Mt. Robson heli recommendations

[Bigtree]

2010 plans didn't come together as I had hoped and I'm still sufficiently wigged out at the thought of traversing under the seracs along the Schwartz Ledges to consider that rte as strictly a Plan B option. Am instead pondering the notion of flying into base of Kain Face on N/E side and heading up from there. Would appreciate hearing from anyone who has tried it; particularly with respect to rough cost and flight logistics. 3 guys and gear at this stage. First week of August. Would prefer to fly in from around visitors centre as we'll need to pick up permits and a car on the boot out from Berg Lake.

 

Thanks.

[AlpineK]

Are you under time constraints? A long time ago a friend and I walked in from the road with climbing gear.

 

One day to Berg lake, then the next day to about 1000' below the recommended high camp. We got skunked by the weather that time. If you have four days walking is a lot cheaper than helicopter.

 

Keep in mind Robson is a magnet for storms. I didn't summit till my fourth attempt.

[trainwreck]

I don't think you can fly from the visitor centre.

[robpatterson5]

Think the flight is from town and heard it was about $400/head. Good option though as the hike is a solid 1.5 days to the Kain if your moving fast, add in gear for a several days and its a long/heavy hike.

Weather moves fast there. If you have a few days to your window I'd suggest hiking in - the 'copter is nice as it gets you into position to take advantage of the window. The hike down is nice.

Talk to Yameneska - they do this all the time.

[glassgowkiss]

You can use mountain bike half way up on the approach. I know several parties that did the Kain route in 3 days round trip.

[robpatterson5]

Ya, when we went it was for 8-9 days to wait for a window and to tag the other 11,000ers there. Took us a long 1.5 days to the base of the Kain.

3 days is totally doable with a light pack - its about 27-30km from the trailhead to the base of the Kain (and about 1/2 of your total elevation gain from the parking lot) if you fishook around Mt. Resplendent to Extinguisher. The first 7km you can bike.

I think for those 3 day trips they hike up to the outlet of Berg Lake and work their way up the icefall/ledges there?

When we were there in Aug 09 the glacier was highly fractured - not sure how possible the traverse from the Mite to the Kain is along the base?

 

Edited March 28, 2011 by robpatterson5

[Bigtree]

Thanks for the quick feedback folks. I appreciate it.

 

@ Feck - You gave me some good advice last year regarding your descent through the ledges years ago and it was helpful. 15 mins or so traversing under the seracs at the end a long day in August is cause for concern, at least for me. Hence me looking at the Kain Face rte.

 

I've hiked into Berg lake twice over the years and up to Snowbird Pass and scrambled adjacent peaks once, so have a good feel for the pedestrian approach. Only have a 7 day window though and am trying to deal with the conundrum of making a mountain obsession fit my middle aged plans. Of course its not ideal, but that's life with office job, mortgage, kid blah, blah blah.

 

@ Robpatterson5 - $400 per head seems about right. Yamnuska is a good suggestion. They do guided trips there all the time, so might be able to work in something. I also have an email out to Yellowhead Heli and am pretty sure they have a hanger and could fly out of Tete Jaune Cache.

 

@ Glassgowkiss - Innovative suggestion re: bikes, but there's only so much stuff 3 guys can cram in/on a Subaru wagon.

 

Cheers.

[G-spotter]

 

I've heard they melted back and are less hazardous these days. This is from October 2010 and thy don't really look super dangerous to me... you can see the one area with ice block deposition

[cbcbd]

I saw a sign/billboard for these guys when we were driving away from Robson past Valemount - this town is as close as you can get to the park, ~30min:

 

http://www.robsonhelimagic.com/

 

edit: Looks like Yellowhead also bases out of Valemount

Edited March 29, 2011 by cbcbd

[KenC]

It could be they don't look dangerous in that picture because it's actually not a picture of the ledges. The ledges are out of the picture in the upper left corner. This picture shows the lower part of the glacier above the hut as well as the yellow scree bands which are both quite a bit below the ledges.

 

Also, the ledges are still very dangerous....based on pictures and information from two close friends who did the route last August.

[Bigtree]

Here's some pics of the ledges I've found...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Matt Kidd]

Ledges are supposed to be quite scary, as is the Mousetrap. A few years ago the long time Ranger up there told me that the vast majority of successful efforts over the years have been between the 6th and 20th of August, if that helps.

[AlpineK]

Those pictures really show me how much glacier loss has occurred since the 80s. When we descended to Schwartz Ledges there was an easy path straight from the summit to the ledges. Based on the photos that doesn't look like an easy or good idea.

[Bigtree]

Yellowhead heli says...

 

"A lift to the Dome will run you at least $514 per person ($414 per person if you have 4 or more) based on last years pricing. We have seen a significant jump in fuel prices so there may well be a fuel surcharge on that price by August, but that will get you in the ballpark.

 

Flights depart either directly from our hangar (4 km north of Valemount) or from the Dennison Gravel Pit (approx 1 km east of the Mt. Robson Park Info Centre)."

 

 

[Brian A]

My partner and I are planning to attempt Robson's North Face this August. If it's not in condition, we'd attempt the Kain Face. We're considering using Robson Helimagic to fly into Berg Lake or more likely Rearguard Meadows (between Rearguard and Waffl, kind of near the Extinguisher Tower). I called April 11 and was told that for up to 3 people, it's $314 per person to fly into the lake and $439 per person to fly into Rearguard Meadows. ($514 for the Dome, but we're not doing that). The price is significantly less per person with a party of 4 ($100-200 less pp, depending on the destination). Flying into the top of the Dog Buttress costs the same as Rearguard Meadows, but I had to draw the line on cheating somewhere. Rearguard Meadows (and the lake, of course) can provide access to either the Emperor/North Face and Kain Face.

 

I was told that the helicopter picks you up at a car parking pulloff about a kilometer from the trailhead. Alternately, it might be possible to arrange a shuttle.

 

We fly into Calgary on August 5. We would try to fly into Robson as soon as possible after that. If the second week of August works for your schedule, we're keen on sharing the cost of a flight. They make an allowance for about 260 pounds per passenger, body and gear inclusive.

 

If this interests you or anyone else reading this, let me know.

 

brianaabram at gmail dot com

Edited April 13, 2011 by Brian A