New Google Earth imagry in Wapiti Valley area

[Ed_Seedhouse]

Google Earth has added some new high resolution coverage on Northern Vancouver Island recently, and for the first time this gives a good view of the Wapiti Valley area and Dale Earnhardt dome.

 

Point your program to 49.990854 degrees north and -126.727756 deg. west, the approximate position of the foot of the big slab.

 

Still not as detailed as I'd like, but individual trees are resolved quite nicely and the form of the dome is very clear. You'll know you are in the right area when you see the distinct keyhole shaped hanging lake at 848 meters on the coll between the dome and Bowhead peak.

 

Also is shown a fair amount of steep territory to the west of Grayback peak, notably a steep wall on Bryde peak from about 850 to 1100 meters, and a large white slab on the south side of the ridge betwen Lukwa mountain and Greyback, extending from about 550 to 775 meters altitude, about 350 meters of slab according to the ruler tool. However the quality of the rock may not be so good as a similarly colored but much smaller slab on the east side of Grayback has been explored but was very rotten.

 

Rather hard to get to this backside rock as none of the logging roads from the Nomash valley go close. There are roads up the Little Zebalos river valley but I don't think you can get a vehicle to that valley very easily.

 

 

Edited December 9, 2010 by Ed_Seedhouse

[climbercam]

Have you spent much time up there?

[Ed_Seedhouse]

Have you spent much time up there?

 

Not really. I was part of a few trips in the first half of the 2000's, but haven't been back for awhile. At 66 years and a buggered foot I'm not really up to climbing these days (not to mention the excessive weight).

 

Not much going on up there these days, so if you are in a mood for some real exploration and new routing if you are young and would like to develop some untouched rock.

 

 

[climbercam]

Yeah, I can't really force myself to go to a place with mostly slab, from what I've heard, although I could be wrong. Im from the north island, no its not far away however...

 

 

[Ed_Seedhouse]

Yeah, I can't really force myself to go to a place with mostly slab, from what I've heard, although I could be wrong. Im from the north island, no its not far away however...

 

Well, on the other side of the Nomash valley you have the Haihte range with plenty of verticality, admittedly on volcanic rock. It's worth a trip up the Nomash main just to gawk at the face of Rugged mountain that glowers over it.

 

But the area is not for those who want to step out of their cars onto the rock, that's for sure.

 

 

[giza]

Hey Ed,

 

Ssshhhhhhh

 

Rugged is not worth the trip nor is anything else in the area. In fact when it's not slab it's choss. The entire island is a pile of rubble. Don't bother visiting with the intention of climbing ANYTHING.

 

 

 

 

[climbercam]

lol

[blueserac]

Thanks Ed, you have really done a lot for building "secrecy" about this area. I will check out the Google Earth stuff in a bit.

 

Ed's so not right, there is nothing in this area worth coming to this area, nothing at all. He really needs to recheck his info. You do not want to come here.

 

The main bulk of Grayback, the Wapiti, is slab, yet if you look at it from the Nomash ML, on the left side of the skyline there are some nice looking and fun steeper corners. Actually, the original Wapiti Mainline was a connection to the Wapiti Glossette, an incomplete 7-8 pitch corner system. Not sure if anyone has finished it yet.

 

I was was with DP for these early explorations, and DL and Ed have done well with the area. I wish I were back down there again.

 

The Wapiti Mainline (original) does glaze over with ice in the right conditions, all the way up to the saddle! Go and get it.

 

The Glossette route also has looked fun (horrible, and not worth looking at in winter, ever) under those similar conditions.

 

Ed's right, behind you across the valley is the Haihte Range, and Rugged still is offering a full winter ascent on that fun face. In summer, it is a hoot, but that's too easy.

 

Beside it have a look at the three peaks and shared wall(s) of Merlin Pk. I am so out of touch of what is happening down there, but when I was taking portraits of it all three were in need of introductions. That said, Ed is right again, this gives up opportunity to those that really want to be there; it is the opposite of Arakis and is for the "devote".

 

It is a great area to practice your human/bear skills.

 

Here's another gem, once I heard of huge rime just like in Chouinards' pictures from Patagonia on the upper shoulders of Rugged!

 

Have fun.