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Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada
560 Posts |
Posted - 06/27/2012 : 11:39 PM
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On Monday, June 25th, four of us chartered a helicopter to take us to the ACC's Jim Haberl Memorial Hut, located in the Serratus-Dione col in the Tantalus Range, west of Squamish. We had some vague ideas to spend the next 2-3 days on various routes in the AD-range on Serratus, Mt. Dione and (perhaps) Alpha Mountain.
Cannot say enough about the Hut - in comparison to other huts that I have visited in SWBC, this is one of the most comfortable (with so many amenities, you barely notice that you have left home) and has one of the most scenic locations.
The flight from Squamish to the Hut takes less than 10 minutes. Our pilot was gracious enough to extend the inbound flight and take us for a spin over the Rumbling Glacier and around the summits of Mt. Dione and Mount Tantalus - the geography up there is B-I-G.
Loading up the gear at the heliport:
 
Take Off!:
  
Scenes from the flight in:
      
The Jim Haberl Hut:
   
The privy, with the snow-capped summit of Mt. Dione in the background:
We were dropped off at the Hut at 9:00 a.m. After quickly unloading our gear, checking out the hut, and gearing up, we decided to have a go at the North Face of Serratus, which is literally "just around the corner" from the front door of the Hut.
Heading out on the 15 minute approach to the base of the North Face of Serratus:
   
By 10:00 a.m. we were already climbing through glaciated terrain. Scenes from the lower sections of the North Face:
 
We had to weave around a few big open slots, but there is still a lot of snow up there for this time of the year. Scenes from the upper sections of the North Face:
    
Looking back at the southern ridge and summit of Mt. Dione (Tantalus Mountain in the background):
Looking east, across the face, at Alpha Mountain:
While most of the face consisted of easily penetrated and supportive spring snow, the last 150 metres to the summit was hard snow/ice, but still manageable with a single standard mountaineering axe. By noon we were on the top.
Scenes from the summit of Serratus: (1) Lunch time (2) the west face of Alpha Mountain (3) frozen Lake Lovely Water (4) peaks at the head of Lake LW, with Howe Sound in the distance
   
The most challenging part of the day was the descent, which we made by means of the southwest couloir (N.B. there is much preferable descent via the west face, by means of six bolted stations - however, that face is still heavily plastered with snow at the moment). This involved scrambling down 100 metres in elevation, along wet, loose and exposed rock in order to gain the entrance to the couloir (not fun).
The couloir itself is full of large, precariously balanced boulders, ready to topple over and squash an unfortunate climber like a bug. We also encountered a couple of eyebrow-raising rap anchors that had been left by previous parties. From the upper entrance, 2 full length (and very careful) raps got us down to the snow, which we chose to down climb.
Scenes from the descent: (1) the upper entrance to the descent couloir (2) mid-rappel (3) & (4) down climbing to the bottom of the couloir
   
After exiting the couloir, we crossed the Serratus-Ionia col, and headed north, back to the Hut.
Scenes from the return to the Hut:
  
Back at the Hut, we had hot food, cold beer and soft beds. Asleep by 9:30 p.m., as we were getting up at 3:30 a.m. for Part 2... |
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845 Posts |
Posted - 06/28/2012 : 02:06 AM
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| Spiffy!... |
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370 Posts |
Posted - 06/28/2012 : 08:37 AM
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| Very nice! The Jim Haberl hut looks amazing (the mountains aren't too shabby either). |
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Squamish, British Columbia
Canada
1030 Posts |
Posted - 06/28/2012 : 12:08 PM
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Nice!
Looking forward to the next installment.
Who did you charter the helicopter with and, if you don't mind me asking, how much did it work out pps? |
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Port Douglas, BC
Canada
438 Posts |
Posted - 06/28/2012 : 12:52 PM
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fun trip!
the hut looks great...way better than rotting in the Red Tit for three days defending against rodents when we did Dione/Tantalus/Serratus in 2001...We used Black Tusk, they charged us $350.00 to get dropped off...found our own way home... |
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
15 Posts |
Posted - 06/28/2012 : 1:01 PM
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| Did this trip 3 years ago over the July 1 long weekend. Spectacular area! Early July is a great time to go, most of the glacier travel was still snow covered when we were there. Look forward to Pt. 2. Did you guys have a go at Dione or Tantalus? |
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Burnaby, BC
Canada
349 Posts |
Posted - 06/28/2012 : 10:15 PM
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| Wow, that is just a prefect trip!!! Congrats on getting this classic bagged. |
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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
13598 Posts |
Posted - 06/28/2012 : 10:54 PM
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Nice shots.....
I see you had lots of fun up there on the snow and amongst the peaks.
K |
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 Best grilled cheese maker ever
Whitehorse, YUKON
Canada
2159 Posts |
Posted - 06/29/2012 : 08:09 AM
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| Solid outing. |
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Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada
560 Posts |
Posted - 06/29/2012 : 09:49 AM
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Thanks for the comments everyone. It was a great break for me after a long period of intense activity at work, that is now finally over. I highly recommend the area for an extended mountaineering "holiday".
Leigh: we used Black Tusk Helicopters, and the cost was $319.20 pp (inclusive of the taxes) for a round trip - they were super friendly and accomodating, obviously well used to the needs and wants of mountaineering groups - the price is perhaps a bit extravagant for a mere 3-day trip (I would try to stay twice as long next time), but, wow, an hour after the "approach" (landing at the hut) and you can already be climbing Serratus...
Marduk: yes, based on what I have heard, the current accomodations could not be more opposite than the conditions in the the old hut - which method did you use to cross back over the river at the end of your trip?
Tony: there is still a LOT of snow up there (it was nice and hard in the morning, but by afternoon it became slop - no need to use snowshoes however) - we did climb Mt. Dione via the southeast face route (AD, low fifth, 540m - if my memory of the guidebook stats is correct) - I am going to try to complete "Part 2" of this report later today. |
Edited by - DPM on 06/29/2012 10:09 AM |
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Port Douglas, BC
Canada
438 Posts |
Posted - 06/29/2012 : 1:34 PM
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we did one big day, after climbing up Dione, we headed down to the banks of the Squamish river, camped there for the night and then we called a guy in Squamish who picked us up on the banks of the river in his jet boat that morning, gave him 60 bucks, he hauled us right into town, right in the back of the boat, loaded on the trailer and everything...
quote:
Originally posted by DPM
Thanks for the comments everyone. It was a great break for me after a long period of intense activity at work, that is now finally over. I highly recommend the area for an extended mountaineering "holiday".
Leigh: we used Black Tusk Helicopters, and the cost was $319.20 pp (inclusive of the taxes) for a round trip - they were super friendly and accomodating, obviously well used to the needs and wants of mountaineering groups - the price is perhaps a bit extravagant for a mere 3-day trip (I would try to stay twice as long next time), but, wow, an hour after the "approach" (landing at the hut) and you can already be climbing Serratus...
Marduk: yes, based on what I have heard, the current accomodations could not be more opposite than the conditions in the the old hut - which method did you use to cross back over the river at the end of your trip?
Tony: there is still a LOT of snow up there (it was nice and hard in the morning, but by afternoon it became slop - no need to use snowshoes however) - we did climb Mt. Dione via the southeast face route (AD, low fifth, 540m - if my memory of the guidebook stats is correct) - I am going to try to complete "Part 2" of this report later today.
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Haberl Hut Holiday Pt. 1 - Serratus North Face
