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[TR] Rockies - bombs, beer, blood,& brutes 1/1/2007


Jens

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Trip: Rockies - bombs, beer, blood,& brutes

 

Date: 1/1/2007

 

Trip Report:

Chris Stephenson & I decided to head up to the Canadian Rockies for some follies on whatever we could find. Day 1 started at Field with some fun.

Carlsberg:

HPIM0108.JPG

We decided to close out the day at Louise falls. The appeal of a nice horse drawn sleigh ride,a blanket, and a cappucino while being delivered to the base of our climb was to great a temptation for us. No sooner had we jumped in a vacant seat at the the Chateau Lake Louise when the tour queen scrambled to ensure that dirtbag climber types like us were not to board the sleigh. Despite having to walk over dried horse poo on the approach, we enjoyed the ice. Day 2 was filled with more excitement as I was part way up the 1st pitch of Bourgeau-Left Hand when a chopper buzzed over us and dropped a huge bomb right on the slope above us and about 200 yards to our right. Shit! Chris- let's get out of here! The whole mountain shook! Mockingly enough the chopper cicled around over us again (he could have read the labels on our clothing) and dropped 2 more charges on top of us! We bailed and went ass over teakettle down the slope as fast as we could. The avy report said "moderate" for our zone, no snow had fallen for a few days, wind depostion was not huge, and the ski area lot was full of cars. Since we started way late in the day, we figured no one would be stupid enough to bomb directly above a full parking lot. All other bombing in the world is done before the crowds show up. After all the comotion, we eventually found our way to the junkyards and eventually some beer. The next day we climbed mixed master and found about a 20 foot long streak of blood set into the ice! Maybe the chopper pilot had decided to hunt some more climbers up the parkway? The last pitch was awesome. The next day sported some Haffner fun with lots of hangdogging and other assorted monkey business. On the way home we hit an elk directly head on at about 45mph. The car was nearly toast but we managed to limp it home by stopping every 25 minutes and filling up the radiator. We got pulled over four times because chris' vehicle looked so mangled! One cop in north Idaho had a shoulder length mullet. All in all, it was a circus of a trip but lots of fun!

 

Gear notes: beer

I know TR's of ice trips not in the cascades are lame but I'm really bored.

 

 

 

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Sounds like quite a trip!

 

My car was hit by a deer in northern Idaho on the way to an ice climbing trip in the Rockies about this time last year. Fortunately, it only side swiped me, and we drug it out of the road before the semis squashed it. When the deer hit the snow bank, it came around and bounded off into the woods.

 

FYI - At least in my case, a collision with a deer was considered an act of God, not an "at fault" accident, and it was covered under comprehensive insurance. Therefore, my rates did not increase.

 

 

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Sounds like quite a trip!

 

My car was hit by a deer in northern Idaho on the way to an ice climbing trip in the Rockies about this time last year. Fortunately, it only side swiped me, and we drug it out of the road before the semis squashed it. When the deer hit the snow bank, it came around and bounded off into the woods.

 

FYI - At least in my case, a collision with a deer was considered an act of God, not an "at fault" accident, and it was covered under comprehensive insurance. Therefore, my rates did not increase.

 

 

your car must have pissed off God - or maybe the deer pissed off God. Or maybe the deer was God and was trying to teach you a lesson about driving. Or maybe your car is God and the deer his followers and the insurance company is satan.

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Hello Everyone,

 

On the Banff, Yoho, and Kootenay Public Avalanche Bulletin you will now see

information on any planned avalanche control work for the following day in

the Travel Conditions section. We hope this information will better help

you make alternate plans for the following day and further encourage ice

climbers, ski tourers, and boarders to check the bulletin the night before.

If you do not have access to a computer, you can hear a recording of the

forecast by calling 403-762-1460.

 

The controlled paths that affect the highways those that are marked by the

"no stopping avalanche area signs). These are:

Sunshine Paths: the control is sometimes done at night, but not all

targets can be done at night. Under normal circumstances, daytime

control is done at 1300 hours, as per the agreement with the Sunshine

Ski area. The slopes above Bourgeau Left are not controlled, but could

be affected during highly unstable conditions.

Kootenay National Park: Vermillion/Assiniboine Paths (local names), Mt.

Whymper (becoming a more common ski destination), Mt Wardle Paths

Yoho National Park:

Mt. Dennis: controlled paths affect the Field backroad and many of

the "beer" climbs: Pilsner Pillar, Carlsberg Column, Cascade

Kronenbourg, Heineken Hall, Labatt's Lane, Wild Cougar, Guinness

Gully, Guiness Stout, and High Test.

Mt. Field: path affects the ice climb Silk Tassle, Coalminer's

Daughter

Mt. Stephen: path affects Super Bock, Extra Light, Cool Spring,

Massey's,

4. Highway 93 N: paths are marked by the "no-stopping avalanche area"

highway signs and are not a common

destination for ski tourers or ice climbers.

 

 

Lisa Paulson, ACMG guide

Specialist, Mountain Safety Programs

Banff, Yoho, and Kootenay National Parks

 

_______________________________________________

These observations and opinions are those of the person who submitted them. The ACMG and its members take no responsibility for errors, omissions, or lapses in continuity. Conditions differ greatly over time and space due to the variable nature of mountain weather and terrain. Application of this information provides no guarantee of increased safety. Do not use the Mountain Conditions Report as the sole factor in planning trips or making decisions in the field.

Please check out http://acmg.ca/mcr for more information.

 

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bit of a fluke you getting in there as the roads are usually closed during bombing heli runs. There are signs posted the day before that the climbs will be closed the following day. Suppose if you went early enough you would miss those in the darkness. How thety missed your vehicle (not with a bomb) I have no idea. Wardens have been accused of being short sighted in the past but refrence is not pointed at their eyesight.

 

Did the day start out like thispolargoodday.jpg

 

And finish looking like this. Don't need no stinkin bombs to change the way you look at life.polarbadday.jpg

Edited by jmckay
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times must be a changin, I can remember driving out with my wife who is a donut eatin coffee suckin do nothin and placing notes on all the vehicles at rampart the night before. Of course if they had americain plates we didn't bother. I guess they stay the same in some ways.

]

Edited by jmckay
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Mark Ledwidge (Public Safety with Parks Canada), January 7th Borgeau Left Avalanche Notes

I assume by now you heard about the two American climbers on Bourgeau Left who said that bombs were being thrown in the start above them. Even though, avalanche control was ongoing on the nearby Bourgeau paths, there were no shots placed in the start zone above them (Bourgeau 9). That said, we are attempting to notify climbers and skiers ahead of time of control operations. we sent a message to this effect on the MCR. The plan is to have something in our daily avalanche bulletin the day prior.

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