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Squamish, British Columbia
Canada
1030 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2012 : 2:45 PM
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“Will I set my alarm for 5am or 6?” I thought. “Suppose I better set it for 5, there’s no where to park on Georgia if he’s early and I’m late.” DeanP was going to be picking me up at 6am across from VAG on Sunday morning. I’m not going to say he’s usually late, more, he’s playfully liberal with punctuality. I appreciate it though as I’m seldom wholly ready on time either.
I’d be heading out sans Springbow as she would be running the full BMO Marathon. We agreed that she did not want me to burn a weekend waiting around at the finish line. So, Saturday, myself and Spring headed into the Big Smoke of Van city. We checked into the Four Seasons as they offer a runners rate for those in the Marathon. It’s funny how quickly cities and fancy hotels have moved out of our wheelhouses. Walking into the lobby with my mountaineering pack received skewed glances to say the least.
So Sunday morning rolled around. Luckily myself and Spring needed to be up around the same time. The weather outside looked amazing so I got ready, wished Spring good luck (not that she’d need it) and headed out. As I took the elevator down, with a throng of runners, an older gentleman was staring at my pack and clothes. As everyone vacated the lift in the lobby he put a heavy hand on my shoulder and leaned in to say “Good Luck Sir, it looks like you are about to do something serious today.” It was kinda weird, but I said “ok, thanks!” and left.
I was a few minutes late so rushed down to the road. About a minute after I got there I seen Dean coming up Georgia towards me. Karmically, it felt the day was starting out good. We made good time to the trailhead. Dean wondered why I was not staying back to see Spring at the finish line. It’s understandable, but we just don’t roll like that. New experience trumps sentiment almost always. Later Spring would tell me that as she ran the Seawall she looked over at the North Shore mountains and pictured me climbing. As I looked out over the Howe Sound I too pictured her running.
Anyway, we arrived at the usual parking spot in Lions Bay and geared up. We headed out and made quick time up the old road. As we hiked Dean regaled me with stories of how he used to be a champion swimmer back in his home country, they’d named streets after him and in the years after his swimming successes the number of babies being named Dean had spiked considerably. Most of that is a lie, except for his past interest in swimming. Later I’d think back on our day and how his talking about swimming was almost prescient.
Snow started continuously after the first viewpoint were the old road appears to end and you cut up steeply into the trees. We both switched to snowshoes shortly after that as the snow in the trees was compact and hard. Crampons or microspikes would of worked also.
We made good time to the HSCT junction. We met some skiers at the junction who had spent the night in a snow cave and had had a fire. Hopefully the charred remains from it will not be too visible on the trail in the summer as they appeared to camp directly on top of it.
We both switched to crampons for the traverse around the flanks of Brunswick. Dean headed out and was gliding atop the snow so I proceeded to follow and immediately sank in up to my thighs and waist when I stepped off the trail. There was a crust on top of the snow that was strong enough to hold Deans elvish weight but not mine. I tried to balance and not break the crust but nothing worked. So I switched back to snowshoes. Sidehilling in snowshoes is evil, but it was the lesser of two evils.
   
We traversed quickly, Dean wouldn’t be teaching me how to dougie this day so we headed towards the NE gully on Brunswick, before we knew it, we were there. We had a quick break at the base of it and watched some snow sluffing down. It’s was just after 11am now and we where both acutely aware that the rocks exposed near the top were quickly heating up and the snow holding on to them was losing cohesion. All the sluff appeared to be channeled into a trough in the middle of the gully, so we were confident we could avoid anything sliding down.
The gully itself is short. I haven’t checked my GPS but it must be less than a hundred meters. The gully was also completely filled in so the difficulty was considerably less than earlier or later in the season when the rock or ice is exposed.
Anyway, I switched to crampons again and proceeded to sink in up to my thighs. Dean let out a laugh as he was standing easily on top. I recalled our conversation earlier and how, for me, there should really have been a swimming grade for this gully. Until I got further up into a more shaded part of the gully it felt like I was doing the breaststroke through the snow. I couldn’t even walk in Deans broken steps as he had just broken the crust enough so that it held my weight less than the unbroken snow.
   
We pushed on, the degree of the slope is pleasant under the conditions we had. I wouldn’t even consider it a PD, maybe an F grade under the IFAS. It doesn’t feel like more than 35 to 40 degrees. I’d like to revisit it late Fall or late Spring when the snow is neve or there are some technical rock steps in the gully itself.
   
We topped out just after noon and my phone buzzed with a new message. Just as I topped out Spring had completed her Marathon. It felt serendipitous.
   
In fact the day had had a few pleasant coincidences. Both myself and Dean being equally late to the meeting spot. Deans talk about swimming and then feeling like I was swimming as I waded up the gully. Myself and Spring completing our goals at the same time and then, to top it all off, this:
That’s Deans photo. We had not planned this uniform, but somehow we both ended up wearing identical colors on the day. Sure, it’s probably apophenia, but it was one of those days where everything just seemed to slot into place.
Anyway, we spent precious little time on the subsummit that the gully spits you out on. We headed along the ridge towards the true summit. The ridge walk all the way back to the summer trail actually felt more objectively dangerous than the gully. The snow had near to no cohesion at this point in the day, on the windward side of the ridge was steep scoured rock, on the leeward side was hidden cornices enticing us towards them to stay away from the exposure. Underfoot was loose snow on rock, postholes and treewells.
   
1. On the subsummit. The true summit behind
2. Dean moving along the ridge
3. Some scrambling through krummholz and spring snow
4. coming up on the summit
We made it to the summit and kicked back for what seemed like at least half an hour. It was warm. My first summit of the year where I felt like I wasn’t quickly losing body heat.
After that we traversed the ridge back to the summer trail. We roped up for this as there was a few sections where a loose rock or even a cornice breaking would have been fatal.
  
1. Our tracks leading up out of the gully towards the subsummit
2. Dean kicking back on the true summit
3. Traversing the ridge
Here’s Dean on one section of the ridge and a picture of myself on the same section back in November showing just how narrow it actually is without a cornice.
 
Here's a shot of the cornices when we could see them:
Once onto the summer trail it was just a straightforward hike out. We met Spring at the parking lot, shared a few tins of Red Racer Lager in the sunshine and exchanged stories about our day.
Also, I forgot to mention, but I, like other reports on here, got lobstered in the sun. My SPF 60 has gone back in my pack and will stay there now till October at least. Also, the chinstrap tan line from my helmet is totally in this season.
Other than that though, a fantastic day out. Recommended. |
Edited by - leimrod on 05/08/2012 2:59 PM
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Smurf Village, BC
Canada
1534 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2012 : 2:54 PM
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Enjoyed the read and cool pics. |
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
1134 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2012 : 3:07 PM
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quote:
to be a champion swimmer back in his home country, they’d named streets after him and in the years after his swimming successes the number of babies being named Dean had spiked considerably.
too many priceless lines to choose from...
Great TR and way to get it done in those conditions. |
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Burnaby, BC
Canada
467 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2012 : 3:19 PM
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| Good climb boys! |
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Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada
560 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2012 : 3:28 PM
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| Nice going gentlemen, looks like you had a fun day! |
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Surrey, BC
Canada
1035 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2012 : 5:36 PM
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An enjoyable read, sir. : )
Spring chose pounding pavement over this trip!? 
My favourites:
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360 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2012 : 6:04 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by John and Katie
An enjoyable read, sir. : )
Spring chose pounding pavement over this trip!?
Well I registered in October so needed to follow through...besides marathons are more fun than people imagine! Plus I have a red Arc'teryx jacket, I really just wouldn't have fit in with the color scheme of this trip, lol
Still pretty jealous of this trip! |
Edited by - Springbow on 05/08/2012 6:16 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
13599 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2012 : 6:18 PM
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Enjoyed your TR, and writing style makes it fun to follow, nice shots too.
I was up there once, but forgot how narrow it was.
Well done you both .
K |
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Vancouver
349 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2012 : 9:58 PM
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You guys are so romantic! When Spring was at horizon reaching further, you were at veridical line achieving higher. What a 3-D life in love! |
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372 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2012 : 08:22 AM
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| Nice trip up a real NS classic! Your pictures are always so nice and the attention to composition and detail is obvious. |
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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 - 05/09/2012 : 09:27 AM
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Wonder Twin powers, activate? |
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Popkum, BC
Canada
5902 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2012 : 7:39 PM
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| Leaving Spring behind was a bad choice. I'd rather see you rocking up a mountain with her then doing your own thing...just sayin. |
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bandana wearin', pole huckin', view lovin', dog herdin', 4x4 navigatin', lake huntin', butt-slidin' bridge crosser, who enjoys postholing with an overnighter pack
Surrey, BC
Canada
4663 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2012 : 8:05 PM
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Nice going you two!  
Leigh, love the helmet tan line you're rocking, lol |
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Squamish, British Columbia
Canada
1030 Posts |
Posted - 05/10/2012 : 12:43 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Flowing-Brook
Leaving Spring behind was a bad choice. I'd rather see you rocking up a mountain with her then doing your own thing...just sayin.
Woah, woah, woah. You've got it all wrong. Spring left me behind and did a Marathon without me... just sayin  |
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Vancouver, bc
Canada
1032 Posts |
Posted - 05/10/2012 : 2:02 PM
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Mountain mitosis - the awesome twasome!! |
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Brunswick NE Gully: 05.06.23
