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Wednesday, July 9, 2025
Gibson Peak - via Watersprite Lake, June 2024
Set out for Gibson on what proved to be a marginal weather day, consistent with what the weather forecast predicted but which we foolishly hoped wasn't accurate. Made it to the trailhead under heavily overcast skies, thinking to myself that if at least if it doesn't rain all will not be lost. Several minutes into the hike, it started to rain. But fortunately, it wasn't heavy rain, more a light drizzle and so we forged on. Reached Watersprite Lake in good time and thankfully by then the showers had ceased. Wes and I have both been here at least once before, myself bagging the highest in the group Dreadnought Peak back in October 2018. No rain or snow whatsoever that time, opposite to the conditions we found at present.
Snowshoes on, and around the south side of the lake we go aiming for the amphitheater cradled below Martin and Gibson peaks. There's an Epiphone Peak and Fender Peak nearby in case you were wondering about the guitar theme to the names here. Slogged up saturated snow to the Martin-Gibson Saddle and contemplated our next moves from there. Straight up from the saddle pitched up quite steeply with a rock step that looked like it might require technical climbing. No interest in experimenting with that, especially considering the conditions. Wes was all for it, but then his skill at assessing terrain and navigation leaves much to be desired. Decided to descend the opposite side of the saddle for a bit before traversing to a shoulder on the south side of Gibson. Proceeded from there soon encountering a rock rib beyond which was a vertical drop off on the peak's SE Face. Turned up along this rib, then onto a snowy bench to wrap back around to the NW Ridge, above the rock step. Short bit of steep snow from there to the summit proper.
Views were decidedly moody thanks to the dark clouds just overhead and particularly to the west. Still a respectable panorama from up there panning from south to east to north - towards the peaks flanking the east shore of Howe Sound, Sky Pilot and co., Meslilloet and Gillespie Group to the SSE, the remote ranges flanking the east shore of Pitt River to the east and NE and finally north to Dreadnought with the Mamquam Massif lurking behind. Not too shabby for an otherwise miserable day! The rain soon resumed and so we cut our stay up top short, this time opting to descend via the North Ridge towards an obvious saddle. Some steep snow here, but still very saturated and soft, making for a nice log glissade. Returned to Watersprite Lake and on towards the trailhead again under intermittent showers. The cold beer afterwards never tasted better!
Some 12 kilometers due north as the crow flies from Coquihalla Pass lies July Mountain. It is an unassuming yet interesting peak on the eastern edge of the northern BC Cascades. I'm going out on a limb here and say that it probably sees far less traffic than it once did thanks to a couple significant washouts on the road to get there. For starters, there's a washed-out bridge on Juliet Creek FSR right where the road crosses said creek about 4.5 kilometers from the Hwy 5 off ramp, followed by another significant washout a few kilometers further on the Juliet 22-1 branch. All of which means that instead of a ridiculously short ~3 kilometers from the original trailhead to summit, these days it's more like 10 kilometers to get there. Still, not an unreasonable distance to go, and overall, easy and bush-free travel, so why not go check out something new I figured! Decided to bring my bike as that seemed like a good way to dispatch the extra FSR kms...on paper at least!
Parked just before a brand-new bridge with a tarp on top presumably to protect a still-curing concrete bridge deck. Walked my bike along the "curb" then down a short distance to the Juliet Creek crossing with missing bridge. Boots off and bike on shoulders, straining against a strong current in knee-deep water to get to the opposite side. Now following the left fork, I proceeded up the road littered with deadfall and annoying cross ditches. Just when I'd about had enough of the constant dismounting, I came across the second washout I mentioned. It's more of a ravine now, with a steep embankment on either side, so stashed the bike and proceeded on foot. Up ahead, the road rounds a shoulder and proceeds into South July Creek Valley to finally reach the July Mountain Recreation Trail marker. Following an actual trail now, I continued through a bit of forest then a minor boulder slope to reach the still snow-bound Drum Lake basin beneath July's North Face.
With the peak now fairly close at hand, I strapped on my snowshoes and made a rising traverse up past the lake to gain a saddle in the North Ridge. Proceeded along the mostly low-angled ridge over snow with some rock scrambling to the summit adorned with a cairn and thousands of ladybugs! Good views from up top, but then I always seem to say that! Most noteworthy were Coquihalla Mountain to Yak and Needle Peak looking south, the Anderson River Group to the SW, and the Breakenridge/Traverse Group far to the west. Also, a neat view of Drum Lake and out over the rolling hills of the interior plateau east of Coldwater River. Just under 4 hours to summit, but a lot less on return thanks to the cloud of mosquitoes chasing me down the forest road. Forded back across the creek and made it to my truck just as the sky unleashed a downpour, lending some credence to the old saying that here in the Pacific Northwest, summer doesn't start until AFTER July 4th!
Sandwiched between Lindeman Lake to the west, Flora Lake to the east and a much larger Chilliwack Lake to the south, Flora Peak is fine and easily accessed objective with outstanding 360-degree views. At just 13 kilometers round-trip, most of it on a well-established trail, and about 4600 feet of gain, it can best be described as "low hanging fruit" for the peakbagging set and their four-legged companions alike! Starting from the parking area off Chilliwack Lake Road, the trail climbs up though forest before traversing Flora's south slopes and from where the first views overlooking Chillwack Lake are had. Flora Pass comes a short distance later, where one leaves the main trail for a climber's path that continues off to the left (north). A bit of steeper hiking here, in my case through some lingering snow patches leads to the large summit area.
Great views as mentioned, particularly of Chilliwack Rivery Valley and the Welch-Foley group to the W and NW. The peaks along the east flank of Silverhope Creek from Hope Mountain to Silvertip showing up nicely as well. Of course, the real attraction is the view south and SW of the peaks and valleys both within and bordering the North Cascades National Park. Too many to mention here, so please enjoy the pics and see if you can identify them all!
Rhododendron Mountain - South Route via Rutherford FSR, June 2024
Rhododendron Mountain is a sprawling massif just under 6 kilometers as the crow flies from its taller neighbor Mount Ipsoot. The peak first piqued my interest whilst heli-skiing in the area back in 2015. I had another opportunity to be enamoured of Rhododendron's majesty from Sugarloaf Mountain some years later, mesmerised by its sheer North Face complete with hanging ice and glaciers. That same year from the summit of Ipsoot I spied what looked to be a viable approach to the peak from the south, so when reports began surfacing the following year of parties successfully reaching the summit from this side, my ears immediately perked up! The various reports described the approach as a reasonable day trip starting from newer logging branches off the Rutherford FSR, albeit one that is dependent on a decent spring snowpack to help subdue the brush on a still tedious ~4-kilometer-long up n' down traverse. This traverse ends at a prominent saddle just below a subsummit I have informally named Pk. 2260 - a point that marks the beginning of the vast Rhododendron summit plateau.
"Pk. 2260" is also relevant for it's as far as I managed to get on this day. Leg cramps no doubt caused by dehydration and fatigue thanks to several kilometers of plowing through wet cement-like snow with my ancient and altogether far too short snowshoes did me in. Barely made it up the first steep pitch up from the saddle and limped on over to the highpoint while Wes and Finn continued to Rhododendron proper. Views still satisfactory from here particularly of the mighty Ipsoot across the way as well as a large glacier valley stretching away to the north. That'll have to do I s'pose! Decided to slowly start back down on my own without waiting for the others, reversing the damned traverse now across slopes littered with fresh wet slides thanks to the strong afternoon sun. Spent some quality time with my mosquito friends back at the truck waiting for the two to return from their successful summit bid, sunburnt but clearly quite stoked (I've included some shots of theirs from after we parted ways).
All-in-all, I have mixed feelings about this one. Compared to Ipsoot, Rhododendron falls short in several respects. Yes, it is indeed striking from the north, but kinda a bore from the south. Not quite motivated enough yet to go back for the grand slog to the summit proper. Maybe someday, but don't hold your breath...
Channeled Scablands (WA) - Columbia Gorge, Ancient Lakes, Potholes Reservoir & Palouse Falls, May 2024
Had a concert at The Gorge to attend and decided to tack on a few days at either end to tramp around my former Eastern Washington stompin' grounds! The desert-like expanse immediately east of the Columbia River known as the Channelled Scablands is a geological marvel which never ceases to amaze with its stark contrast to the lush temperate rainforest and glaciated mountain ranges to the west and rolling dunes of loess to the east. This is a tortured, yet uniquely beautiful landscape forged deep in the Earth's mantle by ancient lava flows and subsequent flooding of cataclysmic proportions. From touring the engineering marvel that is the Grand Coulee Dam to rock climbing at Banks Lake and Frenchman's Coulee or kayaking Deep Lake near Dry Falls, there's a lot to see and do here. Sheesh! If those words aren't worthy of a visitor's pamphlet of the type one typically finds in motel lobbies or car rental agencies, I don't know what is!
Our agenda included sightseeing and the requisite wine tasting along the Columbia near the concert venue, hiking at Ancient Lakes, exploring the Potholes Reservoir area and beholding the stunning waterfall and gorge at Palouse Falls. Didn't quite make it as far east as Pullman this trip, so the nostalgia of college-era Sergio will have to wait for another time! Enjoyed our final evening of "van life" along the Snake River before the rain arrived to hasten our long day's drive back home. Go Cougs!
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