| Author |
Topic |
Burnaby, BC
Canada
667 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2011 : 12:10 AM
|
You can see a route up Pyroclast in pic 6
      
Had to correct the tittle. After looking at the Topos I was camped at around 1800m and climbed up to about 2000m where I was met by a wall of rock that was inverted. Thought it was the thumb but the thumb had to be North east a bit. So one of those pictures in taken below one of the lower spires of pyro it would seem.. After I look at the GPS tracks ill have a better idea and may have to change the tittle again.
To say the least this place just handed me my ass with severe prejudice. Don't think I have been cliff ed more times in a year let alone one trip. Bush whack? think 45 degrees at the least, high alpine pine trees and alder. THICK! Bugs? yea they where there. Mostly black flies.
did I mention being cliffed out?
The goal from the start was to camp on the cole between Cayley and Pyro. But in my fine fashion I tried to gain some elevation on the way instead of hitting the valley after the ridge up to 1100m. So I kept trying to gain and got cliffed out bad. Cliffs below in front and high above. I kept gaining planing to try and go above the first cliff band. I could see the top with tree line so I figured keep climbing through these thick shity trees and get up there. few hours later I got to the snow line. I could see Cayley was going to be way out of reach due to the slow going through the bush so I headed for the spine behind Devils thumb.
Left the truck at 11am and got to camp at 9pm. A solid day of bush whacking, cliff climbing, descending and 45 degree side hilling.
As I was digging my snow pit a couple Goats came up through one of the Coulars below my camp about 100 feet away. They stopped looked at me for wile as I looked at them. I think they may have been a bit surprised. Camp, boiled water, sleep.
Next day I woke and headed up for the devils thumb. It was border line scramble rock climbing 80 degrees in spots and tones of exposure. 3grips find the next. Got up to just below the Devils thumb and felt I had done enough. The thumb is inverted on three sided that could see. Crazy mountain! Pyro had a good route up but it was pretty far and I had to get home that day. Pyro would have been a full day up and down. It looked pretty sketchy.
While I was up there I was lucky enough to knock a huge rock off the top spine over the edge into the 1000foot drop. Crazy loud! SMACH.. Herd some bleeping from above the thumb and a flash of white just after. Guy was probably spying on me. Spotted an alternate route back from the spine wile I was up there. So ...
Back to camp and time to head out on the Alt route back. WTF was I thinking! I ran into a group of 7-9 goats big one and small ones. We eyes each other for a wile and soon after they took off.
Goats
  
soon after that I was down climbing band of tress between cliffs. Cliffs every where there was one way down and it took, rock down climbing, Tree repelling, and finding routes around and through band after band of cliff. Finally I found my gully down and headed for it. Dropped about 300m to find a 50-200 foot cliff band every where "I swore out loud". By now the black flies have drawn blood and my palms are bleeding from gripping trees, I am pretty tired by now to. Aww well back up we go.. Hit a Tiny creek for some water. Looking forward to the Diarrhea in 2-4 days. Yippy!
So im heading Back up now for a wile. Dreading going all the way back up to camp to go home the same way. I zigged a bit thinking to head over to another ridge above cliffs towards the truck but After eying the cliff band of Doom from below I could see the ridge of trees behind it. K up and over. Found the way down I wanted and slowly moved down towards turbid creak. by now my feet are really sore and tired. Glad I didn't get tired and give up.
Hit Turbid creek after battling the inevitable bush you cant see three feet through that grows around all water in these parts. Did I mention the Devils club.. Yea thicker and thicker closer to the water.
upon reaching the creek it was evident i would have to hope it a bunch to navigate down. Knee deep rushing water wasn't going to stop me now. had to wade it 3-5 times until yes you guessed it .. WATER FALLS! back into the trees .. Hey a cut block lets try that. O grate they just cut down all the trees and left theme all on the ground. Slowest pace of the trip until finally I just headed back into the bush. Soon I was cliffed again and had to head back into the cut block.. Fun! Finally the cut block ended and there was a bit of a game trail that turned into the old road I guess these guys used when harvesting the area 50 years ago.
back to the truck and its hot inside. The 3L of water in the tuck is boiling hot.
All in all, a lesson, an adventure and a big test. Id say I was successful in not having SAR come to pick up the peaces.
       |
Edited by - MatthewBaldwin on 07/11/2011 3:14 PM
|
|
Campbell River, BC
Canada
759 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2011 : 05:47 AM
|
Insane stuff |
|
|
505 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2011 : 06:55 AM
|
| I'm not sure it would be my choice for a solo ;) but good job! awesome photos of the goats. |
Edited by - paulyman on 07/11/2011 06:56 AM |
|
|
357 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2011 : 07:12 AM
|
The many adventures of Matt and his bivy  Sounds like a tough slog, but well done on getting out there over the weekend! How cool to see all those mountain goats, used to see them all the time living in Alberta, but haven't seen one since living here over a year. |
Edited by - Springbow on 07/11/2011 07:15 AM |
|
|
 Outdoors addicted flyfishing, skiing, snowshoeing, hiking car crooner and resident motormouth
Da'Wack, BC
Canada
5372 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2011 : 07:28 AM
|
Sounds like a crazy trip, when are you going to do it again?
I guess there's a reason there are so many goats in the area. I'm resisting the urge to add WTF thought bubbles over their heads. Nice photos though.
|
|
|
Burnaby, BC
Canada
667 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2011 : 08:23 AM
|
| Nnext year when there is more snow would be best. Maybe from the brandywine side. Although there is another access point from the west side that looked a bit better then what I haze to deal with. Yea those goats where Dec, art is this guy doing up here. |
Edited by - MatthewBaldwin on 07/11/2011 08:25 AM |
|
|
Squamish, British Columbia
Canada
1008 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2011 : 08:29 AM
|
It doesn't surprise me you're getting into areas only Mountain Goats will go. lol
That rock looks gnarly.
|
|
|
Vancouver, BC
Canada
1111 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2011 : 09:47 AM
|
quote:
As I was digging my snow pit a couple Gots came up through one of the colars..
For some reason it took me a little while to figure this one out.
I could definitely feel your frustration in this report. Tenacious effort. |
|
|
|
Peak bagging, bushwhacking, zamboni driving, snowshoeing, self portrait artist, and speed demon who loves to hang out on Mt. Seymour
3996 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2011 : 10:18 AM
|
| Suspect grammar aside this reads like a pretty good adventure in some less traveled and challenging terrain. Always cool to see mountain goat families too. |
|
|
Chilliwack, BC
Canada
837 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2011 : 2:55 PM
|
| Excellent! |
|
|
 | 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 - 07/11/2011 : 3:00 PM
|
1) It's Vulcan's Thumb. The Devil's Thumb is on the border with Alaska.
2) Getting this far is no big deal. Every serious summit attempt has gotten this far. It's the last part that is the business. Although, as one person said, "We won't need a rappel rope for this. By the time we stand on the summit, the summit will be in the valley bottom." |
|
|
Burnaby, BC
Canada
667 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2011 : 3:11 PM
|
quote:
Originally posted by Dru
1) It's Vulcan's Thumb. The Devil's Thumb is on the border with Alaska.
2) Getting this far is no big deal. Every serious summit attempt has gotten this far. It's the last part that is the business. Although, as one person said, "We won't need a rappel rope for this. By the time we stand on the summit, the summit will be in the valley bottom."
I take it your meaning is The area is Steep Steep and riski going any higher? Yea.. Thats why I called it where I did. If I had gone the route I had planned I would have had a much safer and easer route to the summit of Pyro. |
|
|
Vancouver, BC
Canada
1116 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2011 : 3:39 PM
|
| Thought I was going to read about a FA of Vulcans Thumb.As for the rest, I dont know what you are talking about.Its called Pyroclastic,by the way. |
Edited by - tedoliver on 07/11/2011 3:41 PM |
|
|
North Vancouver
262 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2011 : 4:44 PM
|
| "Overhanging gravel" is the way John Clarke described the thumb. |
|
|
|
Trail blazin', backcountry bushwackin', pine huntin', photo takin', long winded story teller
3838 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2011 : 5:53 PM
|
Wow, that really looks like crappy rock up there.
I agree, great pics, especially of the goats.
Next time try and follow the same goat trail down that you took up. 
Great trip Matthew.  |
|
|
Burnaby, BC
Canada
667 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2011 : 5:58 PM
|
Where I went up the rock wasn't that bad. The spire that stopped me on the spine looked bad.. The spine itself if you where not careful you would push rocks over the edge. Going up the face there where some loose ones and plenty of big strong ones with nice holds. Over all not that bad.
Yea. usually I would go back the way I came but... From the high point of the day it looked like a quick way down.. It would have been if I had nailed it first try.. Aww well..
Think I will try again with another route maybe next year from the same side. Once I forget how much of a brutal bush whack, cliff whore it was. Or maybe from the brandy wine side.
"Pyroclastic" yea, Pyro, Pyroclast....
Goning to post some maps of where I was when I get a second. |
Edited by - MatthewBaldwin on 07/11/2011 9:51 PM |
|
|
|
Happy go lucky, plaid wearin, postholin, safeway gaitor sportin, old-school film shootin, giver of many regards
Abbotsford, B.C.
Canada
13453 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2011 : 7:01 PM
|
What an epic trek through all that stuff.
You got me hooked, great TR. and some neat shots.
K |
|
|
North Vancouver
178 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2011 : 8:10 PM
|
Wow! Sounds a little scary, but looks like you had a real adventure.
Those goat photos are really good.
|
|
|
253 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2011 : 8:58 PM
|
| love the mountain goat pics. crazy adventure |
|
|
North Vancouver, BC
Canada
1606 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2011 : 9:04 PM
|
Wow. Good one. Can't wait to see the GPS (will you post a screenshot?)
Love the baby goats in that picture too. |
|
|
|
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 - 07/11/2011 : 9:34 PM
|
That trip report makes me feel a little more sane! |
|
|
|
Topic |
|
West spine of Pyroclast from squamish valley.
