Mark_L Posted August 13, 2014 Posted August 13, 2014 Trip: Clemenceau Icefield - Various Climbs Date: 7/20/2014 Trip Report: On July 18, 4 Canadians and 3 Americans converged in Golden, BC on the residence of David P. Jones and Joie Seagram for the latest installment of "David P. Jones' Flying Circus". Our plan was to spend 2 weeks in the Clemenceau Icefield area where David was planning to do some research and take pictures for his upcoming guidebooks to the Canadian Rockies. After a 120 km drive along the shores of Kinbasket Lake, we arrived at our helicopter pickup site where we were met by Mark of Alpine Helicopters along with David's friend Colby and a client that he was guiding up Mt. Clemenceau. By coordinating with other parties, we were able to save a considerable amount of cost for what is usually a prohibitively expensive helicopter ride into this remote area. After 3 flights, the group was all assembled at basecamp on a shelf above the Cummins Glacier. Over the next 2 weeks, a number of summits were attained including Tusk Peak by the SW ridge, Shipton (peak 3030)by both the N Ridge and by the NE Face (FA by Robb Schnell and Mark Landreville), Mt. Clemenceau via the W Face/W Ridge, Irvine, Morrison, Sharp and the NE ridge of Mt. Shackleton. We were picked up and flown out on August 2, just as the weather was deteriorating again. SW ridge of Tusk Peak on the right skyline. [img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/500/Tusk01.jpg[/img] Approaching the couloir to the SW Ridge of Tusk Peak. Jim Ruch in the couloir. Carl Diedrich on the rock step on the SW Ridge of Tusk Peak. Jim high on Tusk Peak. Carl and Jim on the summit of Tusk Peak. The East Face of Mt. Clemenceau. Looking North from Tusk Peak. Duplicate Mountain in the foreground. A July storm made for a brief interruption in the climbing. Drying out and preparing to climb Mt. Clemenceau. Crossing the Clemenceu icefield toward the West Face of Mt. Clemenceau. Delightful Canadian Rockies scree. The West Face of Mt. Clemenceau from high camp. The route weaves around icefalls to reach the ridge on the left and then goes to the upper summit glacier. Team Canada at Clemenceau high camp. L-R, David Jones, Lyle Rotter, Gord Bose, Robb Schnell and Jeff Nazarchuck. Team Geologist Jeff, shows some prehistoric ripples in the ocean bottom. Getting a predawn start on the Tiger Glacier. Bypassing some seracs on the way up to the W. Ridge. Jim and Carl happy to be above the worst of the crevasses. Team Canada leading the way over the Bergschrund. The final summit ridge of Mt. Clemenceau. We climbed one at a time to the fragile summit cornice. Heading back down the summit ridge of Mt. Clemenceau. Happy to be back over the snowbridges by noon. Returning to base camp. Robb at the start of the NE face of Mt. Shipton. Crossing the bergschrund on the NE face of Mt. Shipton. Above the schrund on the white highway to the sky. Robb showing how they do it in Banff! Mark on the Summit of Shipton. Pic Tordu from the summit of Mt. Shipton. Gear Notes: Standard glacier/rock/ice gear. Knifeblade pitons essential for rappel anchors. Pick up the single malt scotch at the duty free before crossing the border. Approach Notes: If you don't coordinate your heli flights with other parties going to/coming from nearby locations, the cost is prohibitive. Otherwise the approach involves crossing water and horrendous BC bush. Quote
Otto Posted August 14, 2014 Posted August 14, 2014 Wow great trip, Mark! Way to go, looks great out there! Quote
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