Re:Sky Pilot 최신정보(퍼옴)

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West Ridge - Sky Pilot by Henrik Hinkkala . Print

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Subject Mountain: Sky Pilot Mountain Ranges: Pacific Cordillera / Coast Mountains / Pacific Ranges / Sky Pilot Group Regions: BC Coast / Greater Wedge / Sky Pilot JavaMap . ZoomMap . Automap . Radius Search May 17, 2009   (2 days) Calculated Length: 0 km     Elevation Gain: 2000m Participants: Henrik Hinkkala & Rob Kiefer Difficulty: 4: The route itself is very straight forward and easy but the approach makes for a very long go! Equipment: A few runners, some nuts, x2 snow pickets, one half rope. Abstract: A successful trip up the West Ridge of Sky Pilot. A fun route but gate closures and lots of unconsolidated snow made the approach very long. Value: 33

Access Level: 1 = Any Car   Shannon Creek FSR, from Squamish     Final Access Road:

Trip Report: After scouting the area out a few weekends prior, the onset of May long weekend ensured that a summit go was again upon us! So we packed our things and headed off to the logging road Sun at 8am. Now since the gate was locked at the Stawmus FSR we had to hike the whole way in. We were able to push our bikes up just past the boulders until we had to put on our snowshoes. From here we continued up the Shannon FSR and took the turn onto the Habrich FSR which is very overgrown with slide alders, turning it almost into a bush whack.

Picture of Sky Pilot Group from Shannon FSR

 At around 1pm we got to the end of the road and the sun was blazing. It was so warm that the snow had turned into the consistency of oatmeal, much to soft to even think of traveling any further. So instead of continuing on and camping at the knoll we stayed at the end of the road and set up camp. There was still over a meter of snowpack here so we dug a small pit and pitched our tarp over top.
 I was fortunate to still have reception so I checked the weather forecast, which said Mon called for rain! It appeared that in order for us to beat the rain, and also be able to travel on consolidated snow we would need make an early departure the following morning. So we hit the sack at 5pm and woke up after midnight. Rob left camp around 1am and I left a little later. With a light breeze blowing and a few stars out things were looking good and we headed up by headlamp to the snowfields and up to the Stadium glacier. Although the night had hardened the snow a bit it was still knee deep and slow going.

It was a chilly morning.

Pre-dawn view of Stadium Glacier (More comparable to a large snowfield rather than a glacier).

 We reached the glacier just when dawn was beginning, around 430am, and we had beautiful views of the surrounding peaks. We continued straight up a steep snow gully up to the West ridge.

Rob coming up the snow gully behind me.

 Here there was still lots of snow so the 4rth class slab was easily bypassed to the left, in fact I didn't even notice the slab was there until I was above it.

Looking back toward Rob on the ascent gully just above the "slab"

Rob coming up the ridge

 We traveled to the headwall and then turned right, South, and around the corner where an iced up gully led us to the first false summit.

Rob traversing South under the headwall.

Me heading around the ridge to the access gully.

Looking back down the gully that leads to the false summit.

 We traveled over the narrow snow rib over to the gendarme, dropped our crampons and pickets and scrambled up and to the right of the gendarme on a distinct ledge that led us to the other side. After a short jaunt up the final gully we scrambled to the summit, it was just before 7am.

Gendarme in center, summit back and to the left.

Rob descending from the false summit.

Rob getting ready to traverse the final portion of the gendarme.

Delicate moves.

Summit Photo.

 We stuck around for a short while, filled in the book and took in the views. After that we roped up and simul-climbed back around the gendarme.
 After the gendarme we opted to travel straight down the steep snowfield beside the gendarme, instead of down climbing the ridge, in order to save some time. As we had not traveled up this snowfield we were unaware of any hidden crevasses or moats, so we decided to protect the descent with the few snow pickets I had brought. While Rob was descending on the 3rd pitch down he struck air under his feet in a moat and lost his balance, but a tight rope prevented a long slide down to the glacier below.

Almost at the bottom of the snowfield.

 From here It was a simple walk back down the snowfields and back to the camp, although the snow was still very soft and slowed us down as we had to extricate ourselves several times! As fortunate as the day was, it started to pour rain as soon as we got back to camp before 10am. Here we had some soup and put on the snowshoes for the hike out. After a moist bike ride we got back to the car around 2pm.

One wet ride!

 This peak is an easy day trip if you can drive up the road but since the gate has been closed a day trip is not nearly as viable, it is definitely possible but it would be a very long day as the logging road is around 11km one way with plenty of elevation gain. The route itself is easy and non-technical but has a great atmosphere as Sky Pilot stands higher than the surrounding peaks. I recommend this route as a casual 1.5 day trip, and a great season opener! Cheers. Henrik