A short piece
on our new route this winter in the Canadian Rockies
Still, the
going was easier than when we’d hike in a couple of days previous. The
temperatures had been minus 25 & the snow even drier & more
unconsolidated with every step breaking through to the ground below. Higher now
we could see the top of the route, white ice filling out a huge rock corner
just above the tops of the pines.
We had a
similar view when we first caught a glimpse of the same ice driving down the
Icefields Parkway on the way back from Weeping Wall. We were heading back to
Lake Louise when out the corner of my eye I saw the ice, between 2 trees. A
split second & only a fleeting glimpse, but Ice all the same. It took a
couple of seconds for the brain to process but yes it was Ice & yes I’d
never seen it before & no I can’t recall seeing it in the guidebook. Stop!.
Dean braked hard & pulled over. He looked across & new I’d seen
something…. so he slowly reversed up, while I tried to find the 2 trees again.
Stop! There it was the same view, Ice? We think so, formed? We can’t see,
accessible? We don’t know, excited? Yes very! We headed straight back to Lake
Louise to do some homework.
Now that same
view is more obvious & all the questions answered well all apart from one –
can we get to the ice? 3 days earlier we hiked in to within 300m of the base of
the route & had to turn back, due to a huge snow slope which we thought was
unstable & could avalanche protecting it. We headed back down to a sunny
place in amongst the trees where we could see the route in full. So close but
so far! We ate, drank & sat looking at the route feeling very frustrated at
not even getting to the base of the ice & it & what an awesome looking
line, but how can we get to it? The more we sat, the more we looked at the
right bank leading up into the base of the route. The bank looked a little scoured
of snow in places, with a possible line weaving around a rock pinnacle &
then down to an unknown & out of sight section getting to the base of the
ice. We race back down the hill, excited.
Today it
feels different, it’s warmer, there’s a track in, we know the route’s formed,
complete & looks amazing. It’s easier walking but the access is still not
totally known, we march on in silence. We’re earlier, it’s 5am which we hope
will give us plenty of day to play with. We start talking again, as we break
off from our old track and onto unknown terrain again. Bad unconsolidated snow
again but added to it a firm thick layer below that ‘whompfing’ with every
step. We assessed the slope again & I head off alone while Dean holds back.
We do this until we reach more scoured ground above & the way opens up. As
the sun comes up we can see the slopes below the route more clearly & our
old tracks just stopping in the middle of it all. Good decision! Yep!.
We find a
flat spot, take the snow shoes off, put crampons on, harness up & get the
rope out. The way on still looks good but it’s still the last unknown section
out of sight linking our new approach with the base of the ice. We rope up
& I head across very slabby looking snow & on over a crest, while Dean
follows unclipping the odd wire I place for protection. We swing the lead &
Dean heads over another snowy crest & out of sight into the final gully
linking the Ice. Will it go? The rope goes tight & I follow. Deans set up a
good anchor which I use to access the gully & test the deep & very wind
slabby snow. I reach the other side & drill in a screw, continue on & then
build an anchor when the rope runs tight. Dean follows, racks up with the rest
of the screws & wires, swings by me, looks back & smiles……‘it’s on!’
Adrian
Nelhams & Dean Mounsey on the FA of ‘Wild Horses’ WI6, 160m, Totem Tower,
Alberta, Canadian Rockies
No comments:
Post a Comment