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13 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2012 : 06:28 AM
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I have been wanting to do some recon of the first leg of a hike I'm planning for August from the Mamquam valley over to the upper Pitt River via Knothole and Pinecone lakes. Tired of waiting for summer to get here, we decided to head out on Monday. Unfortunately, we misread the page turn in backroads mapbook, which combined with poor visibility, had us headed up the wrong overgrown spur.
Not wanting to leave my truck on the side of the main road, I gritted my teeth and accepted some new pinstriping, parking at the first pull out.
Despite leaving Vancouver at 5:30, we didn't hit the trail until 8:30 - but hey, it was a long weekend :) The overgrown road quickly soaked our lack of rainpants, and walking bent over under the alder was getting old fast. However, it thinned out after the first few kms and we were happy to only be contending with a steady drizzle after that.
We didn't realize we were on the wrong ridge until a few kms had passed, and decided to press on rather than back tracking, and see where this road would lead. My pictures are from the top down as it was so cloudy there wasn't much to see on the way up. The clouds started to break up just as we hit snow around 6 km, and rounding a corner a km or two further, they parted to reveal our original destination.
The steep slope below us quickly ended any thoughts of crossing the valley and bushwacking our way straight up to the lake.
I was a bit frustrated, but took consolation in enjoying a peaceful moment in a corner of our backyard most people never see. It was far from quiet though, with a dull roar from the waterfalls on the other side. Good, hurry up and melt, snow!
Yours truly.
The snow was hardpacked and easy going.
On the way back down, around 6km.
Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on one's taste), there was no cold beer like the sign promised :(
A rare splash of colour.
The Mamquam River valley.
Mom standing guard as her chicks escape!
View of the original target from below.
We begin to hit patches of alder again and the fun begins once more. Although there are some cool mossy parts.
No fresh signs of bear, but lots of old. They were probably smarter than us, and hiding somewhere dry.
So despite being off course and wet we ended the day happy to have gotten out there and vowed to return soon and make it to the lake. I'll post up the gps track when my buddy sends it to me. |
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 Best grilled cheese maker ever
Whitehorse, YUKON
Canada
2147 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2012 : 06:44 AM
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Nice first post.
Those roads back there are a pain in the ass.
Are you planning on following Pinecone Creek all the way down to Pitt River?
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13 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2012 : 12:44 PM
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Thanks. Not planning on following it all the way down, just until we hit one of the Steve Creek road branches, and we'll probably try to stay above the creek at the east end of Pinecone Lake, because it looks swampy from the air photos. Can't find any reports of this route so we're going to have to play that end by ear. I did read about the guys who made several attempts before completing the Steve Creek route, so I'm expecting some similar heavy bush on that end. That's what the hotsprings and flask are for  . |
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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
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Posted - 07/05/2012 : 12:47 PM
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| I was just up at Pitt River yesterday for work. If you like the aldered in roads on the Mamquam side, you will LOVE them on the Pitt side. |
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13 Posts |
Posted - 07/06/2012 : 06:06 AM
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Something to look forward to. Oh well, better than devil's club. What were you doing for work up there? Do you happen to know if the Steve Creek bridge across the Pitt is intact?
Curious if the clearings in my 3rd photo is heli logging? It looked like all the roads were older than the cut... Or do they just grow in faster? |
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Port Moody, BC
Canada
543 Posts |
Posted - 07/06/2012 : 07:22 AM
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| The road leading to Knothole lake is too overgrown as well, and it could be why you passed by it. |
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Wrong Ridge (one south of Knothole Lake)
