spearhead traverse questions?

[fheimerd]

some questions regarding the spearhead traverse

 

how would you rate the avalanche hazards? Serious, moderate, pretty safe

 

this time of year are there crevasse issues and if so can they be easily avoided?

 

where could I find more information on this traverse?

[LeeLau]

buy the John Baldwin "Backcountry whistler" map from escape route - a whistler shop - www.escaperoute.net or http://john_baldwin.bivouac.com/

 

That question about avalanche hazard is strange. I don't know how to answer that.

 

Crevasses can be easily avoided at this time of the year and well into spring if traveling the standard route

 

A quick google search will show numerous route descriptions.

[fheimerd]

thanks for the info and let me clarify the avalanche question

 

it is more a question about the type of terrain. Are there any sections of the tour where you have to expose yourself to severe terrain that if the avalanche hazard were high would almost definately go or does the standard route keep you in pretty safe terrain away from major hazards.

[LeeLau]

It's possible to mitigate avalanche exposure pretty easily on this trip. Because so much of the trip is on glaciers, its easier to control risk if visibility is good.

 

The Baldwin map is quite detailed and shows a bunch of different routes and some of the crevasse hazard. The contour lines should give you a good idea about what terrain is flatter vs steeper.

[PaulB]

Avy risks aside, the biggest challenge with the Spearhead traverse is that you have to pass through a number of relatively small cols at high elevations. In good visibility, the route is pretty obvious, but when things go murky the navigation can become very difficult (even with good waypoints in a GPS), with serious consequences if you make a wrong turn. Its not uncommon for people to have to set up camp and sit out a couple days of bad weather before being able to either continue or retreat.

[fheimerd]

Thanks for the info

 

I'm thinking of going next week if the weather is decent. Definately don't want to be up there in a whiteout.