Sky Pilot Trip Report (LOADS of pictures!)

I'll start here...at the half-way point of the story.

We summited Sky Pilot!

There are few better feelings than standing on the summit of a mountain embraced by a friend.

But this isn't where the story starts....

The goal was Sky Pilot

It's an alpine peak taking 6000 ft. of elevation gain over every type of terrain with an ascent time of 6.5-8 hours and a descent time of 5-7 hours (we did it in 9.5 hours car to car). 

photo, courtesy of www.summitpost.com

My story with this mountain started 8 years ago.

Over the last 8 years I've tried 2 other times to summit...and both times were turned around.

The first try -- car troubles on a logging road

The second try -- white-out conditions

This time....success! 

But it started out with a question mark.

RAIN.  And loads of it.  

We were soaked.

Alpine climbing in the rain is dangerous -- wet granite slabs...ewwww.

But eventually the rain lifted and so did the mist...and the warm weather began to dry out the rock...

We finally got into the alpine and were greeted by a beautiful sanctuary.

We kept getting closer and closer....keeping an eye on the weather.  We didn't want to get caught by the day's unstable weather conditions.

climbing ensued....

And finally...after a lot of work.

A summit!  

3rd time was a success.  It felt good to finally do this summit after 8 years of it "being there staring at me" reminding me of my previous failures, every time I did other stuff in the area. 

After 15 minutes on the summit...it was time to get a move on.

Descending takes a long time...especially in this type of terrain.

But what has gone up....must come down.

So we took the time we needed concentrating on being efficient but cautious.

For blog readers who found this blog searching or Sky Pilot information...the glacier was in good condition (September 2013). It was very hard and compact, sun capped, and steep in places (making cutting steps a challenge). Mountaineering boots and ice axes are necessary.  We were glad to have ours.

After a while the glacier mellows out and its a LONG descent through a moraine. 

Looking back at Sky Pilot after a long day of hiking and climbing was satisfying.

When I got home...my family had given me a gift!

I returned the favour with flowers I had picked on the descent.

It's always good to be home.

These are good days.

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I love mountain days....

We leave for China in 5 days, Elizabeth and baby in tow.  Wow, it's coming fast (more on that for another blog).  We leave for California in 4 weeks....#ThisIsLifeOnTheMove

Before we leave...a friend suggested an alpine climb, and Heidi said, "Go! with one condition....that you and I go rockclimbing, just us, before we leave."  Deal!

So today...Sky Pilot via Gunsight Gap

No summit.... stopped short a few hours from the summit from the col due to being in heavy clouds which created difficulty route finding in complex terrain.  But perfect snow conditions (firm and consolidated) and 7 hours of work with a good friend made the day well worth it!

Enjoy the pics....

Our route was heading up in between the Ledgellete and Sky Pilot, through a steep coular named gunsight gap.  

DVB, eats weird things in the mountains....he always has.  I really can't understand it

(skip this next paragraph if you're not a climbing gear nerd, like me)

For years I've been a plastic mountaineering boots guy....but for the first year I'm giving the Kayland Apex Rock mountaineering boots a try.  First break-in review:  I like them!  They are light, very grippy on rock (where they seen to excel).  They are full-shank but have a very flexible upper for easy walking.  They are split leather with an event lining.  I wonder about their durability, but today, my feet were warm and dry.  Yay!  They are comfortable and true to size.  Downers:  they seem to not have the same stability and general snow awesomeness as my Scarpa Invernos...but overall, not a bad boot at all!   

This was a GOOD day....

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Camping & Summit...it's a good combo

Weather's nice folks...go get em!  Camp somewhere....and LIVE it up!  

Went camping with the fam and a friend...it was lovely

you've GOTTA eat well when you camp...simple, but well.  Everything tastes better when you're sitting underneath a Cedar tree.  

Had a chance to get up on Brandywine Mountain for some spring mountaineering.  Sporty in places (mostly due to objective hazards) but overall pretty great.  

loads of snow still up on them peaks...

mostly whited out....so no views today

...except for a short moment when we got back into the alpine meadows covered in snow.

resting after around 5000 feet of snow elevation (i.e. slow elevation) gain...we made good time and had fun doing it.  

Going to do a few more early season peaks before we're fully in rock climbing mode.  We have Edge Peak, and Blanchard Peak - seen here (photo credit):

and Mount Garibaldi,  seen here (photo credit):

After that...we'll be in full rock climbing/ alpine climbing mode....yay for summer!  

Climbing: Mount Rexford

It took 15 hours car to car, but alongside my buddies Dave and Eric, we got er done!   After 6,000 feet up and down the 30% grade trail (read: very steep)....there were beautiful views to remember forever.

We headed up to Mount Rexford (info here, here, here, and here for most of the route info you'd need) and ended up doing the west ridge.  In my opinion, it is mostly alpine 4th class with a few short sections of low fifth class interspersed with one definite crux chimney below the summit which is hyper exposed and goes at somewhere around 5.5 on semi-crumbly rock.

If the above means nothing to you....all that means to say....IT'S A FUN CLIMB!

Check out the pics!




These are good days...