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Cloverdale
183 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2007 : 11:47 AM
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Normally I sleep in my truck or use a heated canvas wall shelter or hike to a hut during my winter excursions. But I'm dying to pitch a tent in the snow and camp under more Spartan conditions. I figure I better use this gear under more controlled conditions at least once rather than use it for the first time under duress.
Now you ask, why go all the way to Joffre? Well I want to combine this February snowshoe trip by ending up at Skookumchuk Hotsprings. I figure Joffre is a picturesque snowshoe destination that is near there, unless someone knows something else .
My question is: is there good camping spots around or just beyond first lake? Looking for a good base camp to snowshoe from the next morning. And would it be safe to leave the camp set-up while out for the day?
ham
P.S. I will be posting this trip soon as an open invite to any that want to join me.
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 canine loving, machete-toting bushwhacking lake seeker, Indiana Jones hat-wearing off-road 4x4 guru
Surrey Hole, BC
Canada
6773 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2007 : 11:58 AM
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| I'd also be interested in doing a joffre trip.I think avi training and gear is probably a must,and so would a good weather window. |
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 Moxie scambler of pinnacles, tireless leader haunting the CDN/US border climbing everything in sight
Burnaby, BC
Canada
1272 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2007 : 12:01 PM
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Hamberger, rather than Joffre, I'd drive a few more km's up the road to the Cerise Creek trailhead. This is a better place to go in winter. You can then follow the marked route to Keith's Hut and camp in the vicinity of the hut. The hut would be your insurance in case anything went wrong, but you'd still be out in BC's beautiful backcountry. Hope this helps.
Good luck!
PB |
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Cloverdale
183 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2007 : 12:16 PM
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O.K. I'll search that one. Is the Hut far from the trailhead? This trip may involve people that have never had to pack gear significant distances before.
ham |
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Van, bc
Canada
636 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2007 : 12:18 PM
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| i would follow Peakbagger's advice if you are not goin to go all the way to the 3rd lake. between the 1rst and 3rd lakes there isnt a great place to set up a camp. |
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Cloverdale
183 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2007 : 12:35 PM
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Well we could camp right on Lower Lake itself couldn't we? or is the lake not accessible? I would never camp at the upper lake anyway based on all the reading I've done...too dangerous.
ham |
Edited by - hamberger on 01/02/2007 12:37 PM |
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double-double seeking, snow-chasing, short-cutting, vertical feet collector
4523 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2007 : 12:52 PM
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first lake is only 5 mins from the highway. it's pretty, there are trees all around, a glimpse of the glaciers beyond.
getting to second lake can be dangerous in sketchy avalanche conditions. there is a 20 minute stretch in a terrain trap (also known as the boulder field in the summertime)
getting from second to third lake is fine, it's a bit of an elevation gain, but otherwise you are in the trees. there are some lovely camping spots on the lake just as you approach the highest lake.
get a topo map of the area, and look closely at the terrain that you will traverse during your hike. and read the forecasts on www.avalanche.ca (look for South Coast / Duffy Lake area)
here are some pictures www.flickr.com/photos/seawallrunner/sets/113824/ |
Edited by - seawallrunner on 01/02/2007 12:55 PM |
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| deeks
Intermediate Member
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Fraser Valley, BC
Canada
655 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2007 : 12:57 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by seawallrunner
getting to second lake can be dangerous in sketchy avalanche conditions. there is a 20 minute stretch in a terrain trap (also known as the boulder field in the summertime)
Just an FYI, when I went through in October the trail had been re-routed around most of the boulder field. They have done a really good job on that portion of trail, lots of flat rock down, even though it was wet the trail was good. seawall is right though, it would be pretty sketchy in avy conditions. |
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Cloverdale
183 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2007 : 1:43 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by seawallrunner
first lake is only 5 mins from the highway. it's pretty, there are trees all around, a glimpse of the glaciers beyond.
getting to second lake can be dangerous in sketchy avalanche conditions. there is a 20 minute stretch in a terrain trap (also known as the boulder field in the summertime)
getting from second to third lake is fine, it's a bit of an elevation gain, but otherwise you are in the trees. there are some lovely camping spots on the lake just as you approach the highest lake.
get a topo map of the area, and look closely at the terrain that you will traverse during your hike. and read the forecasts on www.avalanche.ca (look for South Coast / Duffy Lake area)
here are some pictures www.flickr.com/photos/seawallrunner/sets/113824/
Yup. Got that all covered. Main part of trip is the overnite camp in the snow. If conditions are poor then will not snowshoe up to the upper lake the next morning and just proceed to the hotsprings.
This thread is just to ask if anyone has camped there in the winter and maybe point out a good spot, shelter from wind, etc...
All the nitty gritty can be discussed later on my Event Thread.
ham |
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Richmond, BC
Canada
2440 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2007 : 2:30 PM
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Aaron I pulled this off of another thread to give you a perspective of what the third lake looks like from an avalanche perspective.
quote:
getting from second to third lake is fine, it's a bit of an elevation gain, but otherwise you are in the trees. there are some lovely camping spots on the lake just as you approach the highest lake.
Just stay near the trees. I wouldn't camp on the exposed aspects of the lake. I camped in the trees on picture left. Otherwise I agree that the first lake is a great place and then you can scout a trip up if conditions warrant it.
I have maps of the area.
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Edited by - pmicheals on 01/02/2007 2:34 PM |
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Richmond, BC
Canada
2440 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2007 : 2:32 PM
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| Anyways I'm into this and if you want to do Cerise Creek, I'll go for that too. |
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ass wigglin, cheese lovin, 4x4 drivin, apostrophe hatin, hiking chick who loves camping on snow
spaceship..
Canada
7209 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2007 : 3:28 PM
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I could go for Cerise creek in feb - I have avalanche gear, I'll watch for your signup  |
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Joffre Winter Camping??
