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Van, BC
Canada
2840 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2010 : 8:13 PM
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Photoset here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/realaworld/sets/72157623979350420/
Today I hiked a loop consisting of the Squaw, exploration of various climbing access spurs, and the 3 Chief peaks.
Elevation Profile:
Google Earth birdseye:
Google Earth 3d:
  
Ya, I did some exploring.
When I checked the weather forecast last night, I noticed it had changed and the rain was supposed to come late today - enough time to get a hike in without getting wet. I wanted something below snowline and not too serious, so I thought I'd loop around the Squaw and the Chief 3 peak traverse. (Ok - I wanted to lay down a GPS track to the Squaw.)
Made it to the trailhead bright and early - decent number of people in the campground as I walked through. The stairmaster start to the Chief trails was rough as usual, but I made it to the Squaw/North peak turnoff in around 20 minutes. From there it was a nice forest walk to that old skid path, which climbed past some cliffs to the Squaw turnoff, which I reached at 40 minutes:
Turning right, I was soon walking under the Cirque of the Uncrackables climbing area:
The weather was pretty dull and overcast, so I didn't bother with many pics. The trail is well marked and the footbed well worn as you traverse around the southern slopes of the Chief North peak.
Eventually you get to a junction - left for a 'viewpoint' and right to the Squaw. Resolving to hit the viewpoint on teh way back, I headed right, through a lusher portion of the forest and dropped down past a marsh/swampy area to a chorus of frog croaking. The trail here is probably an old deactivated FSR or skid road and meanders through the forest. There are two very well marked (flagging tape and bright orange metal squares on trees) and worn trails heading off to the left. Climbers access trails? I would check them out on my way back.
The Squaw trail is rather boring, so I wouldn't recommend it unless you just want to be able to say you've done it, or you want some training km in your legs.
The trail deposits you on an old FSR - not sure which one it is, but it's rather distinct and is seeing some dirtbike traffic. Checking it out in Google Earth, if you follow this FSR to the right (Squaw is to the left), it's only a short jaunt to the Shannon Creek FSR - the typical access to Sky Pilot, and where I was a little over a year ago: http://www.clubtread.com/sforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=30157
Some interesting loop possibilities:
The old FSR:
Less than 5 minutes after joining the FSR, the Squaw trail peels off to the left. Don't worry, it's well marked and you won't miss it. 10 minutes beyond that and you reach the Squaw summit. Not all that exciting - only a few views to the south. The foundations for the old fire lookout are still there though.
Video Panorama - from Squaw Summit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/realaworld/4573400094/
Retraced my way back to the 2nd climbers access spur and went exploring. Sure enough, it ended on a bluff with a sheer drop down to Squamish. Bolts on the rock revealed where the routes topped out.
Cool vantage of the Chief North summit that you don't see everyday:
Squamish:
The trail I was on actually continued going down, marked by a "climb down" sign. The trail I had been on was marked by a "hike down" sign:
 
Retraced my steps back to the main Squaw trail and then took the 1st climbers access spur. This trail splits left and right. Took the right trail which traversed a steep sidehill with some mild exposure. This trail took me to the base of some cliffs (obvious climbing routes with bolts in the rock) and continued down. I decided to turn around since the trail didn't seem to be going anywhere and I wasn't getting any good views. (From Google Earth it doesn't cliff out - I'm betting it's a hiking access from the road far below?)
Went back to the spur junction and took the left trail. It was a nice pleasant walk in a mossy/lush forest. The trail split again - I decided to take the right path since logically that had the best chance at a cliff/viewpoint. Followed that for a while but didn't get anywhere interesting. I think if I had kept going it would have taken me to a view of the north aspect of the Chief North summit, but I didn't go all the way. Back to the 2nd split and didn't feel like seeing what was to the left [NOTE: keep this in mind for later in the TR - let's call this the Second Junction] so followed the trail back to the 1st junction and then back to the main Squaw trail.
Back on that I returned past the croaking frog ponds and climbed back to the "viewpoint"/Squaw trail junction. Followed the "viewpoint" trail for about 5 minutes, and - you guessed it - it was actually the left trail of the Second Junction. Bugger.
For a visual, the spur track to the left is the 2nd climbers access spur - the one with the nice views. The spur track to the right (the one that itself splits left/right (viewers right split itself splitting to the right and left, which was acutally the original "viewpoint" trail) is the 1st climbers access spur:
You can see the bluff I hit on the 2nd climbers access spur, and the climbing knoll that I traversed under with the viewers left split). (I had some GPS inaccuracy - I actually did a there-and-back, so it shouldn't be as loopy as it is.)
Oh well. Back past the Cirque of the Uncrackables and back to the Chief North peak trail. Up the fun gully, turn right for the North summit, scramble along some granite, and made it up top:
The Squaw:
Chief Middle and South summits:
Video Panorama - from Chief 3rd Peak Summit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/realaworld/4573401240/
The trail over to the Middle summit had the usual nice views. There was even a weak rainbow over Squamish:
I followed the usual fun traverse down off the Middle summit towards the South. I eyeballed the "back door" route to the South summit - the one involving the sketchy looking iron ladder bolted right into the rock.
Parks have noticed it as well:
Decided it was not for today. Back on the main Chief trail and I was on the South summit in another 15.
More of Squamish:
Squamish Terminals:
Typical coastal spring:
Video 360 Panorama - Chief 1st Peak Summit"
http://www.flickr.com/photos/realaworld/4573403502/
Hopped the rocks back down, for a total time of a shade over 7 hours. Cumulative elevation gain for the day was 1832m - not bad for a low elevation hike.
-Ryan
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843 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2010 : 8:20 PM
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Nice exploration, Ryan.
I suppose you didn't see any climbers reaching the top from the west side? |
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Van, BC
Canada
2840 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2010 : 9:55 PM
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Vix has helpfully pointed out that the "right branch of the 1st climbers access junction" - the one I suspected was a hiking trail all the way down to the road, is in all likelihood the trail discussed in this TR:
http://www.clubtread.com/sforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=31424
Indeed, it is a hiking access. Now I'm wondering where it comes out on the road :P
RamblingBull - no climbers at all today. Were you on the wall?
-Ryan
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Too close to the city, BC
Canada
796 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2010 : 10:27 PM
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Thanks for the info! Looks like I'm going to do some more exploring around there... |
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843 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2010 : 12:47 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Ryan.in.yaletown
RamblingBull - no climbers at all today. Were you on the wall?
No, but thx for the compliment... |
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 | Dru
Mountain Grammar Police
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Sardonic sandbagging scoundrel, Cascade Climbers lobotomized spraymeister, space blanket flyer, new millennium vulgarian betaboy and friend to all squids
Climbing, a mountain
Canada
∞ Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2010 : 08:07 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Ryan.in.yaletown
Now I'm wondering where it comes out on the road :P
At the quarry below Slhany |
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1448 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2010 : 7:16 PM
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Thanks for the great tracks Ryan
I saw that on my last trip as well the bottom looks ok. But was interested what the top area is like.
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vancouver, bc
Canada
475 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2010 : 9:15 PM
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nice ,i've done also the chief one to the third peak and i really enjoyed
it's a beautiful hike ,all that rocks,it's not so fun when they are prety wet,but it's ok
thanks for posting
Alex |
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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
13592 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2010 : 1:11 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by camshaft
Thanks for the great tracks Ryan
I saw that on my last trip as well the bottom looks ok. But was interested what the top area is like.
Neat. Are those rungs set in place and sturdy enough to be used all the way ?
K |
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Squaw, Chief 3 Peaks, and Environs - 2010-05-02
