Where: Glacier National Park, British Columbia
When: July 2009
Partners: Andy Mac
Andy and I were cautioned by rangers at Rogers Pass of an active mother grizzly bear and her cub near the Balu Pass headwall we'd work by on our way to Cheops Mountain, so it was with plenty of loud singing and bear calls that we made our way up the mountain. With a stunning approach and an even more stunning summit ridge to a classic summit, it was (at the time, perhaps) the sweetest summit of the summer.
Though we never saw the bears, we saw plenty of digging and a couple piles of fresh scat.
Showing posts with label Selkirks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Selkirks. Show all posts
Cheops Mountain
The Selkirks of B.C. - An Introduction (For Me)
Where: Glacier National Park, Selkirk Mountains, British Columbia
When: August 2001
The Selkirk Mountains, a geologically old(ish) range distinct from the famous Canadian Rockies, is a beautiful range of alpine peaks and thick forests located largely in British Columbia. Much of it contained within Glacier National Park, this spectacular mountainous area is home to Mount Sir Donald, one of North American's 'Fifty Classic Climbs'.
My first trip to the Selkirks was in 2001. Not enough time, and little idea of what to expect, yielded little or no play time in the big hills. Still, I enjoyed the grand beauty of the place, the towering mountains, flowing creeks and the inspiring, wilderness feel (despite the hundreds of cars a minute racing over Rogers Pass).
When I returned to the range in 2007, a variety of circumstances, not the least of which was an active grizzly bear warning, led to me solo tackling only a couple of minor objectives. Another trip is called for...
Abbott & Afton, A Romp in the Selkirks
Where: Glacier National Park, Selkirk Mountains, British Columbia
When: August 2007
Partners: Solo
Route: Abbott-Afton Traverse (Class 4)
DB, Dow Williams and Peter Valchev set out toward the Selkirks of British Columbia from Canmore, Alberta. Although I was nursing a troublesome cold that had been plaguing me for the last couple weeks, I was hoping to join Dow and Peter on a climb of Mount Sir Donald, one of the 'North American 50 Classic Climbs.'
As we arrived in Glacier National Park, it became clear to me that it wasn't meant to be. I wasn't feeling well, I was anxious about leaving DB for a couple days, and I was mostly hung-up on the idea that Dow and Peter intended to solo the route, opting only to bust out the ropes for the descent rappels. Their alpine style was a bit more than I was looking for on this, a significant route on a significant alpine mountain.
With DB still on crutches, healing from a knee injury she sustained canyoneering in the San Gabriels, I opted, despite the fever I incurred the night before, to set out alone and explore some of the milder objectives in the park. A traverse of Mount Abbott and Mount Afton it was.
Mount Abbott was primarily a lush and beautiful trail, until you hit the final ridge line leading to the top. From there, a little, light scramble led you to the highpoint and its astounding views. Dropping down Abbott toward Afton, I headed up the class 4 buttress, seeking out harder, more interesting lines when I could find them.
The views from Mount Afton's summit were even better than Abbott's. Another ridge led off toward other peaks that had my interest, but DB was waiting at our room and I felt it prudent to head back.
Rather than retrace my steps, I dropped down the backside of Afton, traversed back around toward Abbott, passed a small glacial tarn, and soon picked up the ridge from Abbott that would take me back to the trail.
Short and sweet, but a place to return to. 
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