[TR] Squamish, British Columbia - Garibaldi NE Face 10/14/2013

[shwacklife]

Trip: Squamish, British Columbia - Garibaldi NE Face

 

Date: 10/14/2013

 

Trip Report:

On October 14th, two friends and myself drove up the Brohm Ridge logging road from Squamish. We were able to drive right to the summer gate that is currently locked. For those driving up Brohm, be sure to take the forest service road just after the Cat Lake parking lot. The first forest service road (the northern one) has a bridge washed out 2/3 of the way up.

 

Once at the gate we hiked in our ski gear up to the Brohm Ridge Chalet, owned and operated by Black Tusk Snowmobile Club. At the chalet there was enough continuous snow to skin. Once on the proper ridge, there was enough snow to be able to comfortably ski! The afternoon sun had turned the west facing slopes to butter.

 

 

Around two-thirds of the way up the ridge we came upon (what I've been told) Brohm Tusk. Climbing up was simple, but climbing down was and adventure full of robust alpine hemlock trees and powdery snow over loose rock on a knife-edge ridge. Fun for the adventure, but definitely not the timely option.

 

 

Once we reached the edge of the Warren Glacier, we found a perfectly sheltered nook from the light wind and set up camp. Ice bouldering is quite the way to warm back up!

 

 

The next morning, October 14th, we left camp at 09:15 and proceeded directly above camp. Soon enough we discovered we were on top of an icefall, forcing us to retrace down to camp and descend along the edge of the glacier to an area roughly 150 meters (walking distance) lower. All of the main crevasses were open and obvious, but skis permitted peace of mind while crossing those potential snow bridges.

 

Once across the Warren Glacier we took the most direct route off of the edge and up a rocky face to gain access to the ridge of Garibaldi leading up to the NE face.

 

 

The actual climbing up the rocky knob was an unfortunate combination of sugar snow on loose rock. Pending more solid snow quality, this would be a much more quality ascent.

 

 

Looking back on the Warren Glacier

 

 

The NE face was full of large and obvious crevasses. Route finding was simple, but the snow quality was lacking for stable skinning. We encountered sugar snow mixed with graupal roughly 5 inches deep on top of a smooth and solid base layer. Ski crampons helped only after kicking a ski a few times through the sugar.

 

 

 

The bergshrund was easily crossed via a new-snow ramp that was windblown in on climbers left edge. We left skis/snowboard just below the bershrund. From here it was easy bootpacking up to the summit. We topped out around 14:15.

 

 

After a straightforward bootpack back down and across the bergshrund, we opted to carry skis through the crevasses of the NE face until we had a clear shot back down to the Warren Glacier. Turns were darn fine for the middle of October, with wind-buff and powder on the NE aspect, turning to butter on the western aspect.

 

Our ski descent brought us to a final crevasse obstacle that we crossed on belay - luckily the snow offered solid picket and axe placements!

 

 

Once again on familiar ground we skinned back to camp under alpenglow, packed up as quickly as possible, and skied our way back down the ridge first in the sunset and then under moonlight. We were back to the gate and the truck by 21:00.

 

 

A most enjoyable Canadian Thanksgiving.

[olyclimber]

Nice!