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 Happy go lucky, plaid wearin, postholin, safeway gaitor sportin, old-school film shootin, giver of many regards
Abbotsford, B.C.
Canada
13442 Posts |
Posted - 05/28/2007 : 10:07 PM
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This was one of the MOC scheduled hikes , and many thanks to AL for arranging this for this day. Weather forecast was not very promising days in advance, despite threate of showers the hike was a go. We met outside the park gates, and was through shortly after 7 am. From the 'West Canyon Parking Lot' were ready to go and were on the trail just before 7:30 a.m. We decided to go without snowshoes, and brought along our ice-axes.
A good steady walk, down the pleasant wide railway grade that resembled a road, then turned into that trail forking left away from Gold Creek and up keeping focus not to stumble on the jumble of rocks on this part of the trail. On we continued at a good steady place, across the board walk over the flowing brooks and then onto Alder Flats. A brief pause by and bypassed two occuppied tents under a blue tarp, 9:00 a.m. I guess these guys are still sleeping. Then out popped this load crack of flatulence from within. My regards and smypathies for the poor roommate who shared the tent with the orignater.
A brief 10 minute break beyond the ruined outhouse. We arrived at the helicopter pad at 10:00 a.m. The snow I observed here during my last visit was almost all gone. "A lot of melt wow"
Check out the crumbling snow slabs on the lower slopes of Edge Peak/Ears.... 
Then up that steep part above and up to the 9km mark on top of near end of the ridge leading to Panarama Ridge. We made good time, except I had a problem trusting a short stretch of 75% snow slope to be stable will ice-axing my way up it. Time to reach this part for us was a little more than 3 hours excluding the rest breaks. I was quite pleased I had bettered my time compared to two years ago when I suffered to make it to this point in 6 hours during the last weekend in May of 2005.
I did not take any photos, figuring there was a small chance to make the summit. Up along over that branch ridge, booting on the edge of some narrow snow ridges and then up to Panarama Ridge. Clouds had lifted and we were getting some views, even a little sun. ALAS by the time we reached Mt. Fail, only about 200 meters from the Shelter,the low cloud rolled in with fog and drizzle. Al indicated it was quite risky as he had checked it out and for safety considered it prudent this was as far we should go. Note even though the snowbase was firm, there was than two to four inch layer rof soft snow on some very steep slopes.
Grabbed a bit of food, waited, and then shot this video where these two pictures were taken, right by Mt. Fail.
 
View video:
http://media.putfile.com/Fog-at-Mt-Fail
Well with the fog continuing to roll around, we had lunch and hoped for a break, it did not look good. Al points...somewhere there is Pitt Lake that way.
  
Then the cloud began to lift, I could see the ridge where we snow-walked up: Out with the camera quick.
   
Another walk further down back along Panarama Ridge, and we started seeing a wee bit of sun. And Pitt Lake.
  
I decided then would be a good time to do a scenic panaramic sweep, there goes Al heading down for a glissade... Nicely done.
http://media.putfile.com/Panarama-Ridge-Views--Pitt-Lake--East-May-2707
Then the clouds parted, there is Mt. Fail, that hump of a rock just right of the shelter's location.  You can barely see the top of the shelter's roof above the snow in this zoom:
 And then surprise another hiker shows up, welcome Jeff from Ontario. I got no picture, but did inform him of clubtread and hopefully he will sign up. Nice seeing you Jeff.
The sun came out brightly, should have brought my sunglasses.   It was not going to last.
  
Last shot of the valley of Gold Creek. l
Here come the clouds, time to put away the camera.
 and then the last video.
http://media.putfile.com/Panaram-Views-Gold-Creeksurrounds-May2707
We had a good pleasant return and made it back to the car by 6 pm. We met only one couple on their way up looking for a view.
Regards,
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Edited by - KARVITK on 05/28/2007 10:42 PM
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Telkwa
1176 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 09:45 AM
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| Wow, what a trip! Cool photos. 75% slope - holy cow!!! |
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Alberta-based choss climbin', flame throwin', rappel lovin', ass talkin' hater who doesn't like "Gumby" for a descriptor
6302 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 09:58 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by telkwa
75% slope - holy cow!!!
That's about what...a 36 degree slope... |
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
1128 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 10:28 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by time2clmb
quote:
Originally posted by telkwa
75% slope - holy cow!!!
That's about what...a 36 degree slope...
36.87 to be precise  |
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Telkwa
1176 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 1:13 PM
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| Well, it sounds good at 75%. |
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Happy go lucky, plaid wearin, postholin, safeway gaitor sportin, old-school film shootin, giver of many regards
Abbotsford, B.C.
Canada
13442 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 5:04 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by telkwa
Well, it sounds good at 75%.
Actually I did meant to write 75 degrees, it was about a 10 meter section almost like up a steep leaning ladder. It was difficult to poke in the ice axe which turned out to be dull and therefore required a lot more effort to shove it in to the hard snow underneath that soft layer.
Regards, |
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Popkum, BC
Canada
5887 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 8:34 PM
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Good job Karl, I'd like to do this one sometime. It's nice you get out every weekend.
Happy trails,
Lynn |
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 | DW2
Senior Member
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West Coast, B.C.
1395 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 10:04 PM
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| Good one Karl and Al! Were there just the 2 of you? I have never been up past the helipad in the snow...nice pics. You seem to be doing a lot of exploring these days. |
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Happy go lucky, plaid wearin, postholin, safeway gaitor sportin, old-school film shootin, giver of many regards
Abbotsford, B.C.
Canada
13442 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 10:39 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by DW2
Good one Karl and Al! Were there just the 2 of you? I have never been up past the helipad in the snow...nice pics. You seem to be doing a lot of exploring these days.
Hello Dianne.
Yes, there were just the two of us from the club. And not many other people on the trail. We counted a total of three other persons out, of them Jeff who hiked up in his shorts and trail runner type boots to we were just above the older shelter site.
A young and very nimble fellow on that.
Regards, |
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maple
Canada
534 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2007 : 6:09 PM
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Nice pics, and vidios Karl, lots of snow thats for sure, Ill have to get back up there soon, been along time since on the Ears, I see you got a great pic of my favorite hiking area,   |
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Hope, BC
Canada
7093 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2007 : 6:14 PM
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Wow Karl, the report is good, the videos are awesome... Keep them videos pouring in...
You must be 5000+ft - 6000ft? +? altitude there? pushing more I am sure? (looks like propeller cairn altitude or better.) lol |
Edited by - AcesHigh on 05/31/2007 6:15 PM |
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Happy go lucky, plaid wearin, postholin, safeway gaitor sportin, old-school film shootin, giver of many regards
Abbotsford, B.C.
Canada
13442 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2007 : 11:26 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by AcesHigh
Wow Karl, the report is good, the videos are awesome... Keep them videos pouring in...
You must be 5000+ft - 6000ft? +? altitude there? pushing more I am sure? (looks like propeller cairn altitude or better.) lol
Chris, yes was close to the 5000 ft level and a bit more, much like propeller cairn altitude and better as you wrote.
Randy, that valley looks great from up there.
Incredible amount of greater snow than there was 2 years ago.
Regards
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Trail blazin', backcountry bushwackin', pine huntin', photo takin', long winded story teller
3838 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2007 : 11:48 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by hiker11
Nice pics, and videos Karl, lots of snow thats for sure, Ill have to get back up there soon, been along time since on the Ears, I see you got a great pic of my favorite hiking area,
Wow, nice trip report and great videos. What no narration? 
I understand there is a trail up Gold Creek Valley. Any idea how long it is? Looks like it would be a great hike. |
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maple
Canada
534 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2007 : 10:08 AM
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Hi Wally, the trail that follows gold creek is the East canyon trail, I hike this trail 2 or 3 times aweek, Its a nice easy hike along it, there is a nice beach area around the 4 and half kl area, and around the 10 kl area you can cross gold creek and head to Hector fergusen lake, I have not been to that lake, but heard its nice, I have followed gold creek for along ways, almost to the end of it, no trails past 13 kl, here is a few pics,     you would like this hike good views and its a old logging road for the first 4 kl. |
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North Vancouver, BC
Canada
149 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2007 : 10:19 AM
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Nice trip. BC and counting for my next trip back. Tenquille - Mags, Ruth?! Some hikes here Norway side now June/July will post those in next few mo.
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canine loving, machete-toting bushwhacking lake seeker, Indiana Jones hat-wearing off-road 4x4 guru
Surrey Hole, BC
Canada
6770 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2007 : 10:30 AM
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| Never done the Ears,certainly looks like we'll have to head up there soon. |
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Coquitlam, British Columbia
Canada
1727 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2007 : 1:06 PM
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| ...keep meaning to do this hike...maybe this year...great trip report...love the photos... |
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Trail blazin', backcountry bushwackin', pine huntin', photo takin', long winded story teller
3838 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2007 : 1:26 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Aqua Terra
Never done the Ears,certainly looks like we'll have to head up there soon.
Me too. Thanx for the info Randy. |
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Popkum, BC
Canada
5887 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2007 : 1:40 PM
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Seems there's a lot of CT interest in doing this hike, who's gunna be our fearless leader?
Take care,
Lynn |
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Herbal tea drinkin, tree huggin, view seeking, tortoise paced, ultralite wannabe
Vancouver, BC
Canada
2847 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2007 : 2:42 PM
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| Nice report, Karl. Gotta get my bum up there this summer. |
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
1116 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2007 : 3:58 PM
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Nice videos,looks like the permanent snow field will start growing again.
quote:
Originally posted by Flowing-Brook
Seems there's a lot of CT interest in doing this hike, who's gunna be our fearless leader?
Take care,
Lynn
You don't need a leader,Golden Ears is the Grouse grind of Maple Ridge.Not much chance of having the summit to yourself.I'd like to do a trip up there or Williams Peak in the next couple weeks.Check Seeking Hiking Partners wanted forum. |
Edited by - tedoliver on 06/01/2007 4:33 PM |
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Golden Ears-Mt.Fail May 27.07 RMOC
