anyone been into the vowell's?

[AFIVE]

Taking a three week trip to the Vowell's in East Glacier cirque in 2006. I was curious how many days to hike in there with supplys for for three weeks. I was planning on at least two days from the Kain Hut. Any information on the area or personal experiences greatly appreciated.

[Dru]

you're going to die

[PaulB]

If I had to carry three weeks of supplies from the Kain Hut to a camp in the Vowells in two days I would probably need a week to recover.

 

Depending on the style in which you want to do the trip and the size of your group, consider flying in from the end of the Vowell Creek FSR.

 

There is a recent TR on Bivouac.com from the Kootenay Mountaineering Club's trip to the Vowells this summer.

[AFIVE]

thanks for a serious reply. You have to be a paying member to read the trip report. There are just four in our group. We want to be able to stay in there for three weeks to hit a good weather window. I know it's far! I am interested in speaking with someone who has actually walked it.

[EWolfe]

I think the consonants are way more sexy.

 

[PaulB]

I am interested in speaking with someone who has actually walked it.

While I haven't walked from the Kain Hut to the Vowells in one go, I have travelled all of the relevent terrain on seperate trips. From the parking lot to the Kain hut to the Bugaboo-Snowpatch col is straight forward. From the col it's pretty much all downhill to Bill's Pass. The upper Vowell glacier is easy travelling as long as the snow isn't too sloppy. Slots are easy to avoid, but a rope is a good idea.

 

If I were doing it I'd give myself at least two and a half days to get everything to Bill's Pass, and three if heading to a camp further west. The first day to carry loads to the Kain hut or Applebee campground, where I would spend the night. Most of the next day would be spent getting everything up to the col. Since you can't camp at the col, I'd cache some stuff there, and head over to Bill's Pass to set up camp. Once that was done, depending on the time of day I'd either head back the col for another load, or wait until the next day (more likely). For the latter, anything left at the col would have to be stashed in a snaffle proof manner.

 

BTW, I stumbled across these photos of the area. Again, this was a fly in affair. This picture gives a good view of the terrain between the col and Bill's Pass.

[bigwalling]

I haven't been over there, but I spent a month up there this summer and I can see why you wouldn't want to go for just a week. The weather is terrible most the time, well not terrible but not really climbable for free. You could email the authors of the recent guide book. The email is in there I think.

[Dru]

"The weather up there is rotten

Rainin' granite all the time"

[AFIVE]

I spoke with Kevin McLane on the phone about the area and different approach options. It looks like a few days of humpin' loads. The price you pay for new routing in a remote area. Thanks for all the "serious" replys.