2008 - Diamond Head, Burke Mountain, Munro Lake, Sheridan Lake AGM, Sunbathing Video

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Diamond Head - January

Location of Round Mountain, on the route into Diamond Head

West end of Paul Ridge

Why do we get up before 6:00 am and battle through the rush hour traffic to get up to Squamish before most of the road construction crews start their traffic slow downs? Well, it's because every once in a while you have days like this. Mid week and very few people, powder snow and climbing above the clouds. Life is good.

Mt. Atwell

Burke Mountain - Feb.2 by Alan Lizee

Location of the peak

From Burke Mt summit, Gabro Pk is left, the blade off Widgeon is central,
and Widgeon Pk is right.

"The day dawned blue on Feb 2nd, so I spontaneously decided to snowshoe up Burke Mt.  I parked on the side of Quarry Rd, about 3k past Minnekhada Pk and headed up the trail, so nicely maintained by the Burke Mt Naturalists, to Munro and Dennett Lakes. At Dennett Lk, the trail swings to the left to gain Burke Ridge West of the lake; instead, I turned right  to gain a saddle East of the lake. From there, a short spur led me quickly to the main ridge; and 10 minutes later, I was at what "103 Hikes" calls the summit of Burke Ridge. From here I descended to the base of a sub peak, went up the sub peak, down the far side, and finally up to the summit of Burke Mountain." - Alan Lizee

The route

Diamond Head - Feb.7

I dragged myself out of bed before 06:00 and picked Chris Cooper up in Pitt Meadows by 06:30 only to take an hour to get on the freeway amidst the rush hour traffic. To get by as much of the road construction before it really cranked up for the day, we waited to have breakfast in Squamish. There was a lot of fresh snow in the hills. The road up to Diamond Head was plowed as far as the park boundary, but from there, only one vehicle had been ahead of us. There was a lot of snow approaching the hair pin and even with chains and all wheel drive I spun out as the truck had a few hours before me. Like him, I parked in a little pull out at the start of the hair pin. Chris and I made it up to the Red Heather shelter where we had a leisurely lunch with a couple of retired guys from Squamish and because of the blowing snow and mist, headed down.

The "parking lot"

There aren't many times when a person will see lots of snow in the Diamond Head parking lot and no cars in it.

Keith at the Red Heather shelter

There is so much snow at Red Heather, the shelter is getting to be just a hump in the snow from some angles. The slope of the snow to picture right gives you an idea of the amount. The light streaks of white gives you an idea of the blowing snow at the time.

Munro Lake - Feb.13
Location of Dennett Lake, just west of Monroe Lake
Alan was going to take a group of people up to Munro Lake from the local hiking club and he wanted make sure that the trail was findable so he and I went up to check it out.

Alan Lizee

We got to where the trail levels out and goes over to the lake. We had lunch at this high point and then went back down.

Keith Rajala

The MSR snow shoes worked well even on the sloping crusty snow with its rows of saw like teeth.

The AGM of 2008 - Sheridan Lake

Location of Sheridan Lake

Ken Willis

Well, we ended up trying for a cabin AGM up at Sheridan Lake after the Manning Park snow AGM didn't get any bites and we still only ended up with two people. Ken Willis and myself soldiered on and enjoyed some Caribou sun and snow, along with quite a few hours beside a crackling wood burning fire reading a good book and sipping some of Scotland's finest. 

Well somebody has to do it! :-)

Sheridan Lake sunset.

 - - Video of February sunbathing at Diamond Head.