[TR] North Joffre Creek - Schneidelwurz 4/20/2008

[jmace]

Trip: North Joffre Creek - Schneidelwurz

 

Date: 4/20/2008

 

Trip Report:

Really what can I say about climbing ice on April 20th..This ice climbing is awfully casual when you can go for a sit down breakfast, saunter in on a flat trail in about an hour and a half, walk up bomber neve to the base, then climb some of the best plastic screw sucking ice, followed by a daylight ski out and then drive home on dry sunkissed roads with your sunglasses on...

 

ice cragging is great!!

 

A very good friend who has been going to school in London for the last few years showed up for a social visit and managed to luck out on some good ice, we put together a kit for him and had a blast climbing Shneidelwurz. A phenomenal route in an amazing setting.

 

The route on the left, Swiss Frommage on the right was sporting a horizontal crack

 

 

Don Climbed Gee Wiz on the 5th and noted a large crack about 35 m up, here you can see Gee Wiz on the right which is now missing a 35 m high ice curtain, geuss the big fluctuation in temps was too much

 

 

Toby pitch 1

 

 

Since Toby hasnt seen ice in 3 years and was having so much fun, hooting and hollering and being the nice guy I am I offered him the nice top lead

 

 

im sure there is more ice time if your keen

[jordop]

Radness. This winter won't quit - looks like more chillier than normal temps for the forseeable short term . . .

 

Anybody heard wolves up in NJ Creek? When we were up there skiing a few months ago, we heard a pack howling but couldn't tell where it was exactly.

[Don_Serl]

cool! no sign of wolves for us, but when we were in there 3 wks ago there was some sort of canine who walked a km or so of our tracks between the time we went in and out - probably a fox, judging from the stride length. aside from than, TONS of rabbit tracks every trip, plus the ocassional squirrel and shrew, which is why the canines are keen about the place i suppose.

cheers,

[jordop]

I reckon the NE fork of NJ Creek is a significant migratory route what with the straightforward connection to 8 mile creek, essentially forming a pretty workable and consistent high route between the Duffey and the Gates valleys.

[Don_Serl]

not to mention the hordes of back-country skiers headed for place glacier, eh?

[Dr.Hook]

Hard to believe there was it was snowing in the village during the drive in on 4.20. One of the best day in the hills I have had in some time, and not just because I live in the flat lands.

 

The only wolf I saw was skiing ahead of me, beware cougars.

[Joe_Poulton]

Is that spot in Canada?

[G-spotter]

Is that spot in Canada?

 

Boy, you're a smart one. What tipped you off?

[Joe_Poulton]

Is that spot in Canada?

 

Boy, you're a smart one. What tipped you off?

 

Hey come on G-spotter...I didn't know, seriously. But Don Serl being on the thread gave me an idea...

[Don_Serl]

Is that spot in Canada?

 

yup, joe. Hwy 99 north from Vancouver 160km thru Squamish and Whistler to Pemberton; maybe 2 hrs early in the morning with no traffic on dry roads, longer in snow. breakfast available reasonably early (7am) at Pony Espresso. then 7km east (still on Hwy 99) to Mount Currie; then 20km east and up the hill towards Cayoosh Pass (STILL on Hwy 99). NJC is on the left (north).

 

approach and routes are covered in 'West Coast Ice', so pick up a copy if you're planning on coming north next year.

 

there's hasn't been much luck in finding good ice in NJC early in the season (altho some of the FAs have taken place in early Jan - depends on the year...), but it's plainly a place to keep in mind in february and march. this year was unusual - I'm sure once the sun gets going mid to late march most years, the ice will rot out - most routes face northeast, but get sun in the morning.

 

cheers,

[Joe_Poulton]

Thanks Don.