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Sherwood Park, AB
Canada
11 Posts |
Posted - 05/27/2012 : 8:37 PM
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Hi all,
We each of my kids have turned 14, I take them on a trip to jasper for some bonding, one on one. With my first two daughter we went up Sulphur Summit. This year with my son we are going for Roche Miette. The reading I have done so far, it sounds like it is easy to lose the trail. Is this still the case, or is it a very well used trail now like Sulphur Summit. We are going the weekend of June 15th....Thanks Dale |
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| Engor
Intermediate Member
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Calgary
838 Posts |
Posted - 05/28/2012 : 4:45 PM
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Do you realize that while Sulphur Skyline is an easy hike, Roche Miette is a serious scramble with some exposure and danger of rockfall? You can kill yourself if you take a wrong path up.
P.S. I suggest you pick one of walk-ups that are erroneously called "scrambles": Fairview, St. Piran, Ha-Ling and Miners' Peak. All of them have good trail. Cirque Peak is slightly more difficult but beats them all for the scenic reward. |
Edited by - Engor on 05/28/2012 5:05 PM |
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
600 Posts |
Posted - 05/28/2012 : 5:41 PM
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I second Engor post. Roche Miette, while not too difficult, is not beginners trip. If you are keen on Jasper area, Indian Ridge is very scenic & easy trip (if you don't do the traverse, which has one tricky step). Cinquefoil is another scenic option and likewise easy -- there was recent CT report; impossible to get lost.
Easier alternative to Roche Miette is Roche a Perdrix. This was my trip last summer
http://www.clubtread.com/sforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=40793&SearchTerms=Perdrix
Scrambling and routefinding is easy, but it is a steep slog & in my opinion recommended only for people working their way through Kane book. |
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Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
110 Posts |
Posted - 05/28/2012 : 5:48 PM
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| 2nd Cinquefoil as a challengeing, but not too much, first scramble in the area. |
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Edmonton, AB
Canada
464 Posts |
Posted - 05/28/2012 : 9:51 PM
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I did Roche Miette in February, we took a wrong way and upgraded it to an alpine climb free solo. I was okay with the condition, but my partner was freak out and said that he won't do any winter scramble whatsoever. This was my partner's 2nd try on it and I wasn't inexperienced neither, but I would say it's easy to get to a wrong gully. Rockfall is another hazard. We took the correct scramble route on the way down but still watched a brisk sized rock tumbling down the entire face!
I wouldn't suggest this for kids. Indian Ridge is a good choice, if you don't make it you can still enjoy the view from The Whistlers Summit. If you want better view then go for Cirque Peak. That was my first scramble in the Canadian Rockies. |
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Edmonton, AB
Canada
216 Posts |
Posted - 05/28/2012 : 10:37 PM
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I concur that Roche Miette is ambitious for a first scramble.
Roche a Perdrix is a little easier and should be in shape by then. Cinquefoil is straight-forward and was mostly dry two weeks ago when I climbed it, and it should have only improved since. As for Indian Ridge, it will probably still have a lot of snow by mid-June. |
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Edmonton, AB
Canada
61 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2012 : 07:58 AM
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I also agree that Roche Miette is far to ambitious for a first scramble, especially with kid(s). I am taking a group up Roche Miette next month and I have told my girlfriend she isn't up for it - and she has experience rock climbing and ice climbing. Scrambling is physically much more challenging than hiking with sections free climbing, rock fall, route finding, and all year around snow, and may possibly require skills such as self arrest and may require equipment including an ice axe, crampons and helmets depending on coniditons.
I would recommend Cinquefoil for a first scramble - go with someone experienced - and see how that goes before attempting any moderate/difficult scrambles. Perhaps look into joining the Apline Club of Canada, we have an active Edmonton section here is a link: http://alpineclub-edm.org/. |
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Calgary, Alberta
Canada
1186 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2012 : 08:20 AM
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Cirque Peak is an excellent outing and a good recommendation, however, June 15th is still early for this one. Fairview and St.Piran would still have some snow as well. The last time I was up Fairview was on June 19, 2010. It was possible to skirt around the snow, however we did witness a pretty good sized isothermal avalanche. Also, all these peaks would be quite a drive from where you are.
Indian Ridge ranked pretty high on my list for scenery, but I did it at the end of July. Not sure how it would be in June. Alan Kane suggests trying this one in mid-June, which would coincide with your plan. I would think there would still be snow on the route at this time. This is what it looked like near the end of July: http://markostavric.fotki.com/2010/20100728/
Cinquefoil might be the best choice. |
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Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
793 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2012 : 08:31 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Marko
It was possible to skirt around the snow, however we did witness a pretty good sized isothermal avalanche.
You mean the one you started right before we glissaded down that slope? haha |
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Calgary, Alberta
Canada
1186 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2012 : 09:06 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by booewen
You mean the one you started right before we glissaded down that slope? haha
Yeah, and if you recall there was a lot of debris at the bottom even before we slid on it. But it was a beautiful time to go up. The peaks looked much more impressive snow capped. I also recall us post-holing just to get up to the pass. |
Edited by - Marko on 05/29/2012 09:06 AM |
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Edmonton, AB
Canada
464 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2012 : 10:01 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by DeNomad
I also agree that Roche Miette is far to ambitious for a first scramble, especially with kid(s). I am taking a group up Roche Miette next month and I have told my girlfriend she isn't up for it - and she has experience rock climbing and ice climbing. Scrambling is physically much more challenging than hiking with sections free climbing, rock fall, route finding, and all year around snow, and may possibly require skills such as self arrest and may require equipment including an ice axe, crampons and helmets depending on coniditons. [/url].
I agree. Depends on people, but rock climbers usually don't do as great as scramblers on exposed zone. Except for glacier travel and a couple of indoor climbs I have no background in roped work, and I don't trust the rope even when I have one. Rock climbers count too much on the rope and stuff.
Morgan can do much harder bouldering than I, but he had a really hard time on Roche Miette in Feburary. I though I had to get down and get a rescue but thank got he pushed on and made it (the wrong gully route), and we used the correct route on the way down. |
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Sherwood Park, AB
Canada
11 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2012 : 3:52 PM
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| Thanks for all the insight. We will stick with Sulphur Summit with him as well.. Thanks again. Dale |
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
59 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2012 : 8:43 PM
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| About the snowpack - has anyone been up the Whistlers trail lately? We're going to be there camping in a couple of weeks and I'm wondering about hiking up it, as least as far as snow allows, and taking the tram down if I make it all the way up. Or would I be better off going up Signal for an easy June walk up a mountain? |
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Edmonton, AB
Canada
216 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2012 : 10:43 PM
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| Bill, Park staff are pretty good at posting regular status updates for that trail (and many others) here. Signal's probably a better bet, and you may also want to consider Morro Peak, which is short drive east and is already in decent shape. |
Edited by - Arcturus on 05/30/2012 10:43 PM |
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
59 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2012 : 07:28 AM
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| Thanks Arcturus. Yes, I'm following the online trail reports but know that they're usually pretty conservative and erring on the side of caution. I've done Whistlers and Signal both in early June (lived there most of the 80s) and had no trace of snow but this year sounds like a big snowpack year (as it is here on the coast). I've done Morro and was less than thrilled, but I like Signal for good views and birds and flowers along the way, and I want to do things that make it easy for my non-hiking wife to meet me with the car or walk back to the campsite or town. Signal would let me meet her at Maligne Canyon where either one of us can hang out and wait for the other. So maybe Signal one day and an easy walk back to town from the Valley of the Five for another... |
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Jasper, ab
Canada
1028 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2012 : 07:39 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Bill Kinkaid
Thanks Arcturus. Yes, I'm following the online trail reports but know that they're usually pretty conservative and erring on the side of caution. I've done Whistlers and Signal both in early June (lived there most of the 80s) and had no trace of snow but this year sounds like a big snowpack year (as it is here on the coast). I've done Morro and was less than thrilled, but I like Signal for good views and birds and flowers along the way, and I want to do things that make it easy for my non-hiking wife to meet me with the car or walk back to the campsite or town. Signal would let me meet her at Maligne Canyon where either one of us can hang out and wait for the other. So maybe Signal one day and an easy walk back to town from the Valley of the Five for another...
There is good trail info on the Jasper Trail Alliance Facebook site
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Jasper-Trail-Alliance/168509399845259 |
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Sherwood Park, AB
Canada
11 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2012 : 08:34 AM
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| Or maybe Cinquefoil, I have been up Sulphur about 8 times so, ya something a little differnt wold be nice, realizing this is my sons first |
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Edmonton, AB
Canada
61 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2012 : 09:29 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by daledenis
Or maybe Cinquefoil, I have been up Sulphur about 8 times so, ya something a little differnt wold be nice, realizing this is my sons first
Cinquefoil is doable but ensure you are your son are ready for it, that way you will both enjoy the experience! Have good fitness, good boots, warm clothes, climbing helmet and adequate food and water. The scramble is straight forward with a visible trail for the start of the scramble. There are numerous "false summits" on the scramble which may be disheartening if you are tired. There is a section of scree near the top of the mountain which may prove challenging if you haven't dealt with scree before. At the minimum bring hiking poles, ice axe wouldn't hurt. Also be aware that ticks might still be out... tuck pants into your socks before you start hiking. And remember... going down is going to hurt more than going up (going down is hard on the knees).
Just so you know what you are in for... check out the photos in this trip report (with particular attention to climbing the rocks):
http://summitsearch.org/trip_reports/75-foggy-ascent-of-cinquefoil-mountain |
Edited by - DeNomad on 05/31/2012 09:32 AM |
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Edmonton, AB
Canada
216 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2012 : 11:24 AM
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Definitely won't need an ice axe for Cinquefoil.
You can find my trip report from less than a month ago here. |
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Roche Miette
