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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
13477 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2010 : 9:03 PM
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Today was going to be a hike and snowshoe to Unnecessary Mountain. However the rain this morning coming in earlier than forecast, changed the decision for a Plan B Destination.
After corresponding on a few ocassions previously, Ted Oliver and I joined up for our first hike together, and invited Alex (Sandu) as well. So the The three of us started our hike 9am, right out of the mall parking lot at the junction of Seymour Parkway, and the Seymour Mountain Road. According to the map, about 100 meters elevation - 
We started up with old buck trail...  Crossed one of the highway switchbacks on the way up, and then headed east and then north around those small lakes east of the parking lot. In vicinity of Percy Lake.
Weather: started with light rain right from the start, and intermittent rain all the way up. Stopped at the parking lot (3 hours from start)- 
Put on our snowshoes, rather wear them than carry them, even though the snow supported our weight without. Getting close to Brockton Point, it began to snow.. 
Snow intensified to a light sticking snow hail. We followed the tracks on a route I recognized before. The tracks headed up the hill, found out this was not the usual ascent up, but up a steep side -southeast face of First Pump.. Summit Marker became visible. 
Really like my MSR Eboe snowshoes, they worked great going up that steep side.
Scrub trees were now getting their new coat of ice and snow as I watched,

Summit Marker getting closer, ah a new face with inscription and then the first pump victory hug. ..
Video showing driving snow.....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHnI5aGxC3c
It was time to turn back, after giving up our 2nd and 3rd pump targets seeing the visibility in snow was close to zero.
Some of the very steep sections, took snow shoes off and booted it.
On our way down we observed the new snow level had descended from 1250 meters all the way down to 900 meters over a period of three hours. From the parking lot back to the bottom it took us 2 - 1/4 hours.
Since none of us had a GPS, from the attached map I estimated distance from 24 to 26 km round trip with 1300 meters elevation gain. Our route on the map is marked in yellow. Got thoroughly soaked despite the rain jacket; and the snow pants proved to be not the slightest waterproof. A very satisfying day nevertheless, trekked up at a good pace with the happy company of Alex and Ted.
Our start and finish times were about 9:00 a.m. and 5:15 p.m.; taking off time for breaks and lunch, this trip took us 7-1/2 hours.
Looking forward to the next time.
K
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Victoria, British Columbia Canada
1762 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2010 : 9:31 PM
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| Cool. Not too many go to the alpine from down there. |
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Poco, BC Canada
405 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2010 : 9:51 PM
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| wow - what a haul! very impressive! |
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Vancouver, BC Canada
1114 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2010 : 10:11 PM
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| Where did you get that topo map from pictured above? I mean which online source? |
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Victoria, British Columbia Canada
1762 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2010 : 10:15 PM
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quote: Originally posted by thecamel
Where did you get that topo map from pictured above? I mean which online source?
That looks like the 92G series, they're available for free through the gov't site; I believe this one. http://geogratis.gc.ca/geogratis/en/index.html
Edit: Maybe it's not this site, but it's something similar. I'm very tired at the moment but if you can't track down the source I have the link stored somewhere. |
Edited by - jd22 on 05/02/2010 10:17 PM |
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north vancouver, british columbia Canada
605 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2010 : 10:20 PM
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Good one,great basically ground zero start! |
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Vancouver, BC Canada
2662 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2010 : 11:39 PM
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Nice one guys  |
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     Trail running, bike hucking, fast packing, beer drinking collector of pine cones on a day pass
AKA
Dances with Trees
Forest Gnome Cabin Canada
13061 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2010 : 11:55 PM
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Fun
First Peak is only 1407m, the Third Peak is 1454m, I believe |
Edited by - mick range on 05/02/2010 11:56 PM |
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Maple Ridge, BC Canada
489 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2010 : 07:29 AM
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| You guys sure made the best out of a crummy weather day. |
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Vancouver, bc Canada
1009 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2010 : 10:51 AM
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| Did you have thoughts of bailing from Seymour and doing Unnecessary? Great TR. Interesting how 1st Pump is now 1st Peak on a sign that has natural contour lines with the word "Peak" at the contour peak!! I can feel the chill from here. Congrats. |
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Vancouver, BC Canada
302 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2010 : 11:10 AM
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| Very nice. I am recovering from ACL and meniscus surgery and living vicariously through these TRs.....see you in the mountains later this year or early next :) |
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     Peak bagging, bushwhacking, zamboni driving, snowshoeing, self portrait artist, and speed demon who loves to hang out on Mt. Seymour
4001 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2010 : 3:08 PM
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Pump (1st) Peak is just under 1400m 2nd Peak is about 1422m Mount Seymour (3rd Peak) is 1454m.
Good way of doing the trip gentlemen. Karl, how do you rate your snowshoes to the Denalis? I've never heard of Eboe before. Unless you mean Evo? |
Edited by - simonc on 05/03/2010 3:09 PM |
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 | Dru
Mountain Grammar Police
|      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 : 3:11 PM
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quote: Originally posted by KARVITK
Ted Oliver and I
The rainbow suspenders inducted into Club ReTread? OMG  |
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     Trail running, bike hucking, fast packing, beer drinking collector of pine cones on a day pass
AKA
Dances with Trees
Forest Gnome Cabin Canada
13061 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2010 : 4:00 PM
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quote: Originally posted by simonc
Pump (1st) Peak is just under 1400m 2nd Peak is about 1422m Mount Seymour (3rd Peak) is 1454m.
Good way of doing the trip gentlemen. Karl, how do you rate your snowshoes to the Denalis? I've never heard of Eboe before. Unless you mean Evo?
The old post said 1407m, but I always thought that was bit off  |
Edited by - mick range on 05/03/2010 4:04 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
13477 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2010 : 5:51 PM
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quote: Originally posted by simonc
Pump (1st) Peak is just under 1400m 2nd Peak is about 1422m Mount Seymour (3rd Peak) is 1454m.
Good way of doing the trip gentlemen. Karl, how do you rate your snowshoes to the Denalis? I've never heard of Eboe before. Unless you mean Evo?
Thank you Simon and you are correct, I mis-spelled the name, yes I meant "Evo." |
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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
13477 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2010 : 5:54 PM
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quote: Originally posted by jd22
quote: Originally posted by thecamel
Where did you get that topo map from pictured above? I mean which online source?
That looks like the 92G series, they're available for free through the gov't site; I believe this one. http://geogratis.gc.ca/geogratis/en/index.html
Edit: Maybe it's not this site, but it's something similar. I'm very tired at the moment but if you can't track down the source I have the link stored somewhere.
The site I actually used and signed on to select area and scale was from this site:
http://test-trail.brijn.nu/
K |
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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
13477 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2010 : 5:57 PM
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Thank you everyone for your kind compliments, we were planning to make it to the 3rd pump, but weather conditions got rather nasty, so we cut it short by stopping with the first peak. My thanks to Ted for the inspiration to completing this trek.
Mick, I remember the old marker statig 1407 meters, seems like they replaced it with a new face with a higher elevation. Wonder where they got that higher reading.
Rob; would have loved to do Unnecessary from Lions Bay; so we will leave it to another day.
K |
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Burnaby, BC Canada
345 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2010 : 7:36 PM
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| Honestly Bravo!!That takes a lot of balls to do this climb with the for-casted weather! What a long day.... |
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Surrey, BC Canada
949 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2010 : 8:36 PM
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Yeah, shows some good dedication to get out and do that trip on a day like that.
Nice one. |
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vancouver, bc Canada
475 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2010 : 9:04 PM
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Hey guys Karl and Ted,thanks so much for this wounderful hike,it was just amaising a long way up in the rain,then a foggy time and then a windy and snowing time.I enjoyed every minute on this hike,it was really great.Here are some pictures of mine 
Alex |
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Sunnyvale Trailer Park Canada
1089 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2010 : 9:19 PM
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Fun times!
Karl - I see you aren't wearing gloves in any of those pics, must be hiking a lot lately  |
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