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Squamish, British Columbia
Canada
1008 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2010 : 8:18 PM
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So thanks to a recent TR on here (http://www.clubtread.com/sforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=35818), myself and my wife decided that the upper Joffre lakes would make a good spot to try out backpacking for the first time and cut our teeth. For all intents and purposes, this was both our first time out camping.
We started late on Thursday, getting to the trailhead ~3pm. There wheren't too many cars in the parking lot when we got there (a good sign), just a few RV's. Was also surprised that the parking and camping are completely free.
The ~5km trail was ok with only ~400m of elevation gain up to upper Joffre lake (elevation: 1564m). The toughest part, especially with our ~40lb packs, was the boulder field about a km or so into the hike. Our hiking poles where invaluable for this. The hike itself is split up between some flat areas and then some relatively steep switchbacks, which I personally found draining in the heat.
   
We dropped our packs at our campsite ~5:40pm. So, for us, the hike took just over 2.5 hours, with 1 or 2 stops along the way.
Thankfully, there where only 3 other tents pitched in the area, so we had our pick of most of the ones along the edge of the lake.
    
Considerably bothersome where the mozzies, which, as usual, where out in their droves at dawn and dusk. Thankfully though, they let up when it got dark. Which we where glad about as the stars up there at night are spectacular, we seen loads of shooting stars also. Unfortunately my camera isn't good enough to photograph them so you'll have to believe me. 
The next morning, after breakfast, we headed up towards Tszil Glacier. The route appears to be a rough mountaineering trail, with ribbons tied to branches and cairns guiding the way through various boulder fields. The trail was also flooded at the beginning, so we had to go around it in parts which meant we lost the trail on numerous occasions. There was also quiet a bit of snow cover on some of the boulder fields. After risking crossing one or two of these areas on foot I sank through, up to my thighs, into a stream running below. That was enough to make us go around the snow cover where possible from then on in.
  
At around this point (picture below) we lost sight of the next cairn and decided to head up the talus to the left (2nd picture).
 
It was only once up there that we could see the rest of the trail to the tszil glacier. We turned back once we descended the scree as, from our vantage point, we could see there was still a fair amount of snow on the remainder of the trail.
    
Some of the pictures my wife took of the wild flowers and plants along the trail.
     
That night the mice in the area where out in force. Turns out bug netting is great for keeping insects out, but serves as a great material for mice to cling on to and run up. We had mice waking us up all night scurrying under the flysheet and over the bug netting underneath. One mouse was particularly industrious. I had, foolishly, stuffed a ziploc bag into the sleeve on the side of the tent, this bag had maybe 3 sunflower seeds in it and some red skins from some peanuts. But it was enough for a mouse to cause this damage.
I woke up at around 5am to the sound of close scurrying, I sit up and as my eyes refocus I can see there is a mouse doing laps of the inside perimeter of the tent. The wife is still asleep. As I'm watching this mouse lapping the tent I'm thinking to myself "How am I going to get this mouse out of the tent?", "Do I wake my wife and risk a general freakout with this mouse in this enclosed space?", "Do I wait until the mouse decides to hide in my wifes sleeping bag?"
Half of me was so tired I contemplated just lying back down and ignoring the situation altogether. Thankfully though, after another several laps, the mouse decided to exit through the same hole it had made to get in. At which point I quickly grabbed a magazine we had in the tent and used it as well as some other items to block the hole.
  
The next morning, after talking with my neighbors I found out they also had experienced a sleepless night of mice running over the bug netting of their tent. No break-ins though. Now to figure out how to repair the holes... Gorilla tape?
Before packing and heading back to the trailhead, we walked up a bit to the Matier Glacier base.
        
When we returned back to our camp to pack it was like feeding time at the zoo... all the weekend warriors had rolled in and where quickly taking up the free camping spots. There were hoards of kids running around, ignoring all the "fragile vegetation" signs, and tearing up the area. We packed up and were glad we decided to camp from midweek.
On the way down we passed dozens of backpackers heading up. I'd imagine half of them had to turn back as most of the spaces where already gone when we where leaving.
Overall we loved it, as our first excursion out backpacking it was great and has given us loads of gusto to get out again asap.
 
Also, I'd appreciate if someone could see if this tent is still in this spot if they head up to the lake in a week or so (picture below), I think it's a broadstone tent. We where joking with some of our neighbors that a local has probably brought a cheap tent up to the lake and just leaves it there, set up, when he leaves so he can get the spot again when he comes back (it's the best spot by the lake) We where joking, but I'd be interested to see if this is actually the case.
Some Panoramas from the trip:
Middle Joffre Lake
Upper Joffre Lake
Looking down on Upper Joffre Lake
Slalok Mtn (I think?)
Lillooet Lake on the way into Pemperton
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Delta, B.C.
Canada
457 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2010 : 8:24 PM
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| You two picked a great area for your trip, thx for the tr and the great pics. |
Edited by - dblair on 07/11/2010 8:25 PM |
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1448 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2010 : 9:19 PM
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Thanks for the TR leimrod
Sorry to hear about your tent a MSR as well:(
Its a pain but really have to make a habit of having zero food in your tent. And to hang anything with food or the little guys will eat holes in it.
Not sure whats worse sounds of mice running around or full on raccoon fighting screams
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Originally posted by leimrod
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Van, BC
Canada
2793 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2010 : 9:39 PM
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Great pics - you're getting up to a lot these days :)
quote:
Originally posted by leimrod
At around this point (picture below) we lost sight of the next cairn and decided to head up the talus to the left (2nd picture).
If you're talking about what I think you're talking about, I've lost the trail there as well. It actually switchbacks a bit up the slope to climbers right before heading further up the valley and gaining the moraine (the trail follows the knife-edge along the moraine).
-Ryan
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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
13466 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2010 : 9:40 PM
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Nice trip and enjoyable report with great photography, especially the flowers. Sad about those furry pests making holes in your tent.
I bet this must be one of your more memorable outdoor experiences.
Beautiful Area.
K |
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canine loving, machete-toting bushwhacking lake seeker, Indiana Jones hat-wearing off-road 4x4 guru
Surrey Hole, BC
Canada
6788 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2010 : 10:22 PM
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May have seen you up there, we had the big black lab cross, came up sat. afternoon. You were on the right route..just keep in the valley and head up the benches to the col. then pick Taylor or Tzil/Slalok.
Of course there are variations to routes, depending on skill/comfort levels. |
Edited by - Aqua Terra on 07/11/2010 10:23 PM |
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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
13057 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2010 : 10:30 PM
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Can never see enough from this area |
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Squamish, British Columbia
Canada
1008 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2010 : 12:36 AM
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@camshaft: Yeah, it's a lesson hard learnt I guess. We got lazy, the bear proof cache was a bit away over rocks and it was already dark and as I thought the ziploc bag was all but empty we'd be fine. We'd heard mice the night before, scratching around, but that was all. So when I heard them again that night I ignored it. Any ideas on a good way to permanently fix the holes? I've read gorilla tape is an option, but I'd prefer something a little more concrete.
@Ryan.in.yaletown: Thanks for the tips on the route. Yeah when we went up the talus on the left we could see the spine and the trail leading to it. When we got back down we went over and found the next cairn, a few of the stones had fallen off to the side so I rebuilt it. On the way back we passed the guys in the tent next to us and set them on the right path up. Later that evening they said they got to the spine but couldn't progress to the top due to snow cover.
@KARVITK: Yeah we moved over from Ireland a few months back and have been trying to get as much hiking in as possible. This was definitely the best trip thus far. I like day trips out, but I think I enjoy being in a landscape more when I can see it at all times during the day and how it changes with weather and daylight. The mountains around the camp looked particularly ominous just after dusk when you can only see their black outlines all around you.
@Aqua Terra: I think I remember the dog alright. It was packed on the trail that day though. The campground felt like it was turning into a beach resort with the amount of people turning up compared to the days before. We definitely plan to come back the area soon to complete the hike to tszil glacier.
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North Vancouver, BC
Canada
1607 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2010 : 01:51 AM
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Great trip report.
Re: "Also, I'd appreciate if someone could see if this tent is still in this spot if they head up to the lake in a week or so "
For what it is worth, I was there on June 19th and it wasn't there so we took that spot.
Re the mice. There are a lot of mice in that area. They have Tupperware containers inside of the bear cache as an extra level of protection against the mice. No mice got into our tent but in the morning I discovered droppings on the socks I left under the fly.
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Burnaby, BC
Canada
667 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2010 : 09:13 AM
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Nice one! looks like you guys had a great time. Good choice and timing. Glad you missed the weekend hords. I am planning on doing that trip some time this year but not sure now as I dont like crowded camping grounds. will see.
Great pictures by the way and good on you for hiking up to some of the glaciers.
Cant wait to see the next trip report.
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Utah's canyon trekking,deck chair packing desert explorer who dreams of visiting Canada someday
3988 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2010 : 10:42 AM
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Bee-you-tiful!! So THAT is the boulder field that I was fortunate enough on the way up
to walk over in snow? What a different world. Such an amazing place! Great pictures!
If you think about it, that provided a lot of challenges to your first trip. Glad you
want to do more. Also, to share in these outings together is wonderful. |
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Squamish, British Columbia
Canada
1008 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2010 : 3:41 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by MatthewBaldwin
I am planning on doing that trip some time this year but not sure now as I dont like crowded camping grounds. will see.
We actually found a pretty good campsite away from where all the other camping spots were located at the edge of the lake. I'm not sure if it was designated or not but it had a seating area of some piled rocks in a circle, an area built for cooking and a cleared area for setting up a tent. It wasn't near any vegetation so I would feel no qualms about camping there next time. Would be a fair hike to the toilets and bear cache though, lol :D It would be worth it though for the views over the lake in the morning.
If I remember correctly it was somewhere around here.
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The desert, B.C.
Canada
435 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2010 : 5:04 PM
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Great report and pics !
To bad about the mouse what a bummer your tent was so messed up.
I'm a little shocked how far back the glacier has receded since I was up there 5 years ago.
Maybe it's just the picture angles. |
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
262 Posts |
Posted - 07/13/2010 : 01:22 AM
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| nice one! can't believe i've never yet visited this spot. |
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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 - 07/13/2010 : 06:48 AM
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Nice place to go for a 1st time overnight.
quote:
I had, foolishly, stuffed a ziploc bag into the sleeve on the side of the tent, this bag had maybe 3 sunflower seeds in it and some red skins from some peanuts. But it was enough for a mouse to cause this damage.
That sucks. At least they were just mice though and not some thing large...
quote:
I woke up at around 5am to the sound of close scurrying, I sit up and as my eyes refocus I can see there is a mouse doing laps of the inside perimeter of the tent. The wife is still asleep. As I'm watching this mouse lapping the tent I'm thinking to myself "How am I going to get this mouse out of the tent?", "Do I wake my wife and risk a general freakout with this mouse in this enclosed space?",
You should have woken her up and filmed the reaction for your own, and our entertainment
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^ Hard to tell exactly what the arrow is pointing at but if you are up on top of that rock outcrop be really careful of where you hang out as there is ice fall above, and those seracs do fall off. Some dip shit actually put up a tr where he is hanging out taking pics under them with his baby. |
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rockies, alberta
Canada
249 Posts |
Posted - 07/13/2010 : 08:30 AM
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| Why is it always the little rodents that are the worst grief in the camp sites! I guess luckily there are far more of them then the big scary ones! lol Beautiful photos and a great over night trip. |
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Squamish, British Columbia
Canada
1008 Posts |
Posted - 07/13/2010 : 12:00 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by time2clmb
^ Hard to tell exactly what the arrow is pointing at but if you are up on top of that rock outcrop be really careful of where you hang out as there is ice fall above, and those seracs do fall off. Some dip shit actually put up a tr where he is hanging out taking pics under them with his baby.
You can hear large lumps of ice breaking off and crashing down below during the night. The camping area is safe though... it's hard to explain without a picture. It's in a fairly deep natural depression in the slab, with a natural wall to its back. There was zero ice from the glacier even close to it.
As we got up to the base we noticed that all the chunks of the glacier that had fallen had gone to the left onto some snow and talus so we stayed to the right. |
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Upper Joffre Lake - July 8th to 10th
