[TR] Spearhead Traverse - Blackcomb to Whistler 4/22/2013

[JasonG]

Trip: Spearhead Traverse - Blackcomb to Whistler

 

Date: 4/22/2013

 

Trip Report:

The Spearhead!

 

Gordo admires the view from just before Decker

 

I had been wanting to make this trip happen for the last several years but, for a variety of factors, it never seemed to materialize. When Gordo and Scott did the trip a couple years ago, I thought I had missed the boat. Luckily it is as good as everyone says, and they could be convinced to give it another go. Gear responsibilities sorted, Scott picked me up way too early Sunday morning for the drive north in the rain (it wasn't supposed to rain!) to pick up Gordo in Van. Our first setback occurred at the border when Scott and I realized that the duty free store at the Peace Arch only works if you are going south, not north. We had no whiskey, sort of a major deal, but we decided to wait until Whistler and see what we could find before pushing the panic button. We picked up Gordo up only slightly late continued north, in the intermittent rain to Whis (Gordo informed me that those in the know don't say Whistler).

 

Not much was open in Whistler but a gear store, so we popped in to see where one could find some whiskey at 0900 on a Sunday morning. They laughed, even more so when we said we were serious. Fortunately it turns out, if you are willing to pay top dollar, that there is a private liquor store where you can get royally gouged for a bottle of Wiser's Deluxe on a Sunday morning. Check, on to lift tickets. Buying a single ride lift ticket at Blackcomb is only slightly less difficult than trying cross into Canada with a handgun. I was amazed that they had to physically see every bit of avlanche gear plus skins before they would sell be a ticket. Nevertheless, getting put through 20 questions and paying $50 is an OK trade for 5K of elevation gain, sans skinning.

 

With the drive, and Whis shenanigans, we weren't skinning out of the area until nearly 11am. But this gave the raging blizzard of the morning time to blow through and by the time we left Blackcomb it was only somewhat socked in and flurries. I had Gordo and Scott guiding me so I wasn't worried. Basically we followed the traditional route out past Decker, Trorey, Pattison, and through the Shudder/Tremor col, up to the summit of Shudder and down to a big wind cirque for our first camp of the trip. It was scenic, windy, and COLD. I think it was around -13C inside the Hilleberg that first night, and it was then that we started to realize that the Whistler Alpine forecast is probably for somewhere below 2000m.

 

The next day we got a slow start and continued on the traditional route past Quiver, Macbeth, and Iago to the Diavolo Gl. where we stopped for the second night. En route, we half heartedly tried for Macbeth after dropping packs, but left too much gear behind to feel comfortable going all the way to the top. Next time! Also in this section, my splitboard got away from me and ended up on Lawsuit lake. D'Oh!! Thanks to Gordo for trying to chase it down and bringing it part of the way back up. Truly embarassing, I hope that is the first and last time that happens to me.

 

We got into camp on the Diavolo early and talked about skiing something on Cheakamus, but in the end just sat around in the sun eating and hydrating in preparation for a longer day the next. The second night wasn't nearly as cold as the first due to some high clouds, but we still got a later start after things warmed up a bit. Partway up to the col above camp we dropped some of our stuff and headed up Fitzsimmons, hoping to ski from high on the peak. Breakable crust dashed those hopes several hundred meters below the top, but we had a fun romp up and down, enjoying the spectacular views down the excellent north face ski line. We quickly booted/skied back to our stuff and and skinned up and over the summit of Benvolio, and on to the summit of Overlord. Great views and solitude were the theme all along this stretch, the highlight for me of the whole trip probably. The ski down and around Overlord was still surprisingly good given all the sun, and soon we were skinning up to the Whirlwind/Fissile col where we readied for the first somewhat bad descent of the whole trip (crusty/icy snow). Still, when you are in such surroundings, it is hard to complain. We especially enjoyed the views over to the Castle Towers, where Scott, Gordo, Kit and myself were over New Year's this year. So much good ski terrain up there!

 

We opted to continue to Flute rather than exit Singing pass and the next section started to drag, but we didn't have hordes to annoy us (Gordo says this part is usually mobbed when Whistler is open) since Whistler had closed recently. The Flute summit was empty so we had a nice break looking over the terrain we had covered over the past three days. I can't believe it has been done in less than half a day!! While it would be cool to cover so much ground so quickly, I really enjoyed the relaxed peak bagging of our trip. The scenery is so nice, it is never boring, no matter how slow you go.

 

The run down into the village was surprisingly fun on soft spring snow, and we skidded to a stop right in the midst of the fashionista hordes within a half hour or so of leaving the Flute summit. It was surreal, and a jarring re-entry into lowland life. Pretty funny too. Bring on the huts!

 

 

Skinning up below Decker

 

Gordo and Scott scoping the route ahead

 

A windy passing through the Shudder/Tremor col

 

Descending Shudder to camp

 

Camp 1

 

Skinning up to Ripsaw ridge on the morning of day 2

 

Fitzsimmons Icefall

 

Macbeth Col, quite the view.

 

Camp 2 on the Diavolo Gl.

 

Cheakamus Peak.

 

Gordo's not sold on the idea of eating uncooked Ramen

 

Shortly after leaving camp on day 3

 

Summit of Fitzsimmons

 

Mamquam!

 

Does anyone know what this peak is??

 

Scott and Gordo looking small below the summit of Overlord

 

Skiing down and around Overlord

 

The traverse is complete!

 

Gear Notes:

Don't forget the Whiskey. Whippet works for peak bagging. Boot crampons helpful for Fitzsimmons.

 

Approach Notes:

You can't miss it.

Edited May 11, 2013 by JasonG

[JasonG]

And I'll try to remember to add captions in the next couple of days....

[Pete_H]

Awesome pics. Looks like very nice tour!

[mhux]

Your pictures are always top-notch, thanks Jason! Looks like a fun (and gorgeous) traverse!

[sepultura]

Great photos Jason! (as usual). It was a pleasure to repeat the Spearhead with you and our handsome and competent euro guide Gordo Fausto.

Thanks for keeping me feed and hydrated that first frigid night guys(and changing my diaper).

Note to self: Do not expect your hydration hose not to freeze up on the Spearhead in April!

A couple more photos...

[wbk]

nice work boys! you have no idea how tempted i was when i was driving back from fairy meadows/golden bc and read your email via Tim Hortons wifi in kamloops to just bag going home and find y'all! nice work and great shots!

[Bronco]

Great pics and TR!

[JasonG]

I finally got around to adding captions. I would be especially interested if someone could identify the peak with the ski jump cornice near the top.

[ckohnstamm]

Hello Jason!

 

Great pictures of the Spearhead! I was able to ski a fair bit in the spearhead last winter, including Tremor North Face, Macbeth Curtain Glacier, Fitzsimmons north face in a day, etc. It never gets old!

 

The mountain you are looking at is the northeast face of Hour Peak in the Mcbride Range.

[JasonG]

Thanks much! It looks like something you'd see dropped in a ski movie, pretty cool.

 

And, those are all really cool lines you skied this past winter, all are certainly on my list. Though that NF of Fitzsimmons does look scary from an avi perspective....well done!