[TR] Robson to Bugaboos in 6 days: - Airplane Camping and Aerial Photography 9/20/2011

[Steph_Abegg]

Trip: Robson to Bugaboos in 6 days: - Airplane Camping and Aerial Photography

 

Date: 9/19-24/2011

 

Trip Report:

Last week I joined aerial photographer and pilot John Scurlock on a 6-day aerial adventure in the Canadian Rockies. Over the course of a week and a total of 16 hours in the air, we traveled from Mt. Robson and the northern Rockies in Kakwa Provincial Park down along the west side of Jasper National Park, visiting the Tonquin Valley, the Hooker, Clemenceau, and Columbia Icefields, and then flew around the Valhallas, the Bugaboos, and Mt. Assiniboine. The flying conditions were great, the mountains basked in the late summer light, and the trip in general was just so unique and epic that at times it was hard to believe that we were swooping at eye-level past snow-dusted monoliths of the remote Canadian Rockies. And not just one or two, but hundreds. Needless to say, it was a mountain trip of a lifetime.

 

Maps / Route Overlays

• Map of our flight path.

• Our flight line around Mt. Robson, with photo locations designated. Pretty cool.

 

Trip Report

I've posted a trip report and photos on my website:

http://www.stephabegg.com/home/tripreports/britishcolumbia/rockiesairplanecamping

 

Here are a few photos....

 

 

 

To see more, go to my trip report on my website:

http://www.stephabegg.com/home/tripreports/britishcolumbia/rockiesairplanecamping

Edited September 26, 2011 by Steph_Abegg

[Teh Phuzzy]

That Gimli face looks like it could be a lot of fun!

 

Amazing photos! The "glory" shot is something I've never seen before

[Trent]

Steph: It's a great way to see the mountains and scope routes, is'nt it! I'm getting some good views of a few 20Kers over here, but don't envision much climbing happening here any time soon.

[Steph_Abegg]

That Gimli face looks like it could be a lot of fun!

 

The S Ridge of Gimli is one of my favorite rock climbs. It's 5.8, 7 pitches, easy descent, easy approach, can be done car-to-car in a day. Just don't let the secret out...

Edited September 26, 2011 by Steph_Abegg

[Steph_Abegg]

Steph: It's a great way to see the mountains and scope routes, is'nt it! I'm getting some good views of a few 20Kers over here, but don't envision much climbing happening here any time soon.

 

Oh yeah, now I want to climb more than ever...starting with Mt. Robson, next summer hopefully (you interested?). Sounds like this summer wasn't such a good one for Robson anyway—-only one party summited the entire season!

 

Send me a photo of a 20Ker if you ever get a chance to take a photo out the window. I'd like to see what the terrain is like over there.

 

Hope the leg's doing good these days....

 

-Steph

[Buckaroo]

Did you get any other shots of Mt.Alberta besides the N face?

 

Looks like a lot of fresh snow up in Canada

[Steph_Abegg]

Did you get any other shots of Mt.Alberta besides the N face?

 

We flew by the N and W sides of Mt. Alberta, so I got some shots of the W side as well (see below). And some close-ups. Were you interested in a particular aspect?

 

[Buckaroo]

I've been on the Japanese route but didn't summit

 

any pics of Mt. Alberta are interesting.

 

The N face hasn't seen an ascent for several years, it rarely comes in condition. Even by the easiest (Japanese) route it will go for a year at a time without a summit.

 

The mountain only got it's first winter ascent by any route in 2003.

[Steph_Abegg]

The N face hasn't seen an ascent for several years, it rarely comes in condition. Even by the easiest (Japanese) route it will go for a year at a time without a summit.

 

Yeah, those walls look like climbs where it would be difficult to pick out any particular route line that would not vary by year and fluctuations in condition. Makes it a challenge when every attempt is a quasi first attempt.....

 

How about the NF of North Twin, now that's another rugged wall!

[JasonG]

Thanks for the TR Steph!!! Spectacular images as usual, I can see why my dad (a retired pilot who has spent a bunch of low level time in the Cascades and beyond) wonders why I spend so much time thrashing around the bushes. Airplanes get you to the views quick and easy (though not cheap)!

[Lisa_D]

beautiful.

[John Frieh]

The N face hasn't seen an ascent for several years, it rarely comes in condition. Even by the easiest (Japanese) route it will go for a year at a time without a summit.

 

Yeah, those walls look like climbs where it would be difficult to pick out any particular route line that would not vary by year and fluctuations in condition. Makes it a challenge when every attempt is a quasi first attempt.....

 

How about the NF of North Twin, now that's another rugged wall!

 

NF North Twin Spring attempt

NF North Twin Fall attempt

 

Great pics Steph. How long before you get your pilot's license?

[sepultura]

Sweet photos as always Steph. We all can start planning that Robson bid again! Ok everybody, stay healthy! That means you Trent

[KenC]

J Mills and Dana Ruddy did the original NF route in a single push in August of 2009. I think they were very close to doing all free as well.

 

[dorianlee]

WOW. Thank you for bewildering my mind with such amazing photography.

[cascadesdj]

Dylan Johnson and Josh Whartonb hiked in there to do the N face of Alberta early this month. Because of new snow, it was not in.

Edited September 26, 2011 by cascadesdj

[wfinley]

Woah... awesome trip & amazing photos! Looks like there are at least some pluses to immobility!

[Zoran]

Steph, you are so talented. John is awesome too. He was scheduled to give us a slide show in Vancouver but he was sidetracked by his trip to China. It will be nice to see your slide show here in Vancouver one day.

Edited September 26, 2011 by Zoran

[John_Scurlock]

there are at least some pluses to immobility!

 

Steph is willing her way to mobility like no other. I've seen it, believe me.

 

sidetracked by his trip to China.

 

unfortunately, that got sidetracked as well... so I was two months late to ACC...but will be at bcmc on Dec 13, along with special guest David Tucker who will talk about Baker research for a few minutes. And with any luck, Steph will be along with us too, I'm hoping. We'll talk a bit about this trip I'm sure... six absolutely incredible days with a terrific copilot...

[Ed_Hobbick]

Those photo's are absolutely amazing. When they look as if they'd be good to eat; I know they're top notch. Wow! those pics are very good, world class!

Edited September 27, 2011 by Ed_Hobbick

[Zoran]

... but will be at bcmc on Dec 13, along with special guest David Tucker who will talk about Baker research for a few minutes.

 

I will be there!

[Crickette]

I stumbled across your website a few years ago and became a HUGE fan. Any chance you'd consider eventually coming down to Portland for your night photography workshop?

 

Congrats on your bike adventure. I am looking forward to reading about it later when I am not at work...if I start looking at the photos now, I will get distracted for hours.

 

 

 

[Steph_Abegg]

Any chance you'd consider eventually coming down to Portland for your night photography workshop?

 

Maybe someday, but it's a bit of a commute! Any chance you would come up to Seattle for my night photography workshop? =)

[Pro Mountain Sports]

I love the clouds. The Tonquin Valley looks spectacular.

[Crickette]

The workshop would certainly be worth the commute to Seattle.

 

Your Oregon coast photos are beautiful though the Good & Plenty's might be my favorite I pedaled mostly the same route in 2008, crossing the border to the Praire Creek Redwoods. Coasting the last ~10 miles downhill through those trees was a special way to end it.