Swiss Summer Excursion 2013 JOIN US AS MEMBERS OF THIS SUMMER S SECTION EXCURSION TO SWITZERLAND (& A BIT OF FRANCE)

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1 Alpine Club of Canada Vancouver Section News September - October 2013 Swiss Summer Excursion 2013 JOIN US AS MEMBERS OF THIS SUMMER S SECTION EXCURSION TO SWITZERLAND (& A BIT OF FRANCE) presentation Tuesday, SeptEMBER by 24th JOHN BALDWIN 7:30 PM Meeting is in the floral hall at vandusen gardens, west 37th and oak, vancouver

2 acc VANCOUVER SECTION The club meets monthly, usually for a slide presentation, at the Floral Hall in VanDusen Gardens, W 37th and Oak St., at 7:30 PM on the fourth Tuesday of the month, except in July, August and December. info@accvancouver.ca Mailing address: ACC Vancouver Section, c/o Federation of Mountain Clubs of BC 130 W Broadway, Vancouver, BC V5Y 1P3 ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP DUES Single $ 41 / $ 51 * Family $ 61 / $ 71 * Junior (under 18) $ 31 / $ 41 * * Includes postal delivery of the Avalanche Echoes NATIONAL ACC OFFICE For new memberships and renewals, changes of address or other details, and booking huts, contact the ACC National office directly. info@alpineclubofcanada.ca , (fax) P.O. Box 8040 Canmore, AB, T1W 2T8 THE AVALANCHE ECHOES is the official publication of the Alpine Club of Canada, Vancouver Section. Volume 102 Issue no. 4 Sept 2013 Editor: Bethan Lewis, echoes@accvancouver.org SUBMISSIONS We encourage submissions of writing (txt, rtf and doc formats), photography and drawings (jpg, tif, png). your submission or call the editor. Deadline is the 20th day of the previous month. ADVERTISING Advertising shall be accepted at the discretion of the editor. All advertising shall be for products or services of direct interest to our membership. EDITORIAL POLICY Suitability for publication is at the editor s discretion within the guidelines of the Section Executive. Articles may be edited for clarity or to fit the available space. executive Chair Rob Brusse vice-chair Caroline Clapham Secretary Aimee Schalles Treasurer Travis McClinchey Activities Chair Cam Miller Camps Coordinator Lynn Erickson Courses Coordinator Martin Siegert Access & Environment David Overall Quarter Master Bill Sims Programs Coordinator Marie Cummings Membership Tony Knight web administrator Kayla Stevenson Newsletter Editor Bethan Lewis NEWSLETTER designer Iwona Erskine-Kellie ALpin-E-R editor Steven Legault News & Upcoming Events Karen Jensen National Club Rep Rob Brusse FMCBC Rep David Overall committees + special projects Best of Banff committee Rob Brusse Camps Committee Lynn Erickson Rob Brusse Tantalus And Haberl Hut Booking Ron Royston Haberl Hut Committee Liz Scremin (acting) Archives Committee Liz Scremin Irene Goldstone Socials & refreshments Olga Turok promotions Jay MacArthur Endowment Fund Rob Brusse WebSite Committee Richard Keltie Tony Knight, Kayla Stevenson Mountains are not stadiums where I satisfy my ambition to achieve, they are the cathedrals where I practice my religion. - Anatoli Boukreev Announcements New home needed for the Vancouver Section Library Do you have some free wall space or shelf space available for the Vancouver Section s collection of mountain books? We have about 200 of them... picture books, travelogues, guidebooks, and technique books. The Section is looking for a volunteer who can house the books, keep them clean and in order, and make them available (by appointment) to the occasional visitor. Shelving can be provided, if need be. A central location in Greater Vancouver would be ideal for accessibility. Just think of all the wonderful reading material at your fingertips! If this could be you, please contact Liz Scremin at: T: ; liz@pensiamo.com Attention all past Vancouver Section Executive: We re looking for Vancouver Section records The archivists are asking all past Vancouver Section executive members (all positions and all years) to review their belongings and consider donating back to the Section any records pertaining to the Section. As an example, these records might be executive minutes, correspondence, financial statements, membership information, hut records, or copies of photographs of social events. The Section is trying to put its house in order and assemble a full record of our history. Please contact Liz Scremin at: T: ; liz@pensiamo.com Woodbury and Silverspray cabins open for business BC Parks have now completed repairs on the road leading to the Woodbury and Silverspray Cabins in Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park. To book the cabins, contact the ACC by phone (403) , ext. 0 or by . John Lauchlan Memorial Award The John Lauchlan Memorial Award provides cash and gear for Canadian alpinists who are planning a trip that involves pushing new boundaries at an internationally recognized level. Many of Canada's top alpinists have used the award in the past to put up new routes in Patagonia, Alaska, northern Canada, Greenland, Peru, Nepal, India, China, Pakistan and Tibet. The deadline for application is September 30 each year. Apply for the award or become a sponsor at johnlauchlanaward.com Sonnie Trotter climbs hardest multi-pitch in Canada Pro-climber and instructor Sonnie Trotter completed a new route on Castle Mountain in the Rockies on Labour Day weekend. At five pitches long, he has graded it at 5.14a and named it Castles in the Sky. Gripped reporter Brandon Pullan likens it to hanging around on El Cap, with the valley floor 1,500m below. Read more at:

3 In Memoriam: Peter Almerling Sadly, we share the loss of avid ACC and BCMC member, Peter Almerling. Peter was critically injured in a skiing accident on July 7, 2013, on Mount Rainier, and succumbed to his injuries on July 11, He is survived by his wife, Estelle and three children Alyssa, 11, Sofia, 9, and Aidan, 3. According to BCMC member, Brittany, on the weekend ski trip that was Peter's last, he summited Mt Rainier. One fellow trip participant noted, "he was really happy to be on the trip and boy was he happy to have gotten to the summit". On the ski descent, Peter caught an edge, and was unable to self-arrest. Valiant rescue efforts were made by fellow BCMC members and climbing rangers. They were able to, with the help of a U.S. Army Reserve Chinook helicopter, air lift him off the mountain the same day. Peter never woke up from the traumatic injuries suffered in his fall. He went on to save other lives as an organ donor. ACC member Alex Armitage recalls Peter s vibrant nature. He was as keen to be outdoors as he was to be working hard for his company and to be with his family. From the moment I first met Peter, I realized he was outspoken, passionate, curious and generous. He offered free and valuable accounting advice in exchange for climbing and mountaineering tips - and occasionally some gas money. (More often than not he refused the money). Peter prepared for trips to the mountains as if he was headed to a board meeting: he did his research, he read books, he studied maps, he asked lots of questions, he studied the night before - and he showed up early, prepared and ready to take on anything. Our conversations ranged from the best way to coil a rope, to the best waterproof materials for specific outdoor conditions, to cost accounting, to world politics, to the merits of carb-free diets. He was passionate about everything." ACC member David Ferrante shares more trip memories: "I partnered with Peter in the top rope course in April and shared a tent with him on Seymour for basic mountaineering. What struck me about him was how genuinely interested he was in hearing about people s experiences, history or anything they had to say really. Absolutely a great guy with a great laugh, a great disposition and an honest pleasure to be around. He will certainly be missed and remembered." Deon Molloy, a joint ACC-BCMC member, has set up a Donations Account at TD for people who wish to make an anonymous donation to Peter s family. As Deon says, our community, as small as we may seem, is capable of big things, more selfless than our personal objectives. Branch #91940 Account # Name - Peter Almerling Fundraiser Photos by: Gina Hopper & Grant Pearse AVALANCHE ECHOES FRONT COVER: - Matterhorn north face and Hornli Ridge, by Amir A. Khanlou. Up coming s o c i a l s 24 September 2013 Swiss Summer Excursion 2013 Join us as members of this summer s Section excursion to Switzerland and France recount & illustrate their recent experiences in the Bernese Oberland, tackling the Monch, Jungfrau & Eiger. Hear about Amir & Eva s exciting ascent from the Mittelegi Hut on the Eiger and their even more exciting descent; travel to Chamonix for ascents of Mt Blanc & other peaks in the region and finally take a train to Zermatt for accounts of an ascent (& bivi) of the Matterhorn, a great day on the Dufourspitze, of Monte Rosa (highest peak in Switzerland), some hiking - and a little Parapenting to keep things interesting. 3 Avalanche Echoes September - October 2013

4 BASIC MOUNTAINEERING COURSE (BM1) Words: Julien Simon Photos: Julien Simon, Iwona Erskine-Kellie I joined the Alpine Club of Canada - Vancouver Section because I was very interested in one course in particular: Basic Mountaineering 1. The course took place during the first two weekends of June on Mt. Seymour and Mt. Matier, with the option of an extra weekend spent in Squamish learning the basics of rock climbing for those who needed it. Our group was a friendly bunch with varying skill levels from first timers to fairly experienced. The instruction we received was awesome with a ratio of four students to every skilled leader. Set up to give us a taste of mountaineering, the Seymour weekend allowed us to familiarize ourselves with the all gear as we practiced drills. It was very helpful to learn how to use crampons, ice axes and staying warm but not too warm - and keeping our feet dry! MOUNTAINEERS VS SPARTAN RACERS We hiked up Mt Seymour on June 1st, our trip coinciding with the Vancouver Spartan Race. The start of the expedition saw 25 plus hikers in full mountaineering gear with heavy backpacks walking alongside Spartan Racers who were more scantily kitted out in shorts, t-shirts and running shoes while they navigated their obstacle course. Quite the contrast. We camped near the top of Seymour and practiced ascending steep slopes using an ice axe, building snow anchors, boot skiing (fun!), self-arrest using an ice axe in case of a fall, hiking in rope teams and more. It was a great weekend that prepared us well for Mt. Matier. Avalanche Echoes September - October

5 BRING ON MATIER Next came the ascent of Mt Matier, a 2,783m peak in Joffre Lakes Provincial Park, near Pemberton. We hiked up on the Saturday to Keith s hut. The hike was pleasant and we made good time. We set up camp and had more time to practice snow anchors and crevasse rescue. At 4am the following morning we set off, to take advantage of firm snow. We reached a small plateau at the northeast base of Joffre Peak known as Motel 66 around 5am where we roped up in teams of five and applied sunscreen. It was an awesome opportunity to enjoy a spectacular sunrise and take pictures while the different rope teams were getting ready. We crossed the Anniversary Glacier on avalanche remains and took a quick break at the top of that section to enjoy the scenery some more, eat a quick snack and put on our crampons. The last part of the hike up was very steep and we summited Mt. Matier at around 10am after crossing a very narrow ridge. After a 15 minute break at the top spent enjoying the view and taking more pictures, we started the descent to make room for other rope teams on the narrow ledge. The conditions of the hike were nearly perfect as firm snow and a clear blue sky made for a smooth descent. SELF-ARRESTING FOR REAL During the descent, two people on my rope team tripped and started to slide down but managed to self-arrest themselves while other three jumped into self-arrest position themselves to stop them if needed. It was nice to see that the drills worked and that a team of novice mountaineers was so quick to react to this situation. Credits to the great instructors! Back at the hut, we packed everything up and made our way down, reaching the parking lot around 6pm. A long day but very fulfilling. We left with beautiful scenery in mind and a stomach full of cereal bars, looking forward to a burger and beers in Whistler. BM1 was a truly fantastic experience... I can't wait for the next mountaineering adventure! 5 Avalanche Echoes September - October 2013

6 Mount Victoria 2013 Words & Photos by: Mandana Amiri The week long ACC trip to Lake O Hara at Yoho National Park in August 2013 was absolutely spectacular! Our group was a compatible mix and the weather for the most part co-operated, enabling us to do some climbing on Shaeffer, Wiwaxy, Yukness, Little Odaray, Abbot Pass and Mount Victoria. Before ascending Mount Victoria s south summit (3,464m), we hiked up to the Abbot Pass Hut. We hit the trail to Lake Osea, arriving at the pass within four hours after passing through the tricky scree slope and easier snow band. On the pass, the views of surrounding peaks including Mount Lefroy were stunning, although the sound of falling rocks constantly buzzing in our ears reminded us that we were in a more serious mountain zone. At just under 3000m, the hut was well equipped with foams and blankets. We spent a cozy evening with good food, good laughs, and a mystery to solve about a missing chocolate bar... Next morning, we set off at 5am in three rope teams, with help from our support team. Flagging that we d placed earlier made for an easy travel up to the ridge where we watched the sun rising, and the valley and Lake Louise Chateau lighting up in the morning glow. Continuing along the ridge, with Mount Huber on our left, we all agreed that despite the cloud cover and high winds at times, the weather was alright to continue. The snow coverage was quite bare so we only needed crampons for a short section of icy snow traverse, and we placed protection for a couple of sections. We were the last rope team to hit the summit at 11am. The return was long but smooth travel. In summary it was a rewarding climb with gorgeous colorful view of the Canadian Rockies. Avalanche Echoes September - October

7 REIGNING VICTORIOUS ACC Lake O'Hara Camp A bus to the shelter Twenty four in the crew Weather sunny and warm Skies a radiant blue. Two huts in the meadow With kitchen and bunk The packs were unloaded Then off for some fun. Schaffer, Odaray, and Yukness These peaks all nearby Huber and Victoria Reaching the sky. Lakes adorning the landscape Blue, green, grey, shimmering Water from the glaciers Occasional skinny dipping. Marmots and picas Wolves visiting one night Lightning, constellations All within sight. Climbing and hiking Catered food at its best A diverse group together Melding knowledge and interest. Lake O Hara in Yoho A gem of a place A playground for all of us A magical space. Thanks to all participants For this seven-day home This camp will be remembered For many years to come. Thank you! Marian Jans Photos by: Iwona Erskine-Kellie 7 Avalanche Echoes September - October 201 3

8 Mount Victoria a retrospective Words by: Ian Ross Photos by: Iwona Erskine-Kellie It had been almost 40 years since I last attempted Mount Victoria and I d been thinking about our attempt back in the early 1970s and particularly about the changes in gear and mental attitude. The harnesses of that era essentially turned you upside down in a fall. I decided to leave mine at home. Most people merely tied the rope a few times around their waists and hoped for the best. The axim that the leader does not fall was part of the mindset. Crampons were a pain in the neck and balled up with snow very easily making them dangerous in mixed conditions. When we attempted Victoria back then, we used a fairly heavy 11mm nylon rope, which although was dynamic, stretched very little in comparison to our modern ropes. A good fall would loosen up most of your tooth fillings. It was to be a number of years later before I climbed with a helmet. As people talk about the route on Victoria, the section known as the sickle usually is brought up. The sickle is normally the crux of the climb on Victoria. It is a semi-circular ridge of ice and snow with very exposed drops either side. When we tried Victoria 40 years ago, it stopped us in our tracks. If someone fell, the other person had to launch off to the other side to prevent both people from coming off the ridge. I have not heard if in fact this was ever a successful manoeuvre or just a myth to keep everyone cheerful. My partner and I discussed the possibilities and decided it was time to turn back. A good decision based on the conditions of the sickle and our experience level at that time. The conditions on the sickle in 2013 were quite different. The snow and ice wall, presumably generated in winter and early spring by the strong updraft winds on both sides of the mountain, had disappeared. What remained was a (fairly wide) rounded ridge with a little ice and mostly snow. This huge difference in conditions, along with our modern gear meant that once past the sickle, each group made good time to the summit. On this summer s trip, although the weather cooperated, the wind did get our attention. On certain parts of this shattered ridge, gusts were close to 50 km/hr. As ever, the mountain was reminding us to pay attention and take nothing for granted. Avalanche Echoes September - October

9 climbing Robie Reid Words: Jay MacArthur Photos: Jay MacArthur & Martin Naroznik Participants: Daniel Friedmann, Martin Naroznik and Jay MacArthur (leader) Robie Reid (2,095m) had been on my list for about 35 years and I finally climbed it in July One of the highest peaks on the north side of the Fraser Valley, it s located in Golden Ears Provincial Park. The access used to require a boat or canoe to get to the trail head and I was interested to read last year that Jeff Hann had led a trip up it on a new trail that started at the end of a logging road close to the north end of Allouette Lake. After a bit of research on the internet I found a trail description in Club Tread ( Route.aspx?Route=1103) and on the Maple Ridge rescue team s website. We drove to the end of the road on Friday night for a 4:30am start the following morning. It took about an hour to get to the north end of the lake after hiking the new trail on the east side. From there it was just under 1500m up a very steep section to the top of the hiking trail. Even if you re not a climber it s worth doing this to see the tarns and the view. From the top of the ridge, an indistinct trail headed west to a snowfield and gullies that led to the climb. At Dan s suggestion we took the first gully on the left, since he had tried unsuccessfully on another one further up. We needed an ice axe on the snow and a short rope to get over a tricky spot. Don t forget your helmet since the rock is loose in the gully. If you look closely you might see some slings part-way up - thanks to Martin for leading the chimney. From the top of the gully, we dropped down 20m before traversing up to a flatter spot where we could descend to more snow. From there it was a pretty easy walk to the false summit (with a radio tower) and then a short class 3 scramble to the true summit. It took nine hours for the old-guys to reach the summit and seven hours down. A highlight was a swim in Allouette Lake at sunset. 9 Avalanche Echoes September - October 2013

10 Upcoming Socials & Courses Crevasse Rescue Dry School Tuesday September 17, 2013 (BCIT climbing wall at the BCIT Burnaby Campus) This evening course introduces participants to Prussik practice and building various pulley systems used in crevasse rescue. Technology in the Backcountry Tuesday September 24, 2013 (Floral Hall, Van Dusen Gardens) Do you want to get more out of your smart phone or GPS on trips? Already an expert and have knowledge or tips to share? Join the ACC Vancouver for this interactive workshop featuring discussion around: GPS: downloading maps, entering waypoints, tracking progress, posting trip results Apps: Weather, navigation, GPS & more Data-less apps for tablets Come for the workshop, stay for the pizza ($2/slice). Pre-registration is a MUST. Swiss Summer Excursion 2013 September 24, 2013 (Floral Hall, Van Dusen Gardens) Join us as members of this summer s Section excursion to Switzerland and France recount & illustrate their recent experiences in the Bernese Oberland, tackling the Monch, Jungfrau & Eiger. Hear about Amir & Eva s exciting ascent from the Mittelegi Hut on the Eiger and their even more exciting descent; travel to Chamonix for ascents of Mt Blanc & other peaks in the region and finally take a train to Zermatt for accounts of an ascent (& bivi) of the Matterhorn, a great day on the Dufourspitze, of Monte Rosa (highest peak in Switzerland), some hiking - and a little Parapenting to keep things interesting. Upcoming Trips & Socials Sat Sept 21-22, 2013 Scrambling North Nesakwatch Spire (Difficult) Tue Sept Social Swiss Summer Excursion 2013 (Easy) Tue Oct Skiing Group purchase discount option for skiing on Cypress Mountain (Easy) Sat Oct 5, 2013 hiking Mt. Barbour hike and fish (Difficult) Sat Oct 5-6, 2013 Scrambling Welch and Foley Peaks (Difficult) Fri Oct 11 13, 2013 Scrambling Downton Creek Basin (Moderate) Sat Oct 19, 2013 Scrambling Ashlu Mountain (Difficult) Wed Dec 4, 2013 Skiing Skimo Training/ Race Series (Easy) Fri Dec 13 16, 2013 Skiing Marriott Basin/ Wendy Thompson Hut Wed Dec 18, Skiing - Skimo Training/Race Series (D1: Easy) Wed Jan Skiing Skimo Training/ Race Series (Easy) Fri Mar 7, Skiing - Campbell Icefields Ski Camp (D3: Difficult) Fri Mar 21-29, 2014 Skiing Kokanee Glacier Cabin Camp (Difficult) Postage paid Return undeliverable Canadian address to: ACC Vancouver Section c/o Federation of Mountain Clubs of BC 130 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC V5Y 1P3