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Squamish, British Columbia
Canada
1009 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2012 : 11:27 PM
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Couldn't think of a witty title, sorry thecamel
Anyway, last weekend underwent some last minute plan changes. A 3 day trip turned into only a 2 day trip so we were left with a Friday off and nothing to do.
Spring had been up Tricouni the week before:
http://www.clubtread.com/sforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=50822&SearchTerms=tricouni
I had unfinished business with this peak after a failed summit attempt under abysmal conditions last year:
http://www.clubtread.com/sforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=39249&SearchTerms=tricouni
and a friend of ours in Squamish, Rob, had never been to the true summit, although he’d climbed its N.Ridge a few years back.
Spring was game to do it again with better weather so off we went on Friday morning in Robs Tracker. We arrived at the TH around 10am at an elevation of 1200m asl. 4WD is a must and expect Alder Pinstriping all over your vehicle. It’s only going to close in more as the season goes on. A portion of the road looks ready to slide as it’s being undercut on both sides by waterbars so it might not be drivable after another year imo.
On the trail we were on snow almost right away. But it’s quickly melting, I’d give it another week or two before the whole valley bottom is just mud. There is also evidence that a huge avalanche ripped down that valley this year. We tried to spot its release point but it’s hard now that most of the avy debris has burned off.
Anyway, in no time we made the lakes and got to see our objective. We had a quick snack then headed up following the Scrambles route around the left side of the upper lake.
  
As we ascended past the upper lake we could see a skier that we’d met at the parking area ascending much further to climbers right with his dog. Suddenly we heard a crack and watched a sizeable amount of solid snow release from a low angled wet slab about 300m’s uphill from the skier. We yelled out to the skier and he looked up as 8 to 10 ft high chunks of snow started barreling down the slope towards him. He was super cool about them. He just grabbed his dog and sidestepped left and right as the chunks passed and came to rest beside and behind him.
We had been keeping an eye on any objective hazards above us and felt safe. Nevertheless, after that, our pace quickened.
We came up on the crux, still largely snowed in, and easily scrambled up and around the false/sub summit. We ascended another nice snow slope and then got onto the summit block. Some fun scrambling here and then the summit cairn.
   
   
Success. As I was taking in the views beside the summit cairn I looked down and as my eyes focused I realized that a huge, human coiler had been pinched off right beside the summit cairn. Dried out, disgusting, out in the open. Who does that? They didn’t even put a rock over it. The summit area isn’t that small either. There are a number of other areas where they could have done that, where others wouldn’t step in it or even sit on it. Imagine sitting on that just as you’re about to enjoy being on the summit?
Anyway, we quickly put a rock over it and tried to forget it while we had lunch. The skier from earlier joined us. His dog lower down as it couldn’t scramble up the last section of rock with him. He scrambled up that rock in his ski boots so fair play to him. We chatted for a while and took in the views, did some mountain spotting and the usual signing of our digital summit registers on Facebook :D The times we live in.
   
On our descent we hit up the Sub-summit also. A short scramble up some ledges.
From there the egress was quick and easy on slushy snow. It felt like it took us longer to drive in and out on that road than it had to bag the summit.
   
Honey Brown Lagers at Robs after and talk of myself and Springs plans for the coming weekend once we got back into Squamish. I was glad we got a “climb high, sleep low” day in before our coming trip.
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Edited by - leimrod on 07/10/2012 11:34 PM
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362 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2012 : 11:46 PM
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I'm totally guilty of immediately clicking on the dog picture.
It sure must have been nice to have the redemption factor going with spectacular weather and Spring as a guide. Nicely done all around but I inclined to agree that someone could have picked a more appropriate area to relieve themselves |
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Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada
558 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2012 : 11:48 PM
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Great job and photos (as usual). Scary incident with the skier.
As for the "coiler", it's just further proof that this world has more than it's quota of assholes... |
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Burnaby, BC
Canada
1297 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2012 : 06:20 AM
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Beautiful pics - as always!
Gosh, you guys are looking real 'cut'.
Don't care much for human organic cairns, either. |
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965 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2012 : 06:38 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by leimrod
did some mountain spotting and the usual signing of our digital summit registers on Facebook :D The times we live in.
What's Facebook? |
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Smurf Village, BC
Canada
1498 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2012 : 08:29 AM
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quote:
As I was taking in the views beside the summit cairn I looked down and as my eyes focused I realized that a huge, human coiler had been pinched off right beside the summit cairn. Dried out, disgusting, out in the open. Who does that?
Yuck. But the good news is that this is one method used to decompose poop. In the sun. When you're in the desert. And you can't bury it. (It would be even faster to smear it all over the rock, lol.) Regardless, it is certainly bad form to leave it where they did. Etiquette and common sense would suggest doing it off trail and away from the summit area.
Otherwise, cool trip report! |
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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
13477 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2012 : 12:33 PM
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Great destination, report, and photos Leigh. You are doing to a lot of places, I sure like to get to.
K |
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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 - 07/11/2012 : 1:52 PM
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| I am mystified as to how someone can "climb the north ridge" but not summit. Did he retreat from partway up it? |
Edited by - Dru on 07/11/2012 1:52 PM |
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
1114 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2012 : 2:33 PM
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| I don't think you need a witty title...but maybe swap the W for an SH and that'd be fitting. |
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85 Posts |
Posted - 07/13/2012 : 2:46 PM
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| Looks great! I'm thinking of taking my dog up there on sunday, unfortunately we have only a 2wd. How close might we be able to make it in a 2wd? Is it still doable? |
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Squamish, British Columbia
Canada
1009 Posts |
Posted - 07/13/2012 : 3:04 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Dru
I am mystified as to how someone can "climb the north ridge" but not summit. Did he retreat from partway up it?
His goal wasn't to reach the summit but run through some rescue scenarios and climbing systems with a SAR team.
quote:
Originally posted by sixwings
Looks great! I'm thinking of taking my dog up there on sunday, unfortunately we have only a 2wd. How close might we be able to make it in a 2wd? Is it still doable?
It's a very, very long walk without a 4WD to the TH. I wouldn't say it's even an option. Pushing a bike to the TH might be an option though, although you will have to walk it up and down in a few sections. |
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North Vancouver, BC
Canada
1609 Posts |
Posted - 07/15/2012 : 12:01 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by sixwings
Looks great! I'm thinking of taking my dog up there on sunday, unfortunately we have only a 2wd. How close might we be able to make it in a 2wd? Is it still doable?
Was up there today. 2WD would probably have you starting from the mainline (at the valley floor) which wouldn't be very practical. |
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Tricouni Peak: 07/06/12
