2007 - Zoa, Himmelsbach, Gold Creek, Monroe Lake, Diamond Head

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Zoa Ridge - Coquihalla Area 
Location of Zoa Peak

Keith Akenhead and Nella
- Just past the gap between the "subpeak" in background and main "peak" looking east. -

Keith Akenhead and I made a hike up Zoa Ridge September 8 in very nice weather. We drove to exit 221 just south of the tool booths on the Coquihalla highway and went up the short paved road to the Falls Lake parking lot. We left the parking about 10:30, went up the gravel road to the north for a short way, and quickly found the overgrown former "road" on the left hand side leading up to the pipeline right of way. From there we hiked up the right of way until we were getting close to the top of the ridge and there were obvious cairns and tape marking the beginning of the trail. From there we found a good trail working its way up the east ridge of Zoa. It should be noted that Zoa does not have a "peak", but rather two alpine bumps separated by a rather narrow col that is right on the trail. It took us just under three hours from the car to reach a point in the trail that we had reached the highest bump, and to go any further meant that we would be going down hill. We spent a leisurely time eating and drinking, and enjoying the views.
About two thousand feet of elevation gain, and worth the trip.

North face of Yak Peak from the gap between the bumps.
Note the east ridge leading over towards Nak Peak.

The view from the end of the trail looking west.
Alpaca, Vicuna, and Guanaco peaks on the skyline

Two Nights at the Himmelsbach Hut
Location of Russet Lake & the hut on the north end

The hut and Fissile

Alan Lizee and I hiked up the long trail from the bottom parking lot at Whistler/Blackcomb to the Himmelsbach Hut via Singing Pass September 11th for two nights. The weather was truly ideal. 

The Platform Glacier as seen out the hut door

Meltwater below Fissile

Whirlwind's SW ridge used by Alan

Gold Creek - Golden Ears Park

Location of the Gold Creek parking lot

At the lower falls

Close to home, enjoyable views, and the opportunity to get exercise out in nature. What's not to like? Lately Chris Cooper and I have done a number of hikes up to Gold Creek Falls, up the trail to the East Canyon Road, and back to the car. How lucky we are to have Golden Ears Park so close to us. Now if only the hired help will keep it open in the winter.

Munro Lake
Location of Dennet Lake, just west of Monroe Lake

Alan at Monroe Lake

After Alan took me up the first 2000 ft. of the Viking Creek trail that leads up to Battery, he took me up to Munro Lake in the Burke Mountain area of Coquitlam. I think it is fair to say that Alan enjoys steep trails. I think he enjoys the trail up to Munro Lake almost as much as he enjoys the Viking Creek trail. ;-) We did this hike in the last week of October and there was ice starting to form on parts of the lake and adjacent ponds. It was a very pleasant spot and made me want to come back and go on to Dennett Lake and perhaps the ridges beyond. Although the trail is steep, it is quite a good one.

Diamond Head
Location of Round Mtn., on the route into Diamond Head

Fresh snow and cold air November 29

Chris Cooper and I went up to Diamond Head on November 23 for our first winter trip and surprisingly there was enough snow at the parking lot for skiing. I used snow shoes for the first time in many many years and was surprised how easy they were to walk in. I did miss my skis on the way down though.Chris and I braved the many construction slow downs on the Squamish highway again November 29 and found between 20 and 30 centimeters of new snow. There was snow covering the road starting from the Squamish golf course, although I was able to avoid putting on my cable chains until the entrance to the park. From there the road was ploughed, but it consisted of compact snow and ice. You could see where people without chains and all wheel drive had been spinning their tires and sometimes simply not making it. I had now problem going up, or later, going down. I love my CRV.
We had left Maple Ridge just after 7:00 am and with having breakfast in North Vancouver and the slow downs on the highway, we didn't have our skies on till 11:30! I'm afraid we won't be able to make good time on the Squamish highway till the Olympics are over.
In spite of the length of time it takes to get to the parking lot, with weather we had (see picture above), it all seems worthwhile. We met Ken Stewart's daughter Megan and her partner on her way up to the Elfin Lake Hut for a couple of days of snowshoeing. She had been taught by Ken Willis at Alouette Elementary and knew Chuck McCafferty from Thomas Haney High School. Small world. Chris met a young woman in the Red Heather shelter from Yellowknife who knew people from the north that Chris knew from this ski trips in the Arctic islands. Small world.
The sky was bright, it was about minus 7 C, there was fresh snow, my new bindings seemed to work well, and the ski down back to the car was unusually easy. Chris and I talked a lot about his upcoming canoe journey around Britain. We stopped off at Starbucks in Squamish to refuel. It was good to be retired.

2000 - Fissile with Eric

Fissile with Eric - August, 2000
Mt Fissile
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Eric climbing out of Singing Pass

I had been wanting to take Eric up to the Himmelsbach hut again with the intention of going up Fissile with him. I have had such good times in the mountains that I wanted to try to share them with Eric and hopefully he would have some of those same feelings.

Lynn and I had got back from our anniversary trip to France in early August, and I still had time to hike before school started up again so off we went. 
We had to park the car in Whistler Village and walk up the old road that follows Fitzsimmons Creek for about four kilometers. Evidently washouts and unstable banks have forced the parks branch to close the road. Gone are the days when the hike was significantly shorter.
I used two ski poles on the hike up and I'm sure that they really help. Perhaps it's because I'm getting older and heavier and my knees aren't the same since Nepal. 

We got to the hut in the cool of the evening and had a meal. There were campers but the hut was empty.

Eric with Russet Lake behind him.

In the picture above, you can see Russet Lake and Fissile just above and to the left of Eric's head. Whirlwind is in the upper right hand corner of the picture. Entering this wonderful mountain world with my son meant a lot to me.

Heading up Fissile

The next morning dawned clear and it was an enjoyable hike up Fissile. The snow slope had a couple of steepish bits, but it didn't provide any real problems.

On top with the Whistler valley in the distance.

In the picture above, you can just see Russet Lake in the middle of the picture on the extreme left. The hut where we stayed is just on the right hand side of the lake. Eric's hat is blocking the view of Blackcomb Village, where we started our hike. You can just make out some ski runs on Whistler in the upper left corner. A number of very dark bottomed clouds greeted us when we got to the summit so we didn't linger too long.

On top with Mt. Davidson and Castle Towers in the distance.

It was great getting up to the top and remembering when I had brought my dad to the same point back in 1974.

Refuse Pinnacle on the left.

After I got home and had a shower I realized how sunburned the top of my head was! You'd think I was developing a bald spot! I now have a Tilley hat. Lesson learned.

He seems to be enjoying himself!

Ah, the joys of a good snow slope!

Heading out.

We spent another night in the hut - a luxury of my summer holidays - being able to spend time in the mountains and not feel that I have to rush back. In the course of a year, we spend so little time actually doing the things we love. It's great being able to linger in that spot and just soak in the view.
I hope Eric enjoyed the experience. Hopefully he felt a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. I know I certainly did. I was able to share this wonderful mountain world with my son.