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Langley
256 Posts |
Posted - 05/06/2012 : 10:52 PM
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The weather was so nice today that it forced me (literally forced me) to see how spring is progressing on Elk. The short answer: very nicely indeed.
There's still some snow on the trail, I took a picture to show exactly where it starts.
Hope that helps.
Okay just kidding, it starts about 15 minutes from the lookout, and its more like 100% ice. Most of it is easily sidestepped. I had microspikes but a lot of people made it up to the lookout without them. I saw close to 30 people on the trail but only 5 above the lookout.
The views down the Fraser Valley were pretty hazy but the Chilliwack Valley was great. Baker is behind some clouds being coy.
     
Snow is continuous from the lookout. Small patches of the ridge are clear but mostly its soft, mushy snow in the open and hard ice in the trees. Speaking of trees, if you need a shower, take a short walk through them and you'll get soaked. Or at least I did.
   
Here's a shot of Cheam (I think) through the trees. I want to go there.
Thurston was tempting but I'd forgotten to bring sunscreen with me and my boots & socks were thoroughly waterlogged so I called it a day about 20 minutes past Elk's summit.
The trailhead beckoned, I broke up the monotony of sloshing boots by trying to guess how sunburnt I'd be (answer: very).
 
So there it is, basically open season on Elk. Poles and spikes still recommended above the lookout but not totally necessary. |
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 Satirical photoshop junkie who frolics in the mountains of the Chilliwack River Valley
Chilliwack, BC
Canada
6944 Posts |
Posted - 05/06/2012 : 11:13 PM
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Good to know Jeff, thanks for the update and maybe get some aloe vera for that sunburn  |
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chilliwack, bc
Canada
134 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2012 : 07:03 AM
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Jeff I must have passed you on the trail. It was the busiest I've seen Elk since last year.
Ran into Yvonne as I was approaching the lookout.
Got one of those showers myself as the snow was melting off the trees.
Sure was a great day to be out. |
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Chilliwack
1285 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2012 : 08:43 AM
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| Thanks for the update as I look forward to getting up there again soon and you're correct on Mt. Cheam in the distance. |
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Langley
256 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2012 : 09:43 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by mhzman
Jeff I must have passed you on the trail. It was the busiest I've seen Elk since last year.
Ran into Yvonne as I was approaching the lookout.
Got one of those showers myself as the snow was melting off the trees.
Sure was a great day to be out.
Just a wild guess but were you the lone hiker I saw packing snowshoes up on the ridge around 2:30? |
Edited by - another jeff on 05/07/2012 09:50 AM |
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Outdoors addicted flyfishing, skiing, snowshoeing, hiking car crooner and resident motormouth
Da'Wack, BC
Canada
5378 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2012 : 10:04 AM
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I totally know where that is.
Looks like you had a nice day up there. |
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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 - 05/07/2012 : 10:28 AM
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quote:
Here's a shot of Cheam (I think) through the trees. I want to go there.
From my balcony (with binocs/scope and also with camera zoom) I could see quite a few fresh solar-affect avalanches on Lady and Cheam yesterday afternoon. Some of the slides on Lady came down right over fresh snowmobile tracks. Probably worth letting it settle down a few days. |
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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 - 05/07/2012 : 12:16 PM
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There was a sharp increase in freezing levels; new snow overnight on Saturday made some morning pristine beauty scenes in the COQ. But it sure warmed up later on in the morning to afternoon.
So the snow got a lot softer, and we should expect a lot of avalanches from collapsing cornices still hanging up there on the ridge lines.
K |
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Langley
256 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2012 : 3:27 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by DruFrom my balcony (with binocs/scope and also with camera zoom) I could see quite a few fresh solar-affect avalanches on Lady and Cheam yesterday afternoon. Some of the slides on Lady came down right over fresh snowmobile tracks. Probably worth letting it settle down a few days.
I didn't mean now, but sometime in the summer. Sadly, access is problematic when you don't have 4wd. |
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Popkum, BC
Canada
5902 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2012 : 3:31 PM
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Good one Jeff! One thing that needs to be said is, "this is a cornice people, please stop walking on it"! There's a well trodden path of footprints on the middle of this cornice leading up to Elk and if you saw this part of the trail in the summer you wouldn't we walking there.
I was up there today and saw this "cornice path" firsthand.
Happy trails,
Lynn |
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Langley
256 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2012 : 4:15 PM
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| There were footprints right on the cornice I pictured? Or I was dumb and shouldn't have been standing so close? I thought I was good from that point but I may have been remembering the non-snowbound terrain incorrectly. |
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Popkum, BC
Canada
5902 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2012 : 5:14 PM
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| If you notice the summer trail is exposed to the right but people are still choosing to walk on the cornice, not a good idea. I neglected to take a picture so I used your picture of the far left cornice. Solid ground is always the better choice; especially in the spring. |
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chilliwack, bc
Canada
134 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2012 : 10:03 PM
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Hey Jeff
Yes, that was me with the snowshoes. Didn't need them though.
I was thinking of stashing them at the Elk summit and retrieving them on the way back.
Sure had wet feet on the return trip. But no sunburn. Lol |
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Sunburns & soggy feet on Elk
