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Synchronicity
Trad climber
British Columbia, Canada
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 6, 2012 - 04:06pm PT
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If you've been gazing across the water from, say, Comox, why not take a boat up Homfray Channel and do the NW buttress on Mt. Denman? I've looked at it for many years and never been in that particular area. Looks good, and rock should be ok.
Just did some looking into that peak (as yes I am in Comox) and it looks wicked! For those of you who are curious....
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Synchronicity
Trad climber
British Columbia, Canada
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 6, 2012 - 05:37pm PT
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Nope not CF although that's why many people move here. I've spent most of my life here, its not a bad place to be when the weather is decent. Rock climbing, hiking, swimming, mtn. biking, skiing all within a half hour drive. More stuff just a bit further, like Horne Lake but i'm not a 5.14 sport climber. We lack the consistent cold temps for good stable ice, but they say the ice is good for all 3 days of the season :P
The Colonel is definitely the heart of alpine climbing on the island. Although I haven't climbed it, I've heard a ton about the choss that can be found there. A friend of mine capped off an epic summer of alpine climbing by ascending the Colonel via the Culbert route I believe, which was the first major route on the east face. He told me some horrendous stories about VW sized blocks of rock and ice cascading down the gullies, pitches with 3 pieces of crap gear in an entire ropelength and no belay anchors. He also said it was the best climbing day of his life.
There are some cool ridge scrambles/enchainments to be had, but I'd have to do most of them solo as its hard to find partners that are interested. I don't have a ton of alpine climbing experience, but I am comfortable soloing up to easy 5.10. There's also the complete Elk Valley traverse which I believe was attempted by Foweraker and Croft before eventually being completed by some locals.
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PellucidWombat
Mountain climber
Berkeley, CA
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Great thread! An ascent of Waddington via kayaking up the Knight Inlet has been one of my 'dream/nightmare' climbs that I've been thinking about for a long time. My first alpine climb involved kayaking across Leigh Lake to climb Mt Moran in the Tetons, and ever since then I've been intrigued with the idea of doing some Coastal mountains that way.
Somehow I figure the crux would be finding competent and dedicated partners who could spare the time for such an adventure. I mean, who doesn't like the sound of wearing crampons to assist in log crossings?! ;-)
I've even gone so far as to find some interesting looking peaks north of Sechelt that could be nice multi-day trial runs for the whole kayak-'schwak'-and climb deal. Maybe I'll put up what I was thinking for the trial peaks & Waddington here to see what you guys think?
I'll be poring over the links you've all shared. I had been meaning to look up the CAJ report of the Knight Inlet approach, and now it looks like I don't have to :-)
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Cruising up Bute Inlet way via kayak and sailboat with our good friends Rob and Lauri Wood back in the early 80ish. Quintano was the mother ship. After years in the South Pacific this was a wonderful respite into virgin turf. One of the most memorable trips ever.
Rob and I had done a number of routes in the Valley in the early 60s and he was on the first British ascent of the Nose with Mick Burke. Rob and Doug Scott made the first winter ascent of Waddington.
In the mid 80s we sailed our boat up from New Zealand and spent a summer in British Columbia. God's country. The most impenetrable forest I have ever experienced.
Sadly Rob and Lauri lost Quintano in a fire last year but they are building another catamaran, so if you are looking for a ride up yonder in the future they may be able to help. Sorry about the quality of the slides but Sir Haan is busy with his literary career right now and I have to be patient.
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laughingman
Mountain climber
Seattle WA
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Mt Jubilee from the Lomolo glacier.
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Synchronicity
Trad climber
British Columbia, Canada
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 6, 2012 - 10:44pm PT
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This past spring and summer, thanks to my wonderful girlfriend and her family, I learned a bit about sailing on the west coast. I always wanted to learn and now I've finally started, I've always dreamed of owning a sailboat. The sailing lifestyle on the coast is amazing! It can be crowded in the gulf islands in summer but the scenery and adventure are great. At the end of last summer we did a sailboat/zodiac trip to boulder /DWS some sandstone sea cliffs. The result was one two amazing days of awesome climbing on incredibly unique features (I should really write a TR and show the pics). Although friable the climbing is incredible with potential for miles of coastline.
Ever since then I've been fascinated with water assisted adventures. It just so happens I read the account of Rob Woods adventures in Waddington and circumnavigating Vancouver island the week before my first sail.
There is something about coastal climbing that is special. The history of mountaineering on the Island has some great epics. I believe it was you Tami who told me the story of someone (was it Woszny?) that put an ice axe through his leg.
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Synchronicity
Trad climber
British Columbia, Canada
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 6, 2012 - 10:49pm PT
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Wow guido, great slides. When I was younger I feel like i took this place for granted but it was because I hadn't taken the time out to explore the coast past a few bushwhacks close to home and some fishing trips in the gulf islands. I'm so glad I have been able to experience some amazing adventures the last few years that always make me proud to call this home. I'm sure you're seen the sun set and rise on the west coast and it is one of the most beautiful sights on earth.
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laughingman
Mountain climber
Seattle WA
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If any of you guys want recent info on the Knights inlet or other non aircraft ways into the Coast range I suggest talking to the people at the NOLS PNW branch as they send three trips into the range every year.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Rob and Doug Scott made the first winter ascent of Waddington.
Nope. The FWA was by Dick Culbert, Barry Hagen and Al Steck in February 1969, followed a few days later by Bob Cuthbert, Bill St. Lawrence and Les Wilson. The guidebook (2003) notes it as the only winter ascent to date.
(Possibly there have been winter ascents of the northwest peak, and it's often visited in spring, but that's not the summit.)
Hmm, didn't know that NOLS operated in Canada. Do you need some sort of permit for that?
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Christ Anders don't you have anything better to do than fact check all my postings. Perhaps I can run everything through your data base next time. "It's the truth, even if it never happened it's the truth." LOL
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harryhotdog
Social climber
north vancouver, B.C.
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I am really interested in seeing trip reports and photos of the Waddington and other ranges to the north.It's so wild and remote by todays standards and still full of gems.Hopefully the explosion of new routing in Squamish will spread to these amazing places.I'd like to do a more in depth trip report with pics but don't have the time right now so here is a quicky slideshow of a ski-climbing trip across the Monarch Icecap.We had a great time but my memory of the ridiculous packs we carried has never left me. I vowed never to combine ski trips with technical mountaineering as there is tooo much stuff.It would be interesting to see how much weight you could save with the latest light weight gear available today compared to the gear of 1983(that we thought was the latest and greatest). I was 21 at the time and only in BC for 3 years at that point. After seeing places like this I realized BC was the place for me. Hamilton and the coke ovens of Dofasco were a distant memory.
It's better to watch right on Youtube on the large screen as full screen is poor quality.Some photos credited to Wayne Saunders.[Click to View YouTube Video]
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Snychro, if you live in Comox, and want granite, why not just bop across the inlet to Powell River? You've got the equivalent of about five Squamish Chiefs just a few hours away.
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Oplopanax
Mountain climber
The Deep Woods
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How come nobody called daRockies THE ROCKY RANGE but they think it's fine to call the Coast Mountains the "Coast Range"
grr
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Oplopanax
Mountain climber
The Deep Woods
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Nope it got too hot and Bruce pulled the plug and went home to Golden... I'm sitting around with a week off and no partners. May go back to work and reschedule holidays for a cooler week.
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Oplopanax
Mountain climber
The Deep Woods
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Anyways back to the Coast Mountains theme:
Climbed this rig during the smoky summer of 2004. Around 30 pitches to 5.8 and moderately steep snow with one icy mixed chimney thing.
Lots more to do in that area, even though the rock is not granite.
Across the way on Ratcliff there's a nice line too:
Tricouni if I read the journals right you were laid up sick in camp after eating rancid bacon while your pals scooped the FA of this one?
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Oplopanax
Mountain climber
The Deep Woods
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Not Moore. Do not pass Go, do not collect $200.
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Oplopanax
Mountain climber
The Deep Woods
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Naw it's Talchako, two or three ranges over
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Tricouni
Mountain climber
Vancouver
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Tricouni if I read the journals right you were laid up sick in camp after eating rancid bacon while your pals scooped the FA of this one?
Yeah, I was pretty sick that day and the day before. Don't think I got out of the tent except for a quick barf. Upset to miss the FA, but we couldn't spare the extra day to wait for me, because we were getting low on food and it was stil a 4-day pack out to the road.
Here's a picture of Ratcliff (centre) and Talchako (big pyramid on the right) taken the day before, June 15, 1962. Dick and Ashlyn climbed Ratcliff by the right hand skyline.
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Oplopanax
Mountain climber
The Deep Woods
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Sep 24, 2012 - 01:02pm PT
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BUMP for the Coast Mts.
Some local sendage. Pacemaker on the NE face of Robie Reid I hear got its 3rd ascent recently... supposedly even more of the bolts are gone now than reported on the second ascent, sounds like the big rockfall scar may be to blame.
Also Tiara Tower near Mehatl finally had a second (?) ascent, south ridge 5.7
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harryhotdog
Social climber
north vancouver, B.C.
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Nov 18, 2012 - 03:16am PT
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Great link Greg, brings back memories with yourself and Jim.Just got back from John Clarke night at VIMFF so I'd though I would post some pics of the coast range as it was so great to see so many slides of his amazing travels.Some of the more notable climbers I saw there were Martin and Esther Kafer,Don Serl,John Baldwin,Oplopanax and of course the Mighty hiker.Of course I'm hoping that there will be a flood of other pic postings as there are so few pics of this large and amazing area on this thread.
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