Cambell Icefields 2011

We were lucky to be invited to a grand trip to the Campbell Icefields Chalet built by Bernie Schiesser, a mountain guide from Golden. Now some have called this the old farts trip but I prefer to call it the wise men's trip. It was Pablo Picasa that said it took a long time to learn to be young and the members of this trip definitely proved that to be true.
Gord at 85 was incredible trim and fit and still backcountry skiing - amazing. Then there was beautiful Winni from Kamloops, who certainly did not look her age at 70. Guide Tony celebrated his seventieth birthday a few weeks ago at Eldorado. Another guide and his wife Firtle and Heather from Calgary. John who lived in Puket, lost his feet in an aeroplane accident in the late sixties and still instructs skiing.
Then there were the sprightly younger folk, Murray Toft's group with Doris, Greg and Randy. Our group included Chuck O' Callaghan, his brother Dave, his partner Michelle who took to the sport like a duck to water, then Clive and I. I have been heard to say I wanted two men one to cook and one to clean. But on this trip I had 3 men. At least one to break trail and it would have been nice to have to carry my pack and the other to change my skins - but that is not quite how it works in the mountains. So I carried my own pack, changed my own skins and occasionally broke trail.
The caretakers Chris and Collen did an awesome job, stomping snow, carrying water for the sauna, lighting the sauna and cleaning up. They even found time to follow us up the mountains and ski down elegantly on their cross country skis.
Oh yes and the most important person of the entire group. Celine our incredible cook who kept supplied with mountains of delicious food. Her cinnamon buns were to die for, delicious appetizers, dinners, salads, deserts provided the fuel to climb the mountains.

You can see from our photos that we had a wonderful memorable week.



We have arrived.






It's bluebird - no time to lose - Clive on top of the Dom

 



Looking at the hut from the dome

 


Clive, Chuck, Tony, Michelle and Dave on the BLuewater.





Evening sun on our tracks.

 



Murray, Doris, Greg and Randy

 



Dave and Clive on the Campbell Glacier with Thunder Mountain in the distance

 



The Prior Glacier

 



Up on the Prior Glacier

 



Allan Campbell - the prize

 

Faceshots in the Rockies

Marg Rees hollering in waist deep powder at Observation Peak A great trip with Brian McBroom, Doug Sims and Clive Rubens. The powder was totally unexpected. The weather forecast predicted flurries! How could they get it so wrong! Any we had talked to Christopher last night. He was exhausted after being up all night moving mountains of melting snow away from his concrete foundations. The water was pouring into his basement. Apparently it was pouring rain in Revelstoke and dumping higher up. He seems to have things under control. But generally there is not much precipitation left by the time it hits the Rockies but this time we were in luck.

I try to look cool in the powder. Pretend I can ski it.

Back at the explorer. A rare day in the rockies breaking the snow drought of the last few weeks AND it was warm and wet.

Mountain Surprise

Temple and Haddo from Saddleback Pass


The sun shines, almost and the up trail beckons


No sign of our pass it is tucked out of sight on the right


The view of Aberdeen on the way up the pass


Near the top of surprise pass. How come the photos don't look as steep as it was?


Sweating it out to the top followed by my trusty photographer, Clive




The four young dudes whose trail we followed dissappear into the abyss while I contemplate premature death.


Surprise - where is the waist deep powder? It is wind blown crust.


Further down it is breakable crust


Looking back up to Surprise Pass


Man this is big country.


There is Lake Louise, still away down there.


Yeah I survived and now have bragging rights. You can just see the pass. I haven't figured out how to put an arrow on my photos. But it is up there above that little wispy cloud amongst those jagged peaks. WOW!