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Smurf Village, BC
Canada
1532 Posts |
Posted - 08/29/2012 : 11:15 AM
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The Mount Baker area is a bit far from Vancouver, but it is such an incredible area that it is well worth the drive.
We drove up to the Twin Lakes campground, passing by the very popular Yellow Aster Butte trailhead. The parking lot showcased a huge variety of trucks and SUV's, but we did see a VW Golf, proving that it is accessible with 2WD and careful driving.
From here, we hauled our heavy packs up to the Winchester Lookout and enjoyed the sunset before going to bed.
     
Sunrise was even more spectacular than the sunset! After packing up, we headed out to explore. We naively thought that we could find a way to connect with the Low Pass/High Pass trail from the Winchester summit. It really isn't possible, unless you're willing to drop way down towards Tomyhoi Lake or want to do some rappelling. We did not. So, back up to Winchester and down the proper trail we went.
     
Part 2 of our beta collecting mission was to check out Mount Larrabee. The High Pass trail itself is fantastic, with outstanding views and a well maintained path.
  
It wasn't really clear to us which gully was the ascent gully, so Maria went to check it out in person. She ascended the far left side of the bowl after dropping down from the High Pass trail. The loose scree and very steep slope hinted that this wasn't correct. After reaching the top of the gully and seeing the serious drop on the other side with no easy route up the ridge, it was easy to rule this out as the preferred route.
 
Three other scramblers had been watching Maria's progress and came running back down the High Pass trail after seeing Maria top out. I chatted with them and we compared thoughts on which way was the best way. They ended up splitting up, with one climber going up yet another incorrect gully. The other two chose correctly and made it to the ridge. Later, after studying the Scrambles book and one or two reports, we've got a good idea of the "moderate" route described by Matt Gunn.
 
One report described this as the loosest scramble they've done. The whole mountain seems to be made of scree, talus, and various pieces of pointy unattached rocks.
A photo zoom on the Pleiades,
and a Playboy bunny in the snow?
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 Peak bagging, bushwhacking, zamboni driving, snowshoeing, self portrait artist, and speed demon who loves to hang out on Mt. Seymour
4035 Posts |
Posted - 08/29/2012 : 11:35 AM
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| Outstanding views from this area. Cool to see all these CTers taking their little ones up the mountains. |
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Trail blazin', backcountry bushwackin', pine huntin', photo takin', long winded story teller
3839 Posts |
Posted - 08/29/2012 : 12:25 PM
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Looks like you all had a good time.
Going up Larrabee I took the wrong way and found a easy way down which would be easy going up for the most part and it is not part of the scrambles route.
The scrambles route has some gully climbing and a helmit is a must going up it because anything you touch on the mountain comes off in yours hands but I had the time of my life getting up and down from the summit.
This link may help with alternate route especially coming down.
http://www.clubtread.com/sforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=18984 |
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Powell River, BC
385 Posts |
Posted - 08/29/2012 : 7:22 PM
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| I love that High Pass trail! And so rarely travelled by the 1000s who go up to Winchester and ignore the side trail. Kartvik - enjoyed your boot failure story, my boot fell apart and had to be held together by string coming down from Winchester 10 years ago. |
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Satirical photoshop junkie who frolics in the mountains of the Chilliwack River Valley
Chilliwack, BC
Canada
6943 Posts |
Posted - 08/29/2012 : 8:41 PM
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| Cool another place to check out someday! Thank you for the TR Guntis |
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Campbell River, BC
Canada
779 Posts |
Posted - 08/30/2012 : 11:32 AM
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| Your report brought back some memories as I hiked Winchester Mtn over 20 years ago. |
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
1133 Posts |
Posted - 09/07/2012 : 10:06 AM
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Just saw this one! Way to get out there with the wee one!
I brought Isaac up to Hollyburn the other day to pick Blueberries and he saw his first live bear eating blueberries as well. He was stoked! |
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Winchester Mountain & High Pass Trail
