COVER: The Hermit w i t h ?rank Saumann (Frank claims he took this but I have my doubts - editor.)

rite Varsity Outdoor Ckh Journal

VOLUME XI-1968

"The Vniveulhj of 3tittih Columbia

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS

The Varsity Outdoor Club is 2 group of students, fa and staff joined together by a love for the outdoor, esp the mountain environment. It is people hiking in, skiin

those alpine meadows and lakes that a t in B.C. It Is people cycling and people enjoying the enthusiasm of Chrd

camped on the Garibaldi Neve reverently ard in the spring.

This year, having essentially completed the Whistler Cabin, membership qualifications were changed to allow only one of the two workhikes to be done at the cabin and to require old members to do one qualification hike. These adjustments added considera impetus to our fall schedule, improving and increasing qualifi­cation hikes, mountaineering schools and trail workhikes. The success of multiple qualification hikes over the past two years is moving Long Hike away from Camp Potlatch with its incessant rain and rising costs toward a combined hike-mountadneordng camp in an area such as Cascade s Pas s. Besi stance to compulsory rock schools will promote more over night qualifications into alpine areas where climbing skills can be taught in the raountas r. setting, far away from the masses at the highway edge. Work on the Fitzsimmon's Trail io Russet hake is almost completed and the trail is continuing around Chekamus Lake. increased in (.eras in mountaineering areas accessible in a day from the ¥histler cabin is providing greater use of our facilities there. Despite our loss of the Garibaldi Lake Cabin, except for emergencies, the Spring trip and Sphinx Camp will live, eternally.

As our alumni spreads and "V.O.C." becomes a household ' at the dinner tables of the world, may we always remember an live by the code of the mountaineer: "To strive quietly for together, interdependently, never stopping until cur goal is reached". To the grads, good luck in al1 your enricavours an keep in touch. To those who remain to rebuild V.O.C. next \ continue to keep our club in its place of dominance on campu and high in the hearts of its members - past, present and fu

Honorary President and Vic e-Pre si den t Mr. and Mrs. P. Thompson

Pre sident Vic ( j - President Treasurer

Cabin Marshall Climbing Chairman Arohivis t Journal Editor Membership Chairman Public Relations Offiem-P.A.R.C. Committee Chairman Whistlor Commjttee Chairman Ciubrooir. Marshall

Paul Sims Anne Mankay Les Watson Linda Kemp Dave Lloyd Mike Warr Kath> bickerton Len Winter Ro n Ko t Cia Alec Deas Dave Tt'fngate Joyce Van He eke

V.O.C. EXECUTIVE 1 9 6 8 - 1 9 6 9

Vice- tVssidcn t. Ra !,hy Eickor ton Secretary Marilyn Baker Cabin M a r s h a ] 1 Harry brucc Climbing Chairman John Nance

iial Edi Susa. Membership Chairman Walter Peachey I'nbli^ Hplnr.iors Officer Kathy Milligan P.A.P.t'. Committee Chairman Al »t-' l)ea^

EDITOR'S MESSAGE

1 9 6 8 lias been a very enthusiastic yoar for V.O.C. The number of arriales in the Journal stands as witness, I wish to thank all those who submitted articles whether they were included here or not. Because of duplication and lack of space not all the articles could be published although they were of merit. 1 also want to thank all tho se who have helped me prepare for publication. The members who typed, proof read, drew cartoons and maps, gave advice and developed pho i-ographs have my greatest appreelation. Without them I could not have done

This edition of the V.O.C. Journal lias one major change -a new cover format. V.O.C. needs a more contemporary image to present to the world than the one created in 1 9 5 8 when the first Journal was published. During the past ten years the club has, inevitably, changed and the Journal must keep pace with the changing trends and diversification o f interest s now pre sent in V.O.C. Compared to the level of presentation of other out­door clubs V.O.C. is, to a certain degree, lacking sophistication. This year I have attempted to remedy the situation. It is far from the ultimate solutn'cn but it is a beginning. I hope yon find it worthwhile and enjoy reading the 1968 V.O.C. Journal.

Thank you once again.

Susan J. Cusl Editor, 1 9 6 8

JQTT-RNAL COMMITTEE

Editor Assistant Editor Assisting the Editor Photography Chairman

Sara Oliver Ken T.efever Dave Yingate Nela Leja

Susan Cushiug

TABL£ OF CONTEXTS

President's Address Dave Lloyd V.O.C. Executive

GENERAL CLUB ACTIVITIES

Social Acti-

CLUB ACTIVITIES - CHRISTMAS 1 ? 6 ? TO MAI 1 9 6 8

Christmas Trips Bitching Song 8 Big White 1 9 6 7 Ford Cannon . . . . 9 Whistler Luxury Christmas 1 9 6 ? . . .Wendy Bily H Christmas 1 9 6 ? - Rossland Bill McLintock . . . 12 Kimberley Ski Trip Bev Tingley 12 In The Canadian Rockies John Milne . . . . . 13 Excerpts from the Slocan Chief

Cabin Log Book IS

Post Christmas Trips The Great Siwash Kock Fiasco. . . .John Ranee 17 Steeplechase 1965 Walter Peachey . . . 19 Vedder River Running Marilyn Baker. . . . ?0 Baker Invasion Walter Peaqhey . . . ?1 Chief Day: South South Gully . . .Joy Petty 22

Spring Trips Sphinx Camp 1 9 6 8 Log Excerpts 23 Birth of Sphinx Cattp Harry Bruce . . . . 2 ^ Gargoyles Encircled Walter Peachey. . ..27 Spring Trip l?j*S Don Stewart 27 Peshastin Pinnacles Tohn Ranee 29 Mt. Baker Ken Lefever 30 Sechelt Bicycle Trip Harry Bruce 31 McGillivray Pass Ken Lefever 32 Sagi:iaw Canoe Trip Cam Pearce 34

SUMMER CLUB ACTIVITIES 1 9 6 3

Salt Spring Cyclorama Anna Pre to Lake Lovelywater Joy Petty. Edge Mountain - Xorth Face of

East Peak Dick Cul her Groiicli and Toodle on Vancouver Treue Winga

Blackcomb I 9 6 8 -Joy Petty . Mr. Tantalus Eckhard Buss Olympic Beach Trip 1 9 6 8 Gill Kidd. The Pup's Butt . Dick Culbert Canoe Trip up the Indian Arm Bob Jans sen The Great Cantpagnolo Climb Glenn Woodswor Campagnolo Sequel Rick Price Rainier Roland Burton Slack Black Tusk Trip John Ranee Bowron By Six Margaret C-ormel Roger's Pass .Kick Price M t . Blanchard Nancy Deas Fitzsimmons Range Notes Brian Ellis

AUTUMN Afro WINTER ACTIVITIES 1?68

Autumn Trips Mt, Garibaldi i'eber Macek Mt. Tupper and the Hermit Gendarme.Frank Baumann Habricli - The Gambit Grooves Route .Dick Culbert Co-Pilot - North Face Hick Culbert Church Mountain Anna Preto . Shuksan Swamper s Barb Pulton . Mt. Tomyhoi Mancy Deas . Monte Cristo Margaret Bempse Forty Miles Down the Eraser:

An Epic Kalph Sayle. Brohm Ridge Sara Oliver. Survival 1 9 6 8 Val Calverley Panorama Ridge John flook . Mystery Trip-Out Bonnie Thyer The Adventures of Young Wafer . . .Doug Monk V.O.C. Hallowe'en and short hong

Weekend Paul Sims

Winter Trips Mount Strachan Len Boa Ly S235" - Somewhere North of D'Arc;.- . .Peter Macek. T^nquille Lake Trail .Jim Byers Pnshastin Pinnacles Vivian Webb. Fabled Adventure John Plook .

C-LIMbS AND EXPEDITIONS

The Chief: Prow Route Dick Culbert Panther - Southwest Face Dick Culbert Lions - Northeast Buttress Dick Culbert Lake Lovelyvater - hew Routr,s . . .Alice Purdey C 1imbs in the hockies .Alice Purdey Mt. Hozomeen - The Southwest Face -Dick Culbert Tiaffic Jam on Haddington Dick Culbert Rattlesnake Pitas Dick Culbert

Abroad St. Moxitz Peter Macek Trek to tbe Everest Region Byron Olson Piskovec . . . . . Peter Macek The Trip John Ricker The High Tatras. Peter Macek Mt. Kenya Duncan Etches. The Ruwenzori Mountains Duncan Erches. A Dilemma About Vhat to Krite. . . . Dave King. . .

OTHER FEATURES

The Park and Recreation Committee. . Alec Heaa. . . B.C.'s Outdoor Recreational Resources -

CypreS9 Bowl John Milne . . Rock Schools 1968 John Ranee . . Outing Clubs ~ Eastern Style Paul Starr . . . , Reflections on a Timber Cruise . . . Rick Price . . "Climbers" A Rock Climber "Once Upon a Cliff" A Rock Climbei "Rocky naming Winter" Paul Sims. . . "Alpine Fir" Paul Sims. . .

GENERAL CUJTt ACTIVITIES 1

V.O.C. SOCIAL ACTIVITIES I 9 6 S

Another year has gone by and with it auother whirlwind of club activities - from the Whistler Gathering (Battle of the Bands) to the Christmas cheer of the Carol Singing partv. Remember:-

Whistler Gathering

The club took on a musical outlook in the Mew Year with the return of the Christmas ski trips to Whistler. The Big White Trip w a s hard to ignore due to their size and volume and the Kimberley and Whistler trips also made good showings but not to be outdone was the Rossland trip. This group should go down in the annals of history for originality for they created the Bitching Song (see page c1 J. On Sunday, the feativities were continued with the Dam Downhill despite the wet conditions. Big White ruled the course set on the Lower T-bar, (See the A w a r d s ) .

Open House and Chorus Lines

The girls really worked hard on their chorus line under the strict supervision of John Flook. The girls began their skit as loaded down, hard working VOC'ers (we all know what that's like, eh, girls) and ended it as carefree chorus-line dancers (garters and a l l ) . It was noted by all that the best looking girl had to be Greg Card - W O W . What a hunk: - I mean honey '. He go t mor e pa sse s than all the girl s put together. The hoys did a take-off on the Beverly Hillbillies and it was so stirring that, needless to say, they walked off with the Cup. The next day the Steeplechase provided hilarious enter­tainment for all.

Chief Day

Thirteen eager climbers (who's superstitious) met at the Chatterbox Cafe in Britannia. They split into two groups and proceeded to climb South-South Cully and Boomstick Crack. A days climbing was enjoyed by all and they finished a perfect (?) day in Kakademon Kloset.

Reunion Banquet - March

Fips Broda showed a wide range of slides from his wife in her bikini (that's what he thought of when climbing) to the awe-in spiring chal 1 cnge of the Centennial C J. i.mbs.

Peter 'Peeler' Thompson received the Silver Pin and celebrated the occasion by having the after-party at his house, aga i n1 Thanks, Peter and congratulations.

Reunion P a r U (or Back to School Bash)

Kick Hobson was the gracious host for our Septemher return. It was a general ga"b session which finished with dancing on the lawn: No one seemed to have any trouble remembering how to polka or how to do the Salty Bog Rag.

Splash 'n Dance

A number of hardy souls braved the elements to splash and enjoyed games of tag and water polo. The many o Lhers who attended the dance (approximately one thousand two h u n d r e d ) grooved to the Soul T'nlimi ted Band. The after-party wa s held at Ford Cannon's.

Clubs Day

A first was made this year with Clu'o's Day being held in the new Student Union Build-irig. Our display was set up in the open courtyard on the second floor of 3LB. Instead of the usual Armory climbs, traverses were made across the top of the courtyard while some peopl^ climbed the cardboard moun­tain in the display. As well as the outdoor display, slides we re shown inside on the different face t s of V.O.C. life.

This was a new idea to use our new SUB facilities and at the same time atqtaint new members tu the unusual habits of V.O.C. The mixer was a big success with old meeting new. It included a slide show and photo albums and, of course, the instant Salty Dog dancing lesson. Now one-hop, two-hop, three-hop , four-hop, - slide ?

Long Hike

This year short long and the Hallowe'en Party foil on f.ie same weekend and what a weekend. Needless to say, a large crowd gathered at the cabin. The theme for the party was historical characters or things:- some examples were Bonnie and Clyde, the 4tlanti<_ Ocean, the Statue of Liberty, Johnny App1eseed and many. many more. The winner for the costume which took the mo?t effort went to the Tin Soldi or, a fellow clad from head to toe in silver painted cardboard. As well as dancing, there was apple bobbing and an exciting orange relay which you have to see to believe. Some people mustered their strength for the two hikes whi oh went on Sunday; one to the Black Tusk meadows and the other up Singing Pass, The weather was beauti fuI.

kakademon Kloset

ral gathering place i'or the- climbers, worke hit year a new re cord of eighty persons Kloset. iiven though half the population we Took place. The volume of sound aceompani a harmonica was heard all the wav to Smi1i

Curling and okating

Gaining popularity among some VOC'ers are skating and curling. In October approximately fifty people joined the regulars at the Stardust Roller Rink. Then, in November, untold numbers ice-skated and curled at the Thunderbird Arena with an after-party in ST'E. Altogether a great way to get out and have some fun" with V.O.C.

Christroas Party

This year' the Carol Singing was held at Joni Fisher's. It was a tremendous success except that everyone sang off-key. Santa, Rudolf and all the other reindeer were there much to the pleasure of all the Sugar Plums. A great time was enjoyed by all and it was a fitting finale to a great year.[]

DAM DOWNHILL

We t. sno w welcomed the enthusiastic Giant Slalom contesta Who were up bright and e a r l y ( ? ) . The course w a s profes­sionally tramped out by Reg Wild and Jim Byers. Hie des cents were spectacular to say the least. The winners:

Men; A. Eric Miglin Women: A. Bev Tingley

In both the M e n ' s and W o m e n 1 s races, strong te. Big White ski trip afforded other trips little for success.

STEEPLECHASE

e course in a word - TREACHEROUS. All credit for sup eachery must go to head-treacherer Ken Hall. The con s so easy? that some people at tempted it on one ski. rs t pe r son to roll to the i'ini sh on two skis: Leonar Winter; the girl with most endurance: Julie Kiraly.

4

PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST

No duck jokes

Class

Alpine Features CIimbing and Skii ng Alpine Natural History Portrait s Club Activities "Hairy" Picture

e in Competition

Ken Lefever Harry Bruce Frank Eaumarm

Harry Bruce

SILVER PTN

In the Award Speech given by Jim Stevens at the V.O.C. Banquet, lie said: ' Every phase of every endeavour o f thi s man were charged with enthusiasm, honesty, integrity and diplomacy. Diplomacy - baby, he wiate the book: He provided leader ship and inspiration One of the qua 1i-tie 5 of thi s indivi dual which 1 personally have always admired is his modes Ly. When the opportunity arises to praise someone, this person is tile first in line. But when it is his turn to step into the lime.li ght - he cannot be found Mow maybe this person does not feel that he i s worthy of receiving this award - but we do. We of the Varsity Outdoor Club appreciate his many contributions, we respect his high ideals and we admire his rare personal qualities. Ladies and gentlemen. one voice cannot overrule four hundred - not even if that voice belongs to thi s y ear' s Silver Pin Award winner, PETEK THOMPSON'.[]

AUSTRALIA - NEW ZEALAND

IAN STIRLING (President 1 9 6 2 - 1 96*3) and his wife, STELLA are now living in Brisbane , Austra 1 i a where IA.\ is work! rip, on

SHELL A MoV.EEK IN is winking in New Zealand.

AFRICA

Our resident in Ehtiopia, none other than Captain Krunch better known in some circles as DUNCAN ETCHES, filled us i grad news in Africa. DUNC says:

DAVE KING is still with G.U.S.O., w.ith the ifriean Wild­life Management in Moshi, Tanzania. We might see DAVE'S return Christmas ' 6 9 .

DON and "NTTA POOLE are still teaching in Lima, Uganda. Evidently the climate agrees with them.

PARKER and ANN WILLIAMS who first worked with C.U.S.O. for two years are in Tanzania working with External Aid. They visited Europe this summer and tried the Matterhorn but they were unsuccessful due to poor weather conditions,

JOHN and MARY DYCK also worked with C.U.S.O. and then returned 1 0 work with External Aid. JOHN works with the Fore Department in Tanzania.

which deserve

CEYLOK

ART and HET,EN MORTON (honorary President and Vice-Presid 1 9 6 l ) and their daughter, JAN'ET are on a two year assignment : Colombo, Ceylon. ART i 3 working on a pulp and paper pro j ect, part time in Colombo and part time at the [till site on the ea coast. ART writes, "As you can imagine skiing and other wint< sports are 'non est' but swimming and snorkeling in the 80°F or;ea.i is an acceptable substi tuie" .

ENGLAND

DENNIS and ANN HOLDEN were living in North Wales but

6

SOUTH AMERICA

DAVE HIGGINS (President I 9 6 L - 1 9 6 5 ) returned from the Philippines long enough to say hello and goodbye because aft two weeks he was off again, this time to Ecuador. DAVE is an engineer working for a Vancouver company with apparently wide spread interests,

M O N T Y LASSERRE is reported to be 'tripping' in South America, somewhere 1

UNITED STATES

BARB (BOOTH) MACDEOD now living in Evanston, Illinois writes that she and her husband, IAN, joined JOHN PRINGLE in October for a "great kayak trip on Georgian Bay."

DENNY and MARILYN HEWGILL are still In New York, where DENNY is doing research. They are expected to return to Vancouver this summer.

CANADA

Returnees to U.B.C. include VERA ROSEKBLUTH, PETER MACEK and RIC SEBASTIAN. •>

MR. REGINALD WILD is now an Assistant Professor of Educat at the University of B.C.

DOKOTHY SHTVKS has taken up residence in Kamloops to pur her career in physio therapy.

DAVE BELYEA and BRUCE NODWELL have both gone back East t continue in Grad Studies in Physics. DAVE is in Toronto whil BRUCE is studying rn Hamilton.

JOHN BOYLE is another VOC'er who has gone back East. JOHN is working in Toronto.

Can the Laurenti ans he that good 1 ?

DEAN and ANN GQARD are living in Nelson where both are teaching: AKN at the Junior High School and I'-KAh at the Vocational School.

Is ROY TIETMAN still in Dartmouth, Neva

7

FRANK IE and AXEL KELLNER are ho til teaching ± n Vancouver.

RANDY HARRISOK (President ^^6^-^96S) and wife, MARG, are still in Calgary enjoying their winters in the Rockies.

BRUCE McKNIGHT (President T 9 6 3 - 1 9 6 4 ) a n d wife, CAROL, have returned to Vancouver. BRUCE is working in Geological Engineering.

T E D and PAT STEVENS are also in Vancouver where TED is a Forestry Consultant and FAT is teaching.

LATEST HITCHINGS

MARG LATIMER to JIM STEVENS. JIM is n o w teaching at Edith Cavell School in Vancouver and MARG is back at U.B.C.

LINDA LASSALLE to HANK REID. LINDA and HANK were married tbi s summer in Vancouver and are now living in A.rvida, Quebec where HANK works in the Technical Reduction Division of Alcan Aluminum.

JUDY MACKAY and PETER "PEELER" THOMPSON were married in the summer and are now 1 i v i n g in Ottawa.

KAREN 5CHECK to DAVE OLSON.

CATHY FIKLEY to JOHN HEMBL1NG.

Numerou s V . O . C . guys have been hitched 1ately. Some ar e TURRY CLARK, PETER BENSEN,HENNIKG FREYBE and KEN McKENZIE.

The coveted award of "Sneak(s) of the "Week" must go without dispute to:

MR. and M R S . KARL RICHER KARL and NANCY (nee Corfman) are presently residing in Wellington, Vancouver Island. •

CLUB ACTIVITIES - CHRISTMAS 1 9 6 ? TO M A Y 1968

CHRISTMAS TRIPS

BITCHING SONG

Bitching, bitching, grnmp complaining Nothing 'bout that trip was right, Snarking; snarling, whining, grumbling Cursed at everything in sight.

Some go skiing in deep powder At Rossland we skied deep ice, Stumps and. recks and roots and trees Dodging these was not too nice.

Saltless mush for every breakfast Then to hit that untra.ekad ice, Lifts broke down right on schedule Still we paid the same damn price.

Here we have Miss Irene Wingate Dietician for our crew Mush, spaghe t Li were our staples Steak and chicken wouldn't do.

Someone said this trip's official But outside the door, oh no Good old John kept posting letters What d'ya think thats for, ho ho

Belyea was our chief advi sor Cookir. g, skiing, hustling, Loo There was not a goddamn thing That -ie thought he could not do.

D-ddi had new Head 360's Hacked her bases all to Hell, Scared to death of roots and ice Flopped abou L the bunny h i l 1 ,

Ronnie was the greatest hustler Of the cruddy Rossland trip, We foiled every move he made His date with Marg he had to skip.

Frisbees, airhorn, then came Ken Hustling everywhere he walked, At the show we all felt stupid Ivor e his knicker s wi thou t so ok s .

9

Nodwell in his gangrene Krautcan BiLching, bitching all the way, Said the goddamn thing was rotten Had to drive it anyway.

Nancy was the biggest bitcher She outdid us one and all, Everything we did was wrong In spite of her we had a ball.

HAPPINESS IS HAVING SOMETHING TO BITCH ABOUT:

(NOTE: Sung to tune of "Virgin Sturgeon")

BIG M U T E 1 Qfi7

Ford Cannon

It is an old V.O.C. custom that all Christmas trips go by car driven by the members. At Christmas '6?. forty-four members decided to break tradition and go by bus. At 8:00 A.M. we had equipment in the luggage racks, on the seats and in the aisle. The problem then was to fit the people into the bus. The front scats were fairly easy, but the back seats constituted a class four move, U'e wore very fortunate that the driver was such an amiable fellow. L"pon arriving at- the Keiowna Ski Club dormitory (our place of r e s t ) , we had approximately twelve thousand pounds of equipment from hair dryer? to ledorhosen to pack into Che dorm before dinner.

After supper, and while still being exhausted, we walked up to the skiing area to reoonnoitor. This ended in a massive brawl of to ssing people into the snowbank. After that. a danc e.

The skiing was, of course, fantastic with a fabulous bunny hill and a super "pro" hill. Specia 1 thanks go to Oil 1 Epps and Eri c Gerbrandt who gave up much of their ski t-i mo to rustle, I mean teach.

One evening we played football which ended up with the two teams spinning the football. Another evening Joan Fisher was "married" to hen Winter and Mary Ga rdner was "marri eci" to Harry Bruce . Thi s, of course, led to a fantastic rccepti on.

II

As with all Christmas trips, this one was climaxed by-New Year's Eve. We had made previous arrangements with the lodge for a turkey dinner and the use of their hall for a dance after dinner. At midnight flares were lit and the passion ring w a s formed. About 1:00 we all retired to the dormitory and, after wishing a happy New Year to some of the Kelowna Ski Club members who had come up the hill for a party, we all retired.

New Year's Day produced a foot of light powder and sunshine. The sunshine continued to the next day when a very contented group left for Vancouver. [J

WHISTLER LVXUP.Y CHRISTMAS, 1 9 6 7

Wendy Bily

The sun sparkled on the snow and long pointed icicles hung dripping from the roof. Smoke curled lazily up the chim­ney from the dancing flames below. Sound beautiful? It was luxury - Whistler- Luxury, 1 9 6 7 , that is.

Exhilarating days beginning to the sound of the Salty Dog Rag and spent sailing down the slopes, ending in great (?J home cooked meals and dancing after that- Too good to be true, eh? Well, there were several little things which tried to spoil it. Like ice. Ice plu.« new skiers equals bruises and damaged egos. And accidents - the first involved a near cleavage of a thumb while chopping wood. The seennd was unique -would you believe smashing orange crates open with your hand? The first end opened beautifully but the second did not budge and resulted in a broken hand. But the day was saved by five tender Florence Nightingales willing to give care to all. In their spare moments they even gave backrubs and massages (if that isn't luxury, what isLI)

After a fantastic turkey dinner New Year's Eve, the dancing was frantic and at midnight, our pot banging and screaming brought visitors from nearby cabins to our door to join in th^ fvn.' The right's quiet fall of the biggest, fluffiest flakes of snow ever seen and the sparkling, far away looks of slopes to be conquered brought tears to the eyes of these eager skiers.[]

CHRISTMAS 196? - ROSSLAND

Bill Met intock

Bright and early nn Dee ember 2 6 t h , over thirty super skiers 1 eft Vancouver for Rod Mountain - the ultimate ski slope (as far as steepne ss go e s ) . The road s were in great conditi on and, in record time, wc reached our de s tination. Dreams o f powder snow and unpopulated lift lines came easy that night. The nexi morning our f earl ess leaders, Gordon Dunne 11- and Dave Kennedy, ran aroiir.d tying up snow burmie s' 1 ace s and distributing lift, tickets. We hit tin? slopes (ouch!) and, first r u n down, #t '. % - result: several deep gouges on the bases of brand new skisJ However, the twigs, fallen skiers, rocks, stumps, ice and trees sure mode the skiing both tricky and interesting (besides, V.O.C.'ere never say d i e ) . The evenings were spent di ?eussing who had the deepest, widest, or longest gouge in his ski s. One night we went to the Koo t en ay Hotel for a spaghe t ti and ch i cketi dinner. The dinn er was really great until the management decided that our typical V.O.C, songs (B1 oody Wei 1 Dead, etc.) were bur tins" business. Th" towr. square wa.s the next stop and here we stood around a

few of our morn sportsminded members went to see a nockey game in the arena across the street. Ihere they heard the 1 ocal na tives compl ain about the hippj.es ( that 1 s the rest of us) who were singing aero ss the street. On New Year's Eve, we managed to scuish thirty-four people into a room built for six. The next morning a l l the keener* raced up the mountain for one last fling at the twigs, fallen skiers, rucks, stumps, ice, tree; arid o c ca fioiis L p a t c h e o f hone s t- to - gooclne s* snow. While driv-ng past Red Mountain for "rhe last tin.e and looking at the freshly fallen snow, the sun and the few people on the slopes, we kept thinking - well, may be nex t y e a r . [ ] (

KIMBERLEY SKI TRTP

W:iaL is dry powder, five minute line-ups, sunshine and heaps of fu:i' It's the Kiiisberley Christmas Ski Trip. W« had all ttat and much more besides. The majority of the group arrived iv. Kimtaerley between six and ten p.m. and proceeded to "case the joint" a:id pick out the best motel unit. Thirty-two keen V.O.C. 'ers were in Kimherley Kabin Motel, so there

13

The first day dawned somewhat clean with high overcast. Host of us did not got on the slopes quite as early as we planned - about 9-30. The delays were due to poor organization -one bathroom and seven or more people to use it, two elements to cook on and nobody volunteering to do the cooking. Some people even got Host getting to the mountain. That evening we all went to the Kimberley Youth Masquerade Ball. Eveyone dre ssed up in some sort of costume as soelated with a train. Have you ever tried to dance with a big box suspended from your shoulders - it's almost impossible but loads of fun. Greg won an alarm clock for the best historical figure, Louis R i e l . Paul Sims won a return trip to Ottawa for winning the Centennial Bingo game. That was quite an eventful evening for all of u s .

Skiing was great a l 1 the week we were there. The snow was packed powder, not ice, with a few rocks coming through on the last one hundred yards of the main run. The slopes themselves were great, hardly crowded except at some of the typical conge stion spo t s on all ski slope s. It was no t cold at all so the weather was most enjoyable . On New Year's Fve it started to snow and continued to do so all night and up to about eleven a.m. on New Year's hay, then the sun came out in all its glory. Would you believe ten inches of the driest, squeakiest, fluffiest powder and the clearest, bluest sky anyone had seen for ages? Cameras were out In full force. It was a simply fantastic way to end our skiing.

Needle ss to say, no t all our fun was had skiing. There were hootenannies, hot wine parties, sing-songs and dinner Invitations by t he mo tel owner to keep us well entertai ned. Part of the group went to Radium on December 3 1st to swim in the one hundred degree outdoor pool. That was a great way to sooth those bruises from salty dogging on ice. very slippery Ice. Plenty of hot water and individual showers -none of this waiting your turn nonsense. iV.hat luxury!

Everyone arrived back in Vancouver tired but exoeodlngly glad that they had chosen Kimberley as their Christmas Ski Trip destination..]

IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES

In December, 1 9 6 7 , five of us decided that our Christmas trie was to go to the Rockies, specifically Lake O'Hara, one of the most beautiful places in the range. As it turned out we settled for shorter hikes. On tli o first day we vent for a short

14

jaunt, the second and third consisted of an unsuccessful attempt to tour and snowslioe to Lake 0'tiara. We discovered snowshoes break a perfect trail for skiers. The third day vas terminated by a few appetizers In the Wapta Lodge bar (unofficial trips do have advantages) followed by a sworgasborg which we prepared for by not eating anything substantial for about twenty-four hours . Everyone except Wa.l ly f in ished four plateful s . Wal ly holds the record at five.

On the fifth day Alec. John and Wally headed to the Plain of the Six Glaciers behind Lake Loui se and Tom and Joan wen t skiing. Virgin snow and fantastic view of Lefroy and Victoria made the exercise worth it. That, night was New Year's Eve which we spent at the Lodge. The sewer pipes froze, toilets overflowed and the place was raided. After this climax to our hoiiday we left for home hoping soon to:

Part TI Return to the Rockies

One day last August, we found ourselves at the same cook­house where we spent a few nights the previous winter, but now flowers replaced snow. Down the road was Wapta Lodge now boarded up and bankrupt. On this attempt, we easily raetde Lake 0'Hara where we set up camp In the meadows. (Warning: Squirrels eat holes in packs and tents In a matter of minutes if food is left inside.) Pure solitude is hard to find here because of beautiful, scenery, meadows in full bloom and excellent trails. We spent two days covering very little of the surrounding area. Lake O'Hara is a jewel set In snowcapped peaks :nany of which tower over 1 1 , 0 0 0 feet. The Lodge Is nice but accommodation and food runs about $20 per person per night. Their staff Is extremely friendly, anyone can sit by their fire, tea and cake are served at four (all you can eat and drink for fifty cents) and August 2 5 t h is Christmas when a hilarious performance is put on by the staff. The best access to O'Hara is by private road. It is about seven and one-half miles from the gate where bus rides cost two dollars. It is best to do what we did, that is put your packs on the bus for fifty cents and walk. There is much scenery along the road which is not seen at thirty miles

Travelling to Moraine Lake and the Valley of the Ten Peaks took a day, but allowed us to stock up on such luxuries as sausages. Moraine lake is accessible by public road so there are more 'hoardies' there. Tt is amazing h o w few wander more than a hundred yards from their cars, in fact we were the only group out of all the campers who went to Wenkchemna Pass and one of the ver> few at Sentinal Pass that day. The famous 'Ten Peaks' and the long narrow glaciers between them are fascinating from the upper end of the valley and Sentinal Pass at eight thousand six hundred feet commands a spectacular view.

A one day return trip to Lake Louise for Mary-Ann and John was well worth it. We reached Glacier Lookout where a closeup

15

view of M t . Victoria's ice fall (which that day did its thing and discharged tons of ice down the cliff) as well as Abbott's Pass. Lefroy and the Mitre. At the nearby teahouse (told you it was civilized) we met a fifty year old gentleman from Montrea. who had never hiked in his life, but decided to see where the trail around Lake Louise led. Six miles later he sat on the porch sipping tea and beaming with a pleasure he had never befor experi enced.

Unfortunately, the week was at a close. Mary-Ann and John spent two days hitching back to Vancouver followed by Alec and Joan who managed to squeeze out one more day at Toho.

For anyone who enjoys the magnificent beauty of flowers, trees, creeks, lakes and mountains and who is not in today's typical hurry, this area is a must. Hitch-hiking and tenting reduce the cost to that of food and camera film. If anyone was to catch the biking hug, this area in reasonable weather in August will do it.[]

EXCERPTS FROM THE SLOCAN CHIEF CABIN LOG BOOK. X OKA NEE C-LACIER PARK.

various stages by variou and odd types

Skied up valley of creek to South of creek draining from Lemon Pass (Henceforth known as Sapphire C r e e k ) . Climbed most of Outlook including third and fourth peaks North of the Sunset-Outlook col and the peak of Outlook itself. Third peak is highe ST . Skied back down creek draining I- emon Pa.s s to East (Henceforth known as Garland C r e e k ) . A heck of a climb back up from Kaslo Lake. Night activities - Hauled wood by chain-gang, dog team, tame girl, etc. until It got cold. While on the subject of cold, the wind on Outlook deserves mention. One leant over the drop below the ridge into the gale and prayed for no gusts. We'll pick up our missing members wlion we ski down to Gibson Lake.

16

Day, 196%

Marvelous powder snow and a very productive work party on the wood supply. Everyone enjoyed the run down through the trees above the cabin so much that Eckhard, Roland, Cathy and Roy are staying another day, the lucky people: But Jurg and T are leaving in the morning. This has been a delightful New Year's holiday. There is always a magic place in Kokanee Park and especially in winter time.

This has been a fine camp with Roy, the organizer and leader and Cathy who does the di she s so consistently; Jurg who opens cans so willingly (at both ends) and is one of those hardy people who wash their feet in the snow; Roland, the handy­man, the lighter-of-the-lamp and of the fire in the chill of the early morn; Eckhard, the water carrier and who also likes to sleep outside (but not here at this time of the y e a i ) ! . . . . P.S. Do jeder ? darauf beharkt, ich solle etwas auf Deutsch schreeken homme ich diesen mensche 1?) nach geke sonnt auch in Deutsche Sprache das papier was mich in Augenklick am meisten beschaftigt: es ist raukalt hieroken (jede Mangeichalt, wee man in Zurich sagen wiirde) - Daulken miss hemerkt werden das ich in einer Alphutte nach selten so exquisit gegessen habe. Leider muss ich in zwei minuten deise gasteliche hutte am Ende

Today we leave after spending a few hours cleaning up. Cabin is in excellent shape considering it? age ana we are ver grateful to the people who have kept it that way ±y& spite of everything. It is cold up here hut we expected that. Our special thanks go of course to Helen Butting, who beside guarding the cabin from many things also is an excellent cook and fantas tic impro vi ser.

Roland

EPILOGUE - Everyone packed; all the pots were emptied and floo

day's 'extra' day was worth the trip all over -ummlt and ridge and later the wind and cold driving the lower powder and reluctantly but very gratefully

Tbanks to many who have maintained and treasured this cabin. It becorres far more than a she! tor.

POST CHRISTMAS TRIPS

THE GREAT SIVASH FIASCO

PART I

A Sunday afternoon scramble on Siwash Rock in Stanley Park provided several VOC'ers with a closeup of Vancouver's finest in action. Five climbers, John Ranee, Gary Gustafson, Mike Miles, Ralph Sayle, and Chris McNeill were perched upon the top of the rook when a police cruiser arrived on the scene. We were elirabing in direct defiance of a sign prohibiting such things but pas t experience s of previous climbers told us that we had little to worry about.

The police, who must be running out of real criminals, di s-regarded precedent and decided that the only way that five experienced climbers with rope, slings and carabiners could get off th« rock was with the aid of a very large fire truck, an inhalator, a police cruiser, ten firemen and two policemen. I bad be en watch i ng a particularly beau ti f ul stmset wb en the policeman's voice came booming up to destroy my reverie. "Don't move, we'll get a rig to get you down"" Wow' 1 thought as my mind blew apart and the ecstatic vision of Cod expressing himself in the sunset disappeared. After I had sufficiently recovered ray senses, I thought that the best thing to do would be to com­municate intelligently with the officer. "We're good climbers," 1 began, "we have ropes; we know what we are doing." The

tnunication T decided to rappel down. "Don ' t move, tha t is an orderl", warned the officer.

While await ing da\elopmen ts we discussed possible means of escape, such as rapelling off the back and swimming away. How­ever , after deciding that the water mi gh t'be too cold, we resigned ourselves to our fate and sat down and ciscussed the non-function of bureaucracy.

Soon the conversation changed to more real things like whether a huge ladder truck cou 1d pu s sibTy go t down to the rook. We all decided it was probably impossible but we were soon proved wrong when the biggest thing the Vancouver Fire Department owns appeared on the seawall. The drivers are pretty good but we cannot say much for their hoist operators. They had diffi­culty lining up the ladder and finally needed our directions to get it In place. After the ladder was In place we started down but this was not what the firemen had in mind and so we were told to get back to the top. Up came a fireman. I told him that I refused to suffer the further indignity of being carried dow-n the ladder on his back. The fireman, being a reasonable man, agreed that this was unnecessary and we descended under cur own power.

Now came the little name and number exchange with the nice policemen. Discussion w a s impossible. To my claim that we were perfectly capable of getting down b y ourselves came the classic reply, "Tell it to the magistrate". At the same time Ralph was discussi ng with the other officer just how good we were, how the sign was hard to see and poorly placed and how Dick Culbert's guidebook said that it was okay to climb, the rock. Gary, meanwhile, was congratulating the firemen on the fine piece of driving while Mike was trying to discover the name of the informer. Well, that about ended it. The next chapter will be wri tten in court, after we receive our summons.

P-iRT II

"Tes, they were VOC'ers" read the blackboard in the club-room. The moment I entered I knew our disgrace had been well advertised. Radio, television and newspapers carried the police version of the story. "Five youths rescued from Siwash Rock" and "Fire Department saves stranded climbers" were typical headlines that accompanied our story. Surprisingly, The Sun reported the correct facts. It erred only in affili­ating us with the "Open Air Club", a ruse which was originated by Mike M i l e s .

PART III

"Unlawfully did you use land in Stanley Park where signs have been posted forbidding such use, " read the court clerk. The off-duty police in the front row seemed amused. The judge, confused, asked the prosecutor if there was any information supplied by the police officer who was at the scene.

"Yes there i s, Your Honour."

"Read it," commanded the judge• The information, detailing all possible data including the height above water at which Chris McNeill was first spotted (ten feet) and the fact that a diver once dove frem the rock and was killed, was read.

Gary Gustafson was called to the front of the court. The judge was interested in climbing and questioned Gary about out­door activity in general. Gary pleaded guilty as charged and the judge gave him a suspended sentence. Tilings were going to be all right and we sighed in relief.

Mike Miles was the second to the front. The judge, now in fi ne form, asked more questions about climbing. The police were enjoying the judge's off-hand jokes immensely. Mike pleaded guilty as charged. "Young man, you are in this court because you have broken the law". The smiles and chuckles cease and everyone listens intently as the judge proceeds. "The law says you m a y not climb in Stanley Park so you ought to k n o w better than to disobey the law. If you were hanging around pool halls and smoking cigarettes like you should have been you would not be in this trouble now".

The police, the prosectitor, the gallery and the accused all errupted in laughter.

Mike was given a suspended sentence as were the other accused cl Imber s. In thi s manner the story that began a mon th before amid frustration and anger on the slimey pinnacle of Siwash Pock ended amid gales of laughter in a crowded court room.[J

STEEPLECHASE 1 9 6 8

tvalter Peachey

About the steeplechase — scams sum peepl didnt iyk it — fei-instans the kynd sole boo dumpd a cup of watr on my hed aftrwrdt.

The strt bgan on anuthr gloreus wisier day to wit-rane. Aftr sloging up an ezy hil the brayv (stoopid?) contestants cairn to a get stufd with ote meol and wisl plees. T ges that wasnt to bad but soon aftr calm a ttepe hil and at the top anuthr stuf ycrself (with ote mele) and wisl, bio up a bloon and kis a sno man al at wuns. Thai: was gud fr a laf or T O . Laitr aftr peple had trugd ov-3- sno driphts, undr logs and otbr asortmenLs thae chansed upon a rubr tyr w i h hapnd to bee to fete of the grownd thru wicfi thae mu st hav went to pro seed f erthr. Or corse, the frst ten stalwerts HA HA had to go about won-quar:r mile arund and thru the tyr agane ass a penal tee four b e y n ^ frsti Nxt cairn a sirys ov the gratest tests ov skil, endurans, bravry. wood \i belcve stoopidity on the hole corse. Erst the gud peple must skee thru tree compleet 36O degry terns (or if (hay cant, rol ovr tree X tymes). skee down a persiptus drops why 1 swinging a hula hupe, =k eo bacwerd s and final y .Jump a scipping roap. Ov corse, most ov the ten wer bac in the lede agane so thay al. drew cards lyk nine, ten. Jack, etc. to ase, witch counted eleven and had to jump that mar.ee tyms. The sloe wons wich cairn laitr onlis semed to dra to, tree and fors-1 wundr Y? By this tym the silee clauds hoo entrd wer redy four the taik off yr jakets, put'm on bakwerds and go--and too mie grate delite nobudy did it the ezy way. Finely aftr the last stepo hil cairn syce of the finish but know befor a table bad to be- clyind ovr and a pome resited. And at last, in out

20

Paal sims cairn frst but lie wuz disqualifyd for cuming frst.

Daiv Loid cairn secnd but he w a s diskwalerfyd for n o i n g the

Kim Wutzizfoot caim therd but was diskualif fyd becuz ov only wering won ski.

Varius othr pecpcl wer diskualiffyd becuz (choose v e r s ) :

a) didnt taik skis off at designaitd point. b ) i didnt lyk thor pome--to short or to long. c) thay caim in befor the winr d) spreyed to much ore mele wile trying Lo wisl e) fel wile trying to do tree. j60 degry terns insted

of being smart and rol ovr tree tyms to giv u s a laf.

f) crosd ther skis wile trying to scip the roap g) meny hoo got disqualifyd wer so becuz thay wer

knot gentlmen and pushd in frunt of the gerls wile rasing for ther skees at the start.

h ) meny othr innumrabl reesns wich I cant thine of at the momint.

Ann'ae Len Ivintr was the wencr of the hole thng and it bur was fn to set up and sit on the syd saiing--sufr bavbee ufr![J

V ED PER RIVER RirlTMING

March 3 & 17, 1 9 6 S Marilyn Baker

After news of the Hell's Gate River Run got around, several people decided that this newest sport was the thing to do. As a result, two trips to the Vedder River were organized in March - the river being highest and therefore the rocks being lowest at this time of year.

The first run attracted five girls and fourteen guys -most with rented wet suit 5 and scrounged air mattresses. For the more intrepid (nuttier?), the run started at the bridge about ten miles upriver from Vedder Crossing where the rapids are quite hairy and navigating around -rocks requires deter­mination. The first casualty occurred about five feet from

the start when Kick Walton lunged onto his air mattress blowing out both plugs. The whole ensemble - Riok, mattress and plugs sank and was hooked by a f isherman who probably never made a Stranger catch. The first three miles involved concentrating o n hanging onto your air mattress - especially during three and four foot drops over rocks and down fast rapids. The very refreshing hz degree water obviated any possibility of falling asleep.

The last six or seven miles are not quite as rough and after regrouping, we again took off with a full complement of nineteen. The smoother sailing provided lots of fun arid 1arking around, Every thing was uneventful until the last 100 y a r d s of the run when a whirlpool claimed one wetsuit boot and a rock mortally wounded an air mattress. Ten miles of buffeting and bouncing apparently was not enough for seven people who returned to the bridge to ran the top section again.

The first run was such a success thot it was repeated hy­po puLar demand two weeks later. The turnout of about twenty-included several repeaters who had not had enough sense knocked into them on the first run. Unfortunate-] y, the water level was

were the order of the day, especial!y "sinee everyone decided to run the top part two or three times, rather than paddle around in the doldrums down stream.

The enthusiasm for river running has practically assured trips of this nature will become an annual V.O.C. event. So powder up your wetsuits and grab your air mattresses all vou hodads - Runoff's high!![]

BAK£R T W A S I O N

The Sunday morning silence was broken by the deafening putt Of Volkswagens and Baker Invasion was on for seventeen keeners. I arrived first, with Bruce Ncifer, Joy Petty and L o m e Birch, about 1 0 ; 00 after a half-hour delay because "Little noy Blue" said I needed chains (blaghlll). The snow was good (approximately two feet of medium to heavy p o w d e r ) ; the light was poor. Ron Kot and company (Irene Wingate, Terry Sharpies, Judy F a r r e l 1 ) took a look at the

situation, decided skiing w a s out and went traipsing through the toolies out Goo seberry Point way (among other p l a c e s ) . During the morning, Lorne skied powder while Bruce and Barb Fulton had trouble. Of those I saw, Carolyn Fulton was the only one skiing w e l l . After lunch, Joy twisted an ankle and was hauled off, Barb found her style and most of u s burned our gloves on Austin rope tow. The lifts closed and we headed for Diddi Young's. After a half hour at the border and a couple of wrong turns (Darn you Diddi, that's a long left with a right thrown in for good m e a s u r e ) . At Diddi's -one small front room, thirty people (river runners i n c l u d e d ) , hot do gs , songs, root beer, 7-Up, orange punch, candid pictures and a little ball bouncing around. The soup was hot too. Thanks to Diddi for the use of her cabin for supper. !_]

CHIEF DAY: SOUTH SOUTH GULLY

Take three novice climbers a m you've go t the fi rst party to go u] V.O.C.'s Chief Day. Jim Sinclair took the first two leads which entailed shinnying up a slippery log and some fancy weaving through some cedar branches besides some regular rock climbing. Dave Harris led us up the next pitch. With the use of a sturdy little tree we all made it up to the mantle shelf below the Aid pitch which Jim led. About this time, the secont party caught up to us and Dave managed to swipe some Nanaimo Bars from Kathy B. before he joined ua up above. From there, it was an easy scramble to the top. The climb was livened by Jim's vocal selections, wolf calls and humorous tales as he patiently waited for us to follow his leads. The sun shone upon us as we climbed out on the Bullethead where we searched for the others on Boomstick Crack and got an eagle's eye view of Squamish. A few drops of rain sent us scrambling and slidii down "the back trail (?) with a stop for one rappel. We picked up the group from Broomstick on our way down to Smiling Jack's for coffee (tea, Wendy?!) and a change of clothes for those who had the forethought. Then it was back to Kakademon Kloset to mee t John Ranee 1 s party and some ski ers fo r ho t do gs and

SPRING TRIPS

SPHINX CAMP 1968 LOG EXCERPTS

(SIC)

April 27tli

Establishment of Sphinx Camp 1968 Harry & I left the Barrier Parking lot @ KiJO PM Std time because I had to work a bit Friday. It got dark at about the same Time as we arrived at Lesser Garibaldi lake so we did r.ho last 1-1 hours by headlamp. Fortunately we had tracks co follow. Arriving at. the cabin at 1 0 : 3 0 Std. time we were disgusted to see that it had been locked since a month ago, but somebody had kindly remo-y ed a few of the boards barring the door. The nex t d a y we crossed the lake early, arriving at the site of Sphinx Camp at 9 AM, & setting up my tent. Helicopter arrived 1 0:50 AM Std time & we had things pretty well sorted out by noon....

April 3 0 t h

WEATHER NOT PERMITTING ANYTHING...Sat in the tent, talked, ate, raced snow bugs, tore off labels from jacket, sleeping bags - to lighten load of course (every little bit counts,

May 2 n d

...As T was coming up from the lake I noticed fresh tracks from an animal running and wondered whether he had been stalking u s . As I approached camp I saw a great hulk no t too far from the tents, rumbling towards them - obviously a bear, but I couldn't tell what kind. I was upwind from him, but wasn't sure whether this was good or bad. Having never encountered a hungry bear before, I d i d n 1 1 know the oorrect procedure, but decided I wanted padding if I was going to be clawed. So on went all the clothes I had, including balaclava, sweater, down jacket - I even applied more skreen as part of the ritual, then cautiously edged to the top of the hill, yelling to scare him & summon u p courage, There T saw that he had stopped, bending over the meat pit, but as I got closer 1 realized he would stay in that position A I needn't worry - the snowball we rolled the other day is a pretty tame bear.

May k I Si

...Sphinx camp is a place of extremes. Hot A cold within minutes of each other, wet after 2 days in tents and dry after 2 hours in the sun; Loneliness as 3 people atop Garibaldi, and company like 1 6 in the lugan: Comfort like I>ing in the sun at noon or thawing out the toilet seat at 6 AM. Ingenuity like

cooking i'or 20 with s. one burner Coleman <fe a sj ok Primus, or making touring bindirgs for 3 t e p in harnesses.., .

May 6th

Asccnt | of Castle Towers by Some Various Points on the Way by 0 th era

I opened the tent flap tnis mornir.fr on a drearv sky . was almost asleep again, when Eekhard liuss yelled into my ear that i t was going to be a beautiful day. Sure enough, there was a little blue bole in o^e of the clouds. On the strength of that F-Ohard, Jim dyers & myself set off toward Castle Towers, soon to be joined by Diddi Young, Barh Pulton & -Nettie Fereboom. Nevertheless we kept skiing. tJ> now the mists were clearing and we could see that soon we v.ouid be: leaving tne clouds behind ir, the valley. In fact before long we wer -± wading through soft snow under a throbbing sun. Aero ss the vailey Sphi nx Glacier looked like a stream bed with its rippl es of snow and i ts creva s sed that twi sued in eddies and di sappeared deep in the i 'j e flow. At the foot of M c . Carr we started wha t seemed an endless travers which rook us iinaily to THE base of the Csstle i'ower cirque. Here ne liad lunch. , .Most of the group started the descent while Bokhara, Jim i- Mike made for the summit by a narrow, steep snow couloir,,. At ?:30 DDT...Two new routes were pushed up The face of the GARBAGE HEAP - one right up the middle ana one on the left. Tne two <:xpodi ti or.s rer.de ?.von sed at the summi t, A C&ji adian flag was iiioui: I ad on an ice Triumphant pic tures of Dave lielyea, Mike Lopateeki , he ter Jordan, Bruce Er~ ckson, borne birch, Keith Moure and the lone feminine adventurer Carolyn Fulton were taken along with a hero shot of the garbage pail....

May Sth

"-here it went out of sight. Meanwhile the breeze had :p and by the time we had eaten lunch and gotten back our skis there was a cold (around ^0°) wind. The__run

3 so-so, tilings picking up at the bottom a little ..[]

BIRTH OF SPHINX CAMP

ignated spot?"

ver there ..."

c re to put up the flag. By the way don' t.'.> the stream; there's a.... SPLASH: ... corni

out putting Broadway h e r e ? "

r.d we'd better put a stop light where it crosses Main e's been a few accidents at that corner lately."

ooks like a good double lor. Burton Standard Ultiroat fitted fly...and how 'bout putting food order Mo. 3

it's already buried on Second Avenue by last nighr

link it's time to dig the kitchen.

"The kitchen, dura dum, the kitchen."

"Where does it go, h u h ? "

"Overlooking the stream, naturally. Aesthetics to c you know."

"What are we going to put in the k i t c h e n ? "

"Well, Harry, there has to be room for the freezer, washer, and twenty-seven primi."

"Primi?"

"Ya! That's the plural of primus."

"I guess we'd better start, huh?"

"You talc© over for a while, I'm going to climb the g

"Should I a s k ? "

" No . "

"Okay - you climb and I'll dig."

"Well how was the garbage pile and how was the vie™?

"Well "

"Come on!"

"Okay...The first group is coming across the lake."

"How many girls?"

"What...well let's go and find out."

And so ends the birth of yet another Sphinx Camp. A-come the camp grows, but it owes its very life to th" explorers who venture into the unknown to choose the another chapter in the continuing story of.,.SPHINX "

27

GARGOYLES ENCIRCLED

On E a s w r Friday, April 12th. Carolyn Fill ton. Keith Moore, Reg Wild, Roland T f Urron and I headed for Diamond Head for a day of training in ski touring for Carolyn, Keith and I. Roland's objective for the trip was to find the road which runs by the East side of the Gargoyles to the Keve. We skied down into the bowl below the lodge on the Saddle side, where we donned our skins and headed out in the general direction of the road. Reg felt we were too high, so he and Keith headed down, while we hea.ded -up around a creek gully. On the other side of the gully the road became evident, so away we went, marking It after u s . if the road became rather vague, Carolyn would sarcastically point out a random direction. Just as we were about to hit an avalanche slope. Beg and Keirh re joined us . They had hit an impassible barri er. Things in general became impassible at the level we were at (approximately four thousand five hundred f e e t ) , so we headed down almost to the creek, where we s topped for lunch.

After lunch, we headed around the north side of the Gargoyles to the Saddle, using, for the most part, the tracks of five skiers that passed us just after lunch. Keith w a s having harness and skin trouble, but thanks to R o l a n d 1 s store­house of tricks be was able to endure. At the Saddle, we pulled off our skins and headed down to the lodge over the n o w parti ally crusted powder. We caught the snowmobile to the high point and then skied out, arriving at the base camp^about the time the moon started to eclipse (so you know how dark it w a s ) . WTe packed up and headed for Smiliri' Jack' s again, dropping the muffler and tail pipe on the way. Supper, a hay­wire job, and then home. Thanks to Roland for enduring the day with us, and credit where credit is due to Carolyn for being the best of the " trainees " . [ 1

SPRING TRIP •

Among those pre.

Cam Stewart Rose team Don Stewart Doris 'Turr.hul 1 Frank Jones Mary Norris Jack Radcliffe Betty Skaling Chris Brayshaw Frances Mair Dave Smith Eileen Hooly Laurv Grey Liona Suxherla Dave Radcliffe Agnes Gwyn Allan Gwyn Guest - harry Campbell

28

The boat, Miss Victoria II, in charge of Percy Nelson weighed anchor at 1:00 p.m. after the usual half hour delay, due to the complete absence of grub. The point of departure was the Harbour Conanission dock on Granville Island.

After an hour's ride up Howe Sound St. Mark's Camp was reached. This camp was rented to the club by the Royal Life Saving Society, who, at the time, were reconditioning it for a summer camp.

The lack of docking facilities necessitated some of the hardier and more fooli sh of the members to walk the rather moist distance between the boat and the shore. With the assistance of these stalwarts the supplies and equipment were landed, together with the remainder of the party. 'Jtie boat re turned to the city.

The interval between arrival and supper swimming, sun bathing and paddling. The cone was that the H g 0 was cold - there was snow on

Supper was disposed of and the lunch for day was prepared - sandwiches, tomato juice, nuts (0- The party was sent to bed early si start the following day was planned.

the hike next ranges, raisins,

k:30 a.m. -eakfast - 6 : 0 0

7 = 00

four or five of the boys up and about m a k i a.m. breakfast - the one small stove and

delayed breakfast no end. Hence a - for the Lions.

1 ed bv C at 1 : 3 0 .

ost her balan c. managed to

the president, arrived ar casualty was and slid head

op by

The party of seven at the base of the West narrowly averted when R

a twelve inch stump. Lots of snow-pictures, stuff and 1 The visibility was limited and the temperature was too 1 comfort. Circulation was restored by recalling the wate swam in before. Under pressure it was decided that the itself would not be attempted. As it was, the last part the hike was made with the party on two ropes, as the sm

1 2 : 3 0 and comple

eampfire lasted until qv.

Sunday May 1 s t - 9i00 a

Rojal Barge and set i th the scuppers unde

e h . L . 5 . ach, at

weather was

29

EDITOR'S >JOTE: This article was taken from the V.O.C. Minute Book 1 9 3 2 - 1 9 ^ 2 which was found this year when the Forestry Department was in the proce of moving into the new MacMillan Building. Seventeen members on this trip is not bad considering there were only fifty-seven membe: in the club in 1 9 3 8 , [ ]

PESHAST1K PIKMACLiiS

Exams are over! Wow! V.O.C.'ers descend on Tumwater Forest Camp for four days of climbing on Peshastin's sand­stone pinnacles. The group includes super super climbers and rank beginners. Some are here to do the hairiest things in the place and others are here to lounge around in the sun.

The first day we spent two hours 1 poking around and reading the guide book. Everyone is impressed by the differ­ence between this and Squam.i sh rock. "The friction is fantasti is a call repeated time and again as amazed climbers discover their boots will hold on almost any angle of rock.

Next day, neither bright nor early, we arrive hack at the pinnacles exhausted by the hike up the steep, dusty trail. Later the temperature hits ninety degrees. The first climb of the day is an impress!ve pinnacle aptly named the 'Trigger Finger'. The guidebook calls it 5 - 8 hut this does not daunt Rick Price who leads it up with ease.

summit conference rates [.he climb at least five points below the guidebook rating.

Next comes 'Dinosaur Tower' via the class four skvli.-ie rou te . John Hance , Hi chard Scott , Hick i'nce, Tim 4uger , and

walking along the beach and attempts, by the girls, to create a substitute for bread out of oatmeal and jam,

Supper at ^:00 p.m. - then it clouded up and began to rain. Then the usual confusion of packing and nailing the camp up tight again. More rain and departure - a slightly rough trip and home again;

3 0

The next thret cious beginning, re good (for nini did were neithe:

re there for a g<

days followed perfectly from this aus-We climbed and sun-tanned. Even the meals

teen cent s who can complain L ) . The climbs technically nor psychologically hard. We

ad time, not for horrendous experiences on tion. It was a great weekend I

At various time

John Ranc e ( E) Wendy Watson Rick Price Richard Scott Anna Preto Joy Petty Tim Auger Glenn and Joy W

these people were there:

Ford Cannon Kathy Bickerton Frank Baumann Tom Hall Ralph Sayle Harry Bruce C-ordy Smaill H

M T . BAKER

How does one get more people interested in a trip, less than one week after returning from Sphinx Camp? Simple: just mention those magic words "...and we could leave a day early and make a side trip to Seattle and..." And so it happened that on Friday night, M a y 1 0 t h , Roland Burton, Dave Wingate, Diddi Young, Jim Byers and I found ourselves on an instructionless car rally somewhere north of Everett, Washington, searching for one well-hidden Wenberg State Park. After a f e w hours of sleep we found ourselves in Seattle at the crack of opening time at the you-know-where.

Quite awhile later we were again mobile, headed for Bellingham where we stopped to search for suspenders, naptha, food, and the way out. Mobile again we soon arrived at the Glacier Ranger Station in Mt. Baker National Forest. From there we headed up the Glacier Creek-Kulshan road towards Baker, taking in the normal sites of the area including: one bridge built so that it could be bypassed by the road and a great view of the impressively towering ten thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight feet of Mt. Baker and Its v o h my gawd, we're going to go all the way up that'.:? looking Northwest face. At three thousand seven hundred feet elevation and snowline, we repacked packs, left the car, put on our skis and skins and were on our way to the Kulshan Cabin by mid-afternoon.

31

Around 4:30 Sunday morning we aro se to find the makings of a beautiful day and w i t h great optimism we got ready. Soon after, Jim, Dave, Roland and I were on our way. We started out on skis and skins from the cabin at four thousand seven hundred f eet, but soon took to f o ot and carried the skis. We found ourselveS m a k i n g good time.

Our route took us up the Coleman Glacier and broke to­w a r d s the Black Buttes to skirt the most extensive part of a crevasse field at the far side of which we left our skis. From there we passed belaw an awsoae ice-fall, skirted another crevassed area and proceeded up onto the col between Baker and Colfax Peak at nine thousand feet. At this col, we first no ticed the pre sence of the sulphurous aroma associated wi th the old volcano. The weather continued to deteriorate, but as one of the other parties bad brought along wands to mark the route up, we decided to keep going.

The remaining seventeen hundred feet of elevation up the Roman Wall presented us with some doubts at first, as we had decided not to bring along crampons. Finally, around 1 : 0 0 p.m. we reached the plateau of Baker's summit, about seventy-five feet below the highest end one-quarter mile away at Grant Peak. Weather and visibility conditions were now quite poor, making it time to head back.

Thus we descended and weie grateful for the pre sence of the wands. We finally arrived back at the cabin feeling quite tired, satisfied, enthusiastic and sunburned de spite precautions and poor weather. After a quick packing job, we tackled the trail back down to the cars.

Mt. Baker is indeed a worthwhile project for those wishing a not too teclinical but relatively high altitude climb in an easily accessible area.[]

SECHELT BICYCLE TRIP

11 - Harry Bruce

Members: (L), Kathy Shaikin, Anna Preto, Barry Narod, John Flook, Harry B:

"ho idea WHS to spend Friday night at Jo l m Flook's place

3 2

McCILLIVRAY PASS

May 1 8 - 2 0

MEMBERS: Roland Burtun Eckhard Buss Ken Lefever

Despite the competition from summer employment and other still managed to pull off an enjoyable ski

ring • the Mct^illivray Pass area, East of Bralorne, May IS - 20 holiday weekend.

there, Roland and I decided, a ndi tion checks, to accept the c o BraJornr- and Pioneer via P/-mb was groat and, together with t

" Flo ok' s Corner" proved impo ssible to find so al ter the sixth time along the two mile road Len and I headed for the comfort station at the ferry terminal ( h a n g d a l e ) . Here, much to our surprise we found Barry Narod luxuriating in the comfort of the "Bennett Biffy". Barry, loath to leave his posh accommo­dation, refused to join Mr. Winter and myself as, at 3 : 0 0 A.M. we pedalled into Gibsons to check out the night life. Saturday dawned clear and beautiful and found two tired fools sit ting i:

The next seven hours passed quickly and finally the whole group was on its way. The pedalling pilgrims spent Saturday leisurely enjoying ttie scenery. This was rather difficult since the two most important things to a cyclist are the hill in front of him and the bicycle seat below him.

Saturday night was spent on a picturesque headland and the whole group slept well under the effect of extreme exhaus­tion. Reveille was provided by John Flook who, war cries and all, was standing on a rock spear fishing. The group, their spirits as well as their breakfast slightly dampened by the rain, got off to an early start.

About 3 : 0 0 P.M. on Sunday, the group began arriving at Gibsons, All were tired but all were enthusiastic about this new trend (cycling) that is being felt in V.O.C.[]

33

traffic on our route, made for a great sightseeing trip. The road from Pemberton to D'Arcy, where it officially ends. has a good gravel and dirt surface. Next is a scenic ( 1) B. 0 . Hydro access road wh i ch clings high above the P. G. F. tracks along Anderson Lake, covering the fourteen long miles to He ton. This road has a rough, loo se surfaco which Is hard on tires and murder on ski racks, 1 s quite narrow, has severa' unbelieve-ably steep grades, arid even has a few unique i deas f o r hairpin corners. Three runs at the first hill...yeah, Latsun!.... finally got us onto this class 5 - 6 road; upon arrival at Seton we were able to shift out of first gear. After beating all odds by getting lost in Shalath, we found the steep..,.as in upppp, dowwwwwn....road over Mission Mountain and down across the dam at the East end of Carpenter Lake. There we connected with the standard, uneventful route from Lytton to Lillooet. We then f o 1 1 o w e d the dust along the eye sore called Carpenter Lake, through Bralorne and on up past Pioneer a short way until we finally ran out of road, at snowline, ten hours after leaving Vancouver.

From there we soon located the start of the trail ar Pi ebi tor Creek and were soon able to use our ski s and skins.

After three and one-half hours on ihe trail, we finally arrived at the cabin in McGillivray Pass. where we met up with Eckhard.

Typical 1 y, on Sunday, the weather turned yech and a storm was well on its way by noon. The three of us set out and climbed and toured without any great ambition until around noon. Ve then left our skis and climbed the North West ridge leading to MoGillivray Peak, getting to within about two hundred feet of the peak when poor weather, insufficient equipment and slackness made us turn back. Via a series of short glis sades on snow and talus, we re turned to where we had left our skis; the ski run back to the cabin was wild...all tha t spring gorp!

The McGillivray Pass region is bo.mded by the Bendor Range on the North and CadwaLIader Rang-o qri the South, both in the Coast Range. The pass runs approximately South Fast from the vicinity of Bralorne, back towards Anderson Lake. There are several peaks in the immediate v.i c i ni r.y; Mc Gi L1 ivray (eighl thousand five hundred f e e t ) . Probiter (eight thousand two Hundred f e e t ) , Whiteoap (nine thousand five hundred and fifty-two feet) and an i mpre ssi v e pano raraa n f seven Lhnu sand feet to nine thousand five hundred feet plus peaks in and near the two bordering ranges. We were all quite impressed.

0r» Monday we made the 1 ong, hairy run d">wn the trail , dodging bare patches and open creeks along the way before having to take to font once again. We returned via a far be tt er rnule, thro ugh a spec tacul ar canyon 1 ong rhe bh-j df.p River, to Lillooet and on to the Eraser Canyo-i where we ,-net all of the holiday t r a f f i c . a t once. By the tine wi* returned to Vancouver, we had driven five hundred mil es a n a pvi-n appreciated the few extra gallons of g-ris we h;.d taken alonp. wi th u s , A gr ea t and recommend ed trip all rou nd I

SAGINAW CANOK TRIP

John Flook: le capital. Nettie Pereboom Kathy Shatkin Linda McMeekin Anna. Pro to

Early Saturday morning two VW blue bombs headed along the Upper Levels toward Horseshoe Bay. The first, a Super-Shatkin carried on Its back two large canoes, the second car. Passin-Preto. hid under a twelve foot aluminum canoe.

After a forty-five minute sunbathing trip on Bennett 1 s oat, the six man (and woman) crew made a quick trip up the echelt highway to Ruby Lake.

An hour later, after strategically placing a car at eac end of our proposed route and carefully lashing all gear to the canoes, six were paddling through Ruby Lake to the Ruby-Saginaw Portage. This portage has only one smal 1 complicati fording a twenty-foot creek over a log while carrying a eano

After the portage, the beautiful ten mile length of Sagin Lake 1 ay ahead. The paddling was really quite relaxing, a pleasant change from the noisy, exhaust-filled streets of

At dusk, the explorers s in the front yard of an anuiry, night was spent si oeping uncle rock and listening to the scr o f frogs.

By morning a light rain forced a postponement of scheduled sleep-in and at 8:00 A.M., we headed toward our final destinatio of Garden Bay. Luckily, the rain let up by ten o'clock and for the remainder of the day we enjoyed glorious sunshine. Two portages, a weiner roast, a swim and a short drive later, a weary group of paddling travellers once again ferried hack to Vancouver and homo.[]

3 5

SUMMER CLUB ACTIVITIES 1968

SALT SPRING CYCLORAMA. THE TRIP TH..\T_WAR

June 1st and 2nd

Len Winter - fear 1e Bill McLintock - gr. Al Shearer Ljnda McMeekin Joy Petty Sue Straw-son Barry >Jarod Yours truly (sincer

Saturday, June 1st dawned on a small group of V . O . C . 1 e r s boarding tbe Tsawwassen ferry; all were determined to have a good time, despite rne groggy weather. By the time we had reached Salt Spring, we were not so determined; I believe our m a i n concern was to keep dry in pouring rain. However, we did cycle all Saturday (in more or less dry c o n d i t i o n s ) . We discovered the quiet beauty of Ganges and Vesuvius, their beaches alive with crabs and starfish. Yours truly managed to grow qui te attached to one bright purple starfi sh but had to throw it back in the sea for the benefit of the rest of the group - dry starfish do not smell exactly pleasant. All. day we had debated whether to sleep outside or to return home, but when Bill suggested we go to his place at Pt. Roberts for the night, I am afraid the reaction was a unanimous "yes". So we all hopped back on the ferry (pouring rain of c o u r s e ) , and, af ter a good trip back , drove to Bi 1.1' 5. We had supper, sat around, went to Greg Card's birthday party (thank y o u l ) , returned to Bill's, sat around and went to sleep in a nice, warm, dry living room. (How you know why V.O.C.'ers never d i e ) . Sunday was warm and sunny, so we hopped on our bikes (they had slept dry also, under Bill's porch) and went to Centennial Beach, After loasting in the sun and splashing out to the mud flat? In the tidal pools, we pedalled back to Bi 1 1. 1 s where we relaxed for while and th en returned to good old Vancouver. Our thanks to Bill and Len for a good weekend![]

36 LAKE L 0 VEL YWATER

June 28 - July 1

Brian Ellis Margaret Dempsey Eckhard Buss Karl Kicker

Roland Burton Nancy Corfman Joy Petty Andy From Back East Andres Loo Reg Wild Bill Tucker

Lake Lovelywater is located in the Tantalus range, eight miles North West of Squamish. It is the local stomping grounds of the A.C.C. who have a well marked trail into their b e a u t i ­ful lakeside cabin (three thousand eight hundred f e e t ) .

DAY 1 Mountaineers given a three day weekend believe that if they leave the night before such, it is possible to take in four days of hiking. This sort of reasoning found u s rowing across the waters of the mighty Squamish River at eight o'clock Friday night. Head lamps were•in order and the worth of metal trail markers became evident as we hiked until one o 1 clock in the morning. We s.acked out beneath rocks and on logs while Brian and Marg treked o n t o share the comforts of the cabin (and three-inch foamies) with Colin and company. (At least we saved two dollars;)

DAY 2 The last of the "tree dwellers" reached the cabin just in time to have a brief visit with Karl's group before they left to establish their base camp in the Serratus-Dione Col (six thousand nine hundred feet.) While we ate lunch. Nancy consulted the guide book to report that we could climb Niobe, Pelops and Iota before supper. So with lots of enthusiasm, film and food we headed South West to the trail, onto the snow fields and over a perilous snow bridge to the rocks of the Niobe Col. From here, it was a quick rock scramble to the top of Niobe (six thousand six hundred feet) where we enjoyed a -fantastic view (no smog or clouds) of Lake Lovelywater and its surrounding peaks {Serratus, Alpha and Omega.) Fog rolled in just as we de scended to the col resulting-in a decline in enthusiasm to climb Pelops. Except for a couple of bergschrunds it would have been one long glissade taking one almost to the lake.

After we were comfortably sacked out on three to nine inches of foamy, Reg and Bill came crashing into the cabin. We re sponded with uncordial groan s, so Reg found hi mself a candle and went quietly (?) to bed.

3 7

DAY 3 After a hearty breakfast of V.O.C. mush, we prepared for the hike to join Karl's group at their base camp. We followed their footprints past the North end of Lake Lovely-water, u p to Lambda Lake and across the base of the avalanche chutes. We were entertained by the rumbling si ides across from us as we basked in the sun and are our lunch half way u p one side of the chute.

We reached the Serratus-Dione Col in time to dry out in the last rays of the sun. Over supper, the members of the Tantalus group recounted the adventures of their twelve and one-half hour climb of Tantalus and Dione. With great techni­cal skill a pole of four ice-axes was constructed and the V.O.C. three-man tent was raised. We then proceeded to fit eleven people into the V.O.C. tent and two two-man tents. Not even Reg in his summer sleeping bag was cold on the snow I

DAY h We retraced our route down over the frozen snow with only minor hang-ups as to who would be first to cross the bergsohrunds. When we got back to the cabin we saw people swimming in the lake - with ice on it yet I By climbing up on Friday night, we had missed all the beautiful scenery along the trail to the cabin. In the descent we passed over several creeks and by picturesque waterfalls. Then it was back to the river rowing, the smog and city traffic.

To enjoy the Lake Lovelywater area at least three days are required. Once at the cabin, several peaks are accessible via routes of class three or better. To get to see the view from the cabin or from one of the nearby peaks is definitely worth fighting Horseshoe Bay holiday traffic.

NOTE: The grapevine just told me that A . C . C . has now put an igloo-hut in the Serratus-Dione Col for anyone wishing to climb Tantalus.[]

EDGE MOUNTAIN - NORTH FACE OF EAST PEAK

1 9 6 8 Dick

The east peak of Edge is cut from the main massif by a deep and dastardly chasm. To the north there forms an abrupt corner between northwest and north faces. Our party (consisting of Dave Harris, Brian Moorehcad, John Ranee and myself) forded Gold Creek Friday evening and camped in the basin between Edge and the Golden Ears. With dawn we started for the wall.

3S

A deep gut collects under the northwest wall of Edge's main peak, but veers out to allow a sharp shoulder to protrude from the eastern summit. The route went from this shoulder, starting to the left, near the forementioned corner. First pitch was ugly: bad bush and greasy rock. Weather was poor. All but the weather improved dramatically, however. Mo st of the climb was on steep gabbro, reduced to class four by magnificent holds. Only a couple of the moves were really class five. The route is forced to an apex, then cuts through a wall beyond and onto an easier angle on the upper face. Here we cut right across a groove to complete the route below the summit rocks. It was a recommendable elimb, or would have been had it been over - but it was not. There was the problem of descent.

East Peak of Edge is one of those obnoxious type summits that just does not have an easy way down. Last time we had forced the gorge to the main peak, but this was a very dis­tasteful memory. This time we climbed and rappelled to the northeast down the main divide. Eventually we were stopped by another chasm with an overhanging far wall. Rappels down to the northwest into a cirque followed, but it was not until after dark that we finally reached our packs. Not wanting to ford the Gold in the dark we spent an extra night out, but all agreed (later) that the Climb had been well worth it. (Class 5-l)

GRONCH a.NTJ TOPPLE ON VANCOUVER ISLAND

Irene Wingate & Marilyn Baker

PART I

June 23, ' -968

Mount Arrowsmith ( 5 9 6 2 ' )

Having been on Vancouver Island for one sufficiently boring week we became eager to climb and contacted the Island Mountain Ramblers, the Island's keenest outdoor club. As a result, the next Sunday morning found us on a one day hike up Mt. Arrowsmith near Port Alberni. Instead of taking the regular tourist route from Cameron Lake, we took a steeper, less used trail West of McMillan Park. After a couple of hours of brisk walking we reached the old ski chalet at the three thousand six hundred foot level. A Short while later we broke out of the timber and from there

39

it w a s an easy walk u p an alpine ridge to the peak of M t . Copley at five thousand feet. We descended and crossed the saddle leading to Arrowsmith. Scorning the regular route, even easier than the snow gully we used to gain the base of the summit peak, we met the rest of the party who had split up into two different groups - one using the standard route and one climbing a rock face. The summit peak, involving one class three pitch, was no sweat. After one and one-half hours of sunning, eating and the usual (?) summit shenanigans, we started back down and reached the cars thr-ee hours later.

The hike was scheduled as a conditioning climb and for tis it certainly was...and a very enjoyable introduction to the Island m o u n t a i n s . The Island Ramblers also received an Introduction to Irene's kazoo and some V.O.C. songs which they regarded as thoroughly depraved and downright debauched.

June 30 - July 2

Mount Laine (5960' ) rathcona Provincial Park

Once upon a July 1st weekend sixteen people minus their marbles started bushwacking from Buttle Lake up an old b u m . Later we decided, from our sad experience with the knit one, purl two tree and slash formation, that "the quickest way-through a b u m is around it". Saturday night we camped on a dry ridge. Our source of drinking water consisted of a rain puddle supporting a healthy culture of critters. It was soon even more polluted by numerous face, feet, dish and teeth washing in that order.

Sunday we were up bright-eyed and bushy-mouthed to greet a cloudy dawn. An easy hike brought us to the valley from which we gained a ridge of Laing. On the way up the ridge we met a four to five hundred pound black bear. Don't ever let anyone tell you that the way to avoid bears is by running downhill - this is also the bear's method of avoiding people -you should have seen him go! Our route to the base of the main peak was down a rotten gully so four of u s volunteered to wait unril the rest of the party was out of the rock chute. By the time we reached the bottom they were long gone. Using our own initiative we started up the obvious route expecting to catch up with the others at any moment. We chased them all the way up to the summit and were surpri sed (duh?) to see that they had reached an impasse on the other side of the peak about one thousand feet below u s . We shouted down guidance and enlightenment from above as to the correct route - two hours later they joined us on top.

After the usual hero shots and the less usual cairn building ritual three of us headed down before the main group. Once off the summit peak we decided to glissade a snow gully which would get us down to the valley faster...and it would have if it had not been for an inconveniently placed waterfall that we were obliged to r a p p e l . From the valley It w a s an uneventful hike back up to the ridge, with time out to photograph flowers and streams. And who do you suppose surprised us by beating us back to camp via the longer route? wlvy, everyone !

On Monday we slept-in past any respectable hour for keeners, had a leisurely breakfast and then headed home down a ridge we hoped would bypass the burn. Unfortunately, it did not. We got an excellent view of second growth rain fore st thickets that would make the Amazon look scrubby. By the time we reached the road we were so unpresentable and hot it was a gross temptation to keep walking straight into Upper Campbell Lake without bothering to shed pack or b o o t s .

It was decided by all the shinhacked and bruised people present that Laing would not be climbed again in the n e a r future - at least not until someone does something about that burn.

PART III

July 6 - ?

Flower Ridge and Mr. Rosseau (approx. 6hOQ' )

Marilyn Baker Mike Walsh Irene Wingate Bob Tu stin Sue Wheeler Ron Facer

Unpack Monday night, ... da de dum, ... pack Thursday night, ... ho hum, ... Friday night - gung ho! -Another great weekend was in the offing, this time on a trail, even', (one of the Island's t h r e e ) .

After a three and one-half hour drive from Nanaimo we reached the Ralph River Campsite on the southern edge of Buttle Lake. Early next morning we were hot-footing it u p the path. Four and one-half "glowing" hours later we reached the h i g h point of the seven mile long Flower Ridge where we chortled over the cairn account of two day efforts to reach that point. Another hour or so of walking and we decided to set up camp. Ah, what a life'. ... and what an area! As we sunned amidst the alpine heather we could pick out Sunday's route and dream of future trips to the surrounding peaks. Anyhow. Sunday morning only five of us started since Sue's feet were still badly blistered. Newly arrived from Kenya

she as yet did no t have boo t s and found that man-size boot s plus five paix- of socks just did not do the trick. we toodled along the ridge In the early morning cool, then traversed around a bump, descended to a saddle and crossed to reach the Rosseau-Septimus complex.

At this point, Bob decided to wait for our return since he was feeling a little ill. Ron, Marilyn and I tackled Rosseau while Mike attacked Septimus (approximately six thousand five hundred f e e t ) . After two hours of fairly steep snow climbing, we were on top. What a view! A yell on our right drew our attention to Mike who was on top of Septimus, a knife-edged peak. One-half hour later he joined u s on Rosseau. Wahoo I Two thousand feet of glissade and we were back to the saddle. However the sun was now extreme hot and the climb back up to the bump was gruelling. Even the easy morning toodle along the ridge seemed endless on our return journey. Exhausted, we collapsed in the shade of the camp. One hour later we shouldered our packs and Started the graunch out. Chins up! We were only suffering from sore, bloody feet and a little heat exhaustion when we finally stumbled upon the ears at 8 : 0 0 p.m. But, it was great! A leisurely week trip to the area with time to climb more of the mountains would have made it A-!.

PART IV

August 3 - 4

Nancy Deas

After only a two hour wait for Bennett's barge seven mainland V . O . C . 1 e r s final ly made it to Kanaimo around 1 0 : 3 0 p.m. There, the ranks were swelled by Marilyn and Irene. A quick road-race up-island got us to Dave Lloyd's at the blessed hour of midnight. After cocoa and goodies Dave's mommy tucked us into our sleeping bags on her living room floor.

By 7 : 0 0 a.m. we were off for the Forbidden Plateau Ski Lodge where we abandoned Marg's car, it being a delicate City model. We piled our packs into Peter's and Reg's V.W.' and continued up the four wheel drive road. When Peter got bogged down in a quagmire Reg decided that was far enough for him. After we floated Peter's car across the mudhole. we crammed all nine packs in it and we continued on one mile past the road end on the map. Finally we shouldered our burdens and began the trek into the Plateau.

Forbidden Plate;

Marg Dempsey Dorothy^ Shives

Marilyn Baker

Roland Burtoi Eckhard Buss Peter Macek Reg Wild

S i x up-and-down hours l a t e r we a r r i v e d a t Kwai Lake where someone had c o n v e n i e n t l y b u i l t a c a b i n . A q u i c k swim b e f o r e d i n n e r r e f r e s h e d us a l l . T h i n g s had b a r e l y q u i e t e d down b e f o r e i t was t ime f o r b r e a K f a s t ( i . e . ^ : 0 0 a . m . ) . By 4 : 0 0 a .m. s i x p e o p l e were on the t r a i l to Mt . A l b e r t Edward, s i x thousand seven hundred and s i x t y - s e v e n f e e t . Ve l e f t Doro t hy on a r i d g e so she cou ld c o n t e m p l a t e t h e s u n r i s e . By 7 = ^ 5 Marg, I r e n e , P e t e r , Eckhard and Roland were e a t i n g brunch on the summit. T h i s mountain c o u l d be "cl imbed" by anyone si nee i t i s o n l y a b r o a d , g r a d u a l i n c l i n e d p l a n e . For e n t h u s i a s t s t h e r e i s a v e r t i c a l f a c e too Prom the peak can be seen Waddington, o t h e r main land p e a k s and many of t h e I s l a n d ' s f i n e s t . Around 1 0 : ^ 0 we a r r i v e d back i n camp t o f i n d t h a t the o t h e r s had j u s t l e f t . More e a t i n g p r e c e d e d the t r u d g e out through r o l l i n g s u b a l p i n e p a r k l a n d do t t e d w i t h l a k e s, h o y s c o u t s and mo squ i t o e s . By 5 : 0 0 p .m. we r e a c h e d P e t e r ' s V.W. to f i n d M a r i l y n w a i t i n g p a t i e n t l y a f t e r h a v i n g been d e s e r t e d by Reg , Nancy and D or o thy who g o t a h e a d - s t a r t OIL the f e r r y s c r a m b l e .

And thus ended a 1 - o - n - g t r i p ; f o r t h o s e c l i m b i n g A l b e r t Edward i t was a t w e n t y - f i v e m i l e s l o g on Sunday. F o r b i d d e n P l a t e a u i s a p i c t u r e s q u e area w e l l s u i t e d f o r h i k i n g and l e i s u r e l y camping t r i p s . [ ]

BLACKCOMB, t ? 6 8

June 2 3

MEMBERS: Roland Bur ton Su s a n Cu sh i n g Dave V I n g a t e Joy P e t t y

About t w e n t y p e o p l e a r r i v e d a t the c a b i n S a t u r d a y morning f o r a "summer w o r k - b e e " . The f o u r o f us l e f t t h e o t h e r s to t h e i r par t and propo sed c a n o e i n g to v e n t u r e up the 1 o g g i n g roads a l o n g F i t z s immons C r e e k . A f t e r d r i v i n g up and down b o t h s i d e s o f t h e v a l l e y , we f i n a l l y s topped and s e t up our t e n t s a t the f o o t o f the S i n g i n g Pass t r a i l . We r o s e the n e x t morning a t dawn, f o u g h t o f f t h e W h i s k e y - j a c k s f o r our b r e a k ­f a s t and then t rampled o f f to f o r d e t h e c r e e k . Surpr i se ' . The c r e e k i s s w i f t , deep and wide t h i s t ime o f the y e a r .

Ten o ' c l o c k (or t h e r e a b o u t s ) found us g a i n i n g some a l ­t i t u d e as we bushwacked the easy way up a t imber s l a s h a l m o s t to the s n o w l i n e . A b r i e f s t o p was made to r e f u e l o u r s e l v e s and put on more "Off" b e f o r e b r e a k i n g above t h e t i m b e r - l i n e . Once we were on the snow the s c e n e r y was b e a u t i f u l , We l o o k e d down on W h i s t l e r and o v e r to S i n g i n g P a s s . We s t o p p e d on a r o c k y r i d g e to l i s t the v a r i o u s mountain peaks g l i s t e n i n g in the a f t e r n o o n sun, then headed down through the s o f t snow.L]

4 3 MT. TANTALUS

J u l y 1 to 3 , 1 9 6 8 Eckhard Buss

SUMMIT PARTY MEMBERS: K a r l R i c k e r Eckhard Buss

B r i a n E l l i s Marg Bempsey

The e n d l e s s l i n e o f m e t a l s h e l l s g l i s t e n e d in the h o t a f t e r n o o n sun, T h i s was t h e Horseshoe Bay f e r r y l i n e - u p . Two h o u r s l a t e r , i n the humid j u n g l e he s i d e the Squami sh R i v e r , t h a t s t e r i l e wor ld had faded to t h e s t a t u s o f a d i s s o l ­v i n g n i g h t m a r e . A f t e r i n c h i n g a c r o s s t h e p o w e r f u l brown f l o o d w a t e r s t h e t r a n s i t i o n to a s i ower saner wor ld was comple t e .

F o l l o w i n g a r a t h e r unique n i g h t which saw p e o p l e draped around a s s o r t e d t r e e s on the s t e e p h i l l s i d e , t h e day was spent i n w a n d e r i n g up to the h i g h snow c o l be tween S e r r a t u s and Dlone i n p r e p a r a t i o n f o r the c l i m b o f T a n t a l u s . Why the f o u r members o f the summit p a r t y p r e f e r r e d to push on i n t o the m i s t s o f the u p p e r s n o w - f i e l d s r a t h e r than lo tmge in the p l e a s a n t sun b e s i d e Lake L o v e l y w a t e r i s a n y o n e ' s g u e s s . But when the l a t e a f t e r n o o n sun c l e a r e d the m i s t s and a c l e a n , r o s y l i g h t f l o o d o v e r the snow, q u e s t i o n s became i r r e l e v a n t .

Morning b r o u g h t an end to the g a l e which a l l n i g h t l o n g had been u s i n g B r i a n E l l i s ' t e n t f o r c h a o t i c o r c h e s t r a t i on e f f e c t s . The u s u a l b u s i n e s s of e a t i n g a h a l f cooked b r e a k f a s t w h i l e h a l f a s l e e p and then o f f on hard f r o zen snow to the f 0 0 t o f a s t e e p c o u l o i r l e a d i n g to the s t a r t o f t h e c l i m b . On t h e way, t h e r e was p l e n t y o f t ime to e n j o y the s i g h t o f snowy p e a k s r i s i n g out o f t h i c k c h u r n i n g m i s t s In t h e v a l l e y s . Next cramponing up t h e c o u l o i r l Between b u r s t s o f i c e p a r t i c l e s r e l e a s e d b y K a r l R i c k e r k i c k i n g s t e p s i n t h e l e a d one c o u l d l o o k s t r a i g h t up to a t i n y c loud b e i n g whipped p a s t t h e r i d g e a t i n c r e d i b l e s p e e d . The l o s s o f o r i e n t a t i o n r e s u l t i n g from t h e e y e b e i n g swept a l o n g by t h e speed o f the c l o u d gave a f e e l i n g o f b e i n g t o r n out i n t o s p a c e . A n e a t t r i p - i f you do not f a l l ou t o f y o u r s t e p s .

On the Southwest f a c e t h e expo sure combined w i t h t h e i n t e n s e l i g h t r e f l e c t e d o f f t h e w h i t e s e a o f c l o u d s c o v e r i n g t h e Squami sh-Cheakanrus v a i l e y s , made CT imbing i n t ense and e x h i l a r a t i n g . F i n d i n g the o c c a s i o n a l k e y c r a c k s t i l l h e a v i l y c o a t e d w i t h i c e , emot iona l i n t e n s i t y was put- to a r a t h e r good t o s t i n the t r i c k y b u s i n e s s o f c h o p p i n g t h e i c e out o f h o l d s which one i n t e n d e d to u s e . E s p e c i a l l y s i n c e t h i s was a down-c l i m b i n g c r a c k 1 e a d i n g i n t o a c o u l o i r t h a t had t o he c r o s s e d . A f t e r some r o u t e f i n d i n g problems on s t e e p wet snow and i c e i m m e d i a t e l y be low t h e W i t c h ' s Too fch, i t was a p l e a s a n t g r a d e t h r e e scramble up the upper p o r t i o n o f t h e f a c e to the summit. While K a r l R i c k e r wandered over t o t h e West peak to b u i l d a summit c a i r n , Marg, B r i a n and m y s e l f c l u s t e r e d around the r a t h e r i n s u b s t a n t i a l summit o f the main p e a k . i b e l i e v e the c l a s s i c t h e o l o g i c a l q u e s t i o n o f how many a n g e l s f i t on the p o i n t o f a n e e d l e roped up i s a p p r o p r i a t e .

Not b e i n g g o d s , however , t h e d e s c e n t was i n e v i t a b l e . Down-c l imbing though i n the b r i l l i a n t a f t e r n o o n sun was p l e a s a n t . -And the s u n ' s h e a t on t h e g l a c i e r f e l t w o n d e r f u l . F i n a l l y the we l coming s h o u t s o f t h e r e s t o f the group who had made i t up to the S e r r a t u s c o l t o l d u s we were i n a human wor ld a g a i n . A f t e r some t ime d r o o l i n g o v e r v a r i o u s t a n t a l i z i n g food s m e l l s , we f i n a l l y r e c e i v e d the u l t i m a t e reward - a m e a l . [ ]

OLYMPIC BEACH TRIP, 1968

J u l y 1st to 3rd G i l l Kidd

A f t e r h e a r i n g a g l o w i n g r e p o r t from Barb Mioduszewska , our keen t r i p l e a d e r , and s e e i n g t h e f a n t a s t i c s l i d e s from p r e v i o u s t r i p s , I d e c i d e d Olympic Beach was t h e p l a c e f o r me. I c o n j u r e d up v i s i o n s o f b a s k i n g i n the sun w i t h a good book, p a d d l i n g i n the t i d a l p o o l s and g e n e r a l l y e n j o y i n g t h r e e days of r e l a x a t i o n .

The d r i v e t h r o u g h t h e Olympic P e n n i n s u l a was p l e a s a n t and the warm, sunny w e a t h e r promi sed a good weekend. Bent o v e r doub le by the w e i g h t o f my pack I f e l t the f i r s t t remors o f doubt about t h e t r i p . A few minutes l a t e r , when Barb c h e e r f u l l y announced t h a t we would be h i k i n g f i v e m i l e s t o the s h e l t e r , 1 knew there had been some t e r r i b l e m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g . H i k e ? F i v e m i l e s ? Oh my GodI F i n a l l y , hours l a t e r , worn and p a l e , our l i t t l e band emerged from t h e woods a t the c a b i n . As I tumbled i n t o bed t h a t n i g h t I c o n s o l e d m y s e l f w i t h t h o u g h t s o f sun and beach to come.

Next morning our group awoke to a g r e y , m i s t y dawn w i t h the u n m i s t a k a b l e p a t t e r of r a i n on the r o o f . H o r r o r s ! We c lambered i n t o our damp c l o t h e s and t rudged o f f down the beach for what seemed l i k e y e a r s . The monotony o f the f l a t sand was o n l y broken by a few g r u e l i n g h e a d l a n d t r a v e r s e s .

b u t , to be c o m p l e t e l y h o n e s t , I must admit ~ e n j o y e d e x p l o r i n g the huge sea c a v e r n s and the dense r a i n f o r e s t a l o n g

And t h a t n i g h t a f t e r a ho t meal ,̂ w r e s t l i n g w i t h 'the f e l l o w s and

d id everyone e l s e . The r a i n and f a t i g u e were a l l f o r g o t t e n .

So now i f someone wore to ask me about the Olympic beach

THE PUP'S BUTT

J u l y , 1968 Dick. C u l b e r t

MEMBERS: Dick C u l b e r t A l i c e Purdey Gary K o z e l Bob C u t h b e r t

C o n s i d e r i n g i t s a c c e s s i b i l i t y ( f i f t e e n m i n u t e s from r o a d ) and good r o c k , the n o r t h w a l l s o f M t . Harvey have been e n j o y i n g u n d e s e r v e d p e a c e . The main b u t t r e s s o f H a r v e y ' s Pup comes down a d j a c e n t to the g u l l y which i s o l a t e s the Pup, and a l ­though not t h e l o n g e s t r o u t e a v a i l a b l e i t d id p r o v i d e one o f the most d i s t i n c t and a s t h e t i c l i n e s . The r o u t e s t a r t s up an o v e r h a n g to a r o o f - then r i g h t around c o r n e r to a c r a c k s y s t e m . Next l e a d i s a n i c e chimney, and the one beyond i s e a s y s l a b s . Then comes a r e a l c o o l o v e r h a n g - c o m e - g u l l y a f f a i r which o n l y needed one a i d p i n ( the f i r s t ) to the amazement of a l l . A v e r y p l e a s a n t l e a d and a h a l f o f c l a s s f i v e crackwork took us t o a somewhat mossy e x i t , which was a v o i d e d by f i n a l l e a d s on the broken summit n o s e . A l l i n a l l , one of the b e s t d a y ' s rock c l i m b i n g I can r e c a l l . (.5-6, A2 )[J

A f t e r h a v i n g s p e n t f o u r summers up the I n d i a n Arm as a camp c o u n c i l l o r , I t h o u g h t i t would be a g r e a t i d e a to v i s i t the a r e a and share i t s b e a u t y w i t h some f e l l o w V . O . C . ' e r s . So, s a i d and done, L o i s L a t i m e r , C o l l e e n Newton, Rob H i r s c h f i e l d . K e i t h O l i v e r , Cam P e a r c e , B i l l M c C l i n t o c k , Walt P e a c h e y , Ralph S a y l e and m y s e l f s e t out to s a i l one f i n e morning from Deep C o v e .

Having- ou t -manoeuvered the l o c a l power b o a t s and o t h e r

Western si.de o f t h e i n l e t i n a b s o l u t e l y calm w a t e r . B e i n g r a t h e r warm, the amount of c l o t h i n g was m i n i m a l . Of c o u r s e , t h e r e i s a l w a y s some j o k e r who does n o t conform; i . e . Ra 1 pli "Sunburn" S a y l e had e v e r y b i t of c l o t h i n g done up t i g h t to th e l a s t but ton due Lo some u n f o r t u n a t e expo sure r e c e i v e d on the b e a c h t h e p r e c e e d i n g d a y .

CANOE TRIP UP THE INDIAN ARM

J u l y 28 , 968 Bob Janssei

he

On our way up the i n l e t we were f o r t u n a t e enough to p a s s one o f B e n n e t t ' s B a r g e s . Ve c o u l d not r e s i s t the o p p o r ­t u n i t y to r i d e the w a v e s . I t proved to be g r e a t f u n and v e r y r e f r e s h i n g as we managed to s h i p a c o u p l e o f g a l l o n s

C u t t i n g a c r o s s the i n l e t we r e a c h e d B u n t i e n Power House . B e i n g t y p i c a l V . O . C . ' e r s , a l l o f us t r e s p a s s e d the p r e m i s e s and l o o k e d f o r p r o s p e c t i v e r o u t e s to g e t to the top o f the c o n c r e t e mass . Kot f i n d i n g any , we d e c i d e d t o t a k e a d i v e from t h e r a i l i n g s i n t o t h e i n l e t t e n f e e t b e l o w . T h i s r e s u l t e d In one o f the b e s t swims o f the summer: w a t e r t h a t was not a f f e c t e d by p o l l u t i o n i n any way.

J u s t as we had pushed o f f i n our c a n o e s , one o f t h e Runtzen Power House g u a r d s a r r i v e d ; meanwhi le , we paddled away f o r c e f u l l y , but n o n c h a l e n t l y as f a s t away as p o s s i b l e .

Aga in in good V . O . C . t r a d i t i o n , we had l u n c h on a n i c e p i e c e o f P r i v a t e P r o p e r t y w i t h hundreds o f h o r s e f l i e s and o t h e r f r i e n d s , p r o b a b l y h i r e d b y the owner to keep o f f t r e s ­p a s s e r s . A f t e r p u s h i n g o f f from t h i s s p o t , we s t e p p e d up t h e p a c e and canoed a c r o s s the I n l e t to S i l v e r F a l l s , where w>lt P. seemed to have a l o t of t r o u b l e . A few o f us had d i sembarked and p r o c e e d e d to c l imb to the b a s e o f t h e f i f t y f o o t w a t e r f a l l , underneath of which was a h u g e , r o t t e n , m o s s - c o v e r e d r o c k . At tile top o f the r o c k Walt , a f t e r t r y i n g soiae h e r o s h o t s , managed to s l i t h e r o f f , a lmost t a k i n g a l l o f us f o r a f r e e r i d e i n t o t h e w a t e r and r o c k s b e l o w . Thorough ly d r e n c h e d , we p a d d l e d a few hundred >ards f u r t h e r , to the q u a r r y , where we q u i c k l y downed the r e s t o f the l u n c h e s . By t h i s t ime i t was l a t e a f t e r n o o n , and too l a t e to padd le to Wigwam I n n , Thus we p r o c e e d e d on our r e t u r n v o y a g e of f i v e m i l e s a g a i n s t a heavy wind which had a p p e a r e d out Of nowhere . We r e a c h e d Deep Cove a t dusk , e x t r e m e l y e x h a u s t e d but s t i l l a v e r y happy group; a p e r f e e t end f o r a p e r f e c t d a y . [ ]

THE GREAT CAJ-1PACMOLO CLIMB

Olenn l

There are so many f r u s t r a t i o n s i n w o r k i n g f o r a min ing company. Not so much t h e f a c t t h a t you work be low one thousand f e e t a l l summer but the f a c t t h a t when you f i n a l l y do g e t n e a r a one hundred p e r c e n t g u a r a n t e e d u n c i imbed peak you are so p s y c h e d up a f t e r t h r e e months o f bushwack ing t h a t the c l i m b

But a l l f o u r o f u s on the crew wanted to c l i m b s o m e t h i n g . Wol fgang Wiese had n e v e r done any c l i m b i n g but he wanted to l e a r n what made the r e s t o f us a l w a y s t a l k m o u n t a i n s . R i c k P r i c e ( a c t u a l l y , i n s t a n t p o t a t o e s a r e h i s f a v o r i t e f o o d ) was g e t t i n g v e r y used to n o n - c l i m b i n g on t h i s j o b and was s l o w l y becoming r e s i g n e d to a whole summer o f i t . Tony E l l i s and I had c l i m b e d i n t h e g e n e r a l a r e a i n 1 ? 6 5 and had worked f o r too many min ing companies to b o t h e r g e t t i n g our hopes u p .

The h e l i c o u t e r took a d v a n t a g e o f t h e l a s t c l o u d l e s s day to have a t r e e f a l l on i t . So i t was on t h e n e s t day ( d u l l , f l a t l i g h t i n g w i t h c i r r o - s t r a t u s c l o u d s v e i l i n g a l l above r i v e thousand f e e t ) t h a t we were a i r l i f t e d in a r a t h e r f r a c t u r e d chopper to the w e s t b a s e o f Campagnolo . Of c o u r s e , we c o u l d n o t see t h e summit; g l a c i e r and r i d g e d i s a p p e a r e d irpwards i n t o the c l o u d s and soon so d i d we.

The f i r s t f a l s e summit a r r i v e d sooner t h a n e x p e c t e d . Down, then up the second summit we c r a w l e d w h i l e T o n y ' s movie camera ground away. T h i s summit y i e l d e d a c a i r n ( r e l i c o f a 1 9 ° 5 f o r a y ) and many, many b o u l d e r s to r o l l down the c l o u d - h i d d e n South f a c e . Minds t r i e d to r e c a l l f o r m u l a s f o r comput ing the h e i g h t s o f w a l l s from t h e t imes t a k e n f o r b o u l d e r s to smash on t h e s l o p e s b e l o w .

But enough o f t h e s e i d l e p l e a s u r e s - on to t h e r e a l summit ( a l l s i x thousand t h r e e hundred and f i f t y f e e t o f i t ) , where we b u i I t t h e u s u a l o v e r s i z e c a i r n and p e e r e d down the f a r s i d e . I f you e v e r happen to have a day o f f t h i r t y m i l e s N o r t h e a s t o f P r i n c e Rupert you w i l l f i n d t h a t the l a s t t w e n t y -f i v e f e e t o f the N o r t h e a s t r i d g e i e q u i t e e a s y .

Then down we r a n , W o l f i e had b e e n b e t t e r , R i c k p e r h a p s 1

n e c e s s a r y , Tony and I perhaps ; g l a d .

L a t e t h a t n i g h t , a f t e r a r e v o l t i n g b i t o f s i d e h i l l g o u g i n g , we camped in a c o l where a g r e a t c o n t r o v e r s y r a g e d over whether f o r t y b i l l i o n l i t t l e red bugs swimming i n the o n l y p o o l o f w a t e r c o n s t i t u t e d a h e a l t h h a z a r d . R i c k and I j u s t drank the s t u f f , w h i l e t h e o t h e r two f i l t e r e d i t through o ld work s o c k s .

The walk out to Khutzeymateen I n l e t d u r i n g the n e x t day or so d e f i e s a l l d e s c r i p t i o n , so I w i l l n o t . f ]

4a

CAMPAGTOLO SEQUEL

Having s u c c e s s f u l l y comple ted "The G r e a t Cajnpagnolo Cl imb" ( see a i " t i c l e by Glen Woodsworth) our p a r t y o f f o u r broke up i n t o two g r o u p s to do some p r o s p e c t i n g on t h e way back down to Khutzemateen ( C o o t - s e e - m a - t e e n ) I n l e t . I t was proposed t h a t Wolfy and 1 would f o l l o w a c r e e k from n e a r i t s source a t about e l e v a t i o n f i v e thousand f e e t to the mouth. There a b o a t was cached to t a k e us back to base camp. Route f i n d i n g was n o t d i f f i c u l t , as t h e c r e e k soon e n t e r e d a canyon from which i t was impos s i b l e to e x t r i c a t e o u r s e l v e s w i t h o u t b a c k - t r a c k i n g s e v e r a l m i l e s . So f a r , so good . By 1 : 0 0 p.m., however , i t had s t a r t e d to r a i n as o n l y t h e n o r t h c o a s t can . Our h e a v y p a c k s became h e a v i e r as t h e y soaked up w a t e r . Our v ibram b o o t s were f i n d i n g the c r e e k ho t t o m l e s s and l e s s ho s p i t a b l e . By two o ' c l o c k the canyon had narrowed u n t i l t h e r e was no l o n g e r a r i v e r bank, o n l y a muddy flume between two muddy w a l l s . We found o u r s e l v e s w a l k i n g in s w i f t , murky w a t e r up to our w a i s t s .

It. was a t t h i s p o i n t that we n o t i c e d an i n t e r e s t i n g geo -l o g i c a l o u t c r o p on the f a r s i d e o f t h e c r e e k . Abandoning our p a c k s , we waded a e r o s s to examine our f i n d . At p r e c i s e 1 y t h i s moment. Glen and Tony were almo s t three m i l e s away on t h e t o p of the bare g r a n i t e c i r q u e which formed the main w a t e r s h e d o f th e c r e e k we wer e s t r u g g l irig down. They had just , e x p e r i enced twenty minutes o f the most t o r r e n t i a l downpour t h a t e i t h e r o f them had seen In a t o t a l o f f o u r t e e n summe r s on the nor th c o a s t . The r a i n w a t e r f l owed r a p i d l y down t h e s i d e s of the c i r q u e and i n t o th e c r e e k . Af t e r ent e r i n g the c r e e k i t formed a r o a r i n g and v e r y t e r r i f y i n g wave o f water which t r i p l e d the volume o f the c r e e k . That wave rushed down the c o n f i n i n g canyon, p a s s i n g T-s'ol f y and s:ie about f i f t een seconds a f t e r we had c l imbed out. of the w a t e r to v i e w oui o u t c r o p .

Then t h e fun b e g a n . The c r e e k , now a b o u t t h r e e t imes i t s pre v i o u s vo 1 un-.e and shovMng no s i jjns o f d e c r e a s i n g , was i r a p o s s i b l e to c r o s s . Our p a c k s o:i the f a r s i d e h e l d a l l our f ood, matche s, e x t r a c l o t h i n g and t e n t . Wolfy, however , remembered a l o g aero ss the c r e e k abou t one h a l f mil e u p s t r e a m so we began to work our way b a c k . By t h i s t i m e , our f e e l i n g s c o n c e r n i n g m i n i n g companies in g e n e r a l and b a c k - p a c k i n g i n p a r t i e u l a r had e l i c i t e d a s t r i n g o f e v e r y known d e r o g a t o r y a d j e c t i v e in the E n g l i s h and German l a n g u a g e s. The so wer e shouted f r e q u e n t l y a t a volume o n l y outdone by the c r e e k b e s i d e u s . We soon r e a c h e d our l o g . I t s p r e c a r i o u s s t a t e o f s t a b i l i t y was r e m i n i s c e n t o f s c a f f o l d s a t the Whi s 1 1 e r C a b i n . Ive had no rope to b e l a y so Wolfy , b e i n g a n o n - c l i m b e r and hence i g n o r a n t o f such t r i v i a , l e d t h e way a c r o s s . I f o l l o w e d , r a t h e r p a i n f u l l y s t r a d d l i n g the t h i n g . We were soon bark to T 11 e park s.

Moi f st iinih I i n,T, mo re wadi iif\ and a f ew u n i n t e n t i ona l d i p s I • ro u/riit us- to a |_M i i: t in | 1 canyon where, about a q u a r t e r o f a

4 9

a w a i t e d . But h e r e , a l s o , the canyon s t e e p e n e d , narrowed and became v i r t u a l l y i m p a s s i b l e . At f i r s t g l a n c e the s i t u a t i o n l o o k e d g r i m . The second g l a n c e , however , made the f i r s t seem o p t i m i s t i c . Not h a v i n g s u f f i c i e n t c o u r a g e for a t h i r d g l a n c e we a t e some c h o c o l a t e and drank some Tang . A f t e r t h a t we took a t h i r d g l a n c e . I t was then t h a t I n o t i c e d a t i n y , n e a r l y i n ­v i s i b l e l e d g e r u n n i n g a l o n g the canyon wal l about t e v e n above the w a t e r . I q u i c k l y c a l c u l a t e d i t to be about a move up and our o n l y way o u t . The expo sure wag not gre i t s e l f bu t the w a t e r r u s h i n g by d i d something we ird to p s y c h e . V e 1 1 , i t l o o k e d j u s t t h i s s i d e o f p o s s i b l e so i t . w i th v i s i o n s o f b a t t e r e d c o r p s e s b e i n g washed up o b e a c h we t r a v e r s e d the l e d g e to a s e c t i o n o f s l i g h t l y o

f e e t

g a i n i n g a c c e s to g u l l y l e a d i n g weeds , which we scramblcd up , out o f the canyon .

Another t w e n t y minute s o f s e m i - d a r k bushwaeking saw us < the b e a c h where t h a t marve lous p r o d u c t o f t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y t echno l o g y , the Mercury Outboard Mo t o r , purred u s borne to dr; S t a n f i e l d s and hot Jel l o .[]

Roland Bur

Roland burton Marg Dempsey Eckhard Buss

F o l l o w e d Route Two (Fmmoi the Cascade Range de .

n t h r o p i - a s d e s c r i b e d

Before c l i m b i n g R a i n i e r j t i s n e c e s s a r y to r e g i s t e r a park r a n g e r , who w i l l check t h a t you have c e r t a i n r e q u i equipment and a b a s i c knowledge of g l a c i e r t r a v e l and ere r e s c u e . Ve got to the M L ! t e R i v e r Ranger S t a t i o n F r i d a y 8 : ^ 5 p . m . , j u s t a s i t was g e t t i n g d a r k . so the rar.ger d id n o t i c e t h a t my boot s o l e s were coming o f f . That n i g h t we camped in the Whit e R i v e r campsi t r>, where a band u f hoy ^ and a tvo -hou r 1 i g h tn i ng s tarm i nt e r f e r r e d w i t h s l e e p to e x t e n t , so we d id not g e t on the t r a i 1 u n t i l 6; TO a .m. W g o t to Camp Shermann ( e l e v a t i o n n i n e thcusand f i v e irindre f ee t ) a t noon, so f a r ahead o f s c h e d u l e the t we net::' deri t t r y and c1 imb R a i n i e r the same d a y , A f t e r two hours of c we d e c i d e d we were too t i r e d so re turned to camp to c l i m b Sunday.

50

On our d e s c e n t , j u s t b e f o r e we s t a r t e d to g l i s s a d e down t h e f i n a l g l a c i e r , a l a r g e rock came o v e r t h e h o r i z o n and n a r r o w l y mis sed w i p i n g out Marg and E c k h a r d , two-?thirds o f our p a r t y . The d r i v i n g time from R a i n i e r to Vancouver i s f i v e and o n e - h a l f h o u r s I f you do not make too many n a v i g a t i o n

Most o f the camp g o t up a t m i d n i g h t to s t a r t the c l i m b ; we d e c i d e d t o s t a y i n bed u n t i l 1 : 3 0 a .m. C o n d i t i o n s were p e r f e c t f o r n i g h t c l i m b i n g , the moon was n e a r l y f u l l and C l e a r l y showed c r e v a s s e s ; b e c a u s e t h e g l a c i e r s u r f a c e was f r o z e n hard we c o u l d walk on i t w i t h o u t more than s c r a t c h i n g the s u r f a c e w i t h our crampons; b e l o w and to t h e West we c o u l d see the l i g h t s o f S e a t t l e . We were f e e l i n g p r e t t y good and soon passed t h e p e o p l e who had l e f t b e f o r e u s . A l t h o u g h R a i n i e r i s o n l y "a w a l k " , i t I s q u i t e a l o n g w a l k , and when we got to t h e top we f e l t we had a c c o m p l i s h e d s o m e t h i n g . I t was i n t e r e s t i n g to see p e o p l e come up from the o t h e r s i d e o f the mounta in , c l i m b over the c r a t e r r im and l i e e x h a u s t e d on t h e snow i n t h e c r a t e r , then g e t up and s t a g g e r a few more f e e t to the snow dome a thousand f e e t away t h a t c o n s t i t u t e s the Columbia C r e s t summit . [ j

SLACK BLACK TUSK TRT?

John R a n c

John Ranee (L) Kathy S h a t k i n Roland Burton Barry JMarod Nancy Deas Ra lph S a y l e B r i a n E l l i s Wendy & Randy T a y l o r Marg Dempsey Murry Schneiderman ( M c G i l l ) Dorothy S h i v e s Ruth C l a s s (U. o f T . ) Cain Pearce Va l B a t c h e l o r (Redd ing , E n g . ) More ly E o r s y t h e Anna P r e t o Walt Peaehey _ L i n d a McMeekin

The B l a c k Tusk I n v a s i o n s t a r t e d F r i d a y n i g h t when k e e n e r s R o l i e , Nancy, B r i a n and Marg a r r i v e d a t T a y l o r c a m p s i t e .

Saturday found B r i a n and Marg a t o p Helm Park In a f o g -out w h i l e Roland and Nancy s earc he d u n s u c c e s s f u l l y f o r e a v e s on the Helm G l a c i e r ( i c e or c i n d e r , t a k e y o u r p i c k ) .

Meanwhile a hoard o f V . O . C . ' e r s a t t r a c t e d by the Standard U l t i m a t e Tertt o c c u p i e d o n c e - p e a c e f u l T a y l o r campground. The hoard i m m e d i a t e l y s e t up t h e i r Lent , a t h i r t y foo t l o n g chunk o f p l a s t i c s l u n g o v e r a c l i m b i n g rope and propped up by i c e a x e s . ( A l t h o u g h i n c r e d i b l e to b e h o l d , t h e t e n a n t s were warm and d r y . )

A f t e r the r a i n s s t o p p e d a s h o r t h i k e to G a r i b a l d i Lake w h e t t e d a p p e t i t e s f o r d i n n e r ; a f t e r w a r d s to bed and s t o r i e s o f c l i m b i n g m i s a d v e n t u r e s from the V . O . C . l e g e n d s .

Sunday morning a t s i x o ' c l o c k the sky was c l e a r and t h i n g s l o o k e d p r o m i s i n g . However, by the t ime the p a r t y r o l l e d out t h e g r e y s t u f f had r o l l e d i n . A t 8 : 3 0 a .m. we s t a r t e d wanderin, toward Mimulus . From t h e r e S a l t e r , Cam, B a r r y , Hurry and Katb.

r e s t g o t t h e m i s t a k e n i m p r e s s i o n

"We' l l f a k e i t " s a i d I .

"We t r i e d t h a t y e s t e r d a y and i t d i d n ' t work" r e p l i e d Rol.

We pushed on.

G l i s s a d e p r a c t i c e , i c e axe a r r e s t , e t c . , brought us to t; c i n d e r f l a t s . Then onto the g l a c i e r between C i n d e r Cone and Panorama. K e e p i n g l e f t we b l u n d e r e d upon an o v e r h a n g p i l e o f

"We found i t " I s a i d .

" L e t ' s e a t " someone e l s e s a i d .

While o t h e r s a t e H o l i e and I d e s c e n d e d two l e a d s i n t o the i c y p i t (a l e a d b e i n g t h i r t e e n f e e t (two s l i n g s ) due to the f a c t we had g i v e n our rope to the T u s k e r s . ) A f t e r a b i t o f a spe lunk we i n v e s t i g a t e d o t h e r g l a c i a l f e a t u r e s and headed back to T a y l o r ,

Three o f t h e Tusk p a r t y were w a i t i n g f o r us and c l a i m e d t. have had a good v i e w from the summit.

The s h e l t e r l i n e was removed by p r u s s i c i n g up the t r e e . A w a i t f o r t h e r e m a i n i n g T u s k e r s was f o l l o w e d by the h i k e out v i a the l a k e s . The t r i p was u n e v e n t f u l e x c e p t f o r n e v e r d u l l S m i l i n g J a c k ' s , There we l e a r n e d t h a t t h r e e z e r o s In t h e u n i t column add up to f i v e . L I

52

BOWRON BY SIX

A u g u s t 1 8 - 28 , 1 ? 6 8

M a r g a r e t C o n n e l l y Sue Laberge Nadeen Parr John F l o o k Dave Pacey Thorben Bech-Hanse

The g r e y dawn o f Sunday, A u g u s t 1 8 t h , saw s i x s l e e p y V O C ' e r s f r e s h from summer s choo l and s c i e n t i f i c r e s e a r c h l e a v e Vancouver f o r t e n days i n the w i l d e r n e s s o f Bowron Lake P r o v i n c i a l P a r k . About e l e v e n h o u r s l a t e r we met a t park h e a d q u a r t e r s and camped f o r t h e n i g h t , f o r the f i r s t t ime e n c o u n t e r i n g the l o g i s t i c a l problem o f s q u e e z i n g s i x p e o p l e i n t o a s i n g l e Logan t e n t .

Next morning we began the f i r s t t w o - m i l e p o r t a g e to K i b b e e Lake and so d i d t w e n t y - t w o S e a t t l e boy s c o u t s . (Augus t has few b u g s , many p e o p l e - which i s w o r s e ? ) A f t e r p a d d l i n g a c r o s s KIbbee we lunched and headed o f f t o w a r d s I n d i a n p o i n t L a k e , c o m p l e t i n g the p o r t a g e i n the f i r s t o f many t h u n d e r s t o r m s . Undaunted, we p a d d l e d o f f i n the r a i n , ( l e a v i n g the s p r o u t s huddled on t h e s h o r e ) , to our n i g h t ' s d e s t i n a t i o n h a l f w a y down T n d i a n p o i n t . Tuesday morning we l e a r n e d t h a t n e a r b y a b e a r had s t o l e n a c o u p l e ' s o n l y food pack d u r i n g the n i g h t . T h e r e a f t e r , we t i e d our food p a c k s i n the t r e e s or k e p t them i n the t e n t . (Rather the b e a r s a t e us than the f o o d ! )

We r e a c h e d the end o f I n d i a n p o i n t in t ime to comple t e the p o r t a g e to I s a a c Lake by l u n c h t i m e , t i r e d , we t and a n k l e - d e e p i n mud. ( E x c e p t John, who was neck deep i n mud.) ^That e v e n i n g we camped on the beach by a p a t r o l hut a t Moxley C r e e k , where our f o o d p a c k s were sampled by a gourmet mouse who a t e h i s f i l l o f r a i s i n s , brown s u g a r , cocoa and mountain mix .

Day t h r e e dawned in g l o r i o u s s u n s h i n e and we b e g a n a l e i s u r e l y t r i p down I s a a c , s u n b a t h i n g and f i s h i n g a l o n g the way. U n f o r t u n a t e l y however , the wind and r a i n came up j u s t a f t e r l u n c h a t B e t t y Wendle Creek and t h a t n i g h t we i m p r o v i s e d a campsi t e and d i n n e r i n t h e r a i n about two and a h a l f m i l e s n o r t h o f the I s a a c R i v e r d r a i n a g e p o i n t .

Thursday morning we c r o s s e d the l a k e to two i n v i t i n g s treams wher e the b o y s were q u i t e sue c e s s f u l . F i s h f o r d i n n e r : We p a r t i a l l y comple ted the r i v e r run and p o r t a g e to Mcbeary Lake t h a t day where we s e t up camp f o r two d a y s , s p e n d i n g F r i d a y r e s t i n g , f i s h i n g and b r i n g i n g the canoes down from the " C a s c a d e s " .

On day f i v e we awoke in a h e a v y downpour, d e c i d e d a g a i n s t s p e n d i n g the day huddled i n warm s l e e p i n g bags and s e t o f f a c r o s s McLeary Lake and down the C a r i b o o R i v e r , a d e c e p t i v e l y e a s y c r u i s e w i th the c u r r e n t d u r i n g which one cannot a f f o r d

to t a k e o n e ' s e y e s o f f the r i v e r a h e a d . Cold winds o f f tin-snowy mounta ins above L a n e z i L a k e , mo s q u i t o e s en Sandy Lake and t h r e a t e n i n g s k i e s above c o n v i n c e d us t o abandon our p l a n to f i s h on t i n y , abundant Hunter Lake and p a d d l e r i g h t on to Unna L a k e , So , we had y e t a n o t h e r c r u i s s t h a t day a l o n g t h e C a r i b o o R i v e r , w i t h b l u e sky , a s l i p p e r y l i t t l e mink and a g l o r i o u s sun s e t g r e e t i n g us as we neared our n i g h t ' s d e s t i n a t i ' t r a n q u i l unna L a k e . T h a t n i g h t we shared t h e l a k e w i t h the by now f a m i l i a r and n o t a t a l l o b n o x i o u s boy s c o u t s ( l o a d e d wi th c h o c o l a t e b a r s , s t r a w b e r r i e s and r e a l c o f f e e ) and a p l a c i d , b r o w n - e y e d , g a n g l y - l e g g e d tnooss cow.

Sunday was "do your own t h i n g day'' , so t h e b o y s h i k e d up to t h e C a r i b o o F a l l s t o f i s h , Sue wen!, e x p l o r i n g , and Kadeen and I s l e p t i n . A f t e r l u n c h , John s a t i n the middle o f Unna c a t c h i n g our d i n n e r w h i l e we g i r l s cooked up a huge m e a l . i n c l u d i n g sourdough b r e a d and a p p l e p u d d i n g . For the f i r s t t ime i n days the b o y s were a c t u a l l y f u l l !

Sunsri ine gr f;e tied us a g a i n on day e i g h t a s we prepar ed to l i n e , our canoes up i d y l l i c Tree M i l e C r e e k . T h i s s t r e t c h p r o v i d e d y e t a n o t h e r o f many v a r i a t i o n s found in the scenery of t h e l a s t h a l f o f the t r i p . P a d d l i n g i n t o Babcock Lake o f f e r e d us. our f i r s t v i e w of the end o f our t r i p : D e v i l ' s Club M o u n t a i n , a s i n g l e , p e r f e c t l y s y m m e t r i c a l mound i n the d i s t a n c e b e c k o n i n g above the l a k e s ahead . A-frer some d i f f i c v - A f i n d i n g t h e r a i l p o r t a g e i n t o Skoi L a k e , we p a d d l e d a c r o s s th;, s m a l l l a k e (which we found out too l a t e wa.=. good f i s h i n g ; to t h e narrow canal which l e d i n t o the S p e c t a c l e L a k e s . Py t h i s t Ime c l o u d s had de scended a g a i n and t h e wind .\s d r i sen, sc d u r i n g lunch the hoys c o n v e r t e d our t h r e e canoes i n t o a tri:;i«r which we s a i l e d t h e whole l e n g t h of S p e c t a c l e and Swan L a k e s , to the e n v i o u s s t a r e s of o t h e r c a n o e i s t s .

T i r e d o f t h e p r e v a i l i n g r a i n , a l t h o u g h we had planned cr,

Sowron R i v e r i n t o Bowrcn Lake and another tr.^te of the Evtt( . i . ' mountain scenery t h a t had g r a c e d the f i r s t h a l f of our t r i n .

skimmed a c r o s s the waves nr . t i l a a n g e r o u s gust;- f o r c e d us to

n y l o n r o p e . P a d d l i n g f u r i o u s l y to s h o r e , g r i m l y k e e p i n g the canoes i n t o t h e waves to p r e v e n t c a p s i z i r g , we beached the canoes a t a p r i v a t e dock , f r o it which i t l u c k i l y turned out re, be j u s t a s h o r t h i k e through marsh to the c a r s . Darkness was f a s t a p p r o a c h i n g , so we e l e c t e d to spend the n^glit i i: a warm

aded fo some f o r home, but a l l w i t h mixed a c l o s e a v e r y r e w a r d i n g t r i p . E v e r y da b r i l l i a n t , sunsh ine and s p e c t s c u l a

5h

ROGER'S PASS

A u g u s t , 1 9 6 8

John Ranee i s a n i c e b o y . He l e t s l o t s o f p e o p l e p l a y i n h i s back y a r d . He has a BIG back y a r d . You s e e , J o h n ' s f a m i l y l i v e s i n S t a n l e y Park ( t u r n l e f t a t t h e monkeys - you c a n ' t miss i t ) . Anyway, John spent a l l summer c l e a r i n g up h i s back y a r d u n t i l he r e c e i v e d a l e t t e r from Riok P r i c e , who was g e t t i n g r e a l l y s i c k o f t h e r a i n and bush and b i g waves and l i t t l e rubber b o a t s and o t h e r a s s o c i a t e d nonsense o f the North C o a s t . R i c k s u g g e s t e d t h a t maybe t h e y might b o t h q u i t t h e i r j o b s e a r l y , bop down to the C o - o p , rumble o v e r t o t h e P e s h a s t i n P i n n a c l e s f o r a q u i c k c l i m b , then s t r e a k i t f o r R o g e r ' s Pass f o r some s e r i o u s m o u n t a i n e e r i n g ( save the l a u g h s f o r t h e end o f the a r t i c l e , p l e a s e ) . The f a c t t h a t e i g h t V . O . C . g i r l s were work ing i n R o g e r ' s Pass had a b s o l u t e l y no b e a r i n g on t h e i r d e c i s i o n to c l i m b t h e r e . W e l l , v e r y l i t t l e

S e a t t l e was a d r a g , and i t r a i n e d a t the P e s h a s t i n s , so a f t e r s a c k i n g out f o r one n i g h t i n an abandoned shack , t h e y s t r e a k e d i t f o r R o g e r ' s Pass i n R i c k ' s A u s t i n A -40. E l g l i t o ' c l o c k saw them i n Loop Creek c a m p s i t e , where Mary, Harry , B a r r y , Anna 'n Anna welcomed them w i t h open corned b e e f c a n s . There was a p a r t y a t t h e N o r t h l a n d e r H o t e l t h a t n i g h t , so by the t ime two 0 ' c l o c k r o l l e d around e v e r y o n e was f a i r l y b a g g e d .

Next d a y , Kathy B . , B a r r y , John, R i c k and Harry d i d t h e i r spooky t h i n g i n t h e Nakimu C a v e s . T u n n e l s and h o l e s and d r i p s and r u m b l i n g s and s i l e n c e and d a r k n e s s and s t a l a c - t h i n g s . R e a l l y w i l d . We g r o o v e d .

Next d a y , John and Barry and R i c k d e c i d e d t h a t i t was t ime to c l i m b . Swiss Peak ( t e n thousand f i v e hundred and t w e n t y - f i v e f e e t ) l o o k good so a t 7:00 a .m. t h e y l e f t the h o t e l and s t a r t e d up t h e t r a i l to Hermit Hut . By 8:36 t h e y were p a s t t h e hut and by 10:00 on the g l a c i e r . Two hours a c r o s s t h e g l a c i e r found them a t the b a s e o f a f i v e hundred f o o t c o u l o i r . T h i s l o o k e d good u n t i l a f a i r - s i z e d a v a l a n c h e came down i t about f i f t y f e e t away. " L e t ' s t r y the r o c k , " s a i d John. So t h e y d i d . But John l e d a b o u t t h i r t y f e e t b e f o r e a smal l a v a l a n c h e p a s s e d o v e r h im.

"This i s d i s c o u r a g i n g , " s a i d John.

" Y e s , " s a i d B a r r y , "Maybe t h e snow i s u n s t a b l e . "

"Aargh, " s a i d R i c k , "Let ' s - g e t t h e h e l l ou t of h e r e . "

So t h e y d i d .

Next day dawned b r i g h t and c l e a r on t h r e e undaunted f i g u r e s s t r i d i n g de termined aero ss the g l a c i e r once a g a i n .

"Maybe the snow i s s t a b l e t o d a y , " s a i d B a r r y .

"Of c o u r s e the snow i s s t a b l e t o d a y , " s a i d John.

55

"Ranee," s a i d R i c k , remembering b r e a k f a s t , "you make the LOUSIEST mush i n t h e w o r l d . "

Pour l e a d s t o o k u s t o the top o f t h e c o u l o i r .

"Wow! L o o k a t h e v i e w ! " e x c l a i m e d John,

"Jeez i t ' s c o l d , " s h i v e r e d B a r r y .

"Mush w i t h o u t r a i s o n s , " s a i d R i c k , "has NO c l a s s a t a l l . "

Two c l a s s f o u r rock l e a d s , one r a p p e l and a l o n g c l a s s t h r e e snow 1 e a d t o o k them to the b a s e o f the summit r i d g e . i'rom he re on i t l o o k e d e a s y ,

"Looks e a s y from here o n , " s a i d John. And i t w a s . A s h o r t rock l e a d f o l l o w e d by a s h o r t b u t exposed walk a l o n g an a r e t e took the t r iumphant t r i o to t h e t i p p y t o p .

"Vow," gasped John, "the a i r sure i s t h i n up h e r e . "

"Yeah ," s a i d B a r r y the s c i e n t i s t , "you can h a r d l y see i t any more.

" Yech'. " s a i d R i c k , reminded once a g a i n o f the mush.

So s a y i n g t h e y began the r i s k y d e s c e n t .

John: "This c o u l o i r should g o . "

B a r r y : "Not b e f o r e we c l i m b down i t , I h o p e . "

R±ck: "You g u y s r e a l l y wanna see me g e t s i c k , d o n ' t y a ? "

So R i c k l e d down t h e c o u l o i r . Soon he s t o p p e d . "This c o u l o i r goes a l l r i g h t . I t g o e s down t o here and ends in a w a l l . " Many c o u l o i r s and many w a l l s l a t e r t h e y found the iuse lv a t the base o f t h e mounta in .

"Nice c l i m b , " s a i d John.

"Vhew!" s a i d H a r r y .

"Aargh; L e t ' s go home." s a i d R i c k .

And t h e y d i d . [ ]

MT. BLANCHARD or A THIP OUTDOORS

August 2 5 t h

P e t e r Macek •Jaim Ranee Nancy Deas

''Everyone should have a b i t o f madness" and madness i s more than madness on a r a i n y d a y . I t i s the r e a l i t y o f r u s h i n g s t r e a m s , s l u r p y mud. monstrous puddle s, and u n c e a s i n g d r i p s , wh ich combine to form an u n r e a l , u n b e l i e v a b l e e x p e r i e n c e . I am c o n v i n c e d t h a t V . O . C . ' e r s t h r i v e in t h i s type o f s e t t i n g .

Augus t 2 5 t h was such an u n b e l i e v a b l e day and M t . B lanchard L the Golden Ears group) was the p l a c e . I t was r a i n i n g hard 7 : 3 0 a .m. as we l e f t V a n c o u v e r . I t was r a i n i n g even h a r d e r •n we a r r i v e d a t the p a r k i n g a r e a n e a r A T o u e t t e Lake to in the h i k e . The road was a s t ream bed i t s e l f , and the e r b r u s h was l a d e n w i t h s e v e r a l d a y s 1 r a i n . But who cared V were o u t s i d e , in an i n t e r e s t i n g a r e a , i n good company, and • r a i n y day madness took o v e r l

The f i r s t c h a l l e n g e o f the t r i p was c r o s s i n g Gold R i v e r . A T y r o l e a n T r a v e r s e was o u t , so w i t h b o o t s around our n e c k s ( g e t t i n g a l m o s t as wet from the r a i n as i f we had worn them a c r o s s ) " a n d arms f l a i l i n g , we r e a c h e d the o t h e r s i d e . The t r a i l from t h e r e proceeded up a v a l l e y f o l l o w i n g a l o g g i n g r o a d . Our p r o g r e s s was i n t e r r u p t e d on s e v e r a l o c c a s i o n s as we s topped to q u e s t i o n our m o t i v e s f o r such a t r i p . L u c k i l y t h i s was l e f t u n a n s w e r e d . .

A f t e r a few hours o f l e a k i n g r a i n g e a r and squ i . r sh ing b o o t s we had a r r i v e d ar the p o i n t where the road becomes a t r a i l and p r o c e e d s to the r i d g e . Near t h i s p o i n t we found what f o r me, made t h e w e t n e s s w o r t h w h i l e : a h u g e , d r y , h o l l o w stump. I t was t e r r i f i c ' . Three o f us i n s i d e w i t h our p a c k s and t h e r e was s t i l l l o t s o f room; Lunch l a s t e d a t l e a s t an hour and we r e g r e t t e d we had not b r o u g h t b o o k s , m a g a z i n e s , o r c a r d s , b e ­cause i t would have made a p l e a s a n t ( d r y ) a f t e r n o o n .

De termined , t h o u g h , to make more o f th© d a y , we c o n t i n u e d up the t r a i l a f t e r l u n c h . Wow I Tt was even w e t t e r now, but the b l u e b e r r i e s were good . We r e a c h e d the r i d g e as more c l o u d s c u t us o f f from what was a "view."' we walked a l o n g the r i d g e s t i l l about one thousand e i g h t hundred f e e t from the summit. At one of the h i g h e r p o i n t s o f t h e r i d g e we s topped f o r a snack , threw a few r o c k s o f f t h e edge and each wondered who would s u g g e s t . w e t u r n b a c k . The o b v i o u s was the unspoken and we turned back down.

5'

The nece ss i ty and d e s i r e t o remain d r y no Longer seemed i m p o r t a n t and the d r i p p i n g w a t e r , soaked c l o t h e s and b o o t s wer u n n o t i c e d . We c r o s s e d t h e r i v e r a g a i n (John d i d n ' t even iiotlie remov ing h i s b o o t s '. ) and s o g g i l y a r r i v e d a t the c a r .

What i s madness? What i s r e a l i t y ? What i s d r y n e s s ? But who c a r e s , when t h e A 4 V i n P o r t C o q u i t l a m has m i l k s h a k e s . i n

FITZSEMMONS RANGE NOTES

September 2, 19

MEMBERS: K a r l R i c k e r Stu F a l l Ken Hunt Nancy Corfwan Eckhard Buss Roland Burton I r e n e Wingate Jean F i n l e y

: Dempsey B r i a n E l l i

One o f t h e f a s t e r ways o f r e a c h i n g a l p i n e c o u n t r y i s v i a the W h i s t l e r l i f t s y s t e m . Combining t h i s s t a r t w i t h a b e a u t i f u l sunny a f t e r n o o n our l i t t l e band o f former or p r e s e n t V . O . C . ' e r s had an e n j o y a b l e t r e k over P i c c o l o , F l u t e and Oboe summits on our way to S i n g i n g P a s s . A f i n a l push up through the f l o w e r e d s l o p e s o f the Pass p u t us a t the new Himmelsbach Hut on R u s s e t Lake i n time f o r strpper, K a r l ' s e a r n e s t e f f o r t s to c o v e r t h e " o f f e n s i v e orange" c a b i n w a l l w i t h r o c k s were cu t s h o r t by the a r r i v a l o f t h e f i r s t r a i n s t o r m .

The v i e w a t a .m. was d i s c o u r a g i n g l y n o n - e x i s t e n t but someone caught a g l i m p s e o f b l u e through the gloom a t s even o ' c l o c k so a h a s t y b r e a k f a s t was put away and we r o l l e d out for t h e W h i r l w i n d - F i s s i l e c o l . P a s t Whir lwind w i t h a tramp o f many b o o t s , we scrambled over Refuse P i n n a c l e and a c r o s s to t h e B e n v o I i o - D i a v o l o c o l . The t e m p t a t i o n to bag B e n v o l i o and O v e r l o r d was r e s i s t e d as we c a u g h t our f i r s t f l e e t i n g g l i m p s e o f Mt . Cheakamus s t r a i g h t a h e a d . S t r a i g h t ahead , but u n f o r t u n a t e l y s e p a r a t e d from us hy a f i f t e e n hundred f o o t deep v a i l ey paved w i t h t h e i m p r e S P I V S D i a v o l 0 G l a c i e r . T h i n k i n g to do a new r o u t e , we c r o s s e d the g l a c i e r and ascended about one thousand f e e t o f s t e e p c r e v a s s e d SUDW to g a i n t h e c o l between the main summit r i d g e and the p i n n a c l e to the e a s t .

5 8

O n e - h a l f hour o f p l e a s a n t c l a s s two and t h r e e s c r a m b l i n g a l o n g the r i d g e b r o u g h t us to the c a i r n ( f o u r hours from t h e h u t ) where we found the r e c o r d e f f e c t i v e l y s e a l e d i n s i d e i t s bronze c a n i s t e r by numerous l i g h t n i n g w e l d s , I f you can open cans w i t h an i c e - a x e you can open bronze bombs and a q u i c k l y l i b e r a ted n o t e b o o k r e v e a l e d t h a t our s was a second a s c e n t , b u t , c o n t r a r y to the g u i d e b o o k , our F.ast r i d g e r o u t e was n o t new. M a r v e l l i n g t h a t such a prominent and c l o s e peak had s t o o d i n i s o l a t i o n for e i g h t e e n y e a r s we s e t t l e d i n f o r l u n c h and a g r a d u a l l y i m p r o v i n g v i e w of t h e McBride Rpnge, i n c l u d i n g Veeocee Mt . n e a r Mt . 5 i r R i c h a r d .

A Quick t r i p back to the col was ex tended to i n c l u d e some p l e a s a n t c l i m b i n g on s e v e r a l o f the e a s t e r n p i n n a e1 e s . By three o ' c l o c k we were back down on t h e g l a c i e r and w h i l e Ken, Stu and Jean b e g a n a l e i s u r e l y t r i p back to Russe t L a k e , I r e n e , Nancy and Roland d e c i d e d t o t r y Mt . F i t z s immons and K a r l , Eckhard , Marg and I s e t o f f f o r Mt. "ago , n o r t h e a s t o f F i t z S i m m o n s . One hour l a t e r our p a r t y s tood on l a g o 1 s summit a f t e r a s t e e p snow c l imb and' a s h o r t rock scramble (not r e a l l y n e c e s s a r y ) from the n o r t h . There was no s i g n o f p r e v i o u s

the- h u t . The s u c c e s s f u l F i tzs immons crew r e j o i n e d us b e l o w B e n v o l i o and we wound our way up O v e r l o r d , down O v e r l o r d , up and down Refuse P i n n a c l e and a c r o s s t h e meadows i n t h e d y i n g s u n l i g h t to r e a c h the hut ( a l m o s t ) b e f o r e t h e c l o u d ­b u r s t h i t . A v e r y s a t i s f y i n g day f o r a l l c o n c e r n e d .

The Monday morning sky was f l a w l e s s a f t e r a c o l d n i g h t . Karl and Stu stormed o v e r to D i a v o l o Peak and r e a c h e d the summit a f t e r s i x f i f t y - f o o t l e a d s o f c l a s s t h r e e to f o u r on the r o t t e n to s e m i - s o l i d rock of the n o r t h a r e t e . A t en minute walk took them t o the summit of Ange lo P e a k . Marg and I t r i e d to ascend the l i n e of gendarmes on F i s s i l e ' s n o r t h n o r t h w e s t r i d g e ( c l a s s 2 - h) bu t ran out o f t i m e . Nancy, Ken and l ickhaxd made an a p p r o p r i a t e l y f a s t v i s i t to Whirlwind Peak and then i t was t ime to l e a v e . A f t e r a l e i s u r e l y t r i p to the c h a i r l i f t by some (and a f r a n t i c r a c e by o t h e r s ) , our grubby band appeared a t S m i l i n g J a c k ' s f o r the nZ'' t i m e , the t r a d i t i o n a l end to a v e r y s u c c e s s f u l t r i p - U

59

AUTUMN AND WINTER A C T I V I T I E S 1 9 6 8

AUTUMN TRIPS

MT• GARIBALDI

Frank Baumann, ace Jim Buckingham, ou: c h n i c a l a d v i s o r fro:

i r m i p e g Canoe C l u b l y , P e t e r Macek

How i t a l l happened:

L e c t u r e s were a p p r o a c h i n g a g a i n , bur the w e a t h e r h e l d good and dozens o f c l i m b s were b e i n g s u g g e s t e d . I had to r e g i s t e r S a t u r d a y and the Co-op was a must, bu t then a g a i n , t h e r e was a p a r t y a t W h i s t l e r ("You've j u s t g o t to meet t h o s e N o r t h l a n d e r g i r l s . . . " ) , so what the h e l l , l e t ' s do i t a l l .

Amid snores and p r o t e s t s , we g o t up a f t e r a n e g l i g i b l e amount o f s l e e p , s t r u g g l e d through F r a n k ' s "porr idge ' ' and headed f o r Brohm R i d g e . The g r e e n machine dodged s l a s h f i r e s and b o u l d e r s and f i n a l l y gave out on a C l a s s VI l o g g i n g road ( A i d -we were p u s h i n g ) . The t r a i l wound through p a s t and f u t u r e burns and up onto t h e meadows, gradual 1 y p e t e r i n g out on the r i d g e s and s c r e e . A f t e r lunch a t the top o f the r i d g e , we t r a v e r s e d a c r o s s the head o f Warren g l a c i e r and s l o g g e d up the North E a s t l i e a d w a l l . The c r e v a s s e s were a l l open and we made good time up to the f i r s t bergschrund where we p l a y e d around f o r an hour c u t t i n g s t e p s up a h o r r e n d o u s l y exposed w a l l . Some C l a s s IV snow, a shor t s c r a m b l e , and we had f i n a l l y made i t - i t was 5 : 0 0 P .M. and we were e i g h t hours and s i x thousand f i v e hundred f e e t above the c a r . The v iew was f a n t a s t i c — T a n t a l u s i e e f a l l e t c h e d l i k e an o ld s e p i a i n t o the urown smoke

l i g h t i n g the n e a r b y p e a k s .

The the ng gh trie

appeared bel i f and the d a r k n e s s and-new headlamp.

a l i s t i " ora f i n a l l y Era:

1 1 : 0 0 P.: r o p i n i o n

60 TUPPER AND THE HERMIT GENDARME

Frank Baumann

Anyone r e a d i n g the 1 9 6 6 V . O . C . J o u r n a l cannot h e l p b u t g e t turned on by t h e R o g e r ' s Pass a r e a so a p t l y d e s c r i b e d by Monica M o r r i s ' (nee Nasmyth) a r t i c l e s . A f t e r w o r k i n g I n the C a r i b o u a l l summer, Jim Buckingham (from Winnipeg - a c a n o e i s t -come c l i m b e r ) and I a r r i v e d a t the Pass and a f t e r w a i t i n g a day f o r t h e w e a t h e r to c l e a r , d e c i d e d to c l imb Mt . Tupper -t o w e r i n g above t h e E a s t s i d e o f the P a s s .

S t a r t i n g up t h e Hermit Hut t r a i l a t dawn, we made good t ime to the open meadows, then a c r o s s the v a r i o u s mounta ins to the Northwes t r i d g e o f our o b j e c t i v e . T h i s r i d g e , a c l a s s i c k n i f e - e d g e p r o v i d e d c l a s s t h r e e c l i m b i n g on o n l y f a i r r o c k , u n t i l the f i n a l c o l was r e a c h e d . Here , a s h o r t low c l a s s f o u r chimney and then more c l a s s t h r e e rock l e a d to the summit - a f l a t , s p a c i o u s p l a t f o r m w i t h a b e a u t i f u l t h r e e hundred and s i x t y degree v i e w of the whole R o g e r 1 s Pass a r e a . A f t e r a few hero sho t s and l u n c h , we desc ended i n t e n d i n g to t a k e a l o o k a t a s p e c t a c u l a r gendarme we had p a s s e d on the way up c a l l e d 'The H e r m i t ' .

The Hermit , e a s i l y v i s i b l e from the h ighway , i s a f i f t y foo t o v e r h a n g i n g chunk o f ro ck - wi t h no v i s i b l e c a i r n on t o p . A f t e r t a k i n g a l o n g l o o k a t the S o u t h e a s t s i d e , 1 f i n a l l y d e c i d e d t h a t t h i s was not g o i n g to go f r e e and r e g r e t f u l l y p l a c e d one a i d b o l t h i g h on t h e r o c k . T h i s a l l o w e d me t o r e a c h a l a r g e l o o s e b l o c k which turner v i n g l y moved a f a i r b i t as I t r i e d to p l a c e a p i t o n behind i t . F i n ­a l l y r e s o r t i n g to j u s t t y i n g a s l i n g around t h e whole t h i n g (which re s u i t e d i n the p i t o n d r o p p i n g o u t ) I moved up a s t e p and then f r e e d the r e s t o f t h e way to t h e t o p . Not much o f a c l i m b r e a l l y b u t man, tho so p i c t u r e s ! . ; Imagine an o v e r ­h a n g i n g f i n g e r o f r o c k w i t h a s p e c t a c u l a r background o f mounta ins and g l a c i e r s behind - t h e C l a s s i c Gaston R e h u f f a t t y p e hero s h o t i A f t e r s h o o t i n g about t en p i c t u r e s a t a l l d i f f e r e n t e x p o s u r e s , I r a p p e l l e d o f f and b o t h o f us c o n t i n u e d the d e s c e n t to t h e h i g h w a y . [ ]

HABRICH - THE GAMBIT GROOVES ROUTE

1 9 6 8 D ick C u l b e r t

The w e s t e r n and southern e x p o s u r e s of >st . H a b r i c h are e a s i l y r e a c h e d (one hour from road) and p r e s e n t some o f t h e n i c e s t c l i m b i n g a v a i l a b l e . D e s p i t e t h i s , o n l y one r o u t e had been put up p r i o r to the soheduled B . C . M . C . t r i p t h i s y e a r . T h a t r o u t e was air o b v i o u s l i n e on the west f a c e done some y e a r s ago by Dan T a t e , Barry Hagen, A l i c e Purdey , and S h e i l a

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P i l k i n g t o n . I t was up the ir - r o u t s t h a t T e r r y R o l l e r s o n , B r i a n Howard and X headed i n a r a i n s t o r m on t h e c l u b t r i p . A f t e r t h r e e l e a d s i t s t a r t e d to s l e e t and we d e s c e n d e d . Mean­w h i l e Manfred P u t z and G e m o t W a l t e r t r i ed a more s p o r t i n g l i n e out c l o s e to the c l a s s i c s o u t h w e s t nose and g o t up q u i t e a way d e s p i t e the w e a t h e r b e f o r e coming t o common s e n s e .

A c o u p l e o f weeks l a t e r Bob C u t h b e r t , Tom H a l l and I r e t u r n e d to t h e i r r o u t e n e a r t h e n o s e . The f i r s t two l e a d s i n v o l v e a c l a s s 5 - 6 o v e r h a n g i n g chimney and s l a b s beyond , which must have been damn d i c e y i n the r a i n . S h o r t l y above we chose t h e l e f t o f two p o s s i b l e l i n e s , which may have been a m i s t a k e . T h i r t y f e e t o f n a i l i n g t h r o u g h an overhang was t h e o n l y a i d and s e v e r a l l e a d s o f mixed f o u r and f i v e f o l l o w e d . Tom d i d the f i n a l l e a d , p u s h i n g the h a r d e s t c l i m b i n g o f a l l on a g r o o v e and s l a b sys tem w i t h poor p r o t e c t i o n . I n r e t r o s p e c t t h i s i s one of the n i c e s t c l i m b s a v a i l a b l e - the r o c k i s c o r r o d e d i n p l a c e s b u t rough and e x c e l l e n t . The l i n e when seen from Sky P i l o t l o o k s l i k e a n a i l i n g j o b a l l the way. and i t I s s u r p r i s i n g t h a t o n l y the one a i d p i t c h was r e q u i r e d . C l i m b i n g i s c o n t i n u o u s l y a s t h e t i c c l a s s f i v e or h i g h f o u r f o r a l m o s t t h e e n t i r e e i g h t hundred f e e t . D i f f i c u l t y i s 5 - 7 by Y o s e m i t e s t a n d a r d s or 5•5 by C h i e f - A 2 . L ]

CO-PILOT - NORTH FACE

September , 1968 Victe Culbe.

The day f o l l o w i n g H a b r i c h , we wandered up to the n o r t h f a c e o f C o - P i l o t . T h i s proved to be much f i r m e r than we had e x p e c t e d , and somewhat s t e e p e r t o o . There were t h r e e l e a d s and Tom go 1 the l a s t and mo s t i n t e r e s t i n g a g a i n ( 5 • 5 ) - O v e r ­hangs p r o v i d e d the e n t e r t a i n m e n t and w h i l e t h r e e l e a d s i s no t t h a t much of a r o u t e , i t was an en j o y a h l e cT imb. S p i r i t s were o n l y dampened when we found t h a t we had been l o c k e d in the Shannon Creek L e g g i n g h o a d . H

The h i k e t h a t q u a l i f i e d : CH17RCH- MOUNTAIN

September 15 , 19 6S Anna Pre to

I t q u a l i f i e d a l l r i g h t , a s the w e t t e s t h i k e o f '68 up to now, T h i r t y hardy s u p e r - k e e n e r s , under the drenched l e a d e r s h i p o f y o u r s t r u l y , made i t a t l a s t to c i r c a s i x ihousand f o n t . The w e a t h e r , spec t a c u l a r : c l o u d s were a b o v e , below and a l l around, s l e e t f e l l s i l e n t l y . The a lmost t a n g i b l e a l p i n e qu i e t was occa s i o n a l l.y i n t e r r u p t e d by the s q u e l c h i n g o f s o g g y f e e t .

In a l l h o n e s t y i t was r a t h e r f u n , w i t h the r a i n , b l u e ­b e r r i e s ( d e l i c i o u s l ) and a l l

A l l q u a l i f i e d and r e t u r n e d s a f e l y , a l l t h a t i s , e x c e p t my l i t t ! l e b l u e dino e a u r , which d e c i d e d to g i v e up the gho s t a t G l a c i e r . I t may in (.ere s t _ you to know t h a t i t has now f u l l y r e c o v e r e d and i s u p h o l d i n g i n a l l honour the VW c l a s s o f ' 6 3 .

S e r i o u s l y , Church Mountain i s a good h i k e , v e r y l o v e l y i n i t s s c e n e r y , w e a t h e r p e r m i t t i n g . A w e l l - m a r k e d g r a v e l road branches l e f t or: the Mt. Raker h i g h w a y , a few m i l e s p a s t the r a n g e r s t a t i o n and l e a d s up the mounta in . I f you en j o y the view of r o 1 1 i ng a l p i n e meadows, the whip t l i n g o f p i c a s and the r u s h i n g of s treams and the t a s t e o f b l u e b e r r i e s ( s o r r y , o n l y i.n the f a l l ) , e t c . , e t c then t h i s i s the h i k e f o r y o u .

Co rigratu i a tic n s -o a l l t hat b r a v e 1 y qual i f l e d . [ ]

SHUKSAN STAMPERS

September ?] 22 Barb E u l t o n

Members: Johr Panee Les Watson Paul Sims

(L) Poland Burtoi P e t e r Macek Paul S t a r r Emit Abo l a s h Barry Narod Huward Hume Harli n i l ton

Lane r r i e s e n P e t e r Jordan

Eatl iy l i ickc: C e c i l ia liro-

6 3

September 21 & 22 Nancy Deas

The enthus iasm f o r a t r i p to an a t t r a c t i v e a r e a w i t h good f r i e n d s in pood w e a t h e r b u i l d s up a warm glow o f a n t i ­c i p a t i o n . I t was in t h i s d e l i g h t f u l nood t h a t I r e n e Wingate ( b ) , Ken L e f e v e r , Helen i ' e t r i c e k and Nancy Eeas l e f t Vancouver on September 2 1 s t , f o r Mt. Tomyhoi near Mt. Baker i n Northern Washington .

The t r i p l e f t Vancouver a t v a r i o u s t i m e s r a n g i n g from 8:00 a.m. ( P e t e r Macek) to 10:00 a.m. (John K a n c e ) . The h i g h p o i n t s o f the t r i p were s m u g g l i n g c o n t r a b a n d f r u i t and s i g n i n g in a t the Ranger S t a t i o n . Be fore b e g i n n i n g the b o g -h o p p i n g we consumed a dozen s t i c k y bung, the remains o f which we donated t o two super c l i m b e r s i n a V.W". The walk i n was i n t e r e s t i n g (My God, we are s t i l l g o i n g down). O t h e r h i k e r s gave e n c o u r a g i n g w e a t h e r r e p o r t s .

Camp was s e t up a t Lake Ann where P e t e r t o l d f o r t u n e s w h i l e w a i t i n g f o r the r e s t o f the g r o u p . Once a s s e m b l e d , we h i k e d up t h e mounta in to the g l a c i e r f o r a snow and i c e s c h o o l . Pau l S t a r r and Les Watson s e t up a B e l u g a r i c r e v a s s e re s c u e . P e t e r Macek t a u g h t s e l f - a r r e s t and dynami c b e l a y s . A t ten i n the e v e n i n g Roland c r a w l e d i n t o h i s s t a n d a r d - u l t i m a t e ( s u p e r t e n t ) and Les c r a w l e d i n t o h i s u l t i m a t e - i n f e r i o r (ground s h e e t ) ,

A t 3-^5 a .m. Sunday, t h a t a larm c l o c k went o f f and the v a l i a n t group wandered up in a f o g (morning m i s t ? ) to the F i s h e r Chimney System (rla s s t h r e e and v e r g l a s ) . From the snow f i e l d we roped up the W i n n i e ' s S l i d e . Hy Lhis t ime I t was day l i g h t and we c o u l d see t h a t i t was r a i n i n g . At seven thousand two hundred f e e t , be low H e l l ' s Highway, the b l i z z a r d and the one hundred m i l e an hour g u s t s turned us b a c k . Lunch was s e r v e d i n an i c e c a v e to the sound of d r i p , d r i p , d r i p . . , .

The d e s c e n t was made wi th f o u r f i x e d r o p e s and bum schuss methods . Upon r e a c h i n g t h e t e n t s , we c r a w l e d i n and a t e the r e s t o f B a r r y 1 s f i v e pounds of mountain mix and a l l o t h e r l e f t o v e r s . The h i k e out ( four m . p . h . on the d o w n h i l l ) *as u n e v e n t f u l e x c e p t f o r the l a s t n ine hundred v e r t i c a l f e e r . C 1 ,

6k

The way i n o f f e r e d a g r e s t view- o f M t . Baker and Shuksan and a f t e r a few hours we were i n t o the meadows. The t r a i l was not v e r y w e l l d e f i n e d , bu t we made our way on t o t h e main r i d g e o f Tomyhoi . We chose a s i g h t f o r camp c o n s i d e r i n g maximum a e s t h e t i c s , so we s e t up the t e n t l o o k i n g o v e r a t t h e m a s s i v e North f a c e o f Shuksan, w i t h S e f r i t to t h e E a s t , and American Border Peak b e h i n d .

A f t e r we l e i s u r e l y e n j o y e d a d e l i c i o u s d i n n e r , t h e few c l o u d s c l e a r e d from the nearby summits and t h e s e t t i n g became " p e r f e c t " . We ended t h e e v e n i n g e a r l y o v e r t e a w i t h o t h e r m o u n t a i n e e r s camped n e a r b y . Even w i t h a l l f o u r i n one t e n t , we had a c o m f o r t a b l e n i g h t a n t i c i p a t i n g the c l i m b to the peak t h e n e x t d a y .

We awoke about s i x o ' c l o c k s c a r c e l y b e l i e v i n g the s i t u a ­t i o n . One hand e x t e n d e d from t h e t e n t , one eye p e e r e d t h r o u g h the n e t t i n g and i t became o b v i o u s t h a t our " p e r f e c t " s e t t i n g was no l o n g e r . The edge o f our wor ld was now o n l y a b o u t t h i r t y f e e t away and i t was r a i n i n g . Our l e a d e r , p r o v i n g h e r s e l f e a r l i e r to be dynamic and d e c i s i v e a t any c r i s i s , once a g a i n r o s e ( w e l l h a r d l y , a s she was s t i l l in h e r s l e e p i n g b a g ) to the s i t u a t i o n and d e c l a r e d , " L e t ' s w a i t a w h i l e ; i t w i l l b u m o f f I" We s l e p t a g a i n .

S e v e r a l h o u r s l a t e r w i t h v i s i b i l i t y the same, o n l y r a i n i n g h a r d e r , we made the f i r s t moves t o pack up the camp. As t h e t r a i l to the peak was not w e l l marked we d e c i d e d not to a t t e m p t i t i n t h e f o g . We met up w i t h o t h e r s i n the a r e a to t r y to f i n d our way down. Without much d i f f i c u l t y , we p i c k e d our v a y through mud, p u d d l e s and soaked u n d e r b r u s h , and a r r i v e d a t the c a r a t noon v e r y w e t .

But d e s p i t e the d i s a p p o i n t m e n t and d i s c o m f o r t , the enjoyment o f b e i n g o u t s i d e and the e x c i t e m e n t o f b e i n g i n a new p l a c e l e f t us w i t h an o v e r a l l happy f e e l i n g which remains l o n g a f t e r the t r i p i s o v e r . [ ]

MONTE CRISTO

September 28 - 29 M a r g a r e t Dempsey

MEMBERS: B r i a n E l l i s (L) Roland Burton Ron Kot Mar g a r e t Dempsey

Eckhard Buss M a r i l y n Baker I r e n e Wingate

What has happened? The mounta in i s not as d i s t a n t , a s f o r m i d a b l e as my mind has imaged i t d u r i n g t h i s p a s t y e a r . The h o r s e s h o e o f p e a k s r i s i n g a b r u p t l y from the b a s i n i s s p e c t a c u l a r b u t not f o r b i d d i n g - the f i r s t heavy s n o w f a l l has not t rans formed f r i e n d l y rock l e d g e s i n t o n i g h t m a r e s o f u n c e r t a i n f o o t i n g . The warmth o f summer has y e t to s u r r e n d e r to w i n t e r ' s h a r s h n e s s .

The g l o r y o f f a l l i s p a i n t e d on t h e v a l l e y f l o o r and s p l a s h e d up the f i n g e r s o f meadows t h a t spread over the mountain s i d e s . Lower down, the y e l l o w s and r e d s are muted, but h i g h e r , where the s u n ' s r a y s have r e a c h e d , a wash o f b r i l l i a n t c o l o u r s d e f i e s e x p r e s s i o n .

But t h i s b e a u t y must be l e f t i f we a r e to c l i m b t h e m o u n t a i n . Through the meadow, a c r o s s the g l a c i a l s t r e a m s , and up the s c r e e s l o p e s to the c o l . The expo sure i s i m p r e s s as we t r a v e r s e the snow s l o p e to g a i n the rock of the main p e a k . Two l e a d s on s o l i d c l a s s four rock f o l l o w e d by e a s y s c r a m b l i n g on mossy s l o p e s p u t s u s on the summit a t noon, from where we s u r v e y the s u r r o u n d i n g g i a n t s , Baker , G l a c i e r and R a i n i e r .

Such p e r f e c t w e a t h e r e n t i c e s us to s t a y l o n g e r but as a l w a y s we submit to t h e demands o f t i m e . Down we g o , r a p -p e l l i n g the l a s t two p i t c h e s and then r e c o v e r i n g a w a n d e r i n g hard hat . from the moat . Aero ss the snow, down t h e s c r e e , t h r o u g h the meadow we a r r i v e a t camp not q u i t e b e ] i e v i n g t h a t t h i s was a V . O . C . q u a l i f i c a t i o n h i k e .[/J

FORTY MILES DOWN THE FRASER: AN EPIC September 2S A 29

MEMBEPS: C a t h y Hunter Emil A b o i s s r S a r i T a y l o r B r i a n Bruse i L o r r y K r e t z s c h m a r P e t e Klewcht Bruce Graham L o m e B i r c h Ralph S a y l e K e i t h Keceu-. Judy Hale Rose Ann Ma? John F l o o k

In response to a c h a l l e n g e from S . F . O . C . nhe above keen showed up on a f o g g y Saturday- in M i s s i o n to s t a r t o f f tr:e l i : e g of a f o r t y m i l e r a c e to Annaci s I s l a n d . The f o g , when i

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l i f t e d r e v e a l e d a l m o s t f i f t y c a n o e s , n e a r l y f o r t y more than we expec t e d . Most o f t h e s e canoes came from l o c a l canoe c l u b s . S c i e n c e and E n g i n e e r i n g e n t r i e s p r o v i d e d comic r e l i e f f a r the s e r i o u s c a n o e r s . The f i r s t l e g was c o m p l e t e d a t the mouth o f t h e S t a v e R i v e r , which a l s o c o i n c i d e d w i t h l u n c h , g i v i n g us a chance t o a s s e s s our c a n o e i n g a b i l i t i e s . Me a l s o d i s c o v e r e d t h a t n i n e t y p e r c e n t o f the canoes had t a k e n the wrong r o u t e and were t e c h n i c a l l y d i s q u a l i f i e d . T h i s was remedied by a r u l i n g which was remedied by a n o t h e r r u l i n g and so f o r t h f o r the r e s t o f t h e weekend and the second l e g b e g a n . I t f i n i s h e d a t the h i s t o r i c town o f F o r t L a n g l e y where we were to spend t h e n i g h t . The h i g h l i g h t o f our s t a y t h e r e was our u n i q u e method o f t ran s p o r t a t i o n - L o r n e ' s M . G . A . I t h i n k we managed to move t en p e o p l e a t once f o r a F t . L a n g l e y r e c o r d f o r M , G . A . 1 e . Any­way, Sunday dawned, b a r e l y , a f t e r a n i g h t marred by & few i n c i d e n t s : s i r e n s , n o i s e , h a i r c u r l e r s and o t h e r t h i n g s . U n f o r t u n a t e l y t h e f o g l i f t e d and t h e t h i r d l e g , t o the P i t t R i v e r , s t a r t e d . A t t h i s p o i n t , one o f our canoes dropped o u t . " F u l t o n ' s F o l l y " was not r e a l l y a r a c i n g canoe and b e i n g l a s t was q u i t e d i s c o u r a g i n g . At t h e end o f t h e t h i r d h e a t , the B i r c h and Elewchuk canoe was a v e r y good s e c o n d , w i t h most of our o t h e r canoes d o i n g w e l l . Sow the f i n a l l e g to A n n a c i s I s l a n d , w i t h a s t r o n g incoming t i d e and t h e l o n g e s t d i s t a n c e . The f i r s t canoe a c r o s s t h e l i n e was t h e F o r t Moody Canoe C l u b ' s e n t r y w i t h two p r o ' s p a d d l i n g , b u t j u s t beh ind them were Lorne and P e t e , coming in second o v e r a l l . The C l u b managed to g r a b t h i r d p l a c e in t h e o v e r a l l s t a n d i n g s , which i s r e a l l y q u i t e good f o r us n o v i c e s . John F l o o k , a l t h o u g h he missed p a d d l i n g t h e r a c e , d e s e r v e s c o n s i d e r a b l e c r e d i t f o r o r g a n ! z i n g the p a d d l e r s and c a n o e s . The r a c e was a l o t o f fun and we hope to see more out n e x t y e a r b e c a u s e we w i l l a l l . be b a c k . [ ]

BROHM RIDGE

T h i s " s l a c k t r i p " (as i t was a d v e r t i s e d ) l e f t Vancouver a t 8:00 a .m. I t was f o g g y i n town, but we came up i n t o the sun b e f o r e Korsehoe B a y . S i x t e e n o f us met a t the A l i c e Lake t u r n o f f and p i l e d i n t o t h r e e c a r s - t h r e e i n K e i t h M o o r e ' e R e n a u l t , t h r e e i n Reg W i l d e ' s V.W. and t e n in Bob S i . J o h n ' s L a n d r o v e r . About a t h i r d o f the way up the r o u g h , h i l l y l o g g i n g r o a d , the R e n a u l t had to g i v e u p . The L a n d r o v e r took on two more p a s s e n g e r s and the V.W. g a i n e d one . On we c r a w l e d and bumped, t h e V.W r i d e r s g e t t i n g out and w a l k i n g up h i l l s w h i l e t h e L a n d r o v e r r i d e r s h e l d the back door c L c s e d . -\t one

p o i n t , a road c o n s t r u c t i o n crew c l e a r e d t h e road o f a c o u p l e o f b o u l d e r s f o r u s . About seven m i l e s u p , we l e f t t h e c a r s and w a i t e d w h i l e Barb Midoszewska ( b e t t e r known as Barb '"With The Long Name") s e a r c h e d f o r t h e b e g i n n i n g of the t r a i l . That

We h i k e d up through the t r e e s , f o l l o w i n g aluminum markers and l i g h t i n g b u g s . We passed through two s e t s o f meadows f u l l o f b l u e b e r r y bushes where we f i l l e d (and r e f i l l e d ) our w a t e r b o t t l e s . We r e a c h e d the t h i r d meadow, t a c k l e d a s h o r t rock s cramble and r e a c h e d t h e t o p a f t e r two and a h a l f hours o f c l i m b i n g . Everyone q u a l i f i e d .

During an hour a t t h e t o p we a t e l u n c h , e x p l o r e d , s l e p t and admired the v i e w o f mountain peaks above the low f o g . A few o f the e n e r g e t i c even b u i l t a c a i r n . " S k i i n g " down i c e p a t c h e s , s l i d i n g down s c r u b on our r e a r s , and hopping and r u n n i n g down t h e s l o p e , we r e a c h e d the c a r s in an h o u r . Barb had a p l a s t i c bag o f mushrooms which she had h a r v e s t e d on the way down. D e s p i t e the T a y l o r Way - L i o n s Gate t r a f f i c , we were home by 7:00 p .m. We had had a b e a u t i f u l day f o r a w o n d e r f u l h i k e and we a g r e e d we would a l l l o v e t o go back a g a i n .[]

SURVIVAL 1 9 6 8

The f a l l o f 1968 brought a d i f f e r e n t a c t i v i t y to V . O . C . Now i n a c t i o n i s the S u r v i v a l C o u r s e , l ed by C h r i s M c N e i l l . Each i n t e r e s t e d p a r t y a t t a c h e d t h e i r own purpose to s u r v i v a l , t h u s p a r t i c i p a t i n g to any e x t e n t t h e y d e s i r e d . I d e a s o f purpose range from the hope o f m i n i m i z i n g hack pack w e i g h t s for h i k i n g t r i p s to tlie s e l f - p r e p a r a t i o n f o r s u r v i v a l i f caught in u n f o r e -

The c o u r s e i s s e l f - t e a c h i n g w i t h smal l b l u r b s from C h r i s

e x p e r i e n c e . M e e t i n g s o f the i n t e r e s t e d w i t h d i s c u s s i o n s on bow, why and when . Ou t i rigs were s e t .

Ra iny w e a t h e r domi na ted both o f the o u t i n g s . I n s p i r e o f t li J s, both were a s u c c e s s ; we a l l l e a r n e d some t h i n g no I known

68

b e f o r e which, w i l l make us a l l the more competent t h e n e x t t i m e . The f i r s t o v e r n i g h t o u t i n g a t t r a c t e d f i v e s u r v i v o r s ; D a n i e l , Greg , C h r i s , John and V a l . The u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f the purpose f o r t h i s n i g h t was to k e e p warm and d r y . The f i r s t two , D a n i e l and Greg comple ted the n i g h t k e e p i n g r e l a t i v e l y warm and d r y . The l a t t e r t h r e e , some would say , " c h i c k e n e d o u t " . T h e i r l e a n -t o ' s l e a k e d and f i r e was i m p o s s i b l e . But by p u t t i n g t h e i r h e a d s t o g e t h e r , t h e y d e c i d e d r e t r e a t i n g t o the c a r would be t h e o n l y t h i n g to do , a l l the time h a v i n g the purpose o f d r y n e s s and warmth i n mind. Somehow t h e c a r was n o t d r y or warm enough so C h r i s , John and V a l ended up a t t h e Seymour C a b i n .

De termined t o t r y a g a i n and p e r h a p s s t a y i n the bush a l l n i g h t , C h r i s , V a l and John s e t ou t a g a i n . Mike j o i n e d i n , con­f i d e n t t h a t he would show them the way• Morning came round t o f i n d a l l i n t h e i r wood and bough n e s t e x c e p t C h r i s . There was t h e ne s t bu t no C h r i s . I t seems, a f t e r such a h a r d day C h r i s l a y down and, o f c o u r s e , s l e p t . Upon awakening he found out making a f i r e was n e x t to i m p o s s i b l e i n t h e dark so lie b u s h -wacked back to the c a r i n t h e e a r l y , e a r l y morning .

S t a n d i n g p l a n s a r e to " S u r v i v e " upon Whi S t l e r j u s t f o l l o w i n g C h r i s t m a s exams. T h i s t r i p seems to be a t t r a c t i n g a few more p e o p l e . In p r e p a r a t i o n f o r t h i s snowcav ing we had Lee Watson and Dick C u l b e r t i n on two d i f f e r e n t o c c a s i o n s and we heard a few h i n t s and p o i n t e r s on Snowcaving from the e x p e r i e n c e d . Some o f t h e members a r e s e e i n g as f a r ahead as a f t e r C h r i s t m a s , mid- term b r e a k and E a s t e r h o p i n g to g e t out f o r a f o u r or s i x day o u t i n g , r e l y i n g on our k n i v e s , matches and, a s some would b e l i e v e , our f o o l h a r d i n e s s f o r f o o d , warmth and s h e l t e r .

The group was o r g a n i z e d by C h r i s M c N e i l l and t h o s e who made the b i v o u a c scene were; C h r i s , D a n i e l Say, Mike M i l e s , V a l e r i e C a l v e r l e y , Greg Brown and John F l o o k . [ ]

O c t o b e r 6 th

PANORAMA REDCE

•The f i r s t week i n O c t o b e r saw a n o t h e r i n v a s i o n o f the G a r i b a l d i Lake a r e a . Ralph S a y l e , our b l o o d l e s s l e a d e r due to the Red C r o s s , f o l l o w e d i n the wake o f t h e o t h e r s as t h e y t r u n d l e d up t h e t r a i l . The snowl ine was about t h r e e thousand f e e t and we began to g e t t r a c e s o f i t h a l f w a y up the t r a i l . By noon, we had r e a c h e d t h e meadows and about a f o o t of snow. E v e r y t h i n g was w h i t e . Hunger persuaded us t o s t o p a t the R a n g e r ' s c a b i n

69

and e a t . Here R a l p h demons tra ted the s u r v i v a l t e c h n i q u e one shou ld use w i t h h i s spare b l a n k e t . As u s u a l , i t was f o g g y and none o f the s u r r o u n d i n g peaks cou ld be seen . Two of t h e e x p e ­d i t i o n members d e c i d e d to r e t u r n to the c a r s b e c a u s e o f c o l d f e e t , w h i l e the r e s t ( f i v e ) headed f o r Panorama R i d g e . The snow was a b o u t two f e e t i n t h e upper meadows and we b r i e f l y s t o p p e d to b u i l d a g i a n t snow-woman. I t w i l l p r o b a b l y s t i l l be t h e r e when you f i r s t read t h i s j o u r n a l . We t r u d g e d onward and r e a c h e d t h e c a i r n and a s i g n d i r e c t i n g u s t o the many s u r r o u n d i n g a r e a s . I t was about one i n t h e a f t e r n o o n so we d e c i d e d to r e t u r n - not b e i n g a p a r t i c u l a r l y gung-ho t r i p -and make i t home i n t ime f o r d i n n e r . On r e t u r n i n g we took t h e r o u t e p a s t L e s s e r G a r i b a l d i and B a r r i e r L a k e s . We v e n t u r e d out onto the r o c k s a t o p the -Barrier and i t was s t i l l a s g r a n d i o s e and i m p r e s s i v e as e v e r . O f f we went a g a i n , s l i p p i n g and s l i d i n g down the t r a i l i n t h e b e a u t i f u l snow ( i n O c t o b e r ) . F i n a l l y we r e a c h e d the p a r k i n g l o t and l e a r n e d t h a t the two had gone down e a r l i e r had been p u t t i n g i n "time" a t the c a b i n .

I t was a good t r i p and i t o n l y g o e s to show you what a good time one can have on a q u a l i f y i n g t r i p . [ 1

MYSTERY TRIP-OUT

Roland Burton (h) Eckhard Buss (h) Rod E t c h e s

Sunday morning r a i n S i x members 1 e a v e anyway f o r ? ? Three hours l a t e r . . . S i r g i n g Pass T r a i l and w h i t e s t u f f Not had to the Pass then White s t u f f d e e p e n s , v e r t i c a l i n c l i n e i n c r e a s e s C o l d , s l i g h t b l i z z a r d Our competent l e a d e r s are not sure o f t h e t r a i l 1 Through t h i s n o t c h s a y s one; no t h i s r i d g e . . . We t a k e thc r i d g e , l e s s snow they s a y . S i x hours l a t e r - ilie h u t ' s in v i e w a t l a s t and R u s s e t Lake We proceed down the - . a l l e y ; t h e b l i z z a r d h e i g h t e n s ; f a c e s redden And snow o r i f t s . . . s i i g h t d e l a y w h i l e one member i s dug o u t . We stumble i n t o the hut

70

THE ADVENTURES OF YOUNG WAFER

or Doug Monk

A LENGTHY BUT PHANTASTICALLY PHACTUAL AC-COUNT

OF

LONG HIKE SIXTY-EIGHT

SOOK I . Young Wafer on the way to Long Hike .

' Twas a soggy- Vancouver S a t u r d a y . The Coa l w a t e r s P a c i f i c Harbour c a s t h a r d l y shadows around and a b o u t the dark c i r c l e d e y e s of young Wafer , ( g i v e n name Graham, by which h e ' d have been know by h i s i n t i m a t e s , had t h e r e been a iry . ) Our p r o t a g o n i s t l o o k e d i n t o the w a t e r and what d i d he s e e . R e f l e c t i o n s o f p a r k i n g l o t s and l o n g , l o n g wet w a l k s , l e c t u r e h a l l s and p r o f e s s o r t a l k s . And t a l k s , and t a l k s , and b l a c k on w h i t e p r i n t e d p a g e s , problems and g a r b l e d s a g e s , p a i n t e d in shades o f U n i v e r s i t y g r e y . loung taafer saw h i s s t a r v e d e y e s g l a z i n g back a t him from t h e r i p p l e s . A memory o f the summer, - l i g h t -h e a r t e d l a u g h t e r . To c a t c h i t a g a i n

Others came now. Came down the g r e y sky mid-morning rough wood wharf w i t h e x p e c t a n t f a c e s and r i n g i n g v o i c e s , p a c k i n g , t r a c k i n g , d r a g g i n g r a t i o n s and f a s h i o n s f o r a six week r e t r e a t . Each one came w i t h a warm s l e e p i n g bag" or two warm w i t h one or an upturned canoe w i t h l e g s , t r e k k i n g out to the Harbour P r i n c e s s

G i r l s f l o p on t a b l e s w h i l e boys o p e r a t e on f r o z e n b o o t s and t o e s G i r l s g e t d r y and s i t i n s l e e p i n g b a g s w h i l e boys cook -Ah; T h a n k s g i v i n g d i n n e r i s r e a d y - pork chops and b e a n s - d e l i c i o u i Sack out e a r l y

Some s l e e p , o t h e r s don 1 1 . . . t h e y t a l k . , . l o v e l y moon a t 3 : 0 0 a .m.

Wind b l o w s 7

P a n t s and b o o t s s t i l l wet but we must r e t u r n , darn I t l Not so c o l d t o d a y

Make good t i m e , and once a g a i n R a i n . f j

The b o a t , a m a g n i f i c e n t c o n v e y a n c e ! G i f t e d w i t h a C a p t a i n , a crew and a new r o l l e r - c o a t . Young Wafer boarded somewhere a t h w a r t the s c u p p e r s and b o a t - m a k i n g n o i s e s . He dumped h i s g e a r and went out on deck t o j o i n i n f a r e w e l l . "We're mov ing:" "We're l e a v i n g ! " " I t ' s f l o a t i n g : " (We're c h e e r i n g . ) " I t ' s l i s t i n g ! " "He's l e a n i n g ! " "I'm s e a - s i c k ! " chorused t h e v o i c e s .

The eng ine was humping a l o n g and soon we were under L i o n ' s Gate suspended above us l o o k i n g h e a v y y e t f r a i l and overworked wi t h c a r s , t r u c k s and m a s s i v e b u s s e s . We threw pennie s o v e r ­board so a s to be l i g h t e r i n case t h e b r i d g e f e l l . Each made a w i s h . Young Wafer , b e i n g a thorough l a d , wished f o r j o y and peace i n t h e h e r e or h e r e a f t e r . O t h e r s wished for , good w e a t h e r

Once out from u n d e r , young Wafer , 1 i k e everyone e l s e , began to p i c k up a new group s p i r i t . He threw h i s c a r e s awash back cannon b a l 1 b r i d g e . L e a v i n g t h e C i t y , t h e g r e y , o p p r e s s i v e c i t y . The g r e y h i g h r i s e ant h i l l , d e r r i c k - r i g g i n g , apartment d w e l l i n g sewer d i g g i n g M a c m i l l a n b u i l d i n g p e o p l e m i l l i n g c i t y s k u l l . " F o r e v e r : And w e ' r e n o t coming b a c k ! We a r e f r e e ! "

Young Wafer , on d e c k , f r i v o l o u s and w i n d - b l o w n , l o o k e d out to the l i g h t house and sang h i s own song , ' J u s t L i k e C h r i s t o p h e r Robin B l u e s ' ; " O h , g i v e me the r o l l i c k i n g s e a . i t ' s such a much n i c e r p l a c e to be• A l l the w h i t e s e a - g u l l s are b e c k o n i n g me. While g l i d i n g t h e y c r y w e ' 1 1 a r r i v e b e f o r e t e a " . L a t e r on Wafer sang a d i f f e r e n t song, "That s e a - g u l l i s a goddam b i r d ! He l o o k e d i n h i s b o m b - s i g h t and l e t go a V . O . C . r e c o r d " .

Below d e c k , i n t h e sumptious l o u n g e , m a n y were 1ungfuli y s i n g i n g and strumming songs from the new, new V . O . C . s o n g b o o k s . Some were v e r y busy r u m p l i n g and b e n d i n g p a g e s or w r i t i n g a u t o ­g r a p h s or g r a f f i t i on the c o v e r in an e f f o r t to g i v e the s h i n y newness o f t h e books a l i t t l e of t h a t t y p i c a l l y n e g l e c t e d V . O . C . q u a l i t y . T r u l y a V . O . C . songbook must have t h a t r a g g e d , c o v e r -l e s s , o u t d o o r s y , b u r n t c h a r c o a l l o o k .

P e o p l e , l o t s of p e o p l e , some one hundred t h i r t y p e o p l e , ge t t i ng acqua i n t e d , t a l k i n g , soc i a l l y f e e d i n g and munching t h e i r h a p p i n e s s w i t h s a t i s f a c t i o n . Many had been s t a r v i n g f o r w e e k s . Young Wafer wa t ched the g i r l s , the g l o w i n g l o n g - h a i r e d g i r l s , the b e a u t i f u l young women, t h e s m i l i n g s h o r t - h a i r e d g i r 1 s , the l i t h e and 1ovely c r e a t u r e s . He s e c r e t l y hoped to a c q u i r e some phone numbers i n s t e a d o f n e x t month ' s P l a y b o y . So everyone was snowing and p l a y i n g and t a l k i n g and l a u g h i n g

The a r r i v a l .

ed by the kuk

72

up the packboard I " "Keep a l l hands on d e c k , y 1 swab '. " "Break out the l i f e - b o a t and f i l l i t w i t h f o o d ; " "Hurry up and go home, b o a t , so w e ' l l a l l be marooned:!" " I t i s done . B y e - b y e b o a t " . "So l o n g , P r i n c e s s ! " "Bon -voyage, Vomit Comet!" " H e l l o , p r i n c e s s : " " H e l l o , Graham!" S l o w l y de s h i p t a k e s o f f l e a v i n g

BOOK I I I . S a t u r d a y - ay - ay - ay A f t e r Noo-oo -oon .

Up a t t h e l o d g e e v e r y t h i n g was o r g a n i z e d . Everyone n e a t l y s e g r e g a t e d . So e a c h t rudged up the t r a i l , a n k l e - d r a g g i n g b e d -a r i d - c h a i n , t o our punishment , n o c t u r n a l i n c a r c e r a t i o n w i t h members o f t h e same s e x . Campers sought d e v i o u s means to e s c a p e t h e s e n t e n c e . A new r a d i c a l l e f t sprang u p , s h o u t i n g such s l o g a n s as " I n t e g r a t i o n , n o t c o n s t e r n a t i o n : " "Conserve w a t e r , s l e e p w i t h a f r i e n d : " e t c .

H o s t i l i t i e s be tween campers and kuk kru began a t S a t u r d a y d i n n e r . Hungry campers t r o o p e d i n t o the d i n i n g h a l l armed to the t e e t l i w i t h k n i v e s , f o r k s and o t h e r implements o f d e s t r u c t i o n . Helmeted Kukees were p r e p a r e d . The k i t c h e n s t o c k a d e was s e c u r e d and a l l p r o v i s i o n s h idden i n a s e c r e t room. The Kukees h i s s e d and spa t a t t h e campers t h r o u g h a s m a l l o p e n i n g between the k i t c h e n and d i n i n g h a l l . The campers r e t a l i a t e d by r a t t l i n g t h e i r s t e e l y weapons a g a i n s t t h e i r p o r c e l a i n and melmac t a r g s . They b e g a n t o chant b l o o d - t h i r s t y c h a n t , and b a t t e r e d and c l a t t e r e d w i t h d e s p e r a t e f e r o c i t y .

Young Wafer, f i n d i n g h i m s e l f i n the vanguard o f t h i s move­ment , took a b o l d c o u r s e o f c o u r s e . H e marched t o t h e s l o t i n the d i n i n g - h a l l w a l l , l a i d down h i s b a r e armour p l a t e , p o c k e t e d h i s weapons and r e q u e s t e d d i n n e r . Three h i d e o u s l e e r s l o o k e d out a t him. What a s u r p r i s e ! F a s t e r t h a n a s n a r l , a b a r r a g e o f ho t r o c k s c a t a p u l t e d toward him, f o l l o w e d by a d e l u g e o f b o i l i n g o i l poured from a s t eaming l a d l e . Then a l a r g e t h i c k lump o f brown, gummy s t u f f w h i s t l e d through t h e a i r and s t r u c k w i t h a d u l l whap. Wafer was h o r r i f i e d . Only w i t h the utmost speed and a g i l i t y was he a b l e t o f i e l d the m i s s i l e s w i t h h i s melmac s h i e l d . A l a s , the sord id mass c l u n g to h i s p l a t e . He was f o r c e d to r e t r e a t t o - t h e r e l a t i v e s a f e t y o f a d i n i n g t a b l e . There he was j o i n e d by o t h e r campers who had s u f f e r e d s i m i l a r a t t a c k a t t h e hands o f t h e kuk k r u .

By t h i s t ime t h e y were so r a v e n o u s the campers began to consume t h e s t i c k y mass which c l u n g to t h e i r s h i e l d s . They soon r e c o g n i z e d i t to c o n s i s t o f ho t p o t a t o e s , g r a v y and a mound o f

Wafer was not h u n g r y . He had s u f f e r e d a s e v e r e trauma. He s a t and s t a r e d a t h i s p l a t e , and w h i l e he s t a r e d h i s s i g h t l e s s s t a r e a b i z a r r e t r a n s f o r m a t i o n took p l a c e b e f o r e h im. The lumpy s u b s t a n c e began t o s e e t h and c h u r n . S l o w l y , a t f i r s t , e y e s took shape and e a r s grew o u t . A nose e r u p t e d , then a

7 3

mouth squirmed i n t o r e l i e f on t h e s u r f a c e o f trie u n d u l a t i n g g u c k . Young Wafer , s t i l l d a z e d , saw n o t h i n g unusual i n t h i s . He took out h i s c i g a r e t t e s , o f f e r i n g one to t h e newcomer. The t h i n g on h i s p l a t e thanked him g r a c i o u s l y , i n h a l i n g d e e p l y the whole c i g a r e t t e .

A t Long H i k e , S a t u r d a y n i g h t i s p a r t y n i g h t . E v e r y n i g h t i s p a r t y n i g h t w i t h V . O . C , bur S a t u r d a y n i g h t i n p a r t i c u l a r i s P a r t y N i g h t .

P i c t u r e t h o s e V . O . C . p e o p l e a r r i v i n ' . A l l o v e r de l o d g e they are s h u c k i n ' a n 1 J i v i n ' , J u s ' b e a t i n ' dey f e e t an' f o o t i n ' a r o u n ' , Now p i c k i n ' dem up a n ' p u t t i n ' dem down. D e y ' s a - h u g g i n ' an" a - f r u g g i n 1 up a f o g , P e y ' s a - s t o m p i n ' a n ' a - s t o r m i n 1 to de S a l l - t e e - d o g . D e y ' s a - r e e l i n ' an' a - rompin ' up a r u c k u s . An' de gennulmen, d e ' s wonder in ' "Wil l our l a d y l u v s s l e e p

t o n i g h t ? "

BOOK V. Sunday and the Long H i k e .

S l e e p y morning e y e s g r e e t e d b y t h e c l o u d b u r s t . "Great mouldy mountain g o a t s : " c r i e d Wafer , " I t ' s r a i n i n g f i t to f l o o d : "

" N a t u r a l l y " . groaned a s l u m b e r i n g c a b i n mate .

"Oh:" s a i d Wafer , a s he r o l l e d o f f h i s bunk i n t o a p u d d l e .

Campers awakened and d r e s s e d warmly and s l o g g e d down the h i l l f o r b r e a k f a s t . S t r a g g l e - h a i r e d s p o n g e - f o o t e d c r e a t u r e s s q u i s h e d i n t o the d i n i n g h a l l . Here t h e y were s erved m a r i n a t e d mush a 1 ' eau . Those who chose not to e a t argued over who would g e t to p a d d l e the canoe up the mounta in . O t h e r s s l e p t .

The f i r s t group o f h i k e r s l e f t t h e d i n i n g h a i l . They were not heard from a g a i n , save f o r a r a i n - m u f f l e d whimper from f a r above which d r i f t e d down the mountain t h r o u g h the morning f o g . "Hel p ! Thar ' s a bar X '• " The second group began their- t r e k . Then the t h i r d , and soon a f t e r , the f o u r t h . F i n a l l y , young W a f e r ' s group began t h e i r a s s a u l t upon the peak . Time p a s s e d . The i n t r e p i d c l i m b e r c f o r c e d t h e i r way through i m p e n e t r a b l e b a r r i e r s o f t r e e s and t h i c k , bushy u n d e r g r o w t h . The g o i n g was t r e a c h e r o u s . They c r a w l e d hands and k n e e s up s t e e p m u d - f 1 o w s , over j a g g e d g r a n i t e o u t e r o p p i n g s , under mammo th r o o t s around forn i idabl e stumps and g i a n t f u n g i , through, the s t r a n g l i n g c l u t c h e s o f f e r n s , moss and l i c h e n s . Upward! On, and e v e r upward, armed or.ly w i th t h e t e n a c i o u s V . O . C . f o r t i t u d e . Weaker h i k e r s f e l l l i k e e x h a u s t e d f l i e s . Many, too t i r e d to c l i n g to the sheer pre cepi c e wal I s . the s l i p p e r v rtrud s l i d e s , s l i d and

tumbled to the base o f the mounta in , o n l y t o pi.ck t h e m s e l v e s up and b e g i n a g a i n . Those who p e r s i s t e d f o u g h t . i n c l o s e d - r a n k h a n d - t o - h a n d combat a g a i n s t hordes o f f e r o c i o u s f i e l d m i c e , s inewy s q u i r r e l s and r a b i d r a b b i t s . The h i k e r s were a t the mercy o f Mother N a t u r e ' s f o u l e s t o f moods. .They f o u g h t b a c k a t h e r , d r a w i n g on e v e r y ounce o f human s t r e n g t h t h e y p o s s e s s e d , t a p p i n g p r i m i t i v e s u r v i v a l i n s t i n c t s l o n g f o r g o t t e n by c i v i l i z e d man. The b a t t l e r a g e d on c l i f f s , i n c r e e k s , i n the mud, be tween the' r o c k s and by the t r u n k s o f g i a n t c o n i f e r s , w h i l e o v e r h e a d swarms o f r a v e n o u s b l a c k g n a t s whee led t h r o u g h t h e f o g , d a r t i n g t o f e e d on the r a i n - s o a k e d r e m a i n s . I t was an e p i c s t r u g g l e . G r a d u a l l y t h e cunn ing c l i m b e r s r e p u l s e d t h e w o r s t t h a t Nature c o u l d a f f o r d them on t h a t n a s t y m o u n t a i n s i d e . F i n a l l y t h e enemy was l e f t b e l o w , and s e v e r a l r a g g e d c l i m b e r s approached the rugged peak . One by one t h e y comple ted t h e i r t e s t and took t h e i r r e s t i n a s p l e n d i d g r a s s y g l a d e b a t h e d i n warm r a y s from t h e sun . Here t h e y renewed t h e m s e l v e s w i t h h e a r t y d r a u g h t s o f n o u r i s h i n g K o o l - A i d , drawn from the t a p s o f the V . O . C . Tea S t a t i o n . The b a t t l e was won, the summit a c h i e v e d and v i c t o r y was t h e sweet t a s t e on the l i p s o f t h o s e wor thy i n i t i a t e s o f the V a r s i t y Outdoor C l u b !

"And so i t i s w i t h l i f e " , p h i l o s o p h i z e d Young Wafer . Four i t was here t h a t Graham d i s c o v e r e d t h e p e a c e and j o y he had wi shed f i v e . The p e a c e was t h a t which comes when the s t r u g g l e i s o v e r , and t h e f i g h t e r may l o o k back w i t h s e l f - r e s p e c t knowing t h a t he has done h i s b e s t . His j o y was the j o y o f d i s c o v e r i n g a t r u t h . Wafer had l e a r n e d an i m p o r t a n t l e s s o n , t h a t peace o f mind i s n e v e r g a i n e d w i t h o u t a s t r u g g l e . T h a t peace o f mind i s b u t a t emporary r e s p i t e a l w a y s to be d i s p l a c e d by the n e x t s t r u g g l e to r e a c h a new and h i g h e r p e a k . In t h a t i n s t a n t on the summit Wafer f e l t j u s t i f i a b l y p r o u d . "AhJ" he s o l i l i q u i z e d , "Perhaps I have corned a new phase L"

BOOK V I . The L a s t .

The r e s t was a l l mushrooms f o r Wafer , and not to be munched too t h o r o u g h l y , r a t h e r , to be m e l t e d e a s i l y on t h e m i n d ' s p a l a t e . The s l i t h e r y s l i d e down the cowed mounta in , the Cook C r e w ' s marve lous T h a n k s g i v i n g d i n n e r , Monday morning, w i t h e v e r y o n e c a r e f u l l y p a c k i n g up new memories . And the q u i e t , happy b o a t -r i d e home to t h e c i t y . The young , b e a u t i f u l c i t y ^ J

V . O . C . HALLOWEEN AND SHORT LONG WEEKEND

O c t o b e r 26 & 27 Paul Sims

"Great S c o t t ' S c r i e d P r e s i d e n t Dave L l o y d as he watched the approach o f a man w i t h v e r y g e n t l e e y e s on the t r a i l to the W h i s t l e r c a b i n :

"Good God L l o y d " , s a i d humble and o b v i o u s l y n a i v e f i r s t y e a r g i r l , " i f t h a t i s Grea t S c o t t , t h e n I ' l l e a t my mai l ( c l o t h i n g , b u t not women are s o f t e r n o w a d a y s ) . I t t u r n e d out to be a l e s s e r S c o t t d r e s s e d up as J . C . , i n h i s u s u a l l y i n ­s u l t i n g manner} bo t h t h e Pope and Mao were t h r e a t e n e d ; a l l seemed to be h u s t l i n g t h e same g i r l , Mary P o p p i n s ; h i s t o r y r e p e a t s i t s e l f .

The game o f odd c o u p l e s made an i n t e r e s t i n g p a s t i m e , t h e Pope and the p i l l , Laura Secord and George Wash ington , the B o s t o n S t r a n g l e r and B loody Mary, (B loody Mary was b l o o d y n a r y M a r y ) .

H i s t o r y seeped out o f C h e r r y t r e e s , K n i g h t s armor, the S a s q u a t c h e s a n t i - m o t h e d f u r s , from unwashed sweat s u i t s and l o n g J o h n s . E v e r y t h i n g but the e v e n i n g was h i s t o r i c a l ; i t was a t y p i c a l V . O . C . p a r t y .

The n e x t morning the masses s p l i t i n t o t h r e e g r o u p s : w o r k h i k e r s and two h i k i n g g r o u p s . One group took the F i t s i -s immon 1 s t r a i l to S i n g i n g p a s s . The o t h e r group went to the r a n g e r ' s c a b i n i n the B l a c k Tusk meadows. Both groups had about t w e n t y - f i v e p e o p l e , everyone qua! i f i e d . I t t u r n e d out to be a f i n e b r i s k day; even the sun made i t through g l i s t e n i n g a c r o s s s e v e r a l i n c h e s o f r e c e n t snow. S h o r t l o n g h i k e i s u s u a l l y t h e w o r s t h i k e o f the y e a r , a f t e r f i v e y e a r s o f m i s e r a b l e s h o r t l o n g s , t h i s y e a r was a l o v e l y b r e a k . With f u l l f a l l c o l o u r s , a l i g h t snowfall 1 , pi e a s a n t , r a t h e r happy company: i t was an e x c e l l e n t d a y . [ ]

WINTER TRIPS

MOUNT STRACHAN

Among the numerous q u a l i f i c a t i o n h i k e s done t h i s f a l l was one which took about t w e n t y - e i g h t new members to the summit o f Mt, S t r a c h a n , l o c a t e d on the N o r t h Shore and a d j a c e n t to Mount H o l l y b u r n . Q u a l i f i c a t i o n h i k e s , i n terms o f a e s t h e t i c s , have n e v e r been renowned, and t h i s t r i p was no e x c e p t i o n . But t h e y u s u a l l y mean a good i n t r o d u c t i o n to some o f the c l u b ' s members by means o f p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n a h i k e . T h i s one was, however , not as t r a u m a t i c an e x p e r i e n c e a s some might b e . I n our c a s e , f o r example , we d i d n o t even mi s s our 10:30 c o f f e e b r e a k , thanks to t h e s e r v i c e s of t h e C o f f e e Shop l o c a t e d a t the h a l f - w a y p o i n t .

We took about f o u r hours to c o v e r the d i s t a n c e between the p a r k i n g l o t and the summit, which most p e o p l e r e a c h e d . Snow had f a l l e n to about the t h r e e thousand f e e t l e v e l so we had t h e p l e a s u r e o f w a l k i n g on a c r i s p s u r f a c e f o r t h e l a s t mi l e o r s o . A low c l o u d c o v e r d e p r i v e d us o f what i s n o r m a l l y a good v i e w of the L i o n s , Howe Sound, and, o f c o u r s e , g r o w l y Vancouver : the peak was c o m p l e t e l y socked i n . There was thus v e r y l i t t l e ceremony a t the summit, and w i t h even l e s s f i n e s s e , the l a s t members to r e a c h t h e t o p l imped back down t o t h e C o f f e e Shop, and, when t h e y r e a c h e d the p a r k i n g l o t , a s might be e x p e c t e d , a f u l l moon was s h i n i n g upon them. F J

8235 - SOMEWHERE NORTH OF D' ARCTf

November 9 t h P e t e r Macek

MEMBERS: Bev G a r r e t t Ken L e f e v e r ( D r i v e r ) P e t e r Macek ( L e a d e r )

F a l l ' s e n t h u s i a s m had s l o w l y p e t e r e d out amid r a i n and t h o s e e t e r n a l m i d t e r m s , but t h e w e a t h e r r e p o r t was h o p e f u l and g e t t i n g onto a mounta in f o r a change woul d c e r t a i n l y be g r e a t . Now, where to g o ? The snow l i n e was a t t h a t awkward h e i g h t a g a i n , bu t through the g r a p e v i n e we heard of an e i g h t thousand f o o t e r beyond Pembcrton w i t h a microwave tower road t o a lmost seven thousand f e e t which sounded f e a s i b l e .

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F i v e o ' c l o c k sure comes e a r l y a f t e r t h o s e l a t e p a r t i e s , but i t w i l l be r a i n i n g - anyway. But no : " The moon i s s h i n i n g -Yahoo, i t i s not r a i n i n g , g e t t h e s k i s and l u n c h and we a r e o f f . M o m e n t a r i l y s lowed down by a f l a t and g e t t i n g l o s t a c o u p l e o f t i m e s , we f i n a l l y abandon the car a t f o u r thousand f e e t a t 1 ] t 3 0 on a g l o r i o u s day - c l e a r , warm and no snow anywhere . Bev d o e s not need much p e r s u a d i n g to put o f f her i n t r o d u c t i o n to sk i t o u r i n g t i l l w i n t e r but Ken and I o p t i ­m i s t i c a l l y h a u l our g e a r up the r o a d . One thousand v e r t i c a l f e e t l a t e r , t h e r e i s some snow i n t h e d i t c h e s and a n o t h e r h a l f an hour i t i s an i n c h deep and we put on our s k i s . Bev -i s wonder ing e x a c t l y how sane we a r e . By t h r e e o ' c l o c k we have r e a c h e d the summit o f Microwave Lump. Our mounta in , c o n t r a r y to r e p o r t s , has a s even hundred f o o t f a c e on i t and l o o k s s u i t a b l y i m p r e s s i v e - 'chalk one up f o r some o t h e r t i m e . The s c e n e r y i s m a g n i f i c e n t - the Cayoosh and C a d w a l l a d e r moun­t a i n s r i s i n g w h i t e amid the a l l too much g r e e n , snow and g l a c i e r s t r e t c h i n g North and South , rounded lumps and r o c k y p i n n a c l e s , a whole range t h a t v e r y few p e o p l e have ever been i n . J u s t a c r o s s the v a l l e y t o w e r s a tremendous n ine thousand f o o t e r , t h e sweep o f g l a c i e r a c c e n t i n g the deep b l u e o f Anderso Lake a t i t s b a s e .

F i n a l l y down a g a i n . Ken d e c i d e s t h a t he would r a t h e r not s k i , thank y o u , a f t e r r u n n i n g h i s brand new F i s h e r ' s i n t o a r o c k w a l l . I s u r v i v e a n o t h e r h a l f m i l e ( f a l l i n g In two i n c h e s o f snow i s p a i n f u l ) u n t i l the g r a t e o f r o c k s on b a s e becomes too l o u d . We r e a c h e d tha c a r a t f i v e and bounced down the r o a d . Aargh: Another f l a t : T h i s one t a k e s a wee b i t l o n g e r to r e p a i r and we d o n ' t r e a c h S m i l i n g J a c k ' s u n t i l 1 0 : 3 0 , e x h a u s t e d , bu t the thought t h a t we g o t i n a v e r y s u c c e s s f u l t r i p on t h e o n l y good day of the week r e a l l y h e l p s . [ ]

TENQUILLE LAKE TRAIL

November 1 6 , 1 9 6 6 Jim B y e r s

LEADER: Roland Bur ton

The group o f n i n e met a t the W h i s t l e r Mountain p a r k i n g l o t a t 8:00 a .m. We drove from t h e r e to the s t a r t o f the t r a i l a p p r o x i m a t e l y f o u r t e e n m i l e s n o r t h o f Pemberton. The s i g n mark ing the s t a r t o f the t r a i l (as i n d i c a t e d in the 1 9 6 6 Mountain A c c e s s Guide ) i s m i s s i n g and we l o s t a l i t t l e t ime f i n d i n g t h e s t a r t of the t r a i l . I t i s an e x c e l l e n t t r a i l t h a t a p p e a r s to have been put through by r e p e a t e d t r a v e l l i n g by h o r s p r o b a b l y by the l o c a l s who are r e p o r t e d to use the a r e a i n the summer. The t r a i l i s r a t h e r s t e e p a t the s t a r t bu t soon change

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to a long- s t e a d y t r a v e r s e . We found the t r a i l r a t h e r l o n g e r than e x p e c t e d and a f t e r f o u r h o u r s h i k i n g we found o u r s e l v e s b r e a k i n g t r a i l i n t h r e e f e e t o f snow a t t h e b e g i n n i n g o f the p a s s s t i l l a m i l e o r so from t h e l a k e . Because o f b o t h the snow and the t ime i t was c o n s i d e r e d unwise to c o n t i n u e .

One o f the purpo ses of t h e t r i p was to i n v e s t i g a t e the a r e a f o r the p o s s i b i l i t y o f s k i - t o u r i n g . We c o n c l u d e d t h a t b e c a u s e of the l e n g t h o f the h i k e i n one would need a t l e a s t t h r e e days to make i t w o r t h w h i l e , a s t h e h i k e in i s not i n i t s e l f wor thy of the s k i o u t . [ ]

PESHAST1N PINNACLES

The f i a s c o t h a t went to P e s h a s t i n P i n n a c l e s had t h e tone s e t when we h i t snow J u s t p a s t B e l l i n g h a m . 'the l e a d e r s o f the t r i p c o n f i n e d w i t h t h e i r p e a - s h o o t e r s to the back s e a t , l e d the d a u n t l e s s crew t h r o u g h the e l e m e n t s , through t h e snow and c h a i n t r o u b l e i n S t e v e n s Pass and t o the Tumwater camps i t ' The t e m p e r a t u r e was around zero d e g r e e s F a h r e n h e i t . The P i n n a c l e s were c l e a r e d of snow by the sun t h e n e x t morning and some c l i m b i n g was done - T r i g g e r f i n g e r e t c . A f t e r an e x t e n s i v e s e a r c h , the n i g h t was spent i n a d e s e r t e d m i g r a n t farm w o r k e r ' s h u t . However, the c o n f r o n t a t i o n w i t h the owner the n e x t morning was u n e v e n t f u l . The c l i m a x o f the t r i p o c c u r r e d when P e t e r Macek l o c k e d the k e y s i n the c a r . As he was the geni \ :s who l o c k e d them i n , he had the p r i v i l e g e o f b r e a k i n g i n t o the c a r . Armed wi th a p i t o n hammer and 3/3 i n c h s tubby wide a n g l e p i t o n , P e t e r a t t a c k e d the n o - d r a f t which r e f u s e d to b r e a k . The l o c k e v e n t u a l l y v i b r a t e d i t s e l f l o o s e , so the group was a b l e to l e a v e f o r home. Some c l i m b i n was done a l o n g the Snohomish R i v e r bank and a f t e r f i n d i n g a twenty c e n t hamburger j o i n t , we went home.

L e a d e r s , Nancy Deas and V i v i a n Webb, w i l l soon be p u b ­l i s h i n g the words of wisdom e m i t t e d by John Ranee . P e t e r Macek, b r e a k f a s t che f par e x c e l l e n c e i s now a v a i l a b l e f o r r e n t as cook and t a r g e t f o r f u t u r e t r i p s . [ ]

FABLED ADVENTURE

November 2h John F l o o k

The p l a c e was Diamond Head, the t r i c k was s k i - t o u r i n g and t h i s t ime i t was b l u e sky and s o f t snow. 1 do not mind s a y i n g , t h a t o f my t h r e e y e a r s in the c l u b , t h i s wae my f i r s t rime t o u r i n g . I f you have not t r i e d I t y e t , you are r e a l l y m i s s i n g one o f the b e a u t i e s o f s k i i n g . . . unbroken snow, wide open a r e a s , nobody around and the p o s s i b i l i t y o f t a k i n g any way down you want . Of c o u r s e , t h e r e i s t h e "sk inn ing" up but h a l f the fun i s g e t t i n g th e r e .

Nine of us met a t t h e b a s e camp a t Diamond Head a t n i n e • ' c l o c k . . . . a f t e r t h e l i t t l e u s u a l m i x - u p . We soon began pur t r i p up the snowy road to the "high p o i n t " . A f t e r h o o f i n g i t a w h i l e , t h e l o c a l j e e p , run by Diamond Head C h a l e t s came a l o n g and took our s k i s and p a c k s . T h i s was j u s t i f i a b l e , b e i n g a s l a c k t r i p . We soon c a u g h t up to the parked j e e p and i t was t ime to s t a r t " s k i n n i n g i t " . A f t e r the u s u a l nonsens e one has w i t h o n e ' s equipment , t h e group was o f f . One member had j u s t bought brand new H e a d s . . . and she d i d not need s k i n s b e c a u s e t h e snow s t u c k to t h e b a s e o f the s k i s . The snow was about one and o n e - h a l f f e e t deep and e v e r y t i l ing was w h i t e . O f f i n the d i s t a n c e we c o u l d see the snow c o v e r e d T a n t a l u s g r o u p , a g a i n s t the b l u e s k y . At noon, Roland t e l l s us t h a t t h e h i g h p o i n t i s j u s t around the c o r ­ner and by 1 2 : 3 0 we were s t i l l g o i n g . . . Without Lunch: Wel l by 1 2 : 4 5 we had r e a c h e d our d e s t i n a t i o n and l u n c h , a l o n g w i t h the c r y s t a l c l e a r v i e w o f a s s o r t e d p e a k s . By 1 : 3 0 wo were o f f a g a i n f o r a n o t h e r two hundred odd f e e t to the h i g h e s t p o i n t and then o f f come the s k i n s , r e - a d j u s t b o o t s and b i n d i n g s and a l1 day to g e t down.

The snow was about two to two and o n e - h a l f f e e t o f the s e m i - u n c r u s t e d , unbroken powdery k ind . Ive were i n meadow c o u n t r y and i t was a l l o u r s . By t h e way, the l o c a l snowmobile was d i g g i n g out of t h e snow and s l o w l y p u s h i n g i t s way to the t o p f o r t h e f i r s t t ime t h i s y e a r , Anyway> down we wen t , s e l m s s i n g and t r a v e r s i n g , f a l 1 i n g and g e t t i n g up , j u s t h a v i n g a b l a s t . Of c o u r s e , t h e r e i s a l w a y s t h e u n e x p e c t e d and Y v e s found out t h a t some moguls do ne t have a n o t h e r s i d e . A f t e r f i v e s econds and e i g h t f e e t l a t e r , he began to p u l l h i m s e l f out Of the snow i n which he made a t h r e e p o i n t l a n d i n g w i t h two s k i s and h i s h e a d . W e l l , he was okay and s m i l i n g so o f f we went a g a i n . Soon we were i n t o the j e e p t r a c k s on t h e r o a d . I t was not hard s k i i n g then b e c a u s e t h e snow was so s o f t . Near t h e bettorn, r o c k s began to a p p e a r and some o f us took o f f oui» s k i s , . . a n d some d id n o t . F i n a l l y we were back a t the base camp p a r k i n g l o t , r a t h e r s o r r y t h a t t h e t r i p was not

Thanks a g a i n to Roland f o r t h e g r e a t t r i p . I f you have not t r i e d t o u r i n g , you a r e r e a l l y m i s s i n g s o m e t h i n g . WE were Roland , Sus ie L a B e r g o , Wendy, Her F r i e n d , John F l o o k , V a l e r i e C a l v e r l y , Y v e s D c s t r u b e , I rene Wlngate , Len B e a t y , Fckhard B u s s . L l

80

CLIMBS AND EXPEDITIONS

IN CANADA

THE CHIEF: PROW ROUTE

May, 1968 Dick C u l b e r t

The Prow i s a n o t h e r o f those C h i e f r o u t e s whose numbers have been s u b j e c t t o a p o p u l a t i o n e x p l o s i o n f o r some t ime now, and i t goes t h r o u g h an a s s o r t m e n t o f r o o f s and c o r n e r s to the l e f t o f upper South G u l l y . Xt d o e s , however , have a few d i s t i n c t i v e f e a t u r e s . To b e g i n w i t h i t i s l i k e l y the most u n ­p l e a s a n t o f a l l C h i e f r o u t e s to r e a c h t h e s t a r t o f , and t h a t i s about a l1 Bob C u t h b e r t and I had time to f i n d out about i t the f i r s t day up t h e r e . Next weekend we n a i l e d up to u n d e r ­s i d e o f the f i n a l prow, where t h r e e p o s s i b l e r o u t e s d i v e r g e d . A f t e r p a r t l y n a i l i n g and d e n a i 1 i n g two o f t h e s e we c a l l e d i t a day and h i v o u a c e d , which brought about the o t h e r n o v e l e v e n t . D u r i n g the n i g h t B o b ' s b o o t l a c e s l e t go and he l o s t one b o o t .

Next weekend we r a p p e l l e d in from the top and comple ted the c l i m b , which i s a s t h e t i c i n t h a t c r a c k s are good, o v e r ­hangs prominent , and t h e p h o t o g r a p h i c o p p o r t u n i t i e s e x c e l l e n t by C h i e f standard-s . O

T h i s s t a n d s out a s a dark w a l l when seen from U . B . C . , and a f t e r many y e a r s o f g a z i n g a t i t d u r i n g d u l l l e c t u r e s i t j u s t had to be d o n e . Bob C u t h b e r t and I came to t h e end o f the a p p r o p r i a t e l o g g i n g road about 1 1 : 0 0 a .m. S a t u r d a y , e x p e c t i n g to camp a t t h e b a s e o f the w a l l t h a t n i g h t . The f a c e looked so s l a c k and u s e l e s s from t h i s p o i n t , however , t h a t we took l i g h t p a c k s in hopes o f making i t an a f t e r n o o n c l i m b .

A c t u a l l y t h e t r u e f a c e was h i d d e n , and i t took much o f t h e a f t e r n o o n t o t h r a s h to the b a s e . The b l u f f s a r e v e r y bushy e x c e p t f o r one c e n t r a l "V" shaped w a l l f l a r i n g from between two g u l l i e s . Our r o u t e went up t h i s , j u s t r i g h t of c e n t e r . Rock was not. good , and p i t o n c r a c k s were n i g h unto n o n - e x i s t a n t , which made f o r some f a i r d e s p e r a t e l e a d s . S u f f i c e t o say i t i s not recommended. We r e a c h e d t h e summit a t s u n s e t and h i v o u a c e d on the way down, h i t t i n g the road j u s t a s the w e a t h e r e l a g g e d i n n e x t day.LJ

PANTHER THE SOUTHEAST FACE

May, 1968 D i c k C u l b e r t

8 ]

NORTHEAST BUTTRESS

Viewed from Harvey Creek Road, the North Lion has an i m p r e s s i v e n o r t h f a c e f l a n k e d by b u t t r e s s e s on e i t h e r s i d e . T h i s S p r i n g f o u r o f us wandered up to the n o r t h e a s t b u t t r e s s , 1 i k e l y the l o n g e s t c l i m b a v a i l a b l e on the l i o n s . Doug McRae and 1 d i d comple te t h i s r o u t e , a l t h o u g h i t i s no g r e a t a d d i ­t i o n to a s t h e t i c c l i m b s . To b e g i n w i t h t h e r e i s an e s c a p e l e d g e about o n e - t h i r d o f the way up , and bush on the e a s t f a c e i s o f t e n n o t f a r o f f - A l s o i t i s a b i t u n s t a b l e - not r e a l l y r o t t e n but s o r t o f s p l i t i n t o l a r g e f l a k e s and j u s t S i t t i n g t h e r e . The l a s t one hundred f e e t i s a t h r a s h . In f a i r n e s s , some o f t h e c l i m b i n g was good , g e t t i n g up to 5-3 or s o , but e s p e c i a l l y i n comparison to the main n o r t h f a c e r o u t e ( V . O . C . J . 1 9 6 6 ) i t cannot be recommended.[]

LAKE LOVELYh'ATFR - NEW ROUTES

A l i c e Purdey

1 . ALPHA - NORTH RIDGE

Hav ing j u s t r e s i g n e d our j o b s f o r a summer o f c l i m b i n g , Bob C u t b b e r t and I h i k e d up i n t o the Lake L o v e l y w a t e r a r e a e a r l y in June. Our f i r s t o b j e c t i v e was the uncl imbed n o r t h r i d g e o f A l p h a . I t seems S p r i n g and Summer were a b i t t a r d y t h i s y e a r though , and a v a l a n c h e s were h a v i n g a h e y d a y i n the c i r q u e . Hence a t n i g h t we h i k e d from Lambda Lake to t h e S e r r a t u s - A l p h a c o l t o a w a i t the c o u p l e o f hours u n t i l dawn. Down the s n o w f i e l d on the f a r s i d e , o v e r the s h o u l d e r on the n o r t h w e s t r i d g e (which s p o r t s an i m p r e s s i v e gendarme) , t h r o u g h some c r e v a s s e s , and we were a t our o b j e c t i v e . ( t w o hours from

The rock c r e s t was g a i n e d from the n o r t h s i d e ( f i f t y f e e t ) , c l imbed f o r o n e - h a l f p i t c h , then we dropped t h i r t y f e e t to the wes t t o r e a c h a d i a g o n a l c r a c k system which took us back to the c r e s t a f t e r two l e a d s . We d i s c o v e r e d l a t e r t h a t t h i s r i d g e has two major s e c t i o n s - an upper and a l o w e r . The lower i s formed of f i v e a lmost s e p a r a t e s t e p s and e s c a p e

82 to t h e g l a c i e r on e i t h e r s i d e i s f e a s i b l e a t any t i m e . I t i s more a d i v i d e than a r i d g e . W i t h i n t e n p i t c h e s (up to c l a s s 5 • '0 w e s topped f o r l u n c h a t the now o b v i o u s d i v i s i o n between the s e c t i o n s . "But I t h o u g h t you had the l u n c h ", Wel l we d i d have a l a r g e package o f p e a n u t s (25£ s i z e ) .

"Looks l i k e n i n e p i t c h e s to the summit" - " I ' d s a v i t was more l i k e t w e l v e " - (would you b e l i e v e t w e n t y . ) Over a snow cone f o u r and o n e - h a l f p i t c h e s , t h r o u g h a smal l rock band, up some d i c e y s o f t snow on s l a b s and the summit was s t i l l d i s ­t a n t . Darkne ss was t h r e a t e n i n g and t h e r e was no e s c a p e . Then i t was n e c e s s a r y to n e g o t i a t e a few p i t c h e s o f s t e e p snow r i d g e a ' c h e v a l b e f o r e t h e f i n a l t r e a d m i l l on t h e u p p e r snow f a c e to the summit, r e a c h e d a t 1 1 : 0 0 p .m. E x p e c t i n g a s h o r t c l i m b we had not c a r r i e d f l a s h l i g h t s , bu t f o r t u n a t e l y t h e n i g h t , though m o o n l e s s , was s t a r r y . B e i n g u n f a m i l i a r w i t h the normal r o u t e , we t r a v e r s e d a l l the gendarmes back to the c o l where we b a r e l y managed to h e a t some soup b e f o r e f a l ] i n g a s l e e p f o r a c h i l l y b i v o u a c , A l a s we o v e r s l e p t dawn and had to w a i t a l l the n e x t day u n t i l t h e f o l l o w i n g s u n s e t quenchec the a v a l a n c h e h a z a r d and a l l o w e d us to r e t u r n to our camp.

Round t r i p from c o l - t w e n t y hours L e n g t h - l o w e r , t e n l e a d s ; u p p e r , t w e n t y l e a d s . C l a s s - l o w e r , 5 .kl u p p e r , 5 . 6 due to r o t t e n snow

I I . TANTALUS - THE WEST FACE

The we s t f a c e o f T a n t a l u s h a s , f o r s e v e r a l y e a r s , s e t many h e a r t s a - d r e a m i n g . And r i g h t l y so , b e c a u s e i t p r e s e n t s an awe­some s i t e w i t h I t s t a n g l e o f r i d g e s , v e r t i c a l summit f a c e and t o w e r i n g gendarmes .

R e p l e t e w i t h h i n t s s u p p l i e d by f o u r A . C . C . ' e r s who had a t t e m p t e d the a s c e n t a week e a r l i e r . Gary K o z e l , Bob C u t h b e r t and m y s e l f h iked up to a c o l on the West R idge o f D i o n e . Here we l e v e l l e d a c a m p s i t e and examined the r o u t e p o s s i b i l i t i e s . Our c h o i c e was the one p r e v i o u s l y a t t e m p t e d .

A f t e r c o n t o u r i n g the snow b a s i n b e n e a t h Dione we g a i n e d the f i r s t r i d g e beyond the major T a n t a l u s - D i o n e g u l l y a t I t s low p o i n t Then, a f t e r t h r e e hours o f c o n t i n u o u s gr ade f o u r c l i m b i n g , we reached a s m a l l c a i r n on a f a l s e gendarme - the h i g h p o i n t of the A . C . C . p a r t y .

We down-c l imbed f o r s e v e n t y - f i v e f e e t behind t h i s , c i r c u i t e a few y a r d s to r i g h t , up a c o p p e r - s t a i n e d g u l l y , a c r o s s a narrow c o u l o i r s t r e t c h i n g down from t h e Witches l o o t h and g a i n e d a major l e d g e t r a v e r s i n g the f a c e . Up to and a l o n g the s k y l i n e from the end of the l e d g e , p a s t a f l a r i n g f l a k e and we were

e l v e s

1y faim :on s 1 e a d up and v e r which Gary and I j u

83

A n o t h e r easy hour and we were on the summit; ( 1 0 : 0 0 p . m . ) . T h a n k f u l l y , Gary knew where t h e r e was a " l a r g e , c o m f o r t a b l e , g r a s s y l e d g e " where we c o u l d b i v o u a c . We spent the n i g h t huddled t o g e t h e r , t i e d i n , f e e t d a n g l i n g .

Dawn was b e a u t i f u l so we c l imbed back to the summi t , about one hundred f e e t up , t o f u l l y f l a v o u r the e x p e r i e n c e .

D e s c e n t to c a m p s i t e was down the u s u a l a s c e n t r o u t e . o v e r the E a s t s i d e o f Dione and down one o f the snow g u l l i e s to the S o u t h .

Time o f a s c e n t : 1 5 j hours L e n g t h : about t h i r t y p i t c h e s - about 2 2 0 0 f e e t Grade: m o s t l y f o u r , e x c e p t f o r gr ade 5 . 7 p i t c h out o f

g e n d a r m e - f a c e c o l . P a r t y : Gary K o z e l , Bob C u t h b e r t , A l i c e Purdey

I I I . DIONE MOUNTAIN - THE WEST FACE

A spare day f o l l o w i n g T a n t a l u s r e c o u p e r a t i o n tempted us up the We s t f a c e o f D i o n e . wbi oh r o s e d i r e c t l y above our camp. T h i s was not the huge North West f a c e whose s l a b s sweep f o r two thousand odd f e e t from t h e main T a n t a l u s c i r q u e , bu t r a t h e r the more f r i e n d l y f a c e South o f the West R i d g e .

From a hundred f e e t up the snow g u l l y 1 e a d i n g to the Sou th edge Of D i o n e 1 s summit b l o c k , we t r a v e r s e d up and l e f t , c r o s s i n g a f a c e c e n t e r e d g u l l y to c l imb rock j u s t beyond . C l i m b i n g was p l e a s a n t , and the day warm, which h e i g h t e n e d a t e n d e n c y to doze on b e l a y . Near the summit we d e t o u r e d to c l imb a smal l rock tower near head o f t h e g u l l y , and a l e a d and a h a l f beyond we were on the peak .

A two hour s i e s t a f o l l o w e d , then the s l o g and g l i s s a d e back to

Next day we s t a r t e d o u t , w i t h t h e s a t i s f a c t i o n o f two v e r y p l e a s a n t c l i m b s t o add to our l i s t o f summer s u c c e s s e s .

C l a s s : 5 . 0 Time: f o u r h o u r s U

CLIMBS IN THE ROCKIES

A l i c e Purdey

Bob C u t h b e r t and I were g e l l i n g i n shape f o r Mt. Waddington t h i s summer, and because the C o a s t Range was s t i l l w i n t e r i z e d , we headed f i r s t f o r t h e R o c k i e s . b n f o r t u n a t e l y , they were s t i l l under snow, t o o . But we d id manage to c l imb two new r o u t e s , s u r v i v e some b l i z z a r d - a b o r t e d w a s h o u t s , and do some t o u r i s t t y p e h i k i n g when the w e a t h e r was e x t r a bad .

I . THE THRJSIS SISTER?

The Three S i s t e r s a r e l o c a t e d I m m e d i a t e l y South o f Canmore, A l b e r t a , or f i f t e e n m i l e s E a s t o f B a n f f . A f t e r a very p l e a s a n t h i k e through the l o w e r s e c t i o n o f the Three S i s t e r Creek and the not so p l e a s a n t ranyonous upper s e c t i o n , we l e v e l e d a t e n t - s i 7e p l a t f o r m be low the Second S i s t e r a t s i x thousand t h r e e hundred f e e t to spend the n i g h t .

Of f on a s e m i - a l p i n e s t a r t n e x t d a y , we t r a v e l l e d up through an o b v i o u s weakness in the c i r q u e w a l 1 , h e a d i n g f o r t h e unc i Imbed North Ridge o f the South West and h i g h e s t (n ine thousand s i x hundred f e e t ) s i s t e r . the c l o s e - u p p r o f i l e , however , r e v e a l e d a v e r y s t e e p n o s e , v e r t i c a l in p l a c e s , which appeared q u i t e r o t t e n . So we g a i n e d a l e s s e r r i d g e to the North Wes t . a l s o b e l i e v e d to be unc i Imbed , which r e q u i r e d some p a c k - h a u l i n g and o f f e r e d some i n t e r e s t i n g c l i m b i n g . The rock was q u i t e v a r i a b l e -from v e r y l o o s e to v e r y s o l i d and from a s c a r c i t y o f handholds to an abundance .

I t was s i x in the evenIng when we f i n a l l y r e a c h e d the summit and c a u g h t up to a s e r i e s o f s n o w - f i l l e d Storm c l o u d s which had r e p e a t e d l y missed us a l l d a y .

The Western s l o p e s are composed o f a s e r i e s o f s h a l e s t e p s t y p i c a l o f the R o c k i e s . so r o u t e f i n d i n g on the d e s c e n t was somewhat p r o b l e m a t i c a l . Towards the Spray Lakes to the West was our d i r e c t i o n of c h o i c e and we r e a c h e d t r e e - l i n e by d a r k . We were p r e p a r e d to b i v o u a c SO d e s p i t e the f a l l i n g snow, i t was a r e s t f u l n i g h t . The f o l l o w i n g day we c o n t i n u e d down to the Spray Lake road , then in r o u g h l y the d i r e c t i o n we had j u s t come , rip a d r y c r e e k bed to c r o s s t h e North s h o u l d e r and r e t u r n to the c a m p s i t e

Bob C u t h b e r t

TT. CASTLE MOUNTAIN

The C a l g a r y M o u n t a i n e e r i n g C l u b i s an a c t i v e group who has r e c e n t l y c o n s t r u c t e d a b i v o u a c hut on t h e l e d g e of C a s t l e Mountain a t the B a n f f - E i s e n h o w e r j u n c t i o n . The hut was c o n ­s t r u c t e d , not so much because of t h e p o p u l a r i t y o f the a r e a , bu t b e c a u s e t h e r e are so many new r o u t e s to be done . A v i s i t o r ' s hook b e i n g m a i n t a i n e d showed t h a t t h e c a b i n has been w e l l used every weekend s i n c e i t s e r e c t i o n and new r o u t e s were b e i n g c h a l k e d up.

Bob C u t h b e r t , Gary K n z e l , Greg Sharp o f B o s t o n and m y s e l f went up f o r two days to a t t e m p t a new r o u t e . We ascended a t r a i l b e g i n n i n g behind the R a n g e r ' s c a b i n a t the j u n c t i o n , wh ich l ed onto the g i a n t t e r r a c e t r a v e r s i n g t h e South f a c e about t w o - t h i r d s o f the way up . The hut i s s i t u a t e d near a major g u l l y l y i n g to the West o f the c e n t r a l g r e a t b u t t r e s s .

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We spent the a f t e r n o o n examin ing r o u t e p o s s i b i l i t i e s . Next day Gary and Greg made the t h i r d a s c e n t o f a r o u t e o n l y t h r e e weeks o l d w h i l e Bob and X d i d a new c l i m b . I t w a s , e x c e p t f o r one s e c t i o n o f v e r g l a s s e d b l o c k s b a l a n c i n g in an i n v e r t e d pyramid , v e r y e n j o y a b l e . The r o u t e ascended c r a c k s , ch imneys , f a c e and r i d g e s e c t i o n s and f i n i s h e d w i t h a b i t o f

Descent was down the major g u l l y n e a r t h e h u t . I t s u p p l i e s r u n n i n g w a t e r a l l y e a r - hence the c h o i c e o f hu l o c a t i o n . We d e s c e n d e d from the hut v i a t h i s g u l l y whic a p p a r e n t l y t h e p o p u l a r r o u t e o f a c c e s s . A t r a i l t o i t c beyond the F i r e Lookout S t a t i o n .

Time: ( a s c e n t o f r o u t e ) 6{- hours Grade: g e n e r a l l y up to 5 - 7 i n v e r g l a s s e d s e c t P a r t y : Bob C u t h b e r t and A l i c e Purdey

MT. HO2OMFBN - THE SOUTHWEST FACE

A u g u s t , 1968 D i c k Culbe'

The g r e a t s o u t h e r n w a l l s o f Hozomeen's n o r t h peak drop some t h r e e thousand f e e t toward Hozomeen Lake and are v i s i b l e a l s o from the Ross Lake Road. The f i r s t a t t e m p t on t h i s w a l l was made by Bob C u t h b e r t , Gary K o z e l , A l i c e Purdey and m y s e l f i n mid J u l y , but was drowned a t t h e b a s e by bad w e a t h e r . A l i c e and 1 r e t u r n e d i n mid A u g u s t w i t h t h r e e day& ! s u p p l i e s , and t h i s t ime t h e w e a t h e r was o b l i g i n g .

I t ' i s a t h r e e hour pack to t h e base o f the w a l l s a t f i v e thousand f e e t or s o . The i n i t i a l b l u f f s may be turned on the t r u e d i v i d e n e a r t h e i r wes t end, and o n l y s c a t t e r e d r e s i s t a n c e i s o f f e r e d u n t i l f i v e thousand f i v e hundred f e e t . At s i x thousand f e e t or so we were brought up by a l a r g e r o o f i n a chimney. Three a i d p i n s here proved to be the o n l y a r t i f i c i a l c l i m b i n g r e q u i r e d i n the whole w a l l , a l t h o u g h the menac ing b u l g e s above gave us l i t t l e hope a t t h i s t i m e . S h o r t l y beyond we h i v o u a c e d on a major l e d g e which c u t s under the l a r g e s t o f the c l i f f bands a t about s i x thousand f i v e hundred f e e t . T h i s i s about e i g h t hundred f e e t h i g h and a b i l i o u s y e l l o w - g r e e n i n c o l o r due to l i c h e n growing p r o f u s e l y where p r o t e c t e d by o v e r h a n g s . B e f o r e dark we found a g u l l y on up , wi th a h o p e f u l l o o k i n g r i g h t f o r k .

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With dawn we s t a r t e d up the t r o u g h . Rock c o n t i n u e d to be r e a s o n a b l y good , s t e e p but l o t s o f h o l d s . A l l but the f i r s t p i t c h i n v o l v e d c l a s s f i v e and a t t h e t o p we emerged on the g r e a t nose which d i s p l a y s the s p e c t a c u l a r (and u n c l i m b e d ) "Untouchable T o w e r s " . These we b y p a s s e d to the r i g h t and ascended t h e g u l l y beyond to n o t c h beh ind the h i g h e s t . As t h e r e was s t i l l s i x hundred f e e t to go and as i t would now r e q u i r e a f u l l day t o r a p p e l ou t i f we met an impasse , we r e l u c t a n t l y f o r w e n t t h e s e c l a s s s i x v i r g i n s and took o f f up the f i n a l f a c e . Two l e a d s up we d i s c o v e r e d a g u l l y - an u n e x p e c t e d l y e a s y g u l l y , which l e d r a p i d l y t o t h e south r i d g e ' j u s t b e l o w the- summit. By noon we were on t o p .

A l a s , we had o n l y k l e t t s and r u n n i n g s h o e s , and g e t t i n g down o f f t h e peak was a time consuming p r o b l e m . There had been no w a t e r on t h e f a c e , so the c r e e k s and meadows o f t h e b a s i n b e l o w were welcome i n d e e d . F i n a l l y we s t a r t e d down the l o n g t h r a s h to S k a g i t R i v e r , bu t too l a t e . At dusk we took our second b i v o u a c , s t i11 an hour from t h e r o a d .

I n r e t r o s p e c t , I t was e a s i e r than we had e x p e c t e d ^ hut a most b e a u t i f u l and r e w a r d i n g c l i m b . ( C l a s s 5-5, A2)T]

TRAFFIC JAM ON WADDIBGTOK

M t . Waddington was the scene o f the 1968 B . C . M . C . E x p e d i t i o n a r y Camp, and o f m u l t i o t h e r e x p e d i t i o n s from the Uni ted S t a t e s and J a p a n . In a l l , t h i r t y p e o p l e c l imbed the main tower t h i s y e a r which should shock o l d Waddington hands someth ing a w f u l . T h i s i n c l u d e d t h i r t e e n B . C . M . C . 1 e r s , the e n t i r e Tiedmann s e c t i o n o f the Waddington Camp. To a v o i d d u l l d e t a i l s g e n e r a l l y r e s e r v e d f o r s c h o l a r l y j o u r n a l s , l e t ' s

1 . We found a new way i n . T e l l o t G l a c i e r has r e t r e a t e d to l e a v e a new l a k e ("Ephemeron L a k e " ) which W i l d e r n e s s A i r ­l i n e s were w i l l i n g to f l y us i n t o (hut not ou t o f ) . T h i s i s j u s t a coup le hours from Nabob Pass and makes the base o f Waddington an e a s y d a y ' s p a c k .

2 . The Japanese were the only expedition ahead of us this year-. Their main cache contained such vital commodities as snow saws and dried squid. no t to menti on some really wild instant drinks . Much entertainment trying- out Japanese cried food with illegible labels.

3- The Bravo C-lacier was in a state of deep mu sh. Every party through figured they would be the last across those snow bridges that year. Six of us ploughed the route up the lira ve­to high carap at ten thousand on the second day. Our central glacier route held to the bitter end but later three nasty-cases of people going through with full packs on occurred. Bob Cuthbert nearly strangled In his prussics and an American precipitated a memorab'e rescue in mid August.

k. A staunch old V.O.C.'er, "ill lupper, is completing a fabulous map of the M t . Waddington area. To ge(. some precise

Tom Hall and I packed a transit Into waddington -col - and tried to do reciprocal measurements with

Tupper. who was set up on the memorial cairn beyond (Sabob. Lots of lovely clouds. It did no t clcar completeiy until five minutes after Bill gave up that evening, but we got some pretty good data anyhow.

5 - Four of us had hoped to put up the unclimbed north­west ridge. Bob moseyed up to ha-.»e a look at the thing, met a huge ice feather oantilevered fifteen feet straight out. from the rock, and tha t was that. The tower was badly pias tered, and only the tour I st rou le wer: t thi s year. Furthermore , the danger of falling Ice feathers meant keeping the parties down to four men per day. While other groups waited for tkoi r turn at the main tower, Wadd ington 1 s lower summit. Spearwa.u. and the Tootn (second and third ascents) were popular.

6. The main tower is not all that horrendous a climb — a low class five even when plastered wi i:i ice. The farr.cus-f gathers (which are pure ice and not trie least bit fea thery ) were a very real danger and one party had both ropes cut between them by falling ice while climbing, which sort of speaks for itself. Time from base of the rock tc suitri.it varried from thirteen hours for one of the American parti es down to three hours for one uf cur ropes. Our party {hoo Cuthbert, Alice Purdey. Cary Kozel and l) did not have an entirely dul 1 trip, however. Gary livened things up some­thing considerable by falling the last one hundred feet in­cluding over th e Waddington bergschrund. (a Japane se sling broke during rappel prepara Lion) . Miraculously he was no t hurt badly and very luckily one end of the rope snagged where tfhe rest of us could reach it by tying our swings and swami belts together. Gary added another nice little fall a couple days later when a piton pulled on the Tooth.

7. The Tellot part of Waddington camp roamed far and wide , do ins; much climbing and pho Co graphy . uui first summi t party joined them later and '?rian Howard and Ceri-ct Walter did the firsL traverse of the Claws (two d a y s ) . A couple of

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8. After- camp l e f t , three o f us s t a y e d on and were j o i n e d by Dr . B a r r y Hagen, f r e s h back from e x p l o i t s i n B o l i v i a . A l i c e and T had a l r e a d y done the f i r s t a s c e n t o f the "Gnats Tooth" n e a r the T e l l o t - l iedmann I c e f a l l e and we had hopes f o r some o f the big- ( f i v e thousand f e e t y e t ) r i d g e s n o r t h of t h e Tiedmann. T h i s was not to b e . The r o c k was r o t t e n and t h e snow a b o t t o m l e s s s l i d i n g morass a f t e r dawn. We d i d the unc l imbed t en thousand two hundred f e e t "Phantom Tower" on the f a c e o f S e r r a Two, ( c l a s s f i v e and s i x w i t h a b i v o u a c in a f lume) and we put up a new r o u t e on Claw Peak a s w e l l a s some swimming about on the u p p e r T e l l o t G l a c i e r . Snow c o n d i t i o n s were a b y s m a l . A f t e r a week o f t h i s a h e l i ­c o p t e r a p p e a r e d , b r i n g i n g in t h e F i r e y s o f S e a t t l e and p a r t y . T h i s we used to make our e s c a p e . R a t h e r a shame, had t h e snow been s t a b l e i t would have been a f a b u l o u s o p p o r t u n i t y , but then t h a t ' s t h e C o a e t Range . [ ]

RATTLESNAKE RIDS

D i r e c t l y a c r o s s S imi lkameen R i v e r from the town o f Keremeos r i s e s a r e a s o n a b l y i m p r e s s i v e and a c c e s s i b l e group of rook b l u f f s . On Labour Day A l i c e Purdey and I pushed the c e n t r a l and l a r g e s t o f the b u t t r e s s e s h e r e , f i n d i n g the a r e a has d i s t i n c t p o s s i b i l i t i e s , c o n s i d e r i n g t h a t i t i s i n the i n t e r i o r dry b e l t and a l l . I t was a l s o i n the wind b e l t t h a t d a y , and a m i l d h u r r i c a n e was h o o t i n g a l o n g t h e c r a g s . Our r o u t e went d i r e c t l y up the nose i n two l e a d s , up i n d i a g o n a l to the r i g h t f o r t h r e e l e a d s , then up a c l a s s i c c l a s s f i v e o v e r h a n g i n g jam c r a c k . A f t e r much c l a s s f o u r the f i n a l b l u f f s y i e l d e d some p a r t i n g c h a l l e n g e , w i t h a wide v a r i e t y o f e x i t s t o choose from. A more or l e s s i n f i n i t e number o f r o u t e s i s a v a i l a b l e on t h i s b u t t r e s s a lone making i t a good p r a c t i c e a r e a , a l t h o u g h w i t h two thousand f i v e hundred f e e t r e l i e f w i t h no o b v i o u s e s c a p e r o u t e s i t should n o t be t a k e n too l i g h t l y . G e n e r a l l y the rock i s g o o d , and c r a c k c l i m b i n g , e s p e c i a l l y , t h r i v e s . •

89

A B R O A D

ST. MQRITZ

P e t e r Macek

Win ter 1 67 ? , s k i Europe , we s a i d . But whi 1 e we are a t i. r we might as w e l l see Spa In and f r a n c e and ar.d so R i c k Bond and I l e f t a b i t e a r l y — S e p t e m b e r , a c t u a l l y , to see the w o r l d . And t h i n g s .

November 2 0 t h , WOW! , i t ' s almo s t w i n t e r ; the t r e e s are b r i l l i a n t o r a n g e but if you have a good i m a g i n a t i o n t h e r e i s snow coming! Enough of t h i s d a l l y i n g ! We dash a c r o s s France in ' ' v o i t u r e " at ? ? m . p . h . even ( somet imes) h e a d i n g f o r Swi t z e r 1 and , f i n a l l y h e a d i n g fo r t h e s e huge snowy. t r a v e I -po s t e r nioun t a i n s . E a s t t o Chur , where t h e Ci tro on f o 1 ds a g a i n , then t h e t r a i n and we are t h e r e . S u n s h i n e , b i r d s e v e r y w h e r e , bu t way, way up— tha t j u s t must be snow! Two mi l e s wal k to t h e Youth H o s t e l - c l o s e d u n t i l December 1 s t , s o r r y , t h e r e must he cheap h o t e l s around, t r y the a l c o h o l i c fran (! ?) by the t r a i n s t a t i o n . God! t h o s e s k i s and p a c k s g e t heavy a f t e r a w h i l e . We f i n a l l y f i n d the p l a c e - a l k o h o l f r e i , t h a t means no d r i n k i n g , huh? $ 2 . 5 ° a n i g h t ! h a v e n ' t you a n y t h i n g ' p l u s bon m a r c b e ' ? The s e r v a n t ' s room?, f i n e . F i v e s t o r i e s u p ? , in the a t t i c ? ! l e t c h , what the h e l l , J e t ' s f i n d ttie snow.

Two hours 1 a t e r we met a Norwegian c a r r y i n g ski s and d i s ­c o v e r t h a t mo s t o f the A l p i n e r a c e r s are here t r a i n i n g on t h e C o r v a t s c h . t h e snow i s g r e a t and h o r r e n d o u s l y s t e e p , the a i r warm and I sure hope we w i l l not be the o n l y n o n - r a c e r s .

Spri ng s k i i n g In November, warmth, corn sno w, t r a c k i n g down t h r e e thou sand v o r t i c a l f e e t . No 1 i n e s , i rn:soles g e t used t o t h e f e e l o f s k i s a g a i n and those c u r v e s cu t smoother . When­e v e r we g e t too c o c k y B i l l y Kidd o r some sexy Norwegian Mor-d booms b y , b a r e l y t o u c h i n g the mogu l s .

Apres s k i i s g r e a t , even on a z i 1 c h b u d g e t . I (and soon we) know the C z e c h s and hence have a c c e s s to t h e r a c e r s ' hot e l . Tt no l o n g e r e x c i t e s comment a t t h e desk when "One o f us wa lks i n .1 u g g i n g a c a s e o f b e e r - here t w e n t y - f o u r one q u a r t b o t t l e s -f o r ano ther e v e n i n g ' s r e l a x a t i o n . C e t t i n g back to the h o t e l i s i n t e r e s t i n g - - c u r f e w i s a t 1 0 - 0 0 ( the p l a c e i s :he l o c a l A A ) , so one i s a l r e a d y In b e d . The o t h e r s t a n d s below t h r o w i n g s n o w b a l l s f i v e s t o r i e s up, to g e t a r e s p o n s e . Then to sneak downs t a i r s , remove e i g h t p o t t e d p l a n t s from a window s i l l and jimmy the window. .And so to b e d - - b r e a k f a s t i s 5 t 6 : 0 0 . The o f f i c i a l r a c e r s ' hus l o a v e s f o r the h i l l a t 8 : 0 0 and i*-o w o u l d n ' t want t h e d r i v e r to have to w a i t . f o r u s .

Ana so i t g o es , n e x t to t h e mountains and wine c e l l a r s o f C zeclio Slovakia . to K i t zbuhel. , to I n n s b r u c k and C r i n d l e w a l d . Winter ' 6 / ? - - IvUrope , man , I t was g r e a t ! []

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D u r i n g the summer o f 1 9 6 6 w h i l e c l i m b i n g i n the v i c i n i t y of Mt . S i r Donald i n R o g e r s P a s s , Dave and L i n d a Kennedy, on h o l i d a y s from I n d i a and Jane and I ( a l l o l d V O C ' e r s from t h e 1 5 5 5 to 1 9 6 5 d e c a d e ) , d e c i d e d to meet i n Nepal in 1968 and to t r e k to the E v e r e s t R e g i o n .

In F e b r u a r y 1 9 6 8 we met i n Kathmandu. Jane and L i n d a and K i r a n (Dave and L i n d a ' s t w e n t y month o l d d a u g h t e r ) packed f o o d w h i l e Dave and I roamed the back s t r e e t s and a l l e y s o f Kathmandu n e g o t i a t i n g f o r p o r t e r s . A f t e r much t e a , b u f f a l o meat and r i c e we s e l e c t e d Mingma D a r j e , from Khumjung v i l l a g e as our Slier pa g u i d e and f o r t y y e a r o l d Pasang from KhumJung and two l o w l a n d N e p a l i p o r t e r s named Sondar and L h a l b a d h u r . We caught the t w e n t y - e i g h t p a s s e n g e r bus to B h a l a l g h a t , a v i l l a g e on the Sun Kos i r i v e r , There were f i f t y - o n e p e o p l e aboard p l u s dozens o f c h i c k e n s , b a s k e t s and boxes o f v a r i o u s s i z e s and l i t t l e b o y s c a r r y i n g a r m f u l s o f l e e k s . Mingma s a t by a window, h i s e y e s squeezed shut and a grubby t o w e l p r e s s e d to h i s l i p s to chase away mot ion s i c k n e s s . At D h a l a l g h a t we heaved our p a c k s on and s t a r t e d up p a s t o c h r e and w h i t e p a i n t e d mud w a l l e d and t h a t c h e d r o o f e d h o u s e s , r i c e paddy t e r r a c e s , c h i c k e n s , d o g s , g o a t s , cows, s t a r i n g N e p a l i men, s m i 1 i n g women and g i g g l i n g c h i l d r e n . I t was n i n e t y d e g r e e s F a h r e n h e i t . In a s h o r t t ime we became aware o f the w e i g h t of the p a c k s . Dave and I were c a r r y i n g s e v e n t y pounds e a c h , Jane c a r r i e d about t h i r t y pounds and on L i n d a ' s b a c k , i n a s p e c i a l p a c k f r a m e , rode K i r a n , the b r a v e l i t t l e g i r l . I t was v e r y e m b a r r a s s i n g . Pasang a t the age o f f o r t y and w e i g h i n g one hundred and twenty pounds was c a r r y i n g one hundred and f i f t e e n pounds! We moved on u n t i l our embarrassment was overcome by f a t i g u e . We s t o p p e d . S c r e e c h i n g h o r n s , t h r o b b i n g drums and b r e a t h l e s s c h a n t s c o u l d be heard w h i l e we r e s t e d . In a s h o r t t i m e , f i v e or s i x N e p a l i s , b a l a n c i n g a bam­boo l i t t e r on which a f i r e b r i g h t orange e i l k draped body bounced and j i g g l e d . They rounded the corner a t a f a s t t r o t and d i s ­appeared down t h e h i l l . We p lodded o n .

Horns sounded a g a i n on the eve of t h e second day a s a b r i d a l p a r t y appeared w i t h the e l e v e n y e a r o l d b r i d e d r e s s e d i n s c a r l e t and the s e v e n t e e n y e a r o l d groom d r e s s e d i n w h i t e . The b r i d e ' s f a t l i e r and h i s r a g g e d y band e n t e r t a i n e d u s f o r t w e n t y minute s and t en r u p e e s .

We c l imbed and descended and c l Imbed a g a i n , day a f t e r d a y . E v e n t u a l l y our s h o u l d e r s and f e e t l o s t t h e i r s o r e n e s s and the h e a t and d u s t o f t h e l o w l a n d v a l l e y s was tempered by- the snow on the p e a k s . The d a y s d e v e l o p e d i n t o a p a t t e r n of r i s i n g a t 6:00 a.m. f o r a b r e a k f a s t o f t e a and p a r a t a s ( L i n d a - s s p e c i a l t y -an I n d i a n bread f r i e d w i t h yak b u t t e r ) , t r e k k i n g u n t i l 1 1 : 0 0 a . m . , e a t i n g mush and r a i s i n s u n t i l 1:00 p . m . , t r e k k i n g u n t i l 4:00 or 3:00 p . m . . f i n d i n g accommodation i n a house and then h a v i n g our e v e n i n g meal o f r i c e , meat and t e a w h i l e s i t t i n g c r o s s - l e g g e d a t the open c h i m n o y l e s s h e a r t h w i t h the owner o f t h e house and h i s f a m i l y . I t was w i s e to s tay near the f l o o r b e c a u s e o f t h e

A TREK 10 THE EVEREST REGION

Byron Olson

9i

smoke.

On t h e s e v e n t h day we r e a c h e d Chyangma, a v i l l a g e i n Sherpa t e r r i t o r y . We s t a y e d w i t h the Lama in charge o f the Chyangma Gonpa or t e m p i e . He was a k i n d , t h o u g h t f u l person who spent much t ime h o l d i n g K i r a n .

O c c a s i o n a l l y we bought l i v e c h i c k e n s t o supplement our d i e t and as we k i l l e d and c l e a n e d them Sondar and Lha lbadhur crouched n e a r b y . Sondar caught the b lood i n a f o l d e d 1 e a f . The p a r t i a l l y d e v e l o p e d e g g s in t h e e g g t r a c t and b l o o d went i n t o t h e i r soup . They burned the f e a t h e r s from the s k i n and head and t h e y e l l o w s c a l e s from t h e l e g s and a t e them a f t e r h o l d i n g them o v e r t h e f l a m e s to r o a s t them. They squeezed the g u t s to empty them, h e l d them aero s s the f i r e to f r y and a t e them l i k e l o n g s p a g h e t t i .

The Dudh K o s i i s a deep m a g n i f i c e n t l y s c a l e d r i v e r gorge t h a t d r a i n s the s o u t h e r n f l a n k of t h e E v e r e s t m a s s i f . We b a t h e d i n i t s c o l d t u r q u o i s e w a t e r a t noon to r e l i e v e our t i r e d f e e t . The f o l l o w i n g days were p a s s e d on the t r a i l h i g h above the Dudh K o s i where we f r e q u e n t l y met l o n g s t r i n g s o f Sherpas and TIbe t a n s - men, women, c h i l d r e n - a l 1 wi th huge p a c k s .

We r e a c h e d Karache B a z a a r , w i t h i t s l i t t l e shops , i t s c h o r t e n s and i t s w a t e r - p o w e r e d p r a y e r whee l s l a t e on t h e f i f t e e n d a y . The n e x t morning we c l imbed to S lumjung to MIngma 1 s h o u s e . We p a i d P a s a n g , Sondar and Lha lbadhur and packed our g e a r f o r the remainder o f t h e t r e k . Jane , L i n d a and K i r a n were to s t a y w i t h Mingma's s i s t e r i n Khumjung w h i l e Dave , Mingma and I t r e k k e t o E v e r e s t Base Camp.

Two i n c h e s o f f r e s h snow and b r i g h t sun p r o v i d e d us w i t h a c h e e r f u l s t a r t a s we c l imbed down, then up to Thyangboche f o r l u n c h w i t h a lama, and down, then up t o Pangboche to spend the n i g h t a t a l a m a ' s h o u s e . His w i f e p r a y e d c o n t i n u o u s l y t h r o u g h ­out the e v e n i n g . The lama gave us a tour o f the Gonpa and a f t e r we had g i v e n him f i v e r u p e e s f o r h i s e f f o r t s he brought f o r t h a Y e t i s c a l p ! We were so d e l i g h t e d . We gave him a n o t h e r fd ve rupee n o t e ! He showed us the Y e t i hand I A. d r i e d c law o f bones and s k i n t h a t a p p e a r e d to be n e a r l y human'. The o ld f e l l o w had us hooked . We gave him f i v e more r u p e e s and he took us up dark c r e a k y s t a i r s to the room of c e r e m o n i a l masks . We f l a s h e d p i c ­t u r e s , the b i g key slammed the l o c k shut and h o l d i n g the key to h i s head the o l d lama chanted many p r a y e r s .

Morning came q u i c k l y . By noon we had c l i m b e d to P h e r i c h e , a s t o n e w a l l e d yak p a s t u r e v i l l a g e near t h e snou t o f the Khumbu G l a c i e r . The m a g n i f i c e n t a r r a y o f peaks - Ama Dablam, Thamscrku Pumori; , names we had read for y e a r s - surrounded u s . Yaks g r a z e on buncheS o f g r a s s . Smal l s treams t r i c k l e d e v e r y w h e r e . By l a x a f t e r n o o n we r e a c h e d L o b u j e a t s i x t e e n thousand f e e t . We camped Our 1 u n g s were r e a c h i n g f o r oxygen as we f i t f u l l y s l e p t d e s p i t e s e v e r a l a t t a c k s on our food by some k i n d o f r a t t h a t sounded t h r e e f e e t l o n g i n t h e d a r k n e s s .

t u d e s . We were soon t ramping upwards . At s e v e n t e e n thousand

two hundred f e e t , n e a r Base Camp we turned and c l imbed the s l o p e c a l l e d Gorak Shep on a r i d g e o f Pumori , The v i e w and t h e a l t i t u d e were b r e a t h t a k i n g . E v e r e s t , a smal l plume on i t s c r e s t peeped out over t h e d u p s t e R i d g e . What a moment; Mingma, who had r e c e i v e d s t r i c t i n s t r u c t i o n s a t Namche to "watch t h o s e two S a h i b s so t h a t t h e y do n o t go c l i m b i n g ! " , was g e t t i n g c o n c e r n e d . Dave and I c l i m b e d h i g h e r . Mingma c a l l e d us to r e t u r n . We c l i m b e d h i g h e r . Soon the peak o f L o h t s e a p p e a r e d , then t h e South C o l . At e i g h t e e n thousand s i x hundred f e e t we c o u l d go no h i g h e r . Evere s t seemed w i t h i n t o u c h i n g d i s t a n c e . We 1 i n g e r e * f o r n e a r l y an hour i n the b r i l l i a n t s u n s h i n e . What a day! As we descended to L o b u j e , d u r i n g supper and l a t e i n t o t h e n i g h t ' s darkness my mind spun - i f e i g h t or t e n c l i m b e r s , t h e n so much food and equipment , t h e r e f o r e so many p o r t e r s and on and on. Why not have a Canadian M t . E v e r e s t E x p e d i t i o n ? Morning came w i t h a dry t h r o a t and t o n g u e . Without d e l a y we descended to Thyangboche and on to KhumJung where we found L i n d a and Jane e n j o y i n g v i j . l age l i f e . With t i g h t t h r o a t s and a t e a r or two we s a i d our f a r e w e l l s t o Mingma 1 s f a m i l y as t h e y p l a c e d w h i t e s c a r v e s around our n e c k s and g r a i n s o f r i c e in our hands i n a s imple t o u c h i n g ceremony. We turned toward Namche and t h e Dudh K o s i and l a t e r wes twards towards Kathmandu.C]

PTSKOVEC: Be in sands tone p i l l a

The sk^- was d e f i n i t e l y g r e y e r as we f i n i s h e d b r e a k f as t , changed i n t o t a t t e r e d k n i c k e r s and r u n n i n g s h o e s , grabbed s l i n g s , r o p e s and ' b u i e r s , and s t r a g g l e d i n t o the woods . F a i n t l y w h i t e t h r o u g h t h e t r e e s r o s e our o b j e c t i v e , K a p e l n i k . European c l a s s VTI (about 5 . 7 and u p ) , sweep ing two hundred f i f t y f e e t from the v a l l e y bot tom i n a g r e a t , C l e a n column. B e f o r e the sun became u n p l e a s a n t l y h o t , we d i d t h e s o u t h e r n f a c e , s h i f t i n g to the c o o l e r n o r t h l a t e r . Then, s w e a t i n g i n the h e a t , we walked the h a l f m i l e to the swimming pool f o r some h u s t l i n g and f i v e c e n t b e e r , u n t i l the cool o f the e v e n i n g and more c l i mbing.

I was In C e s k y R a j , p i l l a r s e v e r y w h e r e , w i t h three days o f p e r f e c t c l i m b i n g beh ind me. T had somehow g o t I n v o l v e d in a Czech c l i m b i n g i n s t r u c t o r s ' c o u r s e ; one l e c t u r e , f i vr: d a y s c l i m b i n g , f r e e room and board , and Himalayan v e t e r a n s

• for c l imbi ng p a r t n e r s ; everyone f r i e n d l y , h c l p f u l and u n d e r ­s t a n d a b l y proud o f t h e i r t r a i n i n g g r o u n d s .

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Bohemia has t h r e e major s a n d s t o n e r e g i o n s , each w i t h more than a hundred r o c k s and new ones b e i n g " d i s c o v e r e d " e v e r y day , a l l . s o l i d and soon c o v e r e d w i t h r o u t e s . The c l i m b i n g i s by-t r a d i t i o n f r e e , w i t h r i n g b o l t s a t b e l a y p o i n t s o n l y . C r a c k s , ch imneys , s i a b s . . . . c l a s s i c r o u t e s o f a l l d e s c r i p t i o n s w i t h i n t e n minutes walk of the l o c a l p o o l .

A f t e r t h i s i n i t i a t i o n , I was t a k e n on a t o u r o f most o f t h e r e m a i n i n g a r e a s , two d a y s h e r e , t h r e e t h e r e , and b e f o r e I bad l i t t l e more than s t a r t e d to a p p r e c i a t e the scope i n one p l a c e , we were o f f a g a i n . T h i s one has a r u i n e d c a s t l e o v e r ­l o o k i n g i t , t h a t one has a pub w i t h an o b l i g a t o r y c l a s s 5 r o u t e to the t e r r a c e and every- n i g h t t h e r e i s a p a r t y i n t h e campground.

By A i r Canada and c o n n e c t o r s ( A e r o f l o t and t h i n g s ) , a l l t h i s I s w i t h i n s i x t e e n hours o f V a n c o u v e r , making i t q u i t e s u i t a b l e f o r a l o n g weekend c l u b t r i p , ( approx imate c o s t - $550 p e r p e r s o n ) . Next y e a r a v o i d the masses a t t h e P e s h a s t i n s and head f o r C z e c h oSlovakia![]

THE TRIP

L a u r e l i s o n l y a burro s t o p but b u s e s o c c a s i o n a l l y s t r a y n e a r p l y i n g t r a d e up and down t h e v a l l e y s between the Pomabamba r e g i o n and Huaraz i n o u t e r Ancash , P e r u .

Ve t o s s e d our t e n s a c k s of e x p e d i t i o n g e a r on t o p o f the bus and squeezed i n s i d e . I t was f u l l y p a c k e d , l i k e a Lucky S t r i k e . P . A . , the d r i v e r , and C h i n o , t h e Swamper, d i d some r e a r r a n g i n g o f the g u e s t s and t h e i r i n d o o r b a g g a g e . I found m y s e l f i n a s e a t n e x t to a w e l l d r e s s e d l a d c a r r y i n g two b e e r b o x e s o f d o v e s . "They have a n i c e s o n g , " he e x p l a i n e d . G e r a l d was l e s s l u c k y , or more l u c k y , d e p e n d i n g on whether you have s h o r t l e g s or l o n g l e g s . He s a t in rhe a i s l e on one end o f a p o t a t o s a c k . A l a d s a t on t h e o t h e r end and t h e y were committed to b e i n g mutual b a c k r e s t s . However the .lad k e p t d o d g i n g h i s r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s , making f o r a r e s t l e s s n i g h t .

The bus had two d r i v e r s o f somewhat complementary c h a r a c ­t e r i s t i c s , but l a c k i n g s k i l l i n the most i m p o r t a n t p a r t o f the j o b . One would have been b e t t e r s u i t e d to be a P . A . s y s t e m . The o t h e r may w e l l have been a g r e a t p a l a c e g u a r d .

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P . A . d i d most o f h i s d r i v i n g w i t h h i s mouth, tuned t o p r o v i d i n g the p a s s e n g e r s w i t h mir th a t the expense o f t h e i r sense o f 1 o n g c v i t y . At t h e f i r s t f l a t t i r e I became a c q u a i n t e d wi th a few p a s s e n g e r s . One in f r o n t was an I n t e l l e c t u a l , a t e a c h e r who d e f i e d h i s own e y e s by r e a d i n g w h i l e the bus bounced a l o n g the siumped road• The m a j o r i t y of t h e p a s s e n g e r s were I n d i a n s , w e l l adapted to and d o c i l e i n b u s e s . Some o f t h e b o y s i n back were t r a d i n g j o k e s i n Quechua w i t h a g i r l a f f e c t i o n a t e l y c a l l e d "Cemetery" at the f r o n t . They had a r a p p o r t which i s u s u a l l y found among men s e a t e d a l o n g a b a r .

The breakdowns were o f t e n and l e n g t h y . The re was the problem o f f l a t t i r e s about which t h e y were v e r y e f f i c i e n t . P. A. c o u l d r e a l l y f i x a f l a t i n a hurry-, wh ich means p a t c h i ng the t u b e , p l u c k i n g t h e o f f e n d i n g s t o n e out o f t h e t i r e and pumping i t u p .

The br ake s were w e l l worn and were b e a t e n wi th a hammer f r e q u e n t l y . The d r i v e r tended to c o n f u s e cause and e f f e c t .

Water . f u e l s iphoned from a drum, road c l e a r i n g , rock b r a k e s and o t h e r m a t t e r s were d e a l t w i t h by the s c u r r y i n g " C h i n e . " But h i s main f u n c t i o n was to r e c e i v e v e r b a l abuse from P . A . , who needed an ou t i e t to c o v e r up h i s h p n g l i n g a t t h e he lm.

P . O . , on t h e o t h e r hand, was b e s t i n m e c h a n i c a l r e p a i r s i t u a t i o n s and had a q u i e t , c o o l , o u t l o o k . He p r o v i d e d s t a b i l i t y Lo the d r i v i n g corahinatioft . However, he was no b e t t e r as a d r i v e r s i n c e h e , wi th g r e a t outward calm and c o n c e n t r a t i o n , drove i n t o an adobe w a l l a t Yungay .

The c l i m a x o c c u r r e d in the Canon d e l Pato (Buck Canyon) a t midnigh t . where the road has a t enuous h o l d on a m o r a i n e -pi a s L e r e d c l i f f . There were t h i r t y or so t u n n e l s t h r o u g h b e d r o c k , l i n k i n g s e c t i o n s of t h e r o a d . Halfway through the canyon the bus s t a l l e d and P . A. I m m e d i a t e l y f l o o d e d the c a r ­b u r e t o r . G e r a l d and I , f e d up wi t h p u s h i n g t h e b u s , d e c l i n e d a t w e n t i e th i n v i t a t i o n . P . A . a l l o w e d the de v o t e d to c o n t i n u e , but d id not a l l o w them to b u i l d up enough ground speed b e f o r e t r y i n g to s t a r t . So we dozed o f f on the s i d e o f the r o a d , o b l i v i o u s to t h e s p e c t a c l e , a b i b l i c a l movie e p i c w i t h f i f t y or so of the f a i t h ful p u s h i n g the bus .back and for t h in the two hundred f e e t between t u n n e l s , c h a n t i n g and s h o u t i n g .

Everyone gave up a f t e r two hours and t h e y p i l e d back i n t o the bus and s l e p t . Meantime Gera ld and I s l e p t a t the r o a d -si.de unt 1 1 about 4:00 a . m . , when P . A . go t the bus g o i n g a g a i n . In Yungay , P . A . d e c i d e d he may have pushed the e l d e r l y a l i t t l e too f a r i n t h e c l i m a c t i c scene and he d e c l a r e d an hours s t o p . We wand ered around, r e l i e v e d to be out o f the w r e t c h e d bu s, l o o k i n g f o r b r e a k f a s t a t 6:00 a .m. The marke t was c l o s o d . However, th ere was a smai1 c a r t s e t up on a c o r n e r o f the p l a z a , s e l l i n g hot lemonade and an i c e cream shop was open to a t t e n d the needs o f a l l . For r e s t a u r a n t s or c o f f e e shops , t h e hour was u n t h i n k a b l e . P . A . b u s i e d him­s e l f runni ng between the c a r t and e l d e r l y p a s s e n g e r s who were f l a k e d out in t he bu s w i th ho t 1 enionade, hop ing to r e v i v e them.

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On to Huaraz , w i t h P . G . i n command, a r r i v i n g , making a t w e l v e hour j o u r n e y l a s t f o r t w e n t y - f o u r . G e r a l d and 1 l e f t the bus t o i t s f a t e . I t was o n l y h a l f w a y to Lima.

NOTE:

D e t a i l s o f the New Z e a l a n d - Canadian Andean E x p e d i t i o n w i l l a p p e a r i n the New Zea land A l p i n e J o u r n a l , The C a n r e r b u r y M o u n t a i n e e r , and the American A l p i n e J o u r n a l .

In J u l y , 1 9 6 8 the e x p e d i t i o n put a new approach onto the North c o l o f Nevado Alpamayo ( c a . n i n e t e e n thousand f i v e hundred f e e t ) and c l i m b e d the North r i d g e . T h i s came, a f t e r two weeks o f u n s e t t l e d weather c o u p l e d w i t h u n s t a b l e c o r n i c e c o n d i t i o n s , s t o p p e d an a t t e m p t on the E a s t r i d g e . They made the second a s c e n t o f Tayapampa ( c a . e i g h t e e n thousand s i x hundred f e e t ) by a new r o u t e , the f i r s t a s c e n t o f an unnamed peak ( c a . e i g h t e e n thousand f e e t ) on t h e V e s t r i d g e o f Nevado P u c a h i r c a , the f i r s t a s c e n t o f an unnamed peak ( c a . e i g h t e e n thousand four hundred f e e t ) on the E a s t r i d g e o f Nevado C h o p i c a l q u i . The a t t e m p t on the S o u t h e a s t r i d g e o f C h o p i c a l q u i ( c a , t w e n t y - o n e thousand f e e t ) was s topped by d a i l y snow storms i n A u g u s t , a l t h o u g h t h e most d i f f i c u l t s e c t i o n s of t h e r o u t e appeared t o have been surmounted.

EDITOR'S NOTE: John R i c k e r i s an o l d V . O . C . ' e r ( c i r c a i960) who h a s spent much t ime c l i m b i n g i n South A m e r i c a . []

THE HIGH TATRAS

P e t e r Macek

A f t e r we had spent some time on the Czech S a n d s t o n e s , my f r i e n d J i r k a managed to g e t a h o l i d a y from work and so we p lanned a week t r i p t o the T a t r a s of E a s t e r n S l o v a k i a . A p a r t o f the C a u c a s u s , t h i s g r a n i t i c range i s o n l y about t w e n t y mi l e s l o n g by f i v e w i d e , bu t b e i n g g e o l o g i c a l l y v e r y young, i s e x t r e m e l y r u g g e d . O f f i c i a l l y i t i s s a i d to c o n t a i n t h r e e hundred d i s t i n c t p e a k s w i t h innumerable gendarmes and w a l 1 s to add v a r i e t y to the compact g r o u p . The summit I s r e a c h e d i n G e r l a c h ( f o r m e r l y S t a l i n ) Peak a t two thousand s i x hundred and f i f t y - f i v e m e t r e s ( e i g h t thousand s i x hundred and t h i r t y f e e t ) . B e s i d e s b e i n g a s m a l l " r a n g e , a c c e s s i s made e a s i e r by a w e l l -marked and m a i n t a i n e d sys tem o f t r a i l s . The main r i d g e of the mountains i s s u r p r i s i n g l y conidnuou s and t he major t r a i l s

The l a r g e r c i r q u e s c o n t a i n mountain l o d g e s , mo s t s e r v i n g f 0 0 d

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and having overnight accommodation. This permits an emphasis on rock climbing as the mountaineering access problem is, at least in summer, usually trivial. Climbing in this region is becoming very popular and some very hard and impressive routes

After an overnight SI./SO train trip and a three hour hike, we arrived at Brucalova Lodge at the extreme eastern end on a drizzly day that unfortunately was to set the pattern for the week. Accommodation was on straw pallets on the floor of the barn's loft which cost us twelve cents a night. The lodge was on the lip of a large basin ringed b y thousand foot walls, the finest being on Kezmar Peak over two thousand feet broken only by a horizontal ramp halfway up. In the next five days, we did three good routes in the area, took part in the rescue of a Slovak who peeled off a route behind u s and climbed Pysr.y {Proud) Peak (two thousand six hundred and twenty-three m e t r e s ) , the third highest In Czechoslovakia. Then Jirka returned to work and with another Czech friend I did a "tourist" traverse of the eastern half of the range - twenty-five kilometres of trail and over ten thousand feet of vertical gain In one long day, through some truly impressive country. Although the mountains are not high by our standards, their ruggedness gives them a "high mountain'' appearance, and the presence of hundreds of bine tarns in the cirques makes this mountain group the rival of much of the Alps in pure beauty and an area well worth vi siting.[ ]

M T . KENYA ( l 7 , 0 2 g Fe<

I joined Don and Nita Poole in Nairobi for an attempt on Mt. Kenya. It was now the dry season although it was raining In Nairobi. Because of the monsoon wind pattern, the north side of the mountain is driest in August, so we decided to take the route up the Sirimon Valley on that side.

We pushed and dragged our Volkswagen nine miles up the road to ten thousand feet before judging that carrying our monstrous packs was easier. We camped that night at eleven thousand seven hundred feet. At sunrise the next day we had our first view of the peaks - spikes of rock and snow far above the moorland. We did not go so very fai horizontally that day but we weie up and down ovei the valleys and ridges as we circled the mountain until we reached the Makinder Valley, which is named for the first man to climb Mt. Kenya in 1 8 9 9 . We hivouaced comfortably in a rock overhang called Shipton's Cave (at thirteen thousand seven hundred feet) at the head of the valley.

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Kami Hut (Fourteen thousand five hundred and sixty-four f eet) was our operation s c entre on the mountain. We readied it at noon after a serious detour u p into some crags on a neigh­bouring ridge. Don and I walked to the base of the normal route up the peak and I scrambled up solo for five hundred feet before dec idIng tha t there was no po int in go i ng any fur ther alone. We re turned to the hut and s tar ted in the o ther directi on to Point Du tton. Scree surround ed the base but the peak itself on the South side is a series of slabs which slope steeply to the summit (sixteen thousand and twenty-five f e e t ) . With fog surrounding the peak we got on the wrong line of the slabs and ended up less than one hundred feet from the summi t. and only f ifty feet below it was a hope1 ess!y broken ridge. It was too la te to reascend, so we beaded back to the hut.

Ambition reached the nil point the next day partly because of the weather which threatened snow and partly because of deterring climbing records•'such as the one written by a party that took fifty-five hours and two bivouacs. Instead we started on a clockwise circuit of the peaks. By the time we got to the top of Gregory Glacier the expected weather pattern was cnr.fi rmed and we were socked in. Our first stop was in a hut half-way down the Lewis Glacier on the other side of the ridge. In a gap of the clouds we saw that Pt. Lenana was easily accessible and got to our hi ghe s t po int in the expedi tion. We then descended to Top Hut at fifteen thousand seven hundred and thirty feet which is the highest hut in East Africa.

In the morning we awoke once again to blue skies and beauti­ful views. AI though th e ci rcui t of Kenya sounds 1 ike a Sunday stroll in the guide book we found that it was never 1evel. To ge t to th e next hut 7 Two Tarn Hut (fourteen thou sarid seven hundred and thirty f e e t ) , we dropped down one thou sand four hun­dred feet of scree and back up four Lundred feet of the same miserable broken rock. However, the setting of this particular hut is the nicest on Kenya. It is located beside an emerald pond at the base of Mt. Kenya 1 s West race. Hanging glaciers cascade down the steps like a poorly frosted sinis ter black cake and small towers frame the central massive on either side.

Aft er a leisurely lunch we con ta nucd our roller coaster traver se by c1i mbing up scree to a pas s at fifteen thou sand two hundred feet, down nine hundred feet of scree to a pair of large tarn s, up nine hundred feet again to another col and finally down tile last seven hundred feet of scree to the hut. Since we had al ready beer: on Kenya one day mor e than we had expo c ted, our exit was fas t. We trud god up and down over ri dge s to the Sirimon Valley and our car. We reached Nairobi after nightfall. How-good a bath and a mea 1 a t a table are ! [1

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THE RUWEKZURI MOUNTAINS

A number of vOC'ers and other climbers in East Africa were planning a major expedition for Christmas 1JJ68 into the Rwweiizori and Bon and Nita Poole decided to do an eight day-re connais sane e thi s summer. Tony Arthur. an Engli sh teacher in Uganda and I joined them on August 2 2 n d in Fort Portal for the expedition. Porters were arranged before hand and were ready waiting when we arrived at the end of the access road. Three were hired: two to carry our food and gear and one to carry their own. They were great to have along because they carried fifty pound loads in bare feet, fetched fire wood and lit fires for eighty-five cents per day.

Three days were spent getting to Bijuku Lake in the heart of the snow mountains. While at BIjuku Hut, Bon, Tony and T followed a couple of routes up to the glaciers on Spike Mountain and the next day all of us started to climb. The fog got thicker and thicker and it became dotihtful whether it was worth continu­ing. Tony and I decided to carry on and finally reached the summit of Vittorrio Emmanuel peak. After waiting for sunshine that never appeared we glissaded and bounded down, this time on the much easier normal route. Sure enough, by the time we got back to the hut, blue sky began to appear. Such good weather could not be wasted so on the same afternoon Don, Terry and I c 1. imbed up a trail on the opposite side of the val ley to Irene Lakes Tlut at fourteen thousand seven hundred and fifty feet.

With such a successful day behind u s we were well psyched for trying the highest peaks. We follown/3. a. classic route which ascends a series of gutlies and scree slopes to a row of glacier scoured rock ribs. These were exciting to climb on because the fog froze i n a very fine film over the rock making five or ten degrees the limit of friction. The clouds were still very thick when we reached Elena Hut (fourteen thousand nine hundred f e e t ) . When the clouds lifted we were surprised that we were so close to Elena Glacier which is the only easy access to the Stanley Plateau on the Uganda side. We began the glacier and by the time we readied the plateau the pea soup was back. However, an Italian parLy had climbed Alexandra a few days earlier so we followed their track s. We could feel a rise and a cornice loomed out of the mist - the ridge of Alexandra. Alexandra, at sixteen thousand seven hundred and three feet, is the second highest peak of the range. We retreated carefully to the plateau, tramped to the other end and off down the Elena glacier. lie made It back to our Bijuku 'home' just as darkness fcl 1 .

The idea of-the trip was actually reconnaissance as I have said previously. We wanted to see what the other main route Into the range was like so we decided to do a circuit. From Tiijuku we clircbed South over Scott Pass (fourteen thousand three hundred and forty feet) and down into the hi J.andara Valley. Here are two of the prettiest lakes in the Ruwenzori . Kitandara Hut (thirteen thousand two hundred and twelve feet) on the lower

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lake was the most beautifully located hut that I had seen in East Africa. Behind the hut was Mt. Baker and across the lake, the rocky towers at one end of Mt. Stanley which nailed the passing clouds to the sky.

The next morning we said good-bye to the huts and climbed over Freshfields Pass and started the long trek out of the mountains. We spent the night in Kichuchu, a rock shelter, which proved to be very comfortable. The next day was unevent­ful . The trail w a s freshly cut and logs had been laid on the bogs so we were never wet above the ankles. To be locked out of our house on our return to Fort Portal was an a n t i - c l i m a x . U

A DILEMMA ABOUT WHAT TQ WRITE

Dave King

I was In a bit of a dilemma about what to write. Kilimanjaro was suggested which, without doubt, is one of the most spectacular and impre ssive features in Africa. However, my work has taken me to many other places equally interesting and which have provided me many thrilIs. I spent ten days camped among the vast migrating herds of zebra and wildebeast on the Serengeti. Plains; I spent ten days camped in Kgorongoro Crater chasing (and being chased b y ) rhinos immobilizing (drugging) them for scientific study; I have flown over miles and miles of Tsavo National Park, Kenya, counting elephant, giraffe and lion; and T have had the suspense and excite­ment of shooting a charging elephant, of having my landrover rammed by a rhino and of having a lion roar at my tent door at night. There is much I could write about but I think I shall stick to Kilimanjaro and particularly my first ascent.

T have now been to the summit of Kilimanjaro four times and u p on the mountain on several other occasions. My first ascent was in December, 1 9 6 7 , the second in February, third in March and fourth In July, The February ascent was with Tom Choate, sn American, who had climbed Mount McKinley, Rainier and several peaks in \ Tew Zealand and Antarctica. In March, 1 had thirty students up on. the mountain of which ten made the peak. These students also carried a new hut up to fifteen thousand two hundred feet and had the experience of erecting it in a blizzard. Most had never seen snow before or sub-freezing temperatures. My last ascent was with Duncan Etches, while he was here on holidays from Addis Ababa.

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Last Christmas T made a hitch-hiking tour of East Africa and during it T spent three days up on Mount Kenya. Lack of equipment and time prevented any,serious attempt on the main summit (seven­teen thou sand fif ty-ei ght feet) but I was able to make PoInt Lenana, the third highest peak at sixteen thousand seven hundred fifty feet. M o r " recently I was to the summit of Mount Meru wh ich is a vol canic peak some thirty miles we s t of Kilimanjaro. Its fifteen thousand foot summit is usually climbed from the West or North up very long scree siopes. I decided to try an unci Imbed route from the East which began w i t h a one thousand two hundred foot rock wall then followed a long ridge. It is longer and more strenuous than the normal route but much more spectacu­lar and interesting so should have greater appeal to trueblood

Kilimanjaro 7 a name of unknown origin, is a mountain having two main peaks, Kibo and Mawenzi, both volcan ic in origin. Kibo, the talle st and newes t rises sixteen thou sand feet from the surrounding plains and on a clear day is visible from two hundred mile S away. Its permanent snow cap seems to penetrate the blue to the very edges of the heavens. Tt is easy to undersland why the Africans both feared it and worshipped it. Only Japan's Fujiyama compares. MavenKi , though lower -, is much more rugged and jagged than Kibo and so is rarely climbed. it reminds me of Selesse of the Cascades. Duncan and I climbed it in July without any serious trouble.

To say the least I was joyously happy to discover that my C.U.S.O. assignment had me posted to the slopes of Kilimanjaro. From the moment T arri veii I was planning my first ascent but time dragged by and it. was not until December that I had the free time. It is a trip I n ever wi sh to repeat. I am at the Mweka Wild Life Co.1 1 ego which is at four thou sand f i ve hundred feet aiid i n the middl e of the agrlcul rural belt aro unci the mountain. A ro ad goe s to the fore s t edge at six thou sand fee t and from there the college has constructed a trail to the top of Kibo. Tt is rain forest to nine thou sand five hundred feet then bushland to twelve thousand feet. Grasslands extend up ano ther one thousand five hundred f e t before giving way to alpine desert that is both barren and waterless. Except during the rains of March to May little snow lays below fifteen thousand feet and on this rout e there is no thing permancr. t below seventeen thousand eight hundred feet. In i 9 6 0 , the college c enstrue ted two hu t s at ten thou sand feet where the last permanent water occurs. In March of this year, as 1 mentioned earlier, the college put up another hut, thi s at fifteen thou­sand two hundred feet. Most parties going u p this route spent the first night at the lower huts, the second at the upper huts, and after attempting the summit the third night ar the lower hu ts again. Thus one 1 ess night is spent on the mountain than one spend s by go i ng up the Maramgu (or tourist) route.

I bad a ride to rlie end of the road on that fi r s t ascent an d so i t was on! y two and one-ha J f hours to the lower 'iu t. s . "'here I filled up my water bo tt 1 e s and co n Linued on v.p. Du sk '• au f'.l. I ni e at so me oaves at four teen thou sand seven hundi ed feet an d in t.licra J pr e par ed to spend the ni j--yh I,. Frost normal 1 y

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o c c u r s e v e r y n i g h t a t t h a t a l t i t u d e and t h a t n i g h t was no e x c e p t i o n . Dawn was b r i g h t and c l e a r but be low a l l was h i d d e n under a heavy b l a n k e t o f c l o u d s . A b o v e , t h e f i r s t r a y s of the sun t u r n e d the g l a c i e r s and snow o f Kibo a b r i l l i a n t red which q u i c k l y f a d e d as the sun came h i g h e r . A f t e r a q u i c k b r e a k f a s t o f mush and t e a I s e t o f f a g a i n , now w i t h o n l y t h e e s s e n t i a l s on my b a c k . A b i t t e r wind n u l l i f i e d any warmth t h a t the sun c o n t a i n e d . In two and o n e - h a l f h o u r s I was to t h e nose of the g l a c i e r s and an hour more took me to t h e rim o f K i b o ' s c r a t e r . The a l t i t u d e r e a l l y s t a r t e d to t e l l i n t h a t l a s t thousand f e e t though T s u f f e r e d from n e i t h e r h e a d a c h e s nor nausea as most p e o p l e d o . I would go a hundred p a c e s then s t o p and gasp f o r s i x t y seconds then go a n o t h e r hundred . I t i s a s p e c t a c u l a r s i g h t t h a t meets the e y e s a t t h e r i m , A l l t h e c r a t e r i s b u r r i e d under snow b u t i t i s t h e h e a v i l y c r e v a s s e d Northern I c e F i e l d t h a t dominates the v i e w .

A r e s t and i t was on a g a i n as the h i g h e s t p o i n t on the r im, Uhuru P o i n t (meaning ' f reedom' i n K i s w a h i l i ) , was s t i l l a m i l e away. "With the g o a l i n s i g h t e n e r g y f l o w e d back i n t o the v e i n s and an hour l a t e r I was on i t , the h i g h e s t p o i n t in A f r i c a a t n i n e t e e n thou sand t h r e e hundred f o r t y f e e t . I have done i t i n t w e n t y - s e v e n hours and so lo a t t h a t , a t r i p most p e o p l e r e q u i r e three or f o u r days to comple t e w i t h the s u p p o r t o f g u i d e s and p o r t e r s . I t i s here where the T a n z a n i a n P l a q u e o f Independence r e s t s . A f t e r r e g i s t e r i n g i n the S i e r r a C l u b summit book ( t h a t ' s r i g h t ' . ) and snapp ing p i c t u r e s i t was t ime to d e p a r t . I t was noon but a p i e r c i n g c o l d wind was c u t t i n g me to the bone and I r e a l i z e d too t h a t e v e r y exposed b i t o f s k i n was b e i n g cooked . A l s o t h e c l o u d s were b u i l d i n g u p .

In two hours 1 was back to the cave s and in two more hours down to the base camp t r a v e l l i n g much o f the way in pea soup f o g . I t was s t i l l one and o n e - h a l f h o u r s to dark but b e i n g v e r y t i r e d d e c i d e d not to go on down. A good m e a l , t h e n i t was t o bed - t h e s t a r t o f a n i g h t and day I w i l l n e v e r f o r g e t .

I t seemed o n l y minute s a f t e r g o i n g to s l e e p t h a i I was awakened by p a i n f u l l y sore e y e s . When I t r i e d to open them I cou ld n o t , they seemed g l u e d s h u t . B e i n g s t i l l in a s e m i - s t u p o r from s l e e p and not a b l e to comprehend what was wrong. I s t a r t e d t o p a n i c . The p a i n was u n b e l i e v a b l e and i t was o n l y w i t h the g r e a t e s t d i f f i c u l t y t h a t I go t h o l d o f my s e n s e s . Then i t came to me t h a t I had been s t r u c k s n o w - b l i n d ( i t s t r i k e s some s i x to e i g h t hours a f t e r e x p o s u r e ) . Why had I not t h o u g h t o f i t b e f o r e e v e r g o i n g up the mountain and why I had not t h o u g h t o f g o g g l e s , T do not know, hut I d id n o t . The f o l l o w i n g hours were pure h e l l . I t f e l t as though someone had poured a b u c k e t o f sand and s a l t i n t o my eyes and then p r o c e e d e d to pound my head . My nose began to run j u s t l i k e a broken nose runs b l o o d and I .became t e r r i b l y t h i r s t y . I t was my good f o r t u n e t h a t In t h e h u t was a f o u r g a l l o n j e r r y can o f w a t e r .

Somehow, I s u r v i v e d to morning, o n l y to f i n d the l i g h t , of day worse than the dark o f n i g h t . L i g h t on the e y e s though shut t i g h t was e x t r e m e l y p a i n f u l . Thus a l l t h a t day I h a r d l y

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moved o u t or the s l e e p i n g b a g . I had l o c a t e d the . f i r s t a i d k i t i n the h u t but b e i n g u n a b l e to t e l l what was a s p i r i n and what was w a t e r p u r i f y i n g t a b l e t s , threw i t a s i d e . My nose c o n t i n u e d t o r u n . The o n l y food I c o u l d e a t was the few c a n d i e s I had l e f t a s I d id not dare l i g h t the gas s t o v e .

Towards e v e n i n g the p a i n and t h r o b b i n g began to e a s e and T was a c t u a l l y a b l e to c r a c k my e y e s . Throughout the second n i g h t s t e a d y improvement took p l a c e . By dawn I cou ld ho ld my e y e s open a g a i n s t the l i g h t of the d a y . E v e r y t h i n g was s t i l l v e r y b l u r r y and i t was o n l y w i t h d i f f i c u l t y t h a t I c o u l d d i s t i n g u i s h a rock from a h o l e . A f t e r c a r e f u l l y w a s h i n g in c o l d w a t e r , I d e c i d e d to s e t out f o r home. S i x hours and e i g h t m i l e s l a t e r , I s tumbled i n t o my f l a t u t t e r l y f i n i s h e d . I t was a week b e f o r e n o r m a l i t y r e t u r n e d . That I d i d not s u f f e r any permanent eye damage was a m i r a c l e . S i n c e t h a t t r i p , I have o f t e n asked m y s e l f : What would have happened i f I had not r e a c h e d base camp t h a t n i g h t ? What i f I had got l o s t i n the f o g ? What i f I had c o n t i n u e d on down? What i f t h e r e had not been t h a t w a t e r i n the h u t ? (The s p r i n g i s In a deep c u t one hundred y a r d s a w a y , ) There cou ld o n l y be one answer to t h e s e q u e s t i o n s and one which T do n o t w i sh to tempt a g a i n . . . a t l e a s t not i n t h a t manner. I cou ld t h i n k o f no more p a i n f u l way to g o .

K i l i m a n j a r o has some s o r t of magnet ism abotit i t - i t i s even in t h e name. Four t r i p s up has n o t dampened my r e s p e c t f o r the mountain i n t h e l e a s t and. i f a n y t h i n g , has deepened i t . T e c h n i c a l l y , i t ' s v e r y e a s y to ascend but p s y c h o l o g i c a l l y i t has a l l the a w e - i n s p i r i n g grandeur o f E v e r e s t or the M a t t e r h o r n . As l o n g as I am h e r e , i t w i l l c a l l to me and I know w i t h c e r t a i n t y I w i l l go up a g a i n and the e x u l t a t i o n o f r e a c h i n g Ururu w i l l be no l e s s than the f i r s t time.,_]

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OTHER FEATURES

THE PARK AND RECREATION COMMITTEE

A l e c Deas

The main a c t i v i t y o f t h e Park and R e c r e a t i o n Committee has been b u i l d i n g the F i t z s i m m o n ' s Creek T r a i l i n G a r i b a l d i P a r k . The t r a i l i s t h r e e and o n e - h a l f m i l e s l o n g and i s n e a r l y com­p l e t e d ( a f t e r t h r e e work h ike s e a s o n s ) . The B . C . M . C . has a s s i s t e d i n t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n . S i n c e t h e c o m p l e t i o n o f the B . C . M . C . s h e l t e r a t R u s s e t t h a k e , t h e t r a i l has been h e a v i l y , u s e d even though i t i s no t f i n i s h e d . F u t u r e t r a i l s are pi aimed i n the Cheakamus Lake a r e a .

I n f o r m a l m e e t i n g s of the committee r e s u l t e d i n d i s c u s s i o n of the g e n e r a l t o p i c o f r e s o u r c e a l l o c a t i o n and the s p e c i f i c i n s t a n c e s when we f e l t commercial e x p l o i t a t i o n was overwhe lming the o f t e n - d e l i c a t e r e c r e a t i o n a l - a e s t h e t i c use o f p a r k l a n d . Examples of t h e s e a r e a s are the e x p l o r a t i o n mine a d j a c e n t to G a r i b a l d i Park ( i t used to be i n the p a r k ) and the C y p r e s s Bowl deve lopment . Each s i t u a t i o n r e q u i r e d c o n s i d e r a b l e d i g g i n g i n p u b l i c r e c o r d s and l i b r a r i e s to a c q u a i n t o u r s e l v e s w i t h the h i s t o r i c a s p e c t s . D u r i n g the a c q u a i n t a n c e p r o c e d u r e we found t h a t , in g e n e r a l , the government in q u e s t i o n w i 1 1 not g u a r a n t e e the e x i s t e n c e o f a p a r k . M i n e r s , l o g g e r s and d e v e l o p e r s p r a i s e p a r k s as l o n g a s the p a r k s do n o t i n t e r f e r e w i t h t h e i r a c t i v i t y . I f park1 and d o e s i n t e r f e r e , g r e a t c r i e s a r e r a i sed about l o c k i n g up our n a t u r a l and economic h e r i t a g e , unemployment and t h e cash v a l u e o f the f o r b i d d e n r e s o u r c e . I f w i l d e r n e s s p a r k l a n d were v a l u a b l e f o r n o n - e x p l o i t i v e r e a s o n s (wh ich , o f c o u r s e we b e l i e v e t h e y a r e ) then we, the u s e r s , must h e l p in t h e i r c r e a t i o n and d e f e n s e . L e t t e r s to the a p p r o p r i a t e . e l e c t e d o f f i c i a l s do have an e f f e c t . U

B . C . ' S OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL RESOURCES - CYPRESS BOWL

John M i l n e

P a r k s , w i l d e r n e s s a r e a s , and o u t d o o r r e c r e a t i o n ? U n f o r t u n a t e they are v e r y low on the P r o v i n c i a l Government ' s l i s t o f p r i o r i t i e Tl i i s y e a r C y p r e s s .Bowl a g a i n e n t e r e d the l i m e l i g h t as a c o n f l i c t between p u b l i c and p r i v a t e i n t e r e s t s .

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The best way to tell the saga of Cypress Bowl is chrono­logically. About one hundred years ago, Tire razed the Bowl. (Coincidontly, timber matures for commercial purposes in about one hundred twenty years.) In 1 9 4 4 , a logging company held timber rights for the area and as they prepared to clear, a great outcry rose up from people who had the foresight to en­visage the recreational potential of the Bowl. The massive attack persuaded the government of the day LO pass an Order in Council exchanging these licenses with some on Sayward Island and setting Cypress Bowl aside "for park purposes".

The area was then used by West Vancouver as a watershed uut: 19 5 9 - In 1 9 6 4, promo ters devlsed a scheme for developing the area. This scheme was a good one; de signed by professionals, i t provided for a great range of recreational facili ties including ski runs, hi king and riding trails, lifts, tows, golf courses, swimming pools, ad infinitum. It was supposed to open in 1967 and be compieted by 1969• About two hundred acres were to be cleared.

In 1 9 6 5 . 'Plan B' was passed as a by-law by West Vancouver Council . Although this plan varied s o m e w h a f r o m the fir; qui te a bit more cutting, the in ten t wa s still the same . Provincial Government continued their policy of not getting in­volved with lower mainland parks and refused to build a public access road. More public and po1i tical argument took, place concerr.e.d mainly wi th the snonopoi y being granted -VI pi ne Outdoor Recreation Resources Ltd., the developers and the possible abuse of the area. The Community Planning Association of Canada wro to to The Hon. W. Kiernan, Minister of Recreation and Conservation, saying. "the timber in and around trie Bowl is of considerable value. Tf this wa s logged Indi scriminately by pri vate opera tor r, i t would seriously affect the scenic value s of the area. Adequat protection could be Inserted in leases to deal with this onssi-bili ty. " Thi s year th e se fears were realized.

This summer, as two members of the B.C.M.C. were hiking in the Bowl, they began to wonder at the apparent rape of trie ,irea. By November they Lad done quite a b- t of research and bad decided that something was not quite right so the first hike-in was organized te bring the situation to the public's attention. On th e day of -he h ike - in the "Save Cypre s s Bo wl Commi tt ee wa s or gam' Tied and later expand ed to include a broader public repre­sentation than .just outdoor clubs. A new storm blew and accusa­tions and counter-arguments fel 1 ttii cK and fast . Because of upcoming mun ic ipal and provincial, elections, poli t ician s L r - ed to hush tae outcry, but it had caught the e\e of some i r 1 1 u e n L i A 1 public figures who joined in the protest against tr.e exploitation A sceond'hi ke-in soon fo1lowed whi ch re sulted in e1 en more public

There are many details available to sway people with, few of these are:

- - 1 5 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 board feet of limber has been removed to date

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1 . 0 0 0 board f e e t e x c e p t f o r the 3 - 5 ^ d i s e a s e d balsam which s e l l s f o r o n l y $60 per m i l l i o n for pulpwood.

- - A n o t h e r seven hundred p l u s a c r e s are to be cu t n e x t y e a r .

- - A t h i r d p l a n has been u n c o v e r e d , t h e c u t t i n g p l a n f o r the Bowl which b e a r s no re semblance to ' P l a n B ' . T h i s p l a n I s the one a c t u a l l y be ing f o l l o w e d a t p r e s e n t , i t c a l l s f o r v e r y w i d e ­spread l o g g i n g . ' P l a n B' s e t out s i x s t a g e s o f d e v e l o p m e n t , each to be approved by p u b l i c h e a r i n g . To d a t e a l l have been approved and no h e a r i n g s have t a k e n p l a c e .

- - M o u n t a i n Timbers Company, the l o g g i n g c o n t r a c t o r s owned by one o f the p r o m o t e r s , i s o p e r a t i n g under a c u t t i n g l i c e n s e , not a t imber 1 i c e n s e . A c u t t i n g l i cense i s what a farmer g e t s t o el ear h i s l a n d . T h i s means t h a t no per formance bond i s p o s t e d and the t imber i s not put to p u b l i c a u c t i o n , the normal pro c e d u r e .

- - The way i n which deve lopment i s b e i n g c a r r i e d out w i l 1 s e v e r e l y reduce s k i i n g , h i.ki ng , ae s the t i c and mo s t o t h e r pa t en t i a l s o f the a r e a .

— C o u n c i l l o r L a n d s k a i l , in c h a r g e of r e l a t i o n s w i t h the d e v e l o p e r s has a v e s t e d i n t e r e s t i n 1 o g g i n g s i n c e he i s 1 e g a l c o u n c i l f o r F o r e s t I n d u s t r i a l R e l a t i o n s which r e p r e s e n t s t h e i n d u s t r y in b a r g a i n i n g w i t h the I . W . A .

—The p r e s e n t road to the Bowl i s n o t f i t f o r p u b l i c use and a new a c c e s s road w i l l have to be r e l o c a t e d on the o t h e r s i d e o f the v a l l e y where ano ther v a l u a b l e s tand o f t i m b e r e x i s t s .

The Hon. Mr. W i l l i s t o n , M i n i s t e r of Lands and F o r e s t s , r e v i s e d t h e $30 per one hundred c u b i c f e e t stumpage r a t e recom­mended by h i s f o r e s t e r s down to $ 3 - 5 0 per one hundred c u b i c f e e t .

Impressed? There I s l o t s more

As the West Vancouver e l e c t i o n drew n e a r and i t was o b v i o u s t h a t C o u n c i l was t r y i n g to p u t o f f the Committee u n t i l a f t e r w a r d s , i t became apparent t h a t in order to have a c h a n c e , the f i g h t would have to become an e l e c t i o n i s s u e . Ken F a r q u h a r s o n , the backbone and Chairman o f the Committee ran f o r o f f i c e . A few days a f t e r ­w a r d s , Mr. L a n d s k a i l made a d e a l . The compromise made p u b l i c r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s p a r t o f an a d v i s a r y commit t ee , c a l l e d f o r a p u b l i c a c c e s s road t o highway s t a n d a r d s t o be geared t o deve lopment b e f o r e l e g g i n g zesumed. and demanded a new s t u d y be made u s i n g r e c r e a t i o n a l c r i t e r i a f o r a change . T h i s i s how i t s t a n d s now, e a r l y i n December, 1 9 6 8 . I t w i l l be i n t e r e s t i n g t o see what e v e n t u a l l y h a p p e n s .

Keep your eye on C a l l a h a n V a l l e y n e a r W h i s t l e r Mounta in where Lhe 'Powder Mounta in ' deve lopment i s p l a n n e d . The same p e o p l e i n v o l v e d i n C y p r e s s Bowl own the Powder Mountain D e v e l o p ­ment Company and h o l d l e a s e s f o r t h e v a l l e y .

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Where i s the r e a l problem? Promoters o n l y t a k e a d v a n t a g e o f l o o p h o l e s l e f t i n l e g i s l a t i o n - At p r e s e n t , i t i s p o s s i b l e to l o g an area under the g u i s e o f r e c r e a t i o n a l d e v e l o p m e n t , pos t no performanc e bond and pay v e r y low s tumpage re s u i t i n g i n a v e r y 1 u c r a t i v e p r o f i t , then go b a n k r u p t where upon the d i r e c t o r s p u l l out w i t h no l e g a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s - T h i s i s n o t to say t h a t the p e o p l e i n v o l v e d i n the Bowl are d o i n g Lhis b u t r a t h e r t h a t the p o s s i b i l i t y i s open to them. L e t us not tempt them*. We must t u r n to V i c t o r i a where r e c r e a t i o n , c o n s e r v a t i o n , w i l d l i f e , f o r e s t s , mines and l a n d p o l i c i e s are d i c t a t e d . Let us hope t h e y change b e f o r e one has to d r i v e hundreds of m i l e s to f i n d a b i t o f v i r g i n t imber . Do your b i t , dammit, or YOU ARE GOING TO GET IT IN THE EAR: T h i s s o r t of t h i n g w i l l c o n t i n u e so l o n g as p e o p l e do not have a ' r e a l ' v o i c e i n t h e a f f a i r s o f the government . [ ]

ROCK SCHOOLS,

Joyous e x p r e s s i o n s of l i f e , c l i m b i n g i n c l u d e d , do not r e a d i l y lend t h e m s e l v e s to mass i n s t r u c t i o n . N e v e r t h e l e s s V . O . C . h e l d an u n p r e c e d e n t e d number o f rock s c h o o l s In 19«S8. There were many i n d i v i d u a l s u c c e s s e s but r o c k s c h o o l s , as a whole were o n l y m o d e r a t e l y s u c c e s s f u l . However, a few s t u d e n t s d id d i s c o t e r the un ique p l e a s u r e s and rewards t h a t e x i s t beyond the mi s c o n c e p t i o n s o f the u n i n i t i a t e d . Tho se few s u c c e s s e s made the e f f o r t w o r t h w h i l e .

Rock s c h o o l s i n 1 9 o 8 d i v i d e n a t u r a l l y i n t o three d i s t i r c t type s. February through to Au gu s t were c h a r a c t o r i zed by u n s t r u c t u r e d v o l u n t a r y s c h o o l s . The f a l l s c h o o l s were d i v i d e d I n t o the s t r u c tured one day schoo1 wh lch was a de f a c to r e q u i r e m e n t f o r most new members and the v o l u n t a r y but s t r u c ­t u r e d p r o g r e s s i v e s choo l or cl imbi ng course .

Sunday a f t e r n o o n r o c k s c h o o l s d u r i n g the l a t e w i n t e r and

V . O . C . * e r s would be t h e r e and would h e l p anyone i n t e r e s t e d i n l e a r n i n g . The^primary purpose of the o r g a n i z e r s ( i f t h s y could

The b a s i c format o f the s p r i n g term c o u l d he d e s c r i b e d as

p r a c t i c e d "and t e s t e d u n t i l t h e i r use became r e f l e x . For the

n o

l e a d e r s , t e a c h i n g seemed a lmost i n c i d e n t a l a l t h o u g h a l a r g e number o f p e o p l e were i n s t r u c t e d i n b a s i c t e c h n i q u e s . The s i z e of the group a v e r a g e d around f i f t e e n but c l imbed to f o r t y or more on a few p a r t i c u l a r l y f i n e d a y s .

The summer s c h o o l s f o l l o w e d much the p a t t e r n o f t h e s p r i n g . Some formal group I n s t r u c t i o n was done but no a t t e m p t was made to g i v e a comprehens ive c o u r s e In c l i m b i n g . Those who wi shed to e n j o y t h e m s e l v e s by t a c k l i n g a f o u r t h or f i f t h c l a s s p i t c h wi th a top rope were encouraged to do s o . R a p p e l1 i n g and b e l a y i n g were t a u g h t to those i n t e r e s t e d . Those p e r s o n s who wanted to l e a r n more d i d i t on t h e i r own or on o t h e r n i g h t s of t h e week.

The summer s c h o o l s were p o p u l a r . The a v e r a g e number a t t e n d i n g was about t w e n t y to t w e n t y - f i v e i n c l u d i n g u n a f f i l i a t e d f r i e n d s and r e l a t i v e s who a t t a c h e d t h e m s e l v e s t o V . O . C . for one e v e n i n g or a whole summer. From the summer s c h o o l s emerged a l a r g e number o f p e o p l e who e n j o y c l i m b i n g w i t h a top r o p e . A few p e o p l e from summer r o c k s c h o o l s took c l i m b i n g v e r y s e r i o u s l y and w i l l p r o b a b l y become good c l i m b e r s .

The f a l l saw the r i s e of t h e s t r u c t u r e d r o c k a c h o o l ; a f o u r hour a t t e m p t to i n s t r u c t a l a r g e number o f p e o p l e enough f o r them t o q u a l i f y . I t was agreed t h a t a l l new members should a t t e n d one s e s s i o n a t which t e c h n i q u e s v a l u a b l e i n the moun­t a i n s c o u l d be t a u g h t . C l i m b i n g was t h e a c t i v i t y which was most o r g a n i z e d and thus a d i s p r o p o r t i o n a t e l y l a r g e burden o f q u a l i f y i n g new members f e l l on the c l i m b e r s .

I n s p i t e o f the l a r g e numbers (up to s e v e n t y ) o f p e o p l e a t rock s c h o o l s , a f a i r amount was done . The g e n e r a l p a t t e r n i n c l u d e d a l e c t u r e on g e n e r a l p r i n c i p l e s , b e l a y i n g , r a p p e l l i n g and knot s f o l l o w e d b y two or t h r e e h o u r s o f p r a . c t i c e on the r o c k . The l a r g e numbers of p e o p l e made w a i t i n g i n l i n e a n e c e s s a r y e v i l wh ich cou ld not e a s i l y be e l i m i n a t e d .

The p r o g r e s s i v e c l i m b i n g c o u r s e was t h e h i g h l i g h t o f rock s c h o o l d u r i n g 1 9 6 8 . I t was hampered by a l a c k of l e a d e r s ( l a r g e l y because o f n e c e s s i t y o f q u a l i f y i n g new members) and bad w e a t h e r , b u t s t i l l managed to t e a c h more advanced t e c h n i q u e s to a l a r g e number o f p e o p l e .

The c l i m b i n g c o u r s e was f o u r o n e - d a y s e s s i o n s in d u r a t i o n . F o u r t h and f i f t h c l a s s c l i m b i n g were s t r e s s e d b u t one day was d e v o t e d to a r t i f i c i a l c l i m b i n g . I n s t r u c t i o n was i n s m a l l g r o u p s , w i t h a q u a l i f i e d l e a d e r f o r each f o u r or f i v e p e o p l e . The i n t e r e s t o f the group was h i g h and b o t h the s t u d e n t s and l e a d e r s en joyed the c o u r s e . F u t u r e y e a r s w i l l d e f i n i t e l y see an i n c r e a s e in the scope of the e l i m b i n g c o u r s e .

1 9 6 8 was a good y e a r f o r c l i m b i n g i n V . O . C . S e v e r a l f r u s t r a t i o n s were overcome and a g r e a t many c l i m b e r s were t r a i n e d In b a s i c t e c h n i q u e s . C l i m b i n g a p p e a r s to be on an upswing i n t h e c l u b and may w e l l r e t u r n to the h i g h l e v e l a t t a i n e d d u r i n g the d a y s o f "The U n i v e r s i t y W a l l " . The d e s i r e and a b i l i t y are p r e s e n t and o n l y a w a i t m a t u r a t i o n . C ]

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OUTING CLUBS - EASTERN STYLE

Paul Sti

Having been a c t i v e f o r t h r e e y e a r s in an o u t i n g c l u b of a l a r g e E a s t e r n American men's s c h o o l ( Y a l e ) , I e x p e c t e d t h i n g s to be r a d i c a l l y d i f f e r e n t i n V . O . C . I was wrong; the same t y p e o f p e o p l e j o i n ; the same o v e r a l l a tmosphere p r e v a i l s ; and, e s p e c i a l l y in t h e E a s t , t h e r e i s a g e n e r a l i r r e v e r a n c e f o r the t r a d i t i o n a l a s p e c t s o f ' c o l l e g e l i f e ' . So I thought i t might be i n t e r e s t i n g i f I jo t t e d down a few n o t e s on wba.t i t i s l i k e to do t h e o u t d o o r ' t h i n g ' i n the E a s t , bo th i n Canada and the U n i t e d S t a t e s .

The major d i f f e r e n c e s l i e i n the much g r e a t e r amount o f i n t e r c h a n g e between the c l u b s o f the v a r i o u s c o l l e g e s and u n i v e r s i t i e s and the s u b s t a n t i a l l e s s e n i n g o f the r e l i e f of the l o c a l t e r r a i n . The f i r s t d i f f e r e n c e i s s i m p l y due to the g r e a t e r a b s o l u t e number of c l u b s and the o c c a s i o n a l b i o l o g i c a l n e c e s s i t i e s o f t e n impos ed by the a n a c h r o n i s t i c a d m i s s i o n p o l i c i e s o f c e r t a i n u n i v e r s i t i e s . The second d i f f e r e n c e g i v e s r i s e to a c o m p l e t e l y d i f f e r e n t emphasis in t h e a c t i v i t i e s o f the c l u b s ; s k i i n g i s not as p e r v a s i v e and t h e r e i s not as l a r g e a c l i q u e o f ' r u g g e d m o u n t a i n e e r s ' .

The E a s t e r n O u t i n g C l u b s in both t h e Uni ted S t a t e s and Canada are l o o s e l y k n i t t o g e t h e r by an o r g a n i z a t i o n known as I . O . C . A . ( i n t e r - C o l l e g i a t e O u t i n g C l u b A s s o c i a t i o n ) . Some Western and mid-Western c l u b s b e l o n g but the t i e s t h a t h ind are v e r y l o o s e . I . O . C . A . sponsors s e v e r a l t r i p s a y e a r d u r i n g which a l l the o l d f r i e n d s from p r e v i o u s I . O . C . A . t r i p s g e t t o g e t h e r . These t r i p s are ' F a l l and S p r i n g Lake George 1 , ' S p r i n g l O V A i n g ' and ' C o l l e g e Week'. A d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e s e t r i p s might b e s t s e r v e t o g i v e some i d e a o f t h e t r i p s i n a t y p i c a l y e a r .

' F a l l and S p r i n g Lake George ' t a k e s p l a c e on a l o n g g l a c i a l l a k e i n u p s t a t e New l o r k . C l u b s from' a= f a r away as T o r o n t o and V i r g i n i a {and p o i n ts in be tween) t a k e p a r t . Everyone c o n v e r g e s on a smal l i s iand a b o u t one mi l e l o n g and o n e - q u a r t e r m i l e w i d e , One r e n t s canoe s and p a d d l e s about two m i l e s Lo g e t t h e r e - a v e r y i n t e r e s t i n g t r i p i n t h e dead o f the n i g h t s u r ­rounded by f o u r - f o o t b r e a k e r s , hO F . w a t e r and a h o p e l e s s l y o v e r l o a d e d canoe I The c l u b s camp out in groups and as many as f i ve hund i e d peop le have been seen i n a s i n g l e weekend'. A c t i v i t i e s , a s i d e from t h e o b v i o u s , c o n s i s t o f p a d d l i n g to and then c l i m b i n g n e a r b y mountains ( h i l l s ? ) , v i s i t i n g w a t e r f a l l s , e t c , song f e s t s and a square dance . I t 1 s a f a v o u r i t e t r i p o f t h e y e a r and i s q u i t e e n j o y a b l e .

1 S p r i ng I O C A 1 v i n g ' i s he !d d u r i n g the s p r i n g mid- term break and u s u a l l y t a k e s p l a c e e i t h e r i n u p - s t a t e New York (near A l b a n y ) or i n West V i r g i n i a (where the c a v e s a r e . ) T h i s t r i p i s v e r y Informal and u s u a l l y c o n s i s t s o f t r a c k i n g d e s p e r a t e l y o v e r some f a r m e r ' s f i e l d In s e a r c h o f some e l u s i v e h o l e - i n - t h e - g r o u n d . Ca-.'ing i n the E a s t i s fun ( i f you l i k e c o l d w a t e r ) - the c a v e s are l o n g (maximum i s s i x t y - s e v e n m i l e s mapped p a s s a g e ) , deep

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(two hundred to f o u r hundred f o o t f r e e - f a l l s a v a i l a b l e ) and numerous (one c o u n t y i n West "Virg in ia has o v e r f i v e hundred named c a v e s ) .

' C o l l e g e Week' i s h e l d j u s t b e f o r e the s t a r t o f the new-s c h o o l y e a r and i s more f a r - r a n g i n g . L a s t y e a r i t was h e l d i n the A d i r o n d a c k Mounta ins o f New York; the y e a r b e f o r e i n A l g o n q u i n P a r k , Ontar io : - and the y e a r b e f o r e t h a t i n the White Mounta ins o f New Hampshire , The main c r i t e r i o n i s t h a t the l o c a t i o n be o f f the road hut not too f a r to d i s c o u r a g e e v e r v -one from coming ( u s u a l l y about f i v e m i l e s ) . The a c t i v i t i e s ' a r e p r e t t y s t a n d a r d ; mountain h i k i n g , rock c l i m b i n g or canoe in; s o n g - f e s t s , e t c .

In a d d i t i o n , each c l u b s c h e d u l e s i t s own t r i p s which i n c l u d e h i k e s , rock c l i m b i n g , s k i i n g ( i n Vermont and New Hampshire) and j u s t r l a i n g e t - t o g e t h e r s and s o n g - f e s t s . Most c l u b s own a c a b i n and us^ i t a s a base f o r t r i p s . V a l e has one in Nor th-Wss tern C o n n e c t i c u t - a v e r y p r e t t y l o g c a b i n . A l s o , there i s an a c t i v e e lement o f c a v e r s , rock c l i m b e r s and w i n t e r m o u n t a i n e e r s . The mecca for r o c k c l i m b e r s i s the Sehwangunks, about one hour and o n e - h a l f due North o f New York C i t y . These are t e n m i l e s o f two hundred f o o t v e r t i c a l c l i f f s o f the h a r d e s t r o c k ; the p i t o n c r a c k s are a l l h o r i z o n t a l and u s u a l l y p e r f e c t l y spaced f o r p r o t e c t i o n . I t i s hard to c o n c e i v e o f a b e t t e r s e t o f p r a c t i c e c l i f f s and t h e w e a t h e r i s b e t t e r . Winter m o u n t a i n e e r i n g can be q u i t e c h a l l e n g i n g i n the E a s t e r n mounta ins , e s p e c i a l l y on Mt . Washington ( s i x thousand t h r e e hundred f e e t ) i n New Hampshire . L a r g e g l a c i a l r a v i n e s have s t e e p ioe g u l l i e s (.50 to 70° p i t c h e s ) which are i d e a l f o r p r a c t i c e c l i m b i n g . The c o l d can be i n t e n s e (30° to 40° b e l o w ) and the w e a t h e r e v e r y b i t a s bad as i n B r i t i s h Columbia .

No d i s c u s s i o n o f E a s t e r n O u t i n g C l u b s should be completed w i t h o u t a t l e a s t a ment ion of the Dartmouth O u t i n g C l u b , t h e most m o n o l i t h i c o f a l l o r g a n i z a t i o n s . i t m a i n t a i n s about two hundred m i l e s o f t r a i l , i n c l u d i n g e i g h t y m i l e s o f t h e A p p a l a c h i a n t r a i l ; owns about a dozen c a b i n s , i n c l u d i n g one as l a r g e as t h e W h i s t i e r c a b i n ; has I t s own bu11 d i n g on campus; runs the Dartmouth s k i team: has a f u l l - t i m e s e c r e t a r y : has two t r u c k s , e t c . I cou ld go on. Through the u n i v e r s i t y i t owns about h a l f o f the f o r e s t e d land i n New Hampshire , i n c l u d i n g the summit o f a f i v e thou sand f o o t mountai n: T r u l y a Club could g e t l o s t in i t s own, b i g n e s s .

the E a s t . Perhaps you are r i g h t but I must a d m i t , w i t h j u s t a tw inge o f remorse , t h a t i t was fun and i t sure d id b e a t s t a y i n g cooped up in Chose gr imy c i t i e s l L J

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REFLECTIONS OH A TIMBER CRUISE

R i c k P r i c e

A m i s t y c u r t a i n o f beads f a l l s from the i n v e r t e d h o r i z o n of my h a r d - h a t , o b s c u r i n g a green world o f suspended a n i m a t i o n . Moss hangs l i m p l y from l imbs o f t r e e s f r o z e n in the a c t o f lunging- a t unwanted i n t r u d e r s . Damp l e a v e s c l ing- s t u b b o r n l y to wet t h i g h s , and t h e D e v i l ' s C l u b , d i s d a i n f u l o f e f f o r t s to sneak b y , s p r i n g s , l e a v i n g i t s p a i n f u l warning i n a t e n d e r p ink palm. The n e v e r - e n d i n g moi s L u r e wends I t s m i s e r a b l e way up s l e e v e s , down c o l l a r s , and through b o o t s ; s l o w l y , but v e r y s u r e l y i n v a d i n g the dry p r i v a c y o f l o n g Johns and wool s o c k s .

Each s t e p forward i s a n o t h e r minor v i c t o r y o v e r the c a r e f u l l y d e p l o y e d d e f e n c e s of the f o r e s t . Wet b r a n c h e s , hi dden h o l l o w s and t r i p - w i r e r o o t s have a l l c o n s p i r e d to s t o p our a d v a n c e . Somet imes , they are s u c c e s s f u l , and a re t r e a t must be made. But a l w a y s t h e r e i s ano t h e r way. Around the t h i c k e t , under the l o g , t h r o u g h the b r u s h ; a way i s f ound .

A s o r t o f m i s t y sadness surrounds the dark columns o f s p r u c e . They have been c a l l o u s l y - b l a z e d and p a i n t e d - h u m i l i ­a t e d . D e f e a t i s a t hand. But in the gloomy s i l e n c e o f the r a i n f o r e s t t h i s v i c t o r y b r i n g s no j o y to t h e h e a r t o f man.[]

CLIMBERS

Rock Cl imber

P e o p l e cannot comprehend, I t ' s why and i f a g a i n That h a u n t s u s a l l too of' Why are t h e y d o i n g i t ,

o f t e n .

And what i f t h a t happens?

Only a p i e c e i s v i s i b l e from the ground-The l i v i n g p a r t i s h idde i i n a c l o a k of f a l s e n o t i i and c a r e l e s s r e a s o n i n g .

We are l i k e t h a t -P a s s i n g judgement A l t h o u g h o n l y a t: lip t h e r e on the c: the c l i f f .

v i s i b l e

ONCE LiPOY A CLIFF

A Rook Climbe

Once upon a c l i f f , The t r i v i a l i t i e s (compared to d e a t h ) Of l i v i n g in Man's wor ld are l o s t ; Overwhelmed would be b e t t e r . No t h o u g h t s o f tomorrow or the p a s t , Only t h e p r e s e n t - to t h i n k e l s e

Only on rock c l i f f s can d e a t h a p p e a r so c l o s e , y e t seem remote -Overwhelmed by the g r e a t e r n o t h i n g n e s Of empty space be low y o u r f e e t .

ROCKY MORNINC WINTER

The c a u t i o u s hand of inorni' C l a s p s the dark shawl F l i n g s I t to Rocky should© A bare land in shadow s h i v e r s .

C r y s t a l l i n e p e t t i c o a t s l i p s Below t h i s m o r n i n g ' s d r e s s Of b l u e d a z z l e d , w h i t e As snowy down Shows p a s t the k n e e s , Above e x t i n c t f o o t h i l l s .

ALPINE FIR

Summer l e t s you c o n s i d e r t h e i i Chokri ng green from the u n t i r i n g A g e l e s s d w a r f s .

Iv i n t e r w e i g h t s heavy Choking w h i t e on the u n g i v i ng g Gaunt shadowform gnome s.

Wind c h i s e l s c z ' u s t i n g s earch To green h u n c h - h e a r t s In lTozei i p r a y e r to Winter .