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Finally stopping that crazy suffering that is ice, climbing to concentrate on great ski tours!
3509 Posts |
Posted - 08/03/2007 : 06:33 AM
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Well, my daughter turned eight this summer, and I figured she was ready to do the Skyline. I decided to put the trip up as a GMMC club trip, inviting others to join us for the "monumental" event. This was the first time over for both my wife and daughter.
Well, I'm not sure how the trip could have been better! Monday's easy 8km to Little Shovel was under blue skies and moderate temps, so everyone got off to a nice start. Monday night, the clouds opened up and as the rain pounded down during the night, I wondered if we'd be spending the next day in a deluge. However, we woke to blue skies and even managed to dry out the fly a bit as we ate. The mossies were quite bad at Little Shovel.
Tuesday's trek to Curator was an adventure in WIND. The sky threatened over and over again, but no rain came. However, the fast moving clouds brought a whack of wind, often having us bundled up despite the generally sunny look of the day. We saw lots of Marmots and even some deer. We arrived late in the afternoon at Curator to find good bug conditions and enjoyed a fairly early night to bed to prepare for 19km over the Notch and all the way to Signal Mountain camp the next day.
Wednesday morning was cold and cloudless. Really, not a single cloud! As we passed Curator Lake, my wife was getting very apprehensive about the Notch. The snow looked to extend right to the rocks on the right and the trail in parts looked to be difficult going. She is extemely sensitive to heights and her anxiety was obvious. She was also suffering from an injury to her knee from a few weeks ago that we had thought had healed, but reared it's head again coming down from Big Shovel Pass. To increase her comfort and ability to balance, I loaded mos of the contents of her pack into mine. Ugh. Call it "mountaineering training."
With the trail "dropping off" in a few spots, we had to take our time, so we didn't get to the snow until close to 11:00am. I sprinted ahead a little to check the conditions, seeing what looked like a trail across it. Nope, no trail of footsteps. Just highly consolidated snow that was extremely slippery and quite exposed in that a slip would mean a fall resulting in a severe injury, or worse. Two young fellows tried to gain the snow, but could not get a purchase. The edge at the bottom was very steep and offered no way to support weight. So, despite wearing light trail runners and my pack very heavy, I cleared away some of the bottom dirt, got a little purchase, and began to kick steps in the snow. It took some doing, but after a fashion, the remaining group (save my wife and daughter) were able to easily use the steps I'd kicked to gain the top of The Notch.
My problems were not over though. I realized that with the angle of the snow, I would be very uncomfortable getting my little one over the snow. As I would have to use the steps as well, I would not be as close to her as I would like. Examining the rock to the right of the snow, I noticed some people had done some scrambling around the snow. It looked to be reasonable 3rd class stuff, not too taxing, but noticably steeper than the snow. I dropped my pack, and downclimbed it. First, I got the gals to the base of the "climb" and took my wife's pack. My daughter lead while I stayed directly under her to protect from a fall. Well, she sure didn't need much help. The time she's spent rock climbing showed! She moved like a pro over the rock. My wife followed my instructions not to look down and where to put her hands and feet, and after a few minutes, we were all "on top."
We spent an hour and a half faffing about at The Notch, enjoying a warm and calm (yes, almost no wind) day. We then trversed the Amber ridgeline, with great views, and as the afternoon drained, we ended up at Tekarra camp, cooking supper, preparing for the final 6km to the campground. At about 8:00, we finally arrived at Signal, with a very tired eight year old, and found, as ususal, the worst mossies of the trip. We just went to bed.
Ysterday, we trudged down the Fireroad, went to the Atha-B, and ate. Today, I'm heading back to the CI area, to climb Mt. Castleguard, also a club trip, so my trip report this AM is short.
The Notch is visible in the background, snow still quite far to the right.. (Wifey and munchkin in foreground, other club member behind)
Trudging up to The Notch...
We did it!
Me (on the left) with my daughter and one of the club members. "Good thing we have a climber here" he said as he enjoyed the step ladder in the snow.
Mt. Robson, visible 80km to the west. Wow, what a day!
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Edited by - johngenx on 08/03/2007 06:37 AM
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Popkum, BC
Canada
5887 Posts |
Posted - 08/03/2007 : 07:20 AM
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Looks like a wonderful family day out, congratulations Munchkin!
Happy trails,
Lynn |
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in the valley, BC
Canada
1459 Posts |
Posted - 08/03/2007 : 07:26 AM
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Nice report. Great when the whole family can join in on the adventure. Quite a feat for a 8 year old! Way to go!
Cheers |
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Simpson quoting tree hunter and canyon rapping rockhound who longs for the return of his trapped Toyota
Salt Lake City, UT
USA
2268 Posts |
Posted - 08/03/2007 : 07:52 AM
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| Cool angle on Robson. You don't see that profile very often! |
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Finally stopping that crazy suffering that is ice, climbing to concentrate on great ski tours!
3509 Posts |
Posted - 08/03/2007 : 08:45 AM
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| Thanks for the comments guys! Anyway, back to packing as I'm off again at noon today. Geez, why can't they make ultra-light climbing gear? Multi-day mountaineering means heavy-ness... |
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Calgary, Alberta
Andorra
3796 Posts |
Posted - 08/04/2007 : 12:11 AM
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| Great view! I want to see the Castleguard photos!! :) |
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ass wigglin, cheese lovin, 4x4 drivin, apostrophe hatin, hiking chick who loves camping on snow
spaceship..
Canada
7209 Posts |
Posted - 08/04/2007 : 05:29 AM
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Way to go Munchkin!!!
Always great to see kids out on the trails - funny, I think we as parents worry far too much at times, kids are oftentimes much more capable than we think!
Looking forward to reading about more of your adventures  |
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Terminator shade wearing, summit questing, double Grinding, Gordo voting self annointed 'dumb ass' and Aconcagua Bagga who dreams of Robson, Teton, The Judge, and.....and....
Port Moody, B.C
Canada
2210 Posts |
Posted - 08/05/2007 : 5:22 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Too Many Canyons
Cool angle on Robson. You don't see that profile very often!
Very cool. Never seen a photo like that of Robson before. |
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Trail blazin', backcountry bushwackin', pine huntin', photo takin', long winded story teller
3838 Posts |
Posted - 08/08/2007 : 3:46 PM
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Good family trip. Makes your chest stick out when the young ones perform for Daddy, er and Mommy.  |
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Munchkin does the Skyline, "climbing" involved...
