The Ghost Access

[scrambled_legs]

Does the ghost river freeze allowing a walk up to the climbs or do you have to drive? How far of an approach would it be to This house of Sky on foot?

[W]

I have made it to the top of the Big Hill in a front wheel drive vehicle w/o chains and have walked to a number of climbs from here. Make sure to carry chains, however, and be aware there is one overflow creek about 1/3 of the way in that could be a problem if temps are warm. From the Big Hill, you can walk to the GBU area in about one hour and a little change. House of Sky isn't too far from there. If you have a 4WD, you can drive to the foot of GBU. Other approach times from Big Hill:

Sorcerer: 2:45

Wicked Wanda/Malignant Mushroom: 1:20

Weathering Heights/Anorexia Nervosa: 2:00 +/-

 

The latter four climbs, if you have a 4WD, are 45 minutes or less from the farthest driving point.

[iain]

I think it all depends on conditions and how much you are willing to risk getting your car stuck. 4WD often just means you just get more stuck farther in. We ran into some challenging drifts to bust through. Some folks were able to drive all the way to the entrance to THOS and phantom falls. Last year in February we made it to near GBU (after fording the river a few times) but did not want to risk driving over the ice layers further up on the river. I guess it's all about how much you hate walking and if you have a second vehicle or winch kit to haul yerself out. It also helps if you know where to sneak around some trouble spots. The year before last my friends didn't even make it down to the river and hiked it in.

[jja]

One little trick that we learned only after getting stuck in a drift is an alternate route that bypasses most of the big drifts on the way to GBU.

 

At the bottom of the big hill make the right turn as usual, but then instead of continuing on the obvious road make a left about 10 meters along the way across an open field. This will take you to a built up manmade morain thing. One steep little uphill will gain the top of this long containing wall, then you can drive along the top of this thing which parallels the regular road all the way to the bridge crossing.

 

This bypass is do-able in any ordinary suv. But getting stuck in the ghost is like a right of passage, consider it part of the package.

[Alex]

any way you cut it, walking from the big hill to THOS with packs etc sucks ass. the only redeeming thing is that its a flat walk.

[geordie]

You wanna hear about things that suck..

Last year we went in with 4 of us crammed in my little Nissan, folks in the little kid seats wanted to puke when we arrived. When we were packing up to hike to THOS Mr. Yates realized he had left his crampons at the hotel. DOH!

So he started walking out and actually made it some distance down the highway where we picked him up that evening..

YATES is one tough fella...

[Janez_Ales]

Hm, for the amount of ice THOS has you could have been passing one a pair of crampons back and forth, but I guess you did not know that before hand...

 

... and yes, I did walk twice to THOS from the big hill

[scrambled_legs]

So if I planned for a hike in on Feb 11 would I be getting my boots wet? Is the river frozen still and do I need snow shoes to get through the drifts? What are the conditions like on Valley of the sun, Beowulf and House of sky? Thanks again.

[Alex]

The best bet for Rockies conditions is always to check http://www.gravsports.com/Ice%20Pages%20Folder/04_05_Ice_conditions/04_05_Ice_conditions.htm

[jja]

also check http://www.rockies-ice.com/conditions.php

 

from that site, the ghost access road on 1/30

 

[scrambled_legs]

jja, was the river frozen over, or is that open water in the background? I don't have a 4 by 4 so we have to walk in and no-one seems to know if I should plan on getting my feet wet or not. From the looks of it, snow shoes are out of the question. Thanks for the other info.

[jja]

I don't have any current info, the last time I was in the ghost was the 27th or so of December. My guess based on the recent warm temps in the rockies is that the river would not be frozen.

 

Based on the river level when I was last there and with good boots and tight gaiters, I think you could make it across the river crossings on foot ok. Might want to bring a spare pair of socks just in case though.

[Janez_Ales]

I am in Canmore and was thinking of going to the Valley of the Birds, have a 4x4 that can transport 5 in a pinch, 4 OK, and with some luxury...

 

janez.ales@gmail.com

[Janez_Ales]

...5 in a pinch, 4 OK, and

 

3

 

with some ....