Last Updated: November 28, 2024



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Oh my! Quite the backlog here...

  • Lone Goat & Snow Camp Mountain - hike (September 2023)
  • Isollilock Peak - scramble (October 2023)
  • Mount Manson - Mount Hatfield Traverse - scramble (October 2023)
  • The Gargoyles & Columnar Peak - scramble (October 2023)
  • Opal Cone and Lava Glacier - hike (October 2023)
  • Park Butte (WA) - hike (October 2023)
  • Trappers Peak (WA) - scramble (October 2023)
  • Rattlesnake Ledge (WA) - hike (November 2023)
  • Sauk Mountain (WA) - hike (November 2023)
  • Sunshine Coast (Mount Daniel, Pender Hill) - hike (November 2023)
  • Mount Dickerman (WA) - hike (November 2022)
  • Verona Peak AKA Winter's End - snowshoe (November 2023)
  • Dolomites (IT) - snowboard (December 2023)
  • Red Rock Canyon (NV) - scramble (January 2024)
  • Flute Summit & Oboe Summit - snowboard (February 2024)
  • Whistler Miscellaneous (Train Wreck, Loggers Lake, Shadow Lake and more) - hike (February 2024)
  • Mount Underhill - hike (March 2024)
  • Bombtram Mountain - snowshoe (March 2024)
  • Steep Peak - snowboard (March 2024)
  • Ruby Mountain (WA) - snowshoe (April 2024)
  • Blustry Mountain - hike (April 2024)
  • Sowerby Peak (Barr East) - snowshoe (April 2024)
  • Picacho Peak (AZ) - hike (April 2024)
  • Kitt Peak Observatory (AZ) - (April 2024)
  • Mount Wrightson (AZ) - hike (April 2024)
  • Saguaro National Park (AZ) - April 2024)
  • Superstition Peak/Benchmark (AZ) - scramble (April 2024)
  • Mount Humphreys (AZ) - hike (May 2024)
  • Petrified Forest National Park (AZ) - (May 2024)
  • Piestewa Peak (AZ) - hike (May 2024)
  • Channeled Scablands (WA | Columbia Gorge, Ancient Lakes, Potholes Lake, Palouse Falls and more) - hike (May 2024)
  • Rhododendron Mountain ("Pk. 2220") - snowshoe (June 2024)
  • Flora Peak - hike (June 2024)
  • Gibson Peak - snowshoe (June 2024)
  • Mount Urquhart - scramble (June 2024)
  • Rock Mountain (WA) - hike (July 2024)
  • Ladies Pass Quartet (WA | Cape Horn, Ladies Peak, Snowgrass NE Peak, Snowgrass Mountain) - scramble (July 2024)
  • Old Snowy (WA) - scramble (July 2024)
  • Dog Mountain (WA) - hike (July 2024)
  • Mount Ratney & Mount Bardean - scramble (July 2024)
  • Torrent Peak - scramble (July 2024)
  • Steep Peak - Darkside Peak Traverse - scramble (July 2024)
  • Silvertip Mountain - scramble (July 2024)
  • The Old Settler - scramble (July 2024)
  • Silent Hub Peak - scramble (August 2024)
  • Saint Jacobs Mountain - scramble (August 2024)
  • Mount David (WA) - scramble (August 2024)
  • Goat Mountain West Peak & Table Mountain (WA) - hike (August 2024)
  • Griswold Pass (Tuber Hill, Glacier View Peak, Subatomic Peaks: Baryon, Meson, Muon, Lepton) - scramble (September 2024)
  • Yellow Aster Butte (WA) - hike (September 2024)
  • Mazama Dome (WA) - hike (September 2024)
  • Ptarmigan Ridge - (WA | The Portals East Peak, Coleman Pinnacle) - hike (September 2024)
  • Tetrahedron Peak - scramble (September 2024)
  • Lone Cone & Peak 86 (Tofino) - hike (September 2024)
  • Mount Athelstan ("Pk. 2460") - scramble (September 2024)
  • Excelsior Peak and Cowap Peak - hike (October 2024)
  • Hollyburn Peak - hike (October 2024)
  • Cheam Peak - hike (October 2024)
  • Blanchard Needle - scramble (October 2024)
  • Debeck's Hill & 4 Lakes Loop - hike (October 2024)
  • Mount Hallowell - hike (November 2024)

*As of 11/28/2024


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Wednesday, July 6, 2022

Snass Mountain - West Ridge, September 2021



Along with Mount Outram and about 13.5 km directly to its east, Snass Mountain is one of the bigger objectives in Manning Park. Approached from the south, the normal West Ridge route benefits from a paved highway to the trailhead followed by a good trail, albeit a somewhat long-ish one to a small pass overlooking Punch Bowl Lake. The peak also lies east of the Cascade Crest giving it a somewhat extended snow-free hiking season as compared to objectives further west. At least this strategy worked for me when I climbed Outram in October a few years back, so I'm sticking to it!

With just one other car parked at the trailhead, I started up the historic Dewdney Trail and continued up a forested valley for a couple kms to a junction with the Whatcom Trail. Staying right and proceeding up this other trail, I continued without issue to the pass. Leaving the main trail here, I followed a path branching off to the right now on the north side of the lower West Ridge of Snass. I followed this to where it petered-out in the heather, which on this day was still soaking wet from the previous night's rain. I also came across a backpack lying on the ground at this spot, and rightly assumed that a Snass-bound individual had abandoned it here en route to the summit. It was also at this point that I had a decision to make - proceed steeply up wet heather on the lower flanks of the West Ridge OR traverse left below the ridge for a while longer and gain a large talus bowl that provides access to the ridge crest higher up. I went with the first option, literally crawling up the steep slope pulling on clumps of heather to keep me from slipping and sliding uncontrollably back down to the pass. As wet as it was, it might as well have been ice and I didn't have crampons with me, plus I had a small dog in tow to boot. Going up was certainly doable, but I was concerned about the return. There was just no way to walk down that shit! Decided to do a test "glissade" before I got any higher to get a sense of how the descent would go. Managed a short and marginally controlled butt slide back to the area where the pack was. Returning in that fashion from the top would be treacherous at best!

Time for plan 'B'. Off for the talus bowl I go, losing some elevation at first and then up a headwall comprised of hard mud, scree and such. Quite unpleasant and brave little Pepper was less than thrilled with this part. Much easier travel once in the bowl proper, soon gaining a prominent saddle in the ridge. Pleasant ridge ramble from that point on with just a couple spots of hands-on scrambling (with pup in arm). Soon ran into the owner of said pack Andriy (aka Sergei) Fendrikov (RIP) as he was returning from the summit. Chatted for a bit, confirming that it was in fact his pack that I had seen earlier and that he'd spent the previous night camping at Punch Bowl Lake. Also mentioned how greasy the heather was down below, but regrettably stopped short of asking him how he intended to return before going our separate ways. Soon made it to the top, complete with heli platform and the ubiquitous BC summit phallus. Mostly in the clouds up there with occasional local clearing. Hung out for a bit hoping for more of a view which sadly never materialized, then returned the way I came back to the backpack, which ominously was still there where I had seen it earlier in the day. Called out for Andriy a few times but heard nothing back. Figured (hoped) he was off to bag something else in the area and possibly stay another night out?? Made my way back down to the trailhead where, as expected the one car from earlier in the morning was still parked. About 8 or 9 hours round-trip.

It wasn't until about mid-morning the following day that word of Andriy's absence at work began circulating on social media. He apparently also hadn't left a trip plan with anyone, and SAR efforts were being mobilized in areas 200+ kms away from where I'd seen him last. After several phone calls with the authorities and some hours later, the tragic news of Andriy's whereabouts was made public. Confirmed it was now a recovery effort as he had been located lifeless somewhere below the West Ridge. Not sure of the details here, but my mind keeps going back to how greasy that heather was. Didn't see any fresh tracks in the mud or elsewhere leading to or back from the talus bowl, so can only surmise that he'd taken the ridge up and back down to its end and in so doing had to navigate the sketchy heather. The thought of what may have happened next still sickens me. We may have just been ships that pass in the night, but I'm honored to have had just a few moments of your company. Rest in peace Andriy.

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Wednesday, July 6, 2022

Mount McGuire - via Borden Creek FSR, September 2021



Shit happened, plans changed, and I found myself heading for McGuire to salvage what was left of the day. My final Chilliwack area "Mc/Mac" listed in SSWBC, woohoo! Reports for this abound, so here are some tidbits that others may have left out. To start, turn up the FSR immediately before Borden FSR (dunno if it has a name) and take main/uphill branch at all forks. Didn't have much info to go on and wasn't sure I was even on the correct road until reaching the washed-out bridge after about 7 km. 4x4 recommend, maaaaybe passable in a SUV to this point, but there are some large-ish waterbars. Brush not too bad either, considering. I'd seen photos of this bridge, so all was good. Parked here as the bypass looked a bit too sporting. Unless you fancy driving up a shallow creek bed...

Road after defunct bridge in surprisingly good shape and without much elevation gain until reaching a fork a few kms later. Take right fork and continue uphill on an increasingly rough road leading into the valley below Mcguire's East Face. Road eventually makes a large 'S' and continues straight until reaching another fork with first good view of Mcguire up ahead (ignoring a steep, muddy spur at left shortly before). Left at this second fork and followed the road as it makes a big reverse 'S' now to the next couple closely spaced forks, going left on both. The last one has flagging, and an arrow fashioned from sticks lying on the ground. Follow this to a landing a couple mins later and locate the usual-for-the-area engraved trailhead post bearing the word "trail". Said trail is just off to right. No brainer from there to summit.

2.5 hours from where I parked to top, not going particularly fast. Lotsa runnable parts for those into that sorta thing. Being the highest peak at the mouth of Chilliwack Valley makes for a fantastic 360-degree panorama, with nothing obstructing the view over Fraser Valley and beyond. High value outing for sure. 6 hrs total with a good hour hanging out with the flying ants up top. Also note that following the November '21 floods, access to this area has changed.

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