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831 Posts |
Posted - 07/30/2012 : 8:48 PM
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Background
Gotha Peak (1641 m) and Coburg Peak (1645 m) rise steeply on the east side of Deeks Lake and have been (at least Gotha) also commonly known as Peak 5400. Their names refer to the German duchies of Saxe-Gotha and Saxe-Coburg and to the former name of the House of Windsor. I only went once to the northern subpeak of Gotha and it was in the whiteout. Here is a little topo map and a photo taken from Hat Mtn. on the same day (courtesy of zeljkok), to give you an idea of the location and topography.
 
Beta
Ean Jackson and David Crerar from Club Fat Ass did to Gotha and Coburg as part of their peak bagging challenge.
Simonc went to Windsor and Gotha in May 2009 and summitted Coburg from the south in October 2009. He then visited Gotha and Coburg again in June 2010 with Shrubhugger. In his October 2009 report, he contemplated an ascent of Coburg from the south via a steep forested ramp visible in this photo:
However, the picture I took in August 2008 from Hanover
suggests that bluffs and steep slopes may block further progress above the ramp.
The known reports indicate that the most direct routes up Coburg from the south or north will involve at least class 4 scrambling with considerable exposure. The east ridge of Coburg has been done and looks to be easiest, but no details are available to my knowledge.
Objective
I decided to visit both peaks, with a particular attention given to finding possible hiking routes to Coburg. By that I mean a maximum class 3 scramble and non-technical terrain within comfort level of most adventurous hikers. I was hoping to find a well-defined route up the east ridge of Coburg from the north side, then somehow descend to its south side, exploring potential access from there, reach the shoulder between Coburg and Hanover and drop down to the Howe Sound Crest Trail (HSCT), thus completing a circuit around Deeks Lake. I packed in a 20 m rope and a couple of slings in case I need to bail at any point, but was going to use it only as the last resort.
Access
If you come to the parking lot at Hwy 99 and Porteau Road, which offers access to the north end of HSCT, you'll find that the road is blocked by a locked gate. Some ingenious folks, however, have created a 4WD bypass around the gate; that bypass serves also as a useful test of whether your vehicle will be capable of handling the surface further up - Porteau Road has some rough and loose sections, although no waterbars to speak of. My trusty X-Trail had no problem bringing me almost to the trailhead, which saved me about 3.5 km of walking each way.
Trail Approach
It's about an hour to Deeks Lake from the trailhead proper. I passed two groups with overnight packs, then saw another party camping at the lake. About 45 more minutes to the Windsor/Peak 5400 trail junction. There were 2-3 cross streams below and 3-5 above Deeks Lake, so no problem finding water at this time of year.
Gotha Peak
Past the junction, the marking of the Gotha route becomes quite scarce, although the terrain is open enough and a distinct path can mostly be seen. Soon the ridge narrows, offering a nice ramble and views.
     
1. Approaching the northern subpeak of Gotha
2. Looking down through a gap toward Deeks Lake
3. Anvil Island
4. Deeks Lake
5. Deeks Lake and Howe Sound
6. Hanover, Coburg, Brunswick and Gotha
The last section before Gotha's summit is pretty much knife-edge and involves crossing an exposed notch. There is one dense krummholz spot where I had to dismount my pack to get through, otherwise not much difficulty as long as you stick to the crest.
    
1. Looking back across the tricky notch near Gotha's summit
2. Coburg from near Gotha's summit
3. The lower part of Coburg's east ridge from the north
4. Mt. Brunswick and Brunswick and Hanover Lakes from Gotha
5. Closeup of Brunswick Lake and the shelter from Gotha
Ascent of Coburg Peak
The descent from Gotha to the col south of it is quite easy. Since my intention has been to find a hiking route up Coburg, I decide to follow a talus slope, now largely covered with snow, along the cliffy north side of the peak until I find a convenient place to gain its east ridge. I descend about 150 m and spot a potential entrance route that looks like a goat path.
   
1. Coburg from just below the col
2. Looking downslope along the north side of Coburg's east ridge
3. An entrance spot to the east ridge
4. Looking back toward the col
I follow the faint path up the ridge, traversing along the cliff bands, crossing the ridge to the left and going up a slippery heather gully, which allows me to reach the crest. Then it varies with respect to steepness and bushiness until I encounter a major group of bluffs.
 
1. On the east ridge traverse
2. Easy terrain leading to a prominent group of bluffs
The direct way up the bluffs looks stiff, so I try and bypass them on the right, which leads to a small meadow and seems promising. I keep looking to my left to find an easy route up, but there's nothing obvious. I get to the end of the meadow, where the only option left is to scramble up a mossy and wet class 4-ish gully with a rather bad runout of invisible cliff below it. It looks doable, so I go for it. I'm halfway up and grab a big boulder for a hold, when I notice that I have dislodged it out if its seat. My blood freezes for a moment, but the boulder stays in place. I then start a series of desparate moves including semi-stemming against the moss and wet rock to my side, pulling on heather and jamming my ice-axe in the thin layer of dirt - anything to get above the boulder as quickly as possible, which fortunately goes well. At the top of the gully, I swear to choose a different route for descent and, still a bit shaken, continue to the summit.
   
1. Bypassing the bluffs on the right, with bugs flying around
2. Partial side view of the wet class 4 gully I climbed - it's behind the rock on the left
3. A flat spot at the top of the bluff
4. Approaching Coburg's summit, with another bug in view
At the summit I take some pictures and enjoy the 360-degree panorama. A short break and I'm ready to head down, the mission now being to find an easiest possible descent route over to the south side.
    
1. Gotha, Windsor, Deeks Lake and Howe Sound
2. View north toward Windsor, Capilano and Sky Pilot
3. Hanover and Brunswick
4. Brunswick and part of Hat in the cloud
5. Brunswick Lake and the red-roofed shelter
Descent from Coburg Peak
I know from photos and other beta that the southern slopes of the east ridge are mostly cliffs, so I'd have to descend quite a bit in order to find a non-technical way out to that side, maybe even all the way to the saddle some 350 m below the summit. I get down to the top of the bluff where I climbed the nasty gully, staying this time on the crest. Soon I find a relatively easy (although wet) way to the little meadow below via a class 3 corner. I erect two small cairns at its base.
  
1. Halfway down the class 3 corner
2. The way I descended from the top of the bluff to the little meadow (with the two cairns encircled)
3. A closeup view of my ascent and descent routes at the bluffy section - don't go up where I did!
I continue down toward the slippery heather gully and try to stick to the ridge crest instead, but get bluffed out. I cross to the other side of that gully, inspecting slopes to the south for possible routes of descent, but they all disappear steeply out of view within 10-15 m. I continue down but it's getting really steep, the bush is horrendous, and it's difficult to get a decent footing, so I'm forced to upclimb back and retrace my steps across to the north side, which is where I came from during ascent. Rather than getting off the east ridge, I give it another try downslope, and it soon ends in a similar fashion. Next I try traversing to the right (south), following what looks like a goat path, but then it becomes so steep that I dare not continue - that's definitely not a hiking route. All this is costing me a lot of energy and frustration. To add insult to injury, I notice that the bush has somehow ripped the watch off my wrist. I look around for a few minutes but it's futile. I thought I only had to watch my watch in crowded urban places, but apparently not.
I see no other way down but return to the snow-covered talus and descend that way, which I do. I guess in the worst case I could give up on the circuit idea and return by ascending the drainage on the SW of Windsor, thus bypassing the whole ridge of Gotha. It would be nice to close the loop as originally planned, of course, but if it goes like it has so far, I'd probably have to stay here the whole night... I inspect the north side of the east ridge for a passage across it and, after a while, find a bushy spot that looks promising, so I enter back onto the ridge. Soon another bluff blocks me to my side and more steep bush awaits below, looking hopeless yet again. The ice-axe is in heavy use in the dirt as I finally manage to lower myself enough to get a footing and can catch the first glimpse of the saddle below.
   
1. Snow-covered talus slope viewed from the bushy northern side of Coburg's east ridge
2. Finally at the base of the bluff
3. Where I just came from, down the bush on the right of the photo
4. A snow patch at the saddle below
Back to HSCT
What follows is a steep forest traverse to the southwest. The bush is not too bad. I approach a large talus slope, which provides for fast travel up, as the rocks are remarkably stable. I keep eyeing the cliffs to my right but see no feasible way of non-technical ascent anywhere. As the Coburg's south ridge gets nearer, it seems obvious to me that this is the least steep way of going up from this side.
    
1. Talus slope on the south side of Coburg
2. Cliffs blocking access to Coburg's east ridge from the north
3. View east down the valley
4. False Hellebore
5. Nearing the shoulder on the south side of Coburg
I cross the south shoulder of Coburg and drop down its west side, quickly finding myself in the dirt gully mentioned by simonc. The descent through the open forest is generally easy as long as you don't traverse too far north (right), which is where you'd eventually encounter some bluffs. I cross a couple of boulder fields and reach the trail in a short time. There I briefly refuel and motor down the HSCT highway to make it back before dark.
    
1. The dirt gully on the west side of Coburg's south shoulder
2. An easy forest bushwhack down to trail
3. I reach the HSCT just above this spot with the rope
4. Waterfall above Hanover Lake
5. Hanover Lake through the trees
I lose the trail for a moment where it crosses the creek on logs but I return and inspect the crossing. The logs are slippery and there are many of them to negotiate, so I pass on it, go instead downstream a bit and then hop across on boulders without difficulty. A steep snow patch on the side of Deeks Lake is bypassed quickly by descending to the lake shore below it, which is faster than getting out an ice-axe or stepping across the snow with all due caution. I continue down the slippery trail and reach my vehicle just after the sun has set.
Final Comments
1) The best hiking route to Coburg I was able to find is by descending from Gotha and following Coburg's north side down for about 150 m to a spot offering access to the east ridge. This still involved some class 3 scrambling and sections of thick bush.
2) There doesn't appear to exist any easier way of ascending from the south than by taking the direct south ridge, which is class 4 according to simonc. If you're approaching from the south and are up for the challenge, it seems to make more sense to take that route than to look for a bushy and likely bluffy alternative of reaching the ridge further east. Otherwise you'd have to traverse around the cliffs and cross over to the north side in order to gain access to the east ridge.
3) Coburg's east ridge itself, although the least steep on the mountain, requires some tricky navigation and has steep bushy and bluffy sections which severely complicate hiking along its crest.
GPS Stats
Total distance: 16.1 km
Total time: 11 h
Total ascent: 2019 m
     
1. Elevation profile
2. 2D contour route map
3. 3D Google Earth map - view from above
4. 3D Google Earth map - view from SW
5. 3D Google Earth map - view from SE
6. 3D Google Earth map - view from E
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Edited by - RamblingBull on 08/01/2012 01:20 AM
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Van, BC
Canada
2789 Posts |
Posted - 07/30/2012 : 8:59 PM
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Very nice - I've been wondering about those two myself.
-Ryan |
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203 Posts |
Posted - 07/30/2012 : 9:02 PM
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| Heck of a daytrip! |
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Trail blazin', backcountry bushwackin', pine huntin', photo takin', long winded story teller
3838 Posts |
Posted - 07/30/2012 : 10:22 PM
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Hell of a trip.
Those bluffs in that whole area seem to be designed for people ten feet tall not around six feet tall. I slid down one of them bluffs onto a ledge and was stuck. Slid down to far to get back up again. If I was ten feet tall I would have had lots of hand holds to get back up.
I could not go up or down and no left and right lateral exscape. Lucky for me there was a top of a tree that I had to leap 5 feet out to and go down the tree to freedom.
Excellant report with great detail and beta. |
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Peak bagging, bushwhacking, zamboni driving, snowshoeing, self portrait artist, and speed demon who loves to hang out on Mt. Seymour
3996 Posts |
Posted - 07/30/2012 : 10:53 PM
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Holy Convoluted Route Finding .
I don't know how you remembered all those details, but it makes for an entertaining read. Did you trundle that boulder once past it? |
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
605 Posts |
Posted - 07/30/2012 : 10:58 PM
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quote:
Holy Convoluted Route Finding.
Exactly how I felt while reading.
This is quite an adventure. Too bad about the watch. Congratulations, quite an accomplishment! |
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831 Posts |
Posted - 07/30/2012 : 11:01 PM
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Simon,
The boulder stayed in place, but it was eerily reminiscent of a similar situation I had in the narrow gully of Hanover, where I dislodged a boulder 2-3 times the size of this one and it came thundering down, luckily no one was below. And an even larger boulder two of us had to hold for 10-15 min near the top of Harvey's Pup, waiting for others to clear the way below... |
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Trail running, bike hucking, fast packing, beer drinking collector of pine cones on a day pass
AKA
Dances with Trees
Forest Gnome Cabin
Canada
13048 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2012 : 07:16 AM
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| Those two peaks just want you to go Class 4, I guess. Nice TR, I too am impressed by you memory for the details of it all! |
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Smurf Village, BC
Canada
1496 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2012 : 07:27 AM
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| Do you take notes while you hike? Excellent information. Glad that boulder stayed put! |
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
1111 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2012 : 07:48 AM
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| Some great details in here. I'm sorry you couldn't find the time to locate your watch. Very nice bug closeups too. |
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Popkum, BC
Canada
5887 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2012 : 08:23 AM
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| You must be intelligent. Nice trip! |
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Outdoors addicted flyfishing, skiing, snowshoeing, hiking car crooner and resident motormouth
Da'Wack, BC
Canada
5372 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2012 : 09:28 AM
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Quite the puzzle! I'm glad that boulder stayed put, the runout didn't sound so nice.
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
145 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2012 : 12:07 PM
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| Excellent trip report on some interesting local exploring. |
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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
13453 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2012 : 12:38 PM
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Wow what a suspenseful read.
YOu had me gripped to the seat; too bad about your watch , hopefully someone might find it ...if there is any chance.
Scary, and good thing that boulder stayed put.
K |
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
559 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2012 : 2:49 PM
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| My kind of report; most logical-sequential, format, and easy to follow with excellent choice of photos. Like a business report of first class presentation. This should be hard covered! The area is beyond my ability now and that added extra enjoyment reading this. Thanks. |
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Fast hikin, carrot chompin, always grinnin, gear scatterin recipient of the Theta Lake manouver
Burnaby
2041 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2012 : 3:25 PM
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| Interesting read. Thanks for sharing. |
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289 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2012 : 4:03 PM
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| Most excellent TR. This area needed more beta, much appreciated. |
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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 - 07/31/2012 : 4:07 PM
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Fred T swears by the hot-pink pre-pubescent girl watches (the ones with with Hello Kitty logos and stuff) because they are cheap and easier to find in the bush.
You could change your user name to RamblingKitty? |
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Van, BC
Canada
2789 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2012 : 4:23 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Dru
Fred T swears by the hot-pink pre-pubescent girl watches (the ones with with Hello Kitty logos and stuff) because they are cheap and easier to find in the bush.
I was about to say something, but decided that I should probably keep my mouth shut...
-Ryan
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831 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2012 : 10:00 PM
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Thanks for your comments everyone.
I've added one closeup photo in the bulk of the TR to illustrate better the way I went up and down the little bluffy section on Coburg's east ridge. The class 3 corner I descended is the way, no need to take the wet gully as I did.
Wildman:
Did you slide right there on Coburg? That's quite an experience... The whole peak of Coburg seems to be engulfed in bluffs from most sides.
mick range:
I suspect Simon's direct south ridge route might be quite aesthetic, but the conditions when I went there just didn't favour any serious scrambling - it was really slippery (roots and rocks) even on the established trail.
guntis, thecamel:
Thanks, I guess I focused on collecting as much info as possible, since that was the primary purpose of the trip. For example, I took waypoints of all the stream crossings for future reference of water availability and such.
Flowing Brook:
I'm not sure what to appreciate more - your deduction skills or the ability to compliment someone you don't know very well :)
trailrunner:
You're being too kind, but I'm glad you enjoyed the read. Btw, I've got quite of few of my life achievements hard-covered, although I'm not always entirely sure about their significance...
Dru:
That's an interesting idea, but from the technical point of view I'd prefer a watch that could emit a signal pickable by a GPS or any kind of hand-held device. Even with the error due to drift, that could narrow the search area enough to give a promise of success.
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359 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2012 : 10:39 PM
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| Excellent report! Surely this will be an essential reference for anyone visiting these peaks. |
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Gotha and Coburg exploratory circuit 29 July 2012
