Author Archives: Scouter Jody

Destination: Mt. Rainier

Oct 28

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July 23-29, 2016

In August of 2014, we were forced to abandon our attempt to climb Mt. Rainier (14,410′/4,394m) when two of our team were struck with a savage stomach flu at Camp Muir.  It was bitterly disappointing to have to bail and we swore that we’d be back one day…

We’ve waited long enough…

It’s time for a rematch!

Mt. Rainier comes first on National Geographic‘s list of “10 Classic American Dream Adventures“.

“Rainier is one of my favorite mountains in the world,” Melissa Arnot says. “It’s a long endurance climb that weaves through crevasses, over rock fins, and across beautiful open glacier slopes. It gives you every opportunity to challenge yourself and experience what mountaineering is all about. It offers all the challenge and requires all the skill you will need to climb similar peaks in the Andes, Himalaya, or really anywhere in the world.”

Here’s a video of our adventure… 

And here’s some high resolution still photos…

Note 1:  Click on any photo below to start a full-screen slide show carousel with captions.
Note 2: There are some additional videos included below the photo gallery.
Our destination…Mount Rainier (14,410’/4,394m).
Heading up to Camp Muir from Paradise on the south side of the massive stratovolcano…
The locals keep an eye on us as we pass through their territory…
On the way up to Camp Muir, the toe of the Nisqually Glacier to the west collapsed and avalanched. The sight and sound of that much ice crashing down the mountain was something to behold and respect. A not too subtle warning to take this mountain seriously for the journey to come.
“The Last Outpost” Having dinner at Camp Muir (10,060′)…a ramshackle outpost for the NPS Ranger Station and some commercial guiding outfits and the end of the trail for tourists. You must have a permit to proceed past this point – which, of course, we have! Mt. St Helens is visible in the distance.
Mt. Adams (12,281’/3,743m) as seen from Rainier as the sun sets over the Pacific Northwest.
“Cloud City” Looking back at Camp 1 behind the natural rock fortress wall of Camp Muir (10,060′) on our way up to Camp 2 on the Ingraham Glacier. In the distance are (left to right) Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood (in Oregon) and Mt. St Helens.
“Ice Station Zebra” Approaching Camp 2 (11,200′) on the Ingraham Glacier below “The Disappointment Cleaver”, the rock wall that will be our route to the summit the next night.
Camp 2 on the “Ingraham Flats” (11,200′)
Spencer, Kier and Simon (in the tent) chilling beside our small two-man tent on the Ingraham Flats (our large 3-man tent is seen in the next photo).
As the sun sets, the shadow of the massive mountain slowly rises up into the sky to the east.
After a day off at Camp 2 to acclimatize to the altitude (you have to give your body time to generate more red blood cells to better absorb the limited oxygen out of the air) we were ready for our summit attempt! | Dinner at 4pm. Set out gear at 5pm. In bed at 6pm. Awake at 10pm. Ready to climb by 11pm. | The team poses for a group shot before heading off into the freezing darkness. [Left to right] Spencer (14, Ontario), Simon (17, B.C.) and Keir (14, B.C.). They won’t get back to camp until sometime the next afternoon but for now…time to rock!
We are strangers in a strange land. Climbing in the freezing darkness up the great mountain past gaping crevasses and strange ice formations created by the moving glacier – lit only by our headlamps. Higher and higher we climb. The hours passing by as the night wears on…
Into the night we climbed… Alternating our attention from the ground in front of our feet to the other teams climbing on the steep slopes above our heads, the darkness that enveloped us made it difficult to gauge our progress up the massive mountain. As the night wore on, and we worked our way further and further upwards, it became obvious that the dawn couldn’t be too far away…
And then, around 4 am, it comes… . A faint line forms across the eastern horizon that steadily grows and increasingly bathes the land beneath it in its warm red glow. . As the stars give way to the light of a new day, we continue working our way up the mountain. The giant yellow blazing ball will come in a few hours, but for now it’s easier to see where we’re going. Up!
What could possibly motivate someone to get out of their nice warm cuddly sleeping bag and start climbing up a mountain in the freezing darkness before midnight? Being up here at dawn…a reward beyond compare!
Here comes the sun! Now, for the first time, you can see how high you’ve climbed…and how far you will eventually have to descend to get back to camp after the summit is (hopefully) reached. Oh well, no one said this was supposed to be easy.
“Cotton Candy Mountain”
“Dawn Patrol”
“On the Edge of Forever in the Land of the Titans”
“When asked what the hardest part was [Spencer’s] response was “Summit day”, when asked what the best part was the response remained the same “Summit” with a summation of “Seriously Mom…its was the hardest, but the best thing I have ever done” Said with the biggest smile and obvious pride.” – Spencer’s Mom
Nearing the summit. | “I’ve learned that any dream worth dreaming is the dream with the uncertain outcome. If we knew we would be successful, if we knew it would be easy, if we knew it would be a certainty-filled challenge that was cozy and comfortable, without hardship and adversity, then what would be the point? This is how you induce transformation and growth. Conceive of the most outrageous dream, put it out there and activate your inner hero’s journey. Where comfort zones are obliterated, extraordinary life experiences begin.” – Elia Saikaly
Crossing the crater on the way to the summit (upper left). There was no way to ignore the fact that you were standing in the mouth of the most dangerous stratovolcano in North America when you saw the vents scattered around the perimeter steaming out hot gases.
Resting inside the crater. We’ll climb the final 200 feet to the summit and “ring the bell” (send up a message announcing our presence on the summit using our DeLorme inReach satcom device) in due course…but for the next half hour or so the team takes a well-deserved rest.
“In the Maw of a Titan” Simon (17) makes his way across Rainier’s crater towards the summit crest. For the first time in many hours he walks alone…no longer tied to his team…no longer responsible for them…the burden of being the leader lifted, if only briefly. All his efforts since 11 pm the night before were focused on leading his team to this place. Soon his focus will shift and he will have to direct all his effort into getting his team safely back down the mountain as the sun cooks the snow, ice and rock on the route that got them here.
Mission Accomplished! Simon (17), Keir (14) and Spencer (14) pose for a summit photo beside the USGS marker (metal peg in front of Keir) showing the official high point of the mountain (14,410’/4,390m). . The badge Keir is holding is the 2016 Mountaineering Camp badge that was taken to the summit of Youngs Peak in Rogers Pass this summer by the girls in week one and the boys in week two. The badge is a gift for a little boy in Ontario named Jacob who is fighting leukemia. The guys thought it would be cool to take it to the summit of Mt. Rainier before sending it off to Jacob.
This flag has sure travelled…it’s been to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania (2013) and Youngs Peak in Rogers Pass (every summer since 2013). Perhaps we should have all the summits printed on it?
In memory of Simon’s mother, who was taken from him by this terrible disease in 2010. This flag goes with us on every climb.
It’s time to get off this beast! Strange sport mountain climbing…you work so hard to achieve a thing, only to give it away the moment it’s in your grasp.
“Getting to the top is optional. Getting down is mandatory.” – Ed Viesturs | The level of sustained focus required to make sure every step you take is a sure step when you are tired after climbing all night and day is definitely taxing. Getting down presented its own challenges especially with the sun cooking the route all the way back to camp. You can see Camp 2 way down below (center right).
Heading back to the Cleaver.
The Three Amigos (L2R: Simon 17, Keir 14 & Spencer 14) carefully working their way down the Cleaver on their way back to their high camp on the Ingraham Flats (visible center right). Amazing place…you’re really not safe until you’re back at camp 2…and then you’ve still got a climb left to get back to camp 1 at Muir. What an adventure!
Carefully making our way down the spine of the crumbling rock wall known as the “Disappointment Cleaver” with sheer dropoffs on both sides of us. On this mountain, there ain’t no rest for the wicked. You must stay focused all the way back to camp. One misstep could be disastrous.
Almost off the Cleaver.
“Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.” – Joshua J. Marine | The night before, in the frozen darkness, we blew across the aluminium ladder bridging this massive crevasse without much hesitation… The next afternoon, fatigued and dehydrated, we approached the last obstacle between us and camp…wide and bottomless…the snow holding the ladder softer now after being baked in the sun…brilliant daylight making not seeing the sheer icy blue walls descending into nothingness impossible…but camp is less than a kilometre down the glacier…your knees wobble and your stomach churns…you swallow…take a deep breath…calm your mind…grab the safety line…and go!
The boys pose for one last photo on their way back down to Paradise and home. | Q. What does it take to climb Mount Rainier? A. Everything you’ve got.

Posted in Expeditions, International, Mountain Climbing

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2015 Mountaineering Camp: Rogers Pass

Aug 12

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July 4-11, 2015

MCamp15:

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2014 Mountaineering Camp: Rogers Pass

Aug 12

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Week 1: July 12-19, 2014
Week 2: July 19-26, 2014

Two weeks back-to-back!

Week 1 had decent weather and we were able to summit Youngs Peak (9235’/2815m).

Week 2 got hit by a freak Arctic storm the night before out summit attempt (100kph winds with snow rocked the cabin the first night).  The storm lasted two days and, unfortunately, we were unable to climb Youngs Peak that week (we still had lots of fun though).

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Destination: Kilimanjaro

Aug 11

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July 28 – August 3, 2013

After a grueling five day approach trek in the thin air of extreme altitude, Scout Simon (14) left the comfort of his warm sleeping bag at 10:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 1, 2013, and an hour later headed out into the sub-zero dark of night (-10°C to -15°C) – with only half the oxygen to breathe than at sea level – to begin his climb to the summit of the highest mountain in Africa – 19,341 feet/5,895 metres above Tanzania and Kenya – the highest free-standing mountain in the world – one of the legendary “Seven Summits” – Kilimanjaro!

Here’s a video photo-diary of his journey:

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More photos:

Destination: Kilimanjaro
Destination: Kilimanjaro
Destination: Kilimanjaro
Heading to Camp 2 at 12,000 feet on the Shira Plateau.
Shira Camp (12,000′)
Heading to Camp 3 (Branco) via the Lava Tower at 15,000′
On top of the Great Baranco Wall
From the top of the great Baranco Wall – to get to Camp 4 – you have to cross the Karanga Valley
8 am Thursday morning. Today he heads to the high camp (Barafu) at 15,000 feet. Tonight he heads to the summit. There will be no sleep now until Friday night. He has to get to the summit and back in the next 36 hours. There will be time to sleep when the job is done.
Passing the Southern Icefield on the way to the summit.
The final walk to the summit.
Mission accomplished.
Our DeLorem inReach MapShare track of the summit push (note: the time stamps on the messages are Vancouver time which is behind Tanzania time by 10 hours)
The Maasi made Simon an honourary warrior in tribute to his climb of Kilimanjaro.
Simon is welcomed as an honourary Maasi Warrior.

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And here’s a video photo-diary from his travels in Africa after his climb:

 

Posted in Expeditions, International, Mountain Climbing, Seven Summits

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2013 Mountaineering Camp: Rogers Pass

Aug 11

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June 28-July 5, 2013

In 2013, we discovered Facebook and our blog posts on this page pretty much dried up.

To catch up, we’ll do a series of short posts with the highlights (mostly video) of each year since.

So, let’s re-start the blog by going back to MCamp13:

 

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2013 Mountaineering Camp: Rogers Pass

Sep 7

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June 28-July 5, 2013

2013 Mountaineering Camp

10 youth:  Half guys; half gals – Half Scouts; half Venturers – Ages 11-18.

One week at the Alpine Club of Canada’s Asulkan Hut (7,000′) in Rogers Pass, Glacier National Park, B.C.

Three days of mountaineering training then……climb Youngs Peak (9,341’/2,847 m)!

This is their week in pictures…

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We owe a very special “Thank You” to Parks Canada for allowing us to have this amazing week in Glacier National Park.

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Vérèna:  Thanks for believing in this project!

Note:  Click on any photo below to start a full-screen slide show with captions.

Our first look at our home for the next week: Youngs Peak (9,341 ft./2,847 m.) and Asulkan Pass .
Saturday morning in the valley at Wheeler Hut. Time to head up to our high camp at the Asulkan Hut. The team from left to right: Ben (almost 12), Simon (14), Sarah (13), Jason (old), Meredith (16), Keir (11), Svetlana (13), Emerald (14), Jessica (17), Keiran (15), Alistair (old), Zachary (18), and Keiller (really old). Six of the youth were from North Vancouver; two were from West Vancouver; one was from Golden, B.C., and; one was from Fall River, Nova Scotia.
Most of the participants in the 2013 Mountaineering Camp had extensive experience with canoe camping but no experience backpacking high up into the mountains.
These young people are about to find out that they are a lot tougher than they might ever have imagined!
Winter avalanche debris still lingers at the base of some of the slopes.
After a few hours hiking up through the valley, the trail starts to get more…interesting.
When you’ve hiked all the way to the end of the valley, you cross this bridge and then….you go UP!
The trail goes up along the top of the knife-edge ridge of the moraine in the centre of the picture to take us to the cabin at 7,000′.
Almost there! A few small sections of the moraine trail were snow-covered on the way up (snow-free on the way down).
Trail’s end. Looks like someone is tired…
“Here comes dinner!” Photo by Jason Gadd.
The Asulkan Hut as seen by a GoPro video camera mounted to the front of the helicopter.
Our food for the week is delivered to us (along with six fresh, hot extra-large pizzas for dinner tonight).
Thanks to Alpine Helicopters of Golden, B.C., for their generous assistance with this project!
We really needed to air-lift in our food for the week since it weighed at least 300 lbs.!
Nothing to cook tonight thanks to Red Tomato Pies of Golden, B.C.! Well earned after a hard hike up from the valley with full loads!
With Telus 3G service at the cabin and Goal Zero solar recharging systems, we’ll be on-line all week. Our newest gizmo is our DeLorme inReach SE satellite tracking and communications device!
Sunday morninng. Ready for the first day of mountaineering training. Today: introduction to snow travel, ice axe usage and self-arrest
The team is looking good in their 2013 Mountaineering Camp hats!
Ice axe plunging practice.
Back to the cabin for lunch.
Sunday afternoon: ice axe self-arrest practice.
Enjoying a good book and the last of the late afternoon sun while waiting for dinner.
Nice view of Rogers Pass from the front porch.
The sun is gone…time for some indoor activities.
Propane wall lamps provide a warm glow to the hut.
Nothing beats a cozy cabin and good company in the mountains at night.
The nightly card game.
Good night from Rogers Pass!
Monday morning. Today’s lesson: introduction to crampons and roped travel.
Happy Canada Day from Glacier National Park!
Scouting is cool! You get to go camping in the most spectacular places, learn all sorts of awesome new outdoor skills and have the most amazing adventures… Oh, and if you want, you can bring your kids along too!
Everyone puts their best spiked foot forward.
So who can walk up the hill without nicking their pant legs with their crampons?
Clean up after another yummy lunch.
Now, time for the 2013 Derek Zoolander Alpine Academy of Modeling! Today’s lesson: “How to rock The Rock.”
Scout Sarah rocking the “Blue Steel” pose.
Scout Svetlana working her interpretation of “Quiet Reflection”.
Scout Emerald tears up the “Little Mermaid” pose.
Scout Keiran nails the “The Bolt”.
Venturer Zach taking “The Thinker” out for a spin.
Scout Ben powns “The Discoverer”.
Scout Keir gives “The Scout” a go.
Venturer Jessica is “The Poet”.
Venturer Meredith becomes “The Explorer”.
Sarah tries her hand at snow rappelling.
Simon gives it a go…
Meredith takes a turn too.
Tuesday morning visitor.
Time to put all this training together and go for a little walk up towards Youngs Peak.
Don’t let anyone tell you that mountaineering is “child’s play”. These 11 and 12 year-old Scouts know better than that!
A rock formation called The Pterodactyl overlooks Rogers Pass to the north.
Taking a moment out to enjoy the view. Photo by Meredith Faulkner.
Typical flatlander mistake: asking how much further we have to hike. In the alpine, it’s not how much further….it’s how much higher that counts! 😉
Wednesday morning. Summit day!
“Alpine start”: up at 4 a.m. and out the door by 5:30 a.m.
Ready to go! [Note: While this shot looks bright it was actually pretty dim due to our early start. My camera really brightens low-light shots.]
Time for a little walk. Youngs Peak is waiting…
The morning sun starts to punch through over the mountain.
The headwall. This is the trickiest part of the climb since it’s the team’s first go at a fairly steep slope. None of my photos truly conveys how steep this wall is.
This photo by Jason Gadd better captures the steepness of the headwall.
Piece of cake! The youngest two team members (11 and 12) clear the headwall and are ready for more! Photo by Jason Gadd.
On top of the headwall. It’s clear sailing now to the top! Just don’t fall in any….well, never mind. Just stay on the trail and you’ll be okay!
On the summit! Some of the youth are flashing their age with their fingers.
Scouter Alistair is impressed by the vertical drop behind the rocks everyone is sitting on.
The Illecillewaet Névé stretches out behind Scouts Simon and Ben.
The big boy of Rogers Pass, Sir Donald (10,774’/3,284 m), rises just north of Youngs Peak behind Mountaineer Scout Keir.
Ben (left) celebrated his 12th birthday on the summit.
The four gals on the summit team (left to right: Meredith, Jessica, Svetlana and Emerald) relaxing with (left to right) Mt. Macoun (3030 m), Mt. Topham (2900 m) and Mt. Fox (3196 m) rising in the distance behind them.
A screengrab from a GoPro video taken on the summit by Meredith Faulkner.
One camp badge for young Ethan and one to be left under the summit cairn.
Panorama of Rogers Pass.
Jason strikes a jaunty pose with Mount Macoun (3030 m) rising in the background.
Getting ready to head down.
Heading back to the steep headwall.
Thursday morning. Today’s lesson: introduction to crevasse rescue. Optional: explore Asulkan Pass. Otherwise: free day.
One last chance to head up the hill and explore a bit.
It’s been a great week and the weather is just too nice for too much more classroom stuff….time to call it a day and have some free time!
Friday morning. Time to head down the mountain and onto the next adventure.
Not sure if the moraine is harder coming up or going down. Our destination is 7 kms. away out towards the highway just visible near the top of the photo.
It’s amazing what a week in the mountains will do to a person’s strength, confidence and swagger.
This adventure is almost over. But….there’s always next year!
Well, that was fun… So, what mountain do we get to climb next? Photo by Jason Gadd
The week ends at the Rogers Pass Visitor Centre.
Looking back. The hut and the route to the summit.
Happy trails. We’ll be back next year!

VIDEOS

Note: You can raise the resolution for each of these videos to 720p or 1080p to substantially improve their image quality!

BiPoLar AdRenaLine Edition

If you want to see all those photos (and more) blasted past your eyes to the tune of some rocking music, then give this video a try:

Here Comes Dinner!

Note:  The Scouts didn’t know that the helicopter was bringing them fresh, hot pizza for dinner.
We had only arrived at the high camp a few minutes earlier after a challenging hike up the mountain.  I love it when a plan comes together!


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A 360 degree pan from the top of the Youngs Peak headwall as we descend back to the Asulkan Hut.


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Meredith Faulkner’s Fast & Fun Video Recap of the 2013 Mountaineering Camp:


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This is what we call “High Adventure”!


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Posted in Mountaineering Camp

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Backcountry Safety & Avalanche Awareness Videos

Apr 1

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UPDATE:  We won!  We won one of the three top prizes (an avalanche beacon, probe and shovel generously donated by Back Country Access)  plus a Grand Prize (a full AST-1 course) for the video: “Backcountry Safety and Avalanche Awareness – #1 Avalanche Bulletins“.

Here’s the four entries the Scouts made during Spring Break for the Canadian Avalanche Centre‘s 2013 “Behind the Lines” Youth Avalanche Safety Video Contest.

It was our first time trying to make videos and we had to learn as we went along.  It was surprising how much time is needed to produce just a three-minute film (a contest requirement) and how hard it was to fit our messages into such a tight time constraint.  We had planned to make a full set of six videos for the contest but ran out of time.  Oh, well, hopefully they run the contest again next year.

Please vote here for each of our four videos to win the contest (press the “View and Vote for Entries” button).

We can really use the three sets of avalanche safety equipment they will be awarding the top three videos (i.e., three sets of avalanche beacons, probes and snow shovels).  Plus one of our Scouts could even win the  Grand Prize of a full Avalanche Skills Training Course (AST)!

Voting ends April 15, 2013.

Currently there are only three competing entries and the highest number of votes for those entries is 27.  Let’s show the Canadian Avalanche Centre and the entire Canadian backcountry community how much support for avalanche awareness can come from Scouting in Canada!  Let’s rock the vote!

Thank you.

Backcountry Safety & Avalanche Awareness – #1 Avalanche Bulletins:


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Backcountry Safety & Avalanche Awareness – #2 The Ten Essentials:


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Backcountry Safety & Avalanche Awareness – #3 The Three Winter Essentials:


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Backcountry Safety & Avalanche Awareness – #4 The Evaluator System:


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The ACC Presents Fred Beckey

Feb 28

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February 26, 2013

The Mountaineer Scouts were guests of the Alpine Club of Canada, Vancouver Section, at their monthly social on Tuesday night.  The special guest speaker was the legendary Fred Beckey. Fred captivated the audience during a two hour slide and film retrospective of his over 70 years of climbing in North America. Fred turned 90 a few weeks ago. He says he’s on his way to Red Rocks, Nevada, for some rock climbing this spring and has plans for another trip to the Bugaboos this summer.

Here’s the ACC’s write up of him for this event:

“Fred Beckey will present highlights from his climbing adventures and first ascents. If you look in guide books for Mt. McKinley, Mt. Hunter, Mt. Deborah, Mt. Waddington, The Canadian Rockies, The Bugaboos, The Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Wind River Range, Desert Tower, Squamish, Mexico (etc, etc…) chances are you’ll see Fred Beckey listed, often as the first person to ascend a particular mountain or route. It’s also likely he’s written the book. Whether you are a mountaineer or a rock climber, Fred’s got something to say of interest to you. And if you’re going climbing, there’s a good chance he’ll hitch a ride to the crag, the mountain or the ice. On January 14th, at least according to a couple of websites, he turned 90. Come out and wish him a belated Happy Birthday!”

Note: Fred mentioned that he was first introduced to the mountains as a Boy Scout (that would have been during the 1930s).

The monthly Alpine Club of Canada, Vancouver Section, social meeting is overflowing this evening in response to the presence of the legendary Fred Beckey.
The Scouts sit patiently while Fred is introduced.
Fred spent over 70 years climbing in North America and his presentation took us through some of his adventures in each of the climbing areas indicated on this map.
Fred and team on the summit of an Alaskan peak (Mt. Washington or Mt. McKinley most likely).
A couple of Honey Badgers in their natural environment.
Fred explained that he and his climbing partner set their tent on this platform just because they thought it would look cool. Mission accomplished Fred!
The Scouts are given the honour of helping the Club draw the door prize tickets for the night.
Tthe Mouuntaineer Scouts get to meet a legendary mountaineer! Fred explained during his presentation that he was first exposed to mountains as a Boy Scout. He would have been a member some time during the 1930s.

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It was a late night for the Scouts but this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet a living legend:
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PROUD!

Feb 21

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A look-back at the first six months of our Scouting year….in less than four minutes:

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Posted in General Messages

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Joffre Lakes Winter Camp II – FVC “Winter Scouting Skills” Course

Feb 5

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February 1-3, 2013

The Mountaineer Scouts helped out this weekend with the Fraser Valley Council’s “Winter Scouting Skills” course for Scout leaders.

Special thanks to Scouter Tim Driscoll (FVC DCC-Scoutcraft) for organizing the event and letting us take the group up into our playground!

“Now I lay me down to sleep…” The stars really came out for us on Friday night!
This is the first time these Scout leaders ever made breakfast in a kitchen that they carved themselves from snow (with help from the Mountaineer Scouts).
Sorting out their campsite Saturday morning.
The whole team ready to snowshoe up into the mountains on Saturday. The goal was the lake directly below the glacier seen in the far center of this photo – a 5 km. hike with a 1,200 ft. elevation gain (mostly in the final 2 kms.). Three members turned around at about the 1/4 mark. Before they returned to base, we had a little avalanche discussion on an open 32 degree snowfield. The members that carried on had the right mountain climbing snowshoes to get themselves up some fairly steep slopes (and, more importantly, to be able walk straight down those slopes without sustaining a serious fall). From left to right: Mountaineer Scout Tavish, Scouter Jason, Mountaineer Scout Simon, Scouters Charles and Jamie, Event Leader Tim Driscoll and Scouters Suzey and Dennis.
Time to make some tracks!
Mountaineer Scouts Tavish and Simon lead an extremely able Scouter Dennis up the mountain.
Always looking to the next adventure!
Careful crossing. One at a time. Scouter Dennis. Middle Joffre Lake.
Scouters Charles, Jason and Dennis managed to get all the way to Upper Joffre Lake (5,131 ft./1,564 m.) under the Matier Glacier. Well done guys!
Strike a pose. Making Zoolander proud!
The day’s getting late and a harsh wind is starting to kick up…. Time for one last picture before heading back down to our camp in the lower valley.
The Upper Joffre Lake cathedral.
We had a late start to the day and planned to return after the sun had gone down (which happens pretty quick in the mountains). It was pretty cool seeing the team’s headlamps bobbing along in the snow in the darkness stretched out over about a 1/8 of a mile below me as we descended through the forest and traversed large open snowfields during our 5 km. hike back to camp. Apparently the group at basecamp could see our headlamps coming down the mountain from quite a distance.
Another fantastic campfire with good company under a starry mountain sky.
On Sunday morning we buried some avalanche beacons and taught the Scouters how to find them with a third beacon.
As the Mountaineer Scouts would say: “Welcome to the High Life!” to all that attended the camp. I’m pretty sure that at least two of the Scouters are hooked and looking forward to doing this again real soon.Unfortunately, four other Scouters that had signed up for the camp had to drop out due to conflicts in their regular lives. See you all in the mountains!

Our Winter Playground:

Joffre Lakes Provincial Park.

Posted in Winter Camping

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