty lean, but white, from Anvil Island on Saturday. The most gear i have ever placed on it is an ice screw and a Tri Cam, but it'd be worth taking about 4 of each plus slings to tie off trees with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 Note N face ramp on Harvey at photo-left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanner Posted December 13, 2004 Author Share Posted December 13, 2004 how long is the approach? and thanks for the pic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 About 1.5 hrs if you can walk the whole way. More if postholing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peas Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 Holy! That ramp looks steep from the photo. Not so steep closer up. I guess that's how it goes though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanner Posted December 13, 2004 Author Share Posted December 13, 2004 I like to give it a go on Wed. do you think it would go? Enought snow/Ice to make it winter climbing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 I would expect it would be pretty thin and not entirely snow covered, it could be either quite serious or very interesting, maybe more of a low angle mixed climb up a mossy slab than a winter snow climb. Very easy to retreat from though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponzini Posted December 14, 2004 Share Posted December 14, 2004 I tried the North Ridge of Needle Peak (across from Yak) two weeks ago. We were stopped by darkness and some tricky slabs (dry slabs, no ice or pro). We approached by walking up the creek valley directly from the sand shed, bush is light to non-existant, don't hike up the standard trail or you'll have to rap/harsh bush bash your way to the base of the face. Approach time to the base of the face from the road is < 1.5 hours. There were some sick mixed lines on the North Face slabs. Mainly moderate angled ice, but pretty thin - stubbys only! May have fattened up with the recent rains, though. There were also some fatter ice lines at the edge of the cirque but we didn't bring any screws. There's something for every ability level up there, I'm surprised that it hasn't seen more winter action (mabye it has?). Watch out for slides, the lower cirque area would be dangerous after a big dump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordop Posted December 14, 2004 Share Posted December 14, 2004 I tried the North Ridge of Needle Peak (across from Yak) two weeks ago. We were stopped by darkness and some tricky slabs (dry slabs, no ice or pro). We approached by walking up the creek valley directly from the sand shed, bush is light to non-existant, don't hike up the standard trail or you'll have to rap/harsh bush bash your way to the base of the face. Approach time to the base of the face from the road is < 1.5 hours. There were some sick mixed lines on the North Face slabs. Mainly moderate angled ice, but pretty thin - stubbys only! May have fattened up with the recent rains, though. There were also some fatter ice lines at the edge of the cirque but we didn't bring any screws. There's something for every ability level up there, I'm surprised that it hasn't seen more winter action (mabye it has?). Watch out for slides, the lower cirque area would be dangerous after a big dump . Sheer suicide. No one has been dumb enough to attempt it. Todd you familiar with what the publishing industry terms a "kill fee"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponzini Posted December 14, 2004 Share Posted December 14, 2004 It's true, when viewed from above, the lower cirque looks like a toilet bowl of doom. However, when you're at the bottom looking up, some interesting lines start to appear........although I lack the skills to climb most of them!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlinn Posted December 14, 2004 Share Posted December 14, 2004 Are you guys talking about the N cirque of Needle Peak or the N cirque of the Thimble NE of Needle Peak? The NE cirque of the Thimble gets avy bombed from the highway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted December 14, 2004 Share Posted December 14, 2004 I'm surprised that it hasn't seen more winter action (mabye it has?). It's in the Serl/Kay guidebook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordop Posted December 14, 2004 Share Posted December 14, 2004 So it is . . . huh! Drew do you know if there are any established winter things in the Falls Cirque? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmace Posted December 14, 2004 Share Posted December 14, 2004 (edited) Harvey Ramp is not in, was in that area on Sunday. It was plus 5 on top of Cypress yesterday. The Storms keep comin from the south. If any snow falls on the mountains after the cold sunny temps on the weekend I would STAY AWAY for awhile. Welch, I suppose how far you make it up the road, I was there about 3 weeks ago and it took me a couple of hours to reach the lake from a couple of switch backs down. Fuck ya on the ski capilano thing, I will be checkin that out, I wonder if you can stay overnight since the 9:30 take off time is a tad late. Edited December 14, 2004 by jmace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted December 14, 2004 Share Posted December 14, 2004 So it is . . . huh! Drew do you know if there are any established winter things in the Falls Cirque? Established snowmobile paths Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanner Posted December 15, 2004 Author Share Posted December 15, 2004 I think we are going to try sky pilot on friday it seem more reasonable and the weather will be better then anyday. The northeast route looks like fun, It looks steep in the guide book (Fairley's guide) Any one know how steep it is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmace Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 The Stawamus river Road was closed for the season on Dec 03, makes for a long walk. I would take Dru's advice and call ski capilano. Better would be his suggestion of Blanshard, I would go via Alouette. Fri might even work out for you WX wise, but its movin in quick. J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don_Serl Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 (edited) I think we are going to try sky pilot on friday it seem more reasonable and the weather will be better then anyday. The northeast route looks like fun, It looks steep in the guide book (Fairley's guide) Any one know how steep it is? the NE route is seldom in. there's a steep rockband low down that requires considerable ice formation to enable climbing it. probably 75º thin ice for maybe 2 pitches, then it's 50º snow. so i would not classify that as "moderate". usually it's better to climb to Gunsight Gap, then just do the E face. or traverse a ropelength right from below GG, then complete the upper part of the NE face. i presume the road is gated down by the Mamquam Main (usually is in winter). if u get bomber snow, you can walk from the gate at the front-end on the road to the back-end of the Shannon Ck road in about 4 hours. then it's maybe 2-3 hours up (via GG and E face), provided again u have bomber snow, in which case u don't need to screw around with belays. otherwise, add quite a few hours. for the E face, you probably don't need gear at all. if you want the security, don't take more than a light rope and a few slings - you won't find ice for screws, and most of the rock will be submerged in snow. you'll be boot-axe belaying, and/or anchored to trees. you can exit via the basin to the east direct to the valley. i seem to recall starting down in the middle, then almost immediately staying hard right (facing out). it's steep, but it goes. btw, i second the lions suggestion. ditto the ramp on harvey - i've done that 3 times in winter (twice on my own), and never came close to thinking there was anything worth belaying. if u encounter something thin, just move left. just rambling up Brunswick is also good - the summit ridge is quite "alpine", especially in poor weather. and Blanshard is also really good. most people probably will want to belay the initial little step - the rest is exposed and a bit complicated for route-finding, but not likely to require a rope if you have firm conditions. (suit yourself on all these comments re: rope or not, of course. i just try to avoid it whenever possible, cuz there's always BIG time-pressure in winter. and you're looking for "moderate"...) cheers, Edited December 15, 2004 by Don_Serl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 Guy Edwards roped up on the ramp on Harvey once.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanner Posted December 15, 2004 Author Share Posted December 15, 2004 W/ Blachard peak, is it mostly climbing on snowy rock or would there be snow/ice climbing involed as well? Since its a park are there gate times to worry about? What would that route likly need for gear? 2 tools, no tools, ice pro, rock pro or no pro? I wish I had 2 or 3 days in a row! this would be way easyer Thanks Oh, with mountain Bikes could the gated road to sky pilot be tamed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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