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962 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2009 : 5:59 PM
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We climbed Ipsoot a couple of weeks ago. Last w/e we went back for Rhododendron using Rutherford Branch 550 again. We got into a good position but didn't like the avalanche conditions on the south-facing slopes. Went up Ipsoot again - from the north, this time.
1. Looking down the approach. 2. Valley headwall. 3. Below Rhodo.
  
4. Ipsoot glacier. 5. Rhododendron from Ipsoot. 6. Exit gully.
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Edited by - Stoked on 05/21/2009 5:59 PM
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 Utah's canyon trekking,deck chair packing desert explorer who dreams of visiting Canada someday
3988 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2009 : 7:37 PM
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Far out!!
What a view! And, each one, a new destination.
Grounded this weekend. Way too much house chores to do.
durn!! How did the doggies do? |
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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
13445 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2009 : 8:25 PM
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I was expecting to see some rhodo (flower) shots, but these pics are great with high view shots. I guess those flowers are hiding somewhere ready to come out when spring comes at least to these slopes.
K |
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962 Posts |
Posted - 05/22/2009 : 05:13 AM
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Rented Mule, just took one of my dogs. He was fine. My other dog is recovering from an inner ear infection that affected her balance. Nicholas' dog named Sasha was a bit freaked on exposure. I guess he doesn't take her out enough.
Karl, I guess the mountain name refers to some other type of rhododendron than the ones in Manning Park and the Olympics. I've never seen one of those in the Whistler-Pemberton area. Is there a "mountain rhododendron"? There's some kind of bush that grows near 4000 feet that has pale yellow flowers but looks more like azalea. It's a pain to bushwhack it. |
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Bellingham, Wa
USA
162 Posts |
Posted - 05/22/2009 : 09:33 AM
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This looks like a fantastic area! I'm looking it over on my Garmin mapping an it looks like there might be a great campsite between Ipsoot and Rhododendron, the saddle at 6000'.
My mapping doesn't show roads other than at the valley floor at Rutherford Creek. Is it possible that you, Stoked, could provide a map of your routes or more detail on the approach?
Here is a map of the area;
 Rutherford Creek is at the lower left |
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962 Posts |
Posted - 05/22/2009 : 12:52 PM
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gm, a couple of points about the Garmin map. Where the third label that says "Ipsoot Glacier" (topmost of the three) is placed is mostly bare ground (glacial retreat). The contour label "6000" you refer to in the saddle is at the east end of a large lake. Shows on my 1:50K topo as a glacier (now gone). The two bowls on the south side of Rhododendron are heavily glaciated. Shows as bare on my topo. (Topo was revised around 1971, I think.)
We gained the col you refer to above and south of the lake and found there a really nice bench with flat rocks, basically from where the first shot is taken.
I don't know what travel will be like in the valley once snow melts out. We detoured up and around the first fan at the entrance to the valley. Gained/lost 300 meters elevation.
Best way in is probably the right side of the "Exit gully", last shot. Gets you high and up onto the ice but probably too high (around 7600 or 7800 feet). The other alternative I was looking at was the west ridge of the valley (shot #1, right side). Unfortunately, the snow had burned off and since it was a ski trip we scrubbed that idea. If you went that way, it looks like a mellow contour around 5500 feet - traversing bowls. You could probably get from that ridge to the Rhodo-Ipsoot col by traversing east between 6000 and 6500 feet. I've got some more shots at home and will post a few later. |
Edited by - Stoked on 05/22/2009 12:56 PM |
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962 Posts |
Posted - 05/23/2009 : 07:42 AM
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As promised.
1. Ridge west of approach. 2. Bench above lake. 3. Snout of Ipsoot Glacier.
  
That western ridge looks good, eh? The grizzly whose prints we saw probably descended the snow chute on the right of pic #1 coming over from Wasp Creek. We probably passed it in valley going the other way.
4. Rhodo-Ipsoot Pass.
That's a nice scramble route up the rocky ridge in pic #4 to Rhododendron. Not good for skis.
Sorry, I don't have a fancy mapping program installed. I still prefer paper. Rutherford Branch #550 goes up the north-south tributary of Rutherford Creek in the lower left of your Garmin map. Rutherford FSR is easily driven but branch 550 is heavily cross-ditched. It terminates around 1130 m on the east side. There's a bridge across the trib at around 1050 m and goes up the west side to about 1150 m. |
Edited by - Stoked on 05/23/2009 07:58 AM |
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Rhododendron-Ipsoot ski
