first ascent [TR] Hedley Ice - Private Reserve WI3+ 45m FA 12/9

[G-spotter]

Trip: Hedley Ice - Private Reserve WI3+ 45m FA

 

Date: 12/9/2006

 

Trip Report:

There are some advantages to knowing a meteorologist. Jmace is a meteorologist. On Friday night he told us that a 200 foot thick layer of freezing air would persist in the Hedley area through Saturday when it was +5C and raining in Lillooet and Pemberton. Fuck ya!

 

So Jordan and Steve and Jesse actually woke up at 4 AM and picked me up at 6. Off to Princeton. Somebody said that they emailed Serl about ice climbing this weekend and that he told them a lobotomy would help if you wanted to find climbable ice with this weather

 

Surprisingly enough, we got to Princeton and it was still cold. Actually Landmark Gully was even in at Sumallo Bluffs albeit a bit gray and melted looking.

 

Drove from Princeton to Keremeos scoping for ice. When driving to Rossland to visit snoboy last year, I remembered seeing some ice on the wrong side of the river. We even brought hip waders in case we had to cross the river. But we saw the ice, looked in the Backroads Mapbook, and it turned out that there was a road to the base. Fuckin' A!

 

It turned out that the road crossed native reserve lands. Well, I'm 1/32nd First Nations so I figured it would be Ok if we drove up the the "Private Keep Out" signed road. We did. We did run into a truck with two native guys in it while racking up. They smiled and waved. We smiled and waved. They didn't stop. End of access worry for the day.

 

The hike up Larcan Creek to the route sucks. Jordan, Steve and I got covered in tiny burrs. Jesse dodged it somehow. It took us about an hour to make it to the ice.

 

We roped up. Jesse got the sharp end. 45m of blue plastic goodness. Knowing that it was +7 and raining in Vancouver made it all the sweeter We ended up taking two laps apiece to fill out the day. You could climb this rig at WI3/3+ on the left or chandeliered WI4 on the right, good stuff.

 

I forgot my camera but everyone else remembered theirs. Pics will come.

 

Hiking out we found a better way out via game trails on the north side. No prickle bushes but "approach crampons" might help. Ate dinner at the Greek place in Princeton and drove home. Steve went to some party and got hungover. End of story

 

The name of this thing is "Private Reserve". Seemed appropriate somehow.

 

It went up to +2 in Princeton today

 

Gear Notes:

Fat ice takes good screws.

 

Approach Notes:

Drive to Keremeos. Take Ashnola Rd. Just before pavement ends go right and follow dirt road through reserve to Larcan Creek. Park and gain 300m on slopes right (north) of drainage then contour on game trails to the ice. 45 minutes to an hour from vehicle. Ice cannot be seen from parking area or most of approach but can be scoped from Hwy 3 about 8 km east of Hedley.

 

LENGTH OF DRIVING: ~600 km

LENGTH OF ICE CLIMBED: ~2 laps @ 45m per person

Edited December 11, 2006 by G-spotter

[jordop]

Similkameen River choked to the gills:

Stemalot passed out in back seat:

 

 

The Jmace lovin it:

 

 

[tlinn]

That looks sweet! Way to make a day out of a bad forecast! Although you could have spent the day picking up girls at the bar in Princeton if the route was melted out.

 

 

[G-spotter]

"the bar" - which one?

Need to know this important beta for future trips through there.

[Weekend_Climberz]

W00T. :moondance:

[fern]

looks just like what Rambles Center looked like yesterday - only 400km more driving away.

 

 

[G-spotter]

bah, rambles center is a 700km round trip for me, so i saved 100km, and we got an FA too

[jmace]

Rambles...its like a good song you played too many times...

[jmace]

Z2P16HvM2iI

 

Drews handy work and stemalots skills