Garibaldi Neve(winter) and Stein Valley traverse(summer)

Disclaimer: This route description is not written to encourage crossing the Garibaldi Neve in a whiteout. Although I have crossed it almost a dozen times over the years, my experience has been that once you get a whiteout, its really easy to run into all sorts of scary features you never even noticed in good weather. So with this in mind, I thought I'd comment on a few critical parts of the route accompanied by GPS references. Don't use this route description as your main source of navigation in a whiteout! Its intended purpose is to draw your attention to a few critical features that are not readily identifiable on the map but which you should LOOK OUT FOR if you do become lost. Note: Like any article, this article could contain mistakes.

The Neve Traverse can be done either from south to north, or north to south. South to north is most common because it is a net elevation drop. However the skiing is better from north to south, since Diamond head descent is preferable to a descent of the Black tusk trail. However the description here is the normal route, from south to north.

My description starts at the Elfin shelter, which is at 4850 feet (1478m). From here, you head north and ski down into the pass between Ring Creek and Mashiter Creek (4150 feet (1265m). Here you ski down from 4850' 1478m(0.75 km, dropping into the pass south of the Gargoyles. From here, the route follows an old road (which won't be visible in winter), crossing two steep gullies:

(See Waypoints "First Gulley, Second Gulley")

From there, you cross the steep eastern slopes of the Gargoyles. This is the one place on the route with some avalanche danger. The avalanche runs are about 30 m across, and often have somewhat worrysome fresh debris on them. The technique is to move across those chutes as quickly as possible, and rest in the patches of trees between. In most conditions, there is little danger you will trigger a slide yourself, the danger comes from above, so don't bother digging pits. A good rule of thumb is to not do the route during or immediately after a heavy snow.

See waypoints "Cross avalanche chutes from Gargoyles"

Once across the last avalanche chute, you quickly come to the top of an impossibly steep looking morraine. This is where you drop into Ring Creek. The temptation is to try and find a more gentle slope by going up the morraine, but there is none. So most parties take off their skis and walk down the slope to the bottom. I've never seen it slide, but it sure looks worrysome. Its about 200 feet.

  See waypoints: Top of Morraine...

Once next to Ring Creek, cross it almost immediately and go up the east bank. Some parties go for a short way up the west bank, but will eventually be forced to the east side by a big exposed oversteepened morraine which has constant mud and small rocks staining the snow from February to May.

  See "E side of Ring Creek"

Next proceed along a steep sidehill below Opal Cone.

  015-191 1555m Off steep sidehill below Opal Cone

From here you climb up onto the toe of the glacier, which from March onwards will be covered fairly uniformly with snow. However just to the left are some nasty cornice drops. This area often has limited visibility, and you must proceed carefully to ensure you don't drop over one of the 50 foot wind cirque or cornices just north of the route. If in limited visibility, head a little out of your way east onto the Bishop Glacier, well away from the disturbances to the left.

  020-202 1713m On big flat, with view of Pitt Valley

Once well on the Bishop Glacier, head northwest to the next point. Don't be too far west, or you'll run up against a prominent big cliff.

  016-211 Big cliff on left of Cirque. Big drop to the left

Beyond this is where you start to climb. The climb itself is a bit tricky because there is a jog in the route, which is so obvious in good conditions it is not worth mentioning. But forgetting it while descending in poor conditions will put you into very steep terrain.

  017-218 1995m Switchback to the left
  014-218 Switchback to the Right. Near top, below The Tent.

You don't want to be any further west of this pont because you will get into the drainage of a big gulley leading down into the very steep slope area. Once it starts levelling out on top of the ridge below the Tent, there are two common variations of the route: the "high route", immediately below the Tent, and the low route. In this article, I describe only the low route.

  015-225 2080m Rocky Ridge goes E. (high point of the low route).
  The next section of the low route involves zig-zagging through huge open crevasses and ice faces. Don't get onto any steep slopes.

  010-230 Below Big Crevasse (my map bag took off down the slope)

While descending, you will soon see the rock face of the Shark's Fin, which is a long rocky ridge above you to the west.

  009-231 2034m Between Shark's fin and crevasse

  003-233 Below Shark's fin

Once below the Shark's fin, the slopes open up and level out, as you get down to the col between the Warren Glacier and the North Pitt. Many parties camp here. After the col, the route crosses this col and then climbs gradually to a flat snow pass with Glacier Pikes on the east and a small rock bump on the west. Once past Glacier Pikes, you drop down onto the Sentinel Glacier. Here there are two common variations: Glacier Chute, and further west, the steeper "Pin Ball Machine", named for rock outcrops which protrude out of the slope in early season when icy, and off which you can bounce, should you slip. In this article, I describe the waypoints of the glacier route.

  008-262 1794m Top of Glacier Chute, below rock Nunatuk
  010-263 1704m Center of gulley, no rock visible in poor visibility
  010-264 1706m Against west rock outcrop
  010-266 1609m Bottom of Glacier Chute
  005-271 1556m Glaciology Hut

Lower entrance to Pin Ball machine is right above hut. There are two huts, located on rocks above the direct route. These huts were never intended as mountaineering huts, and have no outhouse, but have sometimes been used as a refuge on stormy nights.

Once at the hut, the rest of the route is straightforward, and describe elsewhere - across Garibaldi Lake, and down the well marked Black Tusk Trail to the parking lot. A pleasant Park's shelter with windows and 2 picnic tables makes a nice resting point for lunch in poor weather.

Summary of Points: 007-158=1450m Cross First Gulley 007-160=1424m Second Gulley 008-167=1440 m Cross avalanche chutes from Gargoyles 011-172=Top of Morraine 010-172=Bottom of Morraine 1285m 014-182=1376m E side of Ring Creek, steep morraine on W side 015-191=1555m Off steep sidehill below Opal Cone 020-202=1713m On big flat, with view of Pitt Valley 016-211=Big cliff on left of Cirque. Big drop to the left 017-218=1995m Switchback to the left 014-218=Switchback to the Right. Near top, below The Tent. 015-225=2080m Rocky Ridge goes E. (high point of the low route). 010-230=Below Big Crevasse (my map bag took off down the slope) 009-231=2034m Between Shark's fin and crevasse 003-233=Below Shark's fin 008-262=1794m Top of Glacier Chute, below rock Nunatuk 010-263=1704m Center of gulley, no rock visible in poor visibility 010-264=1706m Against west rock outcrop 010-266=1609m Bottom of Glacier Chute 005-271=1556m Glacelogy Hut

49:47.2-122:59=Elfin Lakes (NAD 27 Datum)
49:48.6-122:59=Cross Ring Creek NE of Gargoyles
49:51.2-122:59.3=Camp NE of The Tent (if you were climbing Garibaldi)
49:51:01-123:00:17=Mount Garibaldi
49:51.8-122:59=East of Shark's Fin
49:54-122:59.5=Glacier Study Huts

After many years of trying to get a group to do this trip it finally happened. The participants met early in the morning and after the car swap hassles we drove up to the Diamond Head parking lot. Surprisingly there were two or three other groups heading up to do the Traverse. We pushed hard to Red Heather and took a 5 minute break there.

We followed the standard marked winter route for most of the journey to Elfin lakes and snow conditions were so good it felt as if it was an effortless trip in. We did take one small detour onto the summer route to check out the avalaches that had come off of Paul ridge. Skiing past the debris makes one remember why they mark the winter route so well!!

Skiing into Elfin lakes we decided to take a good break to prepare ourselves for the push up Ring Creek.

Snow conditions were excellent with a r-block test of RB5 which made us decide to take the shorter but more hazardous lower Ring creek approach. This route takes you under the gargolyles which can pose a signifigant avalanche threat. This will become obvious as you will find yourself crossing at least two major avalanche chutes swept clean of all trees, and you will have to drop down one of these chutes to access the bottom of the valley where the journey is continued. The other option if the conditions are bad is to climb to the col (saddle) between Columnar and the Gargolyes and drop down the opposite side therefore avoiding the avalanche chutes.

Further along you find the last obstacle which is a short 30m dropoff which can be bypassed by going back a bit and staying very close to the creek. Once past this we crossed the creek to avoid being to close to the walls of debris and potential rockfall to the right. Staying to the left of the creek we cruised up to the neve.

Camp with Garibaldi

Cautiously crossing a snow bridge which one of our party had already put a ski pole through leaving a nice hole to look into the crevasse below (as we zipped across rapidly!) Needless to say we had to have a quick powwow about whether to rope up!

The next section was perhaps the only time where we wern't really sure where to go.. Skiing down the Warren glacier was definitely interesting with the clouds hiding some of the crevasses and making it difficult to make out the contour of the land. Chris then decided to rip it up on the slopes and started cutting down the slopes finding a good route for the rest of us to follow. Unless you are a good skier I would advise taking it easy dropping down the Warren as there were open crevasses which were well hidden by the rolls.

Oh sooo long! After half way we had to switch leads going across the lake... it looks so close but never seems to get any closer.

Finally we are finished and start heading down the creek only to have to bush wack our way back up to the trail when the creek bed gets too difficult.

Danny
穿越性hiking比来回走同样的路有意思多了。顶！

说近些的，Stein Valley夏天穿越怎么样？紫色的Tundra Lake始终是我的梦。

Danny
穿越性hiking比来回走同样的路有意思多了。顶！

说近些的，Stein Valley夏天穿越怎么样？紫色的Tundra Lake始终是我的梦。

lulululu
Stein Traverse 是我们的计划之一，肯定要成行的，Danny为什么说Tundra lake是紫色的呢 :roll:  

lulululu
明年冬天二月份我们可以试Garibaldi Neve Traverse－即先到elfin，再从那里到Garibaldi lake

ALEXYIM
[quote]Danny
穿越性hiking比来回走同样的路有意思多了。顶！

说近些的，Stein Valley夏天穿越怎么样？紫色的Tundra Lake始终是我的梦。

lulululu
Stein Traverse 是我们的计划之一，肯定要成行的，Danny为什么说Tundra lake是紫色的呢 :roll:  

ALEXYIM

交通安排也是一個大問題.  由 Vancouver 到 Lillooet 或 Lytton 路程很遠, 很難找朋友接送.  搜集資料所得, 有一對 hikers 乘公共車在 Pemberton 附近 B&B, 仁慈的屋主送他們到 trail head.  他們走完後在 Stein Valley 出口步行到Lytton 乘灰狗 bus.   路程頗長, 一定要解決這基本問題.
Camony

lulululu

Stein Traverse 是我们的计划之一，肯定要成行的，Danny为什么说Tundra lake是紫色的呢 :roll:

Danny


这里有一套9天穿越经历的图片集...

游客
这个比WCT有意思多了 8)
到时一定要去走上一走

GUI

ALEXYIM
[quote]游客
这个比WCT有意思多了 8)
到时一定要去走上一走

GUI