1982 - Mt. Davidson, the Three Brothers Traverses, and Mt. Shuksan, and a Baby!

Mt. Davidson and Mt. Carr
Location of Mt. Davidson
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Loading up in Squamish

We flew into Lake Garibaldi again with a canoe and Chuck and I escaped the mosquitoes by camping up at the base of the glacier under Mt. Carr. It was a spectacular and isolated spot. We felt privileged.

Gearing up in the morning.

Chris came up the next morning with some of his co-workers from Boulder Bay and we set off for Mt. Davidson. We first had to almost climb Carr, and then descend the big Cheakamus glacier. It turned out to be a long way for a short climb, and Chris was the only one who bothered to do the last pitch to the actual summit. I think Chuck and I had memories of a close call on Forbidden Peak just a week or two previous, and we were content to sit and enjoy the view.

The picture here shows us getting to rope up at the place where Chuck and I spent the two nights. From there, we roped up for the glacier.

Mt. Carr

It was the Cheakamus glacier that artist Tony Onley was to later have major problems trying to take off from with his little ski plane. Evidently he didn't get airborne in time and his plane dropped into one of the many crevasses littering the lower reaches of the Cheakamus. The fuselage of the plane was overhanging the chasm, and only the wings kept the plane from plummeting into the depths below. That must have been a rush!
Chuck and I spent another night at our "perch" and the next morning packed up and traversed over to the south side of Guard Mt. for a view. We then descended to the Sphinx Hut and the mosquitos.
The next morning we canoed across Garibaldi Lake and left the canoes with the ranger at the Battleship Islands for later pickup. We must have been an interesting sight for the hikers on our way down the trail, for we had everything from crampons, ice screws, and paddles strapped to our packs!

Quinzy City - Three Brothers Traverse - Manning Park
Location of Big Buck Mt. on the traverse

The Quinzy we slept in.

I forget exactly how many of us there were, but there a lot. We skied uptowards the Three Brothers and once we got up to the flat part of the ridge, about 6000 ft, we started piling snow. We made two big quinzies, and the one I stayed in slept about seven people. Corina Acheson and a friend slept outside in bivi sacs. That was notable as it was very cold and windy that night. The next morning we all got up and continued the traverse over to Blackwall Peak and the road down to the Manning Park Lodge.

Chuck just below Blackwall Peak.

As you can see we took some time out to crank some turns in the powder. The relay tower at the end of the road is visible at the top of the picture.
It was ideal weather.




Mt. Shuksan - Cascade Mtns. - Washington State
Location of Mt. Shuksan

Mt. Shuksan

We started off for Mt. Baker again, but lo and behold, the road was closed for construction. What to do? I pondered. Why not Shuksan!

Mt. Baker

Chuck McCafferty and I hiked into Lake Ann amid swarms of mosquitoes and spread out our bivi sacs and tried to get some sleep. In the morning we cooked up a quick breakfast, rolled up our bags so they wouldn't blow away, and headed along the trail to the Fisher Chimneys. The view of Mt. Baker in the distance was beautiful.

Chuck approaching the summit.

The Fisher Chimneys turned into the Fisher Gully. Wet, steep, and greasy it was, and demanding of concentration because not being difficult, we didn't rope up. Up Winnie's slide and Hell's Highway. Why it's called Hell's Highway I haven't learned, because it's a gentle snow slope. We had some lunch at the top of the Sulphide Glacier, where the rock climbing begins. The climb up the last bit to the summit was quite pleasant and we enjoyed a gorgeous view from the top.

Enjoying the view.

Up came a dad, his son, and the son's friend. We soon learned they didn't really know what they were doing. We taught them a few knots, and saw them start to belay in some ways I thought went out in the 1800's. Chuck and I scooted down to the snow as quickly as we could.

Getting some water from the depths.

The descent is very pleasant except for the "Easy Fisher Gullies of Wet Concentration and Steep Drop offs". Once they were over with, the challenge was fighting off very hungry bugs until we got right in the car.
The next day I had to go to Vancouver Island to my uncle George's funeral. What a contrast in feelings.

Three Brother's Traverse
Location of Big Buck Mt. on the traverse

Keith

Chuck and I made a very pleasant ski traverse along the usual Cambie Creek - Big Buck Mountain - Blackwall route late in December. The weather was perfect and we camped just by the top of Big Buck. 

Chuck

It had been clear for a number of days, so the wind had created some sastrugi and seen in the picture on the right. The temperautre was crisp at night, but we had good gear so we were cozy in bed inside Chuck's Omnipotent.

Campsite near Big Buck Mt.

And a Baby
.... and Eric was born November 23rd!

Two Days Old