May 2012

In May we finally got some Sunny weather, and I made the effort to bosh out three local classics- The Garibaldi Neve Traverse, and the Coleman Demming route on Mt Baker and the NW face of Mt Matier.

The Neve traverse (often done as a multi day trip) took us about 12 hours car to car.  We were able to skin right from the parking lot at the Elfin Lakes end, but had to walk about 3km on dirt down the Rubble creek trail.

Sorry for the crappiness of these photos. I took them using my iPhone and I don't think it could handle how bright it was.

Vince skins past Diamond Head onto the Neve

Enjoying the looooooong flat section to the East of Garibaldi.

About to enjoy 700m of nice glacier skiing down to the lake... then the arduous slog back to the car!

The following week I popped down to Mt Baker for a summit attempt, which had been high on my list ever since seeing it from the Mt Baker ski area on a nice sunny day back in February.

On this trip I was accompanied by Holly Walker, who was using this as a last training mission before heading off on a 5 week Denali expedition.  This Trip took us about 12 hours car to car.  We were lucky enough to summit with clear skies, but we got socked in quickly and the entire descent was in a white out.  To ski from the summit back to the trail head in good conditions must be a real treat- the skiing just goes on forever!

At the trailhead, about 7am.

Approaching the top of the Coleman Glacier... still a long way to go.

Holly climbs the Roman headwall- the last section before the summit.

On the top.  Luckily the clouds held out just long enough....

I was very excited to have bagged a few classics at the start of May, but with 2012's deep snowpack I thought there might still be time for one more trip.  Mt Matier has always been high on my hit list, and conditions were still looking ok for a late season mission.

Vince crosses a bridge near the parking lot.  Was hoping for a little more snow than this!

From Motel 66 above Keith's Hut, Lee points out the best way up the Anniversary glacier.

Vince and Lee bootpack to the summit.

Success!

Very stoked indeed.  This run really did not disappoint.  Our timing was perfect and we hit the steep face in glorious spring corn.

Lee skis past the Aussie couloir and heads towards Joffre Lakes.  The snow was more than acceptable most of the way down the Matier Glacier, although it did start to get a little wet and sloppy for the last few hundred meters above the lake.  We were able to skate across the upper 2 lakes and ended up boot packing out the last kilometre or so along the summer trail.

Great day. Now which way to Pony Burger?