Saturday, May 23, 2015

Opening Day.... South Chilcotin Mountains Provincial Park....


Each Spring as the May long week-end approaches, the South Chilcotin Mountains start pulling me in their direction. I've spent the last 25 years searching for better single-track but have never quite found what this place offers. When the snow melts I waist no time taking advantage of it's short six month riding season. Sometimes however, the opening of the Hurley Pass FSR gets in the way of this goal. Last year in particular was one of the latest openings and we didn't end up getting through until the second week of June. 

Featured in Norco News....


We packed up and found ourselves on a very clear and smoothly graded Hurley Pass road on Saturday morning.   


We arrived at the Jewel Creek trailhead a couple of hours later and made our way up Gun Creek towards Spruce Lake. I typically pack a good handsaw and do my best to assist in the fall / winter's windfall. This year we got through a solid section but about 10 big trees exist that will require a gas powered machine and couple of sad sacks of beer.    


We made our way through the unique golden aspen forest as we gained altitude.  


This is one of the pieces of single-track I dream about over the winter. In May it's barely snow free and the famous Spruce Lake Grass is just sprouting from the soil.   


This is what it will look like 30 days later....


As we broke tree-line the dominant Mt Dickson showed it's north face....



It's also cool to see the Balsam Root explosion just beginning it's spring life cycle....  



On the final approach to Spruce Lake Mt Sheba showed herself....



Indian Paintbrush in it's first days of the season....



Late afternoon we reversed our direction and took advantage of the "almost" clear Gun Creek Meadows descent.   



That evening we packed up and drove another 90 minutes to our campsite in Paradise Creek.


Our next days objective looked snowier than I thought it would be.... Nevertheless the evening light was spectacular.    



The next morning we enjoyed a couple of very cold spring creek crossings.


The day's weather was a mixed bag but this area is rarely traveled and spirits were high....





Looking towards our objective it became clear it wasn't clear (of snow) so we explored a new valley for a future mission.


It was a solid day out and we managed to ride snow free to 1773m on south aspects....


On our return trip to camp the skies became angry and a typical South Chilcotin May Monsoon unleashed on us. We spent some time waiting it out among the lodgepole pines.        


 
That evening we celebrated another early Chilcotin ride and my 40th Bday with a fine mini keg of traditional Czech Budvar! See you soon high Chilcotin passes!       

Spring Volcano shreddin in Squamish....


 


















"G3T" Genuine Guide Gear Tantalus Range....



As I look out my window towards the Tantalus Range the first significant snow is blanketing the peaks I spend way too much time dreaming about. With November only one day away winter looks to be taking over in the alpine. What better a time to reflect on the Tantalizing April G3 trip I was fortunate enough to catch a ride on 6 months ago. It's no secret the 2014/15 season was far from what we have come to expect in our part of the world. We had everything thrown at us from no snow to pineapple monsoons and long periods of wide-spread boilerplate. Before the season began the boys at G3 threw a dart on the calendar and it landed perfectly on what turned out to be one of the best weeks of the season. Jackpot! Better yet I was equipped with a brand new 2016 G3 Scapegoat Carbon splitty and the new and improved G3 Alpinist High Traction skins. I can't imagine a better place to become acquainted and break in the new gear.              


Our crew was a mix of Sea to Sky G3 riders all anxious to milk one more big trip out of the season. I met Marcus, Taran and Stevie at the Squamish airport and we made sure the beer to gear ratio was just right!            


The flight over Lovelywater showed just how boney the spring conditions were.  


We flew through the Serratus Alpha col where I found myself just a few months earlier in the summer months.  






After a short flight from the summery conditions in Squamish we arrived at the Jim Haberl Hut where Jamie and Grant greeted us. To top it off, Jamie was just preparing a gourmet alpine dinner!      





So many possibilities....





We spent the evening taking in the epic sunset in every direction with classic alpenglow lighting up the high peaks. (Photo: Dom Balik)  


Even Horseshoe Bay and West Vancouver were visible from this place!




After a solid nights sleep I made sure to rise early enough to catch the Mount Garibaldi sunrise....          



After breakfast we skinned up and headed south from the hut towards our days objectives....





After a short traverse we were in the Serratus Ionia Col.  


Marcus looked at the possibilities on Mt Pandareus....  


Taran was the first to drop into the bowl below Ionia....  


Once on the Crescent Glacier the group split up. James and Marcus scoped a juicy looking line on Mt Pandareus....    



Meanwhile Jamie, Taran and myself booted up a line on Ionia and found some waist deep nicely preserved pow.        


Marcus Waring....



Jamie Bond....  


Taran Orleib and Jamie Bond....




Jamie finds a nice rib to slash....



James McSkimming found one on the nicest lines of the day on Pandareus....  Check out this great video from Grant Baldwin from this trip here....    


The mid day sun crept up fast so it was time to get out from under the april Cornices....  




Back at the col we dropped into the west facing slopes of Ionia and found some pow mixed with spring corn....    


This was a scenic zone....


After a great day out we arrived back at the hut and decided to have a big line BBQ....  



Stevie and I decided to hang back and prepare the food while the others headed up Serratus's west face.      



From this place we could see our lines on Ionia....  


It was cool to spot a Brackendale Bald Eagle this high up in the Tantalus Range....  


Marcus dropped in from the summit of Serratus....




And slayed this juicy line....  


Stevie watched on as James dropped into a beautiful spine on Serratus. He's visible just above her touque....      







Cheers to a great day in the mountains!


The group was stoked!




The evening was spent revelling in a fabulous day....    


Jamie, Grant and I were set to fly out the next morning so we would have to make the most of the next day. We rose well before sunrise and traversed out to hit the North Face of Serratus. The plan was a heli pick up below the Serratus Glacier....      




Mission accomplished!




Before long we were in the A-Star and en route back to Squamish just in time for breakfast. Spending time in the Tantalus Range so close to home it's hard not to appreciate just how unbelievable and amazing our back-yard is! A big thanks goes out to G3 for making this trip a reality.... See you soon Tantalus Range!