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over the hills and far away
Canada
708 Posts |
Posted - 07/26/2011 : 6:38 PM
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Mt Castleguard is a glaciated, mostly snow covered bulk of rock that sits on the southern edge of the Columbia Icefield, a bit south of Mt Andromada and the head of the Saskatchewan Glacier. It is just over 10,100 feet, and offers fine views of the Icefields, Mt Bryce and Mt Saskatchewan, and Castleguard Meadows.
Shaun (nmcan84) and I had been in talks a couple weeks prior to tackling Castleguard. It was mostly going to be a Plan B. After hiking the Plain of Six Glaciers trail to check out the North Peak of Victoria, and not liking the look of a lingering cornice hanging over the ridge above the black rock band, Castlegaurd became Plan A.
We met in Lake Louis on the 18th at 5am, drove up to Big Bend, parked, and got ready. Shaun had hiked to the toe of the Sask. Glacier previously, so knew the way. The trail to the creek crossing and gravel flats is pretty easy going, as it follows an old road for a while, and then an obvious trail. You emerge into a vast landscape  , the gravel flats of the headwaters of the North Sask River spread out before you. At this point, hang a right for the creek crossing, which is a bunch of piled logs overtop an impressive drop into a canyon.   After another small creek crossing further along it is just a long slog across gravel and moraine to the toe of the Sask Glacier, which was totally free of snow cover almost all the way until it meets up with the larger Columbia Icefiled. Along the way to the toe, you pass some impressive waterfalls and a lake, and get glimpses of glaciers and icefall off Athabasca and Andromada.
    
When we reached the toe, it was starting to rain a bit. The forecast was not great. We debated turning around, but convinced ourselves to at least go a ways up the glacier. We roped up (Shaun happy to have the weight off his back) and headed up-glacier, aiming for the moraines that seperate the north-western, rocky part of Castleguard Meadows from the Icefield. Along the way we saw wooden debris and metal poles, apparently left by the military a long time ago.
  
There is no easy way to ascend the moraine into Castleguard Meadows. As we hiked up the glacier we kept our eyes open for a weekness. We needed to find a safe way off the glacier, and the best way up the steep sludge and rock to where we wanted to bivy. Once we reached the crest of the moraine, Shaun spotted a couple little tarns, which made a perfect campsite, just a 1/2 hr hike from the glacier that pours down off of Mt Castleguard. It took about 7 hrs from car to bivy.
     
A few shots from near camp:
  
We hung out and wandered around until we each crashed in our own quarters, myself in my tent, and Shaun in his bivy sack. The plan was to awake at 3am and get a move on. Well it was raining at 3am, so we slept more. It was still drizzly at about 6am, and Shaun was feeling like he'd had enough, and wanted to head out. By the time we were packed up, however, things were looking a bit better, and after a bunch of humming and hawing and dilly-dallying and f-ing around we decided to go for it. Shaun led the way in his typical straight line approach up the glacier and past an unnamed peak to our east. It seemed to take forever to get to the base of the east-ridge of Castleguard. The rain and a late start meant the snow was soft, and we post-holed quite a bit. We took a rest at the base, then headed up the steep slopes to the summit, kicking steps in the soft snow. I admit I was dragging my ass a bit.... We were only on top long enough to take some pics and check out the summit register at approx 10,130 feet. Shaun did a seated body-belay for me on one of the steep slopes on descent, and we triggered a couple small slides. We rested again at the base, then slogged our way back to camp, where we hung out for a couple hrs eating and relaxing. We were down off the moraine and back on the Sask Gl by 4pm.
                        
We descended the glacier in a bit of a drizzle. It was a long haul, especially over the moraines and gravel flats, where all one wished for was a nice easy, level, soft place to put your foot. We were back at the car at 8:30pm. Shaun headed home to Canmore; I headed to Lake Louis for food, sleep, and to continue my ramblings.
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Edited by - Candy Sack on 07/26/2011 11:39 PM
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 Kootenay Bud
2695 Posts |
Posted - 07/26/2011 : 6:54 PM
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| Good TR. It makes a nice ski ascent - much quicker on the way down. |
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| gyppo
Intermediate Member
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Edmonton, AB
Canada
745 Posts |
Posted - 07/26/2011 : 8:45 PM
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Wow, long couple of days there, and the crossing looks scary! Is there always a log jam there, or does the best place to cross vary over time? How bad would it be to ford the creek?
Good job on getting up Castleguard. |
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over the hills and far away
Canada
708 Posts |
Posted - 07/26/2011 : 11:43 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by gyppo
Wow, long couple of days there, and the crossing looks scary! Is there always a log jam there, or does the best place to cross vary over time? How bad would it be to ford the creek?
Good job on getting up Castleguard.
It looked to me that the log jam/crossing over the canyon was man-made, and probably needs new logs thrown on it every now and then. The second crossing was just over a minor tributary and was no big deal. Otherwise, to cross the main channel anywhere between the canyon and lake could be dangerous. Shaun has been there twice and may have more thoughts. |
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Jasper, ab
Canada
1028 Posts |
Posted - 07/27/2011 : 05:41 AM
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| Very very nice. I love the Castleguard area |
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972 Posts |
Posted - 07/27/2011 : 08:57 AM
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Nice report! i have a video made up,but i don't have steady/reliable internet at the moment,so i wont be able to post it for a couple weeks.
check back here for it in august
gyppo- i first used the log jam a couple years ago and i believe it's been there for awhile.
you could ford the braided channels of the river,but depending on the time of year and day,you might have some deep spots to cross.
the log jam is better,faster and warmer |
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Jasper, ab
Canada
1028 Posts |
Posted - 07/27/2011 : 09:15 AM
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| That log jam has been there for at least thirty years. I have added to it many times over the years. |
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rockies, alberta
Canada
249 Posts |
Posted - 07/27/2011 : 09:29 AM
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| that log bridge scared me going in and was on my mind all day until crossed on the way out! I have been thinking about doing that walk into the toe of the glacier with the dog but I'm not sure I can get her across! Even if that bridge has been there 30 + years doesn't make it feel a lot safer! lol |
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Not too far from Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
224 Posts |
Posted - 07/27/2011 : 10:04 AM
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Nice pictures and a great TR! I almost threw up just from looking at that log "bridge" (but then again, heights just ain't my thing...  ). |
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13 Posts |
Posted - 07/29/2011 : 10:32 AM
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| Great trip report and beautiful pictures, can't wait to get to the mountains. |
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Finally stopping that crazy suffering that is ice, climbing to concentrate on great ski tours!
3502 Posts |
Posted - 07/29/2011 : 11:12 AM
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| I did this peak as a summer ascent many years ago, and really enjoyed it. The scramble to the meadows used to be easier but the section slid and now it's a little tougher. The log "bridge" is old and I always try to leave it in a little better shape than I found it. |
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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
13442 Posts |
Posted - 07/29/2011 : 12:52 PM
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That is beautiful country, snow and rock. Impressive lack of trees in those parts.
Most impressive and interesting photos of the barren rock and ice landscape, got me thinking extraterrestial ......
K |
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| gyppo
Intermediate Member
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Edmonton, AB
Canada
745 Posts |
Posted - 07/29/2011 : 6:07 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by lobo
That log jam has been there for at least thirty years. I have added to it many times over the years.
Thanks guys. I've looked at the glacier from Parker ridge in July and I really want to go there. Does anyone have more pictures of it? It looks crazy from what I see here!
Benoit |
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over the hills and far away
Canada
708 Posts |
Posted - 07/29/2011 : 11:21 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by gyppo
Thanks guys. I've looked at the glacier from Parker ridge in July and I really want to go there. Does anyone have more pictures of it? It looks crazy from what I see here!
Benoit
I may have more pics.. Actually if the Sask Glacier is snow free, it is pretty safe to walk on (with crampons of course...). We even discussed not roping up. It was mostly near the edges that the biggest crevasses were. If you look at pics 19 and 20 in the TR, you can see that the middle of the glacier is much less fractured, and makes for effecient travel. It looked like you could walk quite easily out onto the larger Columbia icefield, but I can't speak to the dangers of being out that far.
However, if it has snow on it, there are quite a few moulins that if you fell in, unroped, it would for sure mean death.
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Edited by - Candy Sack on 07/29/2011 11:44 PM |
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Jasper, ab
Canada
1028 Posts |
Posted - 07/30/2011 : 11:25 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by gyppo
quote:
Originally posted by lobo
That log jam has been there for at least thirty years. I have added to it many times over the years.
Thanks guys. I've looked at the glacier from Parker ridge in July and I really want to go there. Does anyone have more pictures of it? It looks crazy from what I see here!
Benoit
Here's a picture of the log bridge over the canyon. It only takes one or two steps and you're over the canyon
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Castleguard Mtn July 18-19, 2011
