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Thursday, April 3, 2025
Mount Underhill - via Old Elsay Lake Trail, March 2024
Finally set the boards aside for the season and got crackin' on my ever-expanding hiking list. With the sudden onset of unseasonably warm March temperatures, I opted to start small by going after one of the countless subalpine bumps in my proverbial backyard. Enter Mount Underhill, a 1480-foot beast of a mountain flanking the west shore of Indian Arm. As with innumerable others on the North Shore, Underhill is included in the Bagger Challenge list and as such sees a fair amount of traffic by its devotees. Lists aside, the peak appealed to me for the network of trails as yet untraveled by yours truly to get there along with the reportedly good views overlooking Indian Arm from the top.
The shortest approach would be by following a trail from near the end of Sasamat Lane and continuing past Brighton Beach. However, being that both the Sunshine Falls Lane and Sasamat spur are private with large no trespassing signs adorning the turnoff from Indian River Drive, I opted to play by the rules and avoid the area entirely...to start with at least. As such, I parked at a pullout on the main drive about a half kilometer past a large parking area below powerlines. Geared up, crossed the street and started up the Franks Plank MTB trail. Followed this and a lesser spur or two to intersect with the main Old Elsay Lake Trail. Ignoring countless spurs now, I stayed on this for about 3.5 kilometers to reach Holmden Creek. Traversing sections of mossy old growth and interspersed with short scrambly bits, I found the hiking here quite enjoyable and well worth the extra mileage to experience.
Took a break to hydrate at Holmden before commencing the final ~0.5 kilometer grunt up Underhill. Nearing the summit, a great view to the south overlooking Indian Arm revealed itself to me as promised. Quite spectacular especially being so close to home! I continued a few minutes more to tag the no-view true summit just for kicks. After a nice long rest, I returned the way I came, making a short detour up the Cascade Bluff Trail to reach its namesake lookout. Views from here were also great, if not better than from Underhill itself! Returning from the bluff, I made a beeline for Sasamat Lane now, choosing for the faster return via the road, trespassing BS be damned. That said, none of the "locals" I encountered seemed to mind, and greeted me as I walked by. All in all, a fine outing and great warm-up for all the adventures to come!
Back to the Duffey for my "annual" splitboarding antics, this time up on Steep Peak. First laid eyes on it from Blowdown Peak, just 5 kilometers north as the crow flies. As with various other objectives out this way, Steep is a popular ski touring destination, with reasonably good and quick access from Highway 99. The approach is by way of the Steep Creek FSR, same as that initially used for Blowdown, but branches right at a fork for a total of about 5.5 kms to reach Darkside Lake nestled in a gorgeous alpine cirque with Steep and Darkside peaks towering above. Near the lakeshore is Beeker's Cabin which makes for a fine basecamp for those intending to spend a few days in the area exploring the slopes on Steep and beyond. I was here only for the day as I pulled over at the large shoulder adjacent to the highway, sorted my gear, and made the short walk to where the FSR starts.
Strapped on the skins and started touring just as a truck pulled up with a pair of snowmobiles in tow. Barely 5 minutes into my trek, the sleds come up from behind and I'm offered a ride. Um...yes please! Off we go, effortlessly cruising up the road stopping to park finally at a clearing no more than a kilometer from the lake. Woohoo! Decided to team up with my new sled mates as they were here to ski as well, the three of us now proceeding along a skin track before branching off to the right somewhere behind the cabin. Steep switchbacks through the forest lead us to a large open area on the north spur of the NW Ridge. Looking to the NE-facing slopes from here, I note evidence of crowns and recent slide activity running down to the lake far below. Began questioning my plans for the day, despite the low-to-moderate avalanche forecast. But first we had to gain said ridge, touring up along the spur before kicking switchbacks for the final push to the top.
Stopped for a break on the crest now with an unobstructed view of the remaining route to the summit. Ugh! Still a ways to go and by the look of it plenty of annoying micro-terrain to deal with. Between that and the signs of instability observed earlier, I was undecided. If I pushed on, I'd likely tempt fate and compel myself to ride down one of the enticing chutes on the NE side as originally intended. Sensing my quandary, the two must have taken pity on me or perhaps they thought I was a bit "off" for being out here by myself and offered for me to join them instead. Live to ride another day was the prevailing thought in my head, so I took them up on their offer and enjoyed a couple glorious laps down the somewhat less avalanche exposed north-facing bowl formed by the spur and the NW Ridge. Heading back, we returned to the forested slope above the hut before commencing one last scrappy descent through the trees back to the sleds. And yes, I also happily accepted a return ride back down to the highway.
Grateful for babysitting me on this day, I bid the two kind souls from Lillooet adieu and set out for points west. Incidentally, in our conversations we learned that our paths may have crossed previously on another of my solo excursions off the Duffey - Mount Seton in August of 2020. Small World! It was also suggested that Steep and other peaks in the area make for great summertime scrambles, as there is in fact a good, brush-free trail to the cabin and beyond, with easily navigable terrain up to the alpine. With so much more left for me to explore out here, I'm sure I'll be back soon!
Decamped to Whistler for 20 days in February for something different. Had high hopes of capitalizing on this as a base camp for before-work freshies and maximising pow days sans the commute from N. Van. Ended up being far less of all that than hoped, courtesy of the uncooperative weather. As such, we resorted to splitting our free time between the precious few powder days during that period and exploring various local POI's that we'd otherwise never have bothered with. Not sure we would do it again, but the change of scenery was welcome as was the opportunity to call Blueberry Hill our home for nearly a month. Photos include touring and shredding highlights as well as scenery from various short walks and hikes in and around the village.
Red Rock Canyon - Turtlehead Mountain, Calico Tank Peak & more, January 2024
Back to Vegas for our annual dealer conference. As before, we arrived a day early with the intention of hiking a local peak. The year prior we bagged Frenchman Mountain on the east side of the LV Valley. This time we set our sights on Red Rock Canyon to the west, hiking up Turtlehead Mountain and Calico Tank Peak followed by a short hike into Ice Box Canyon to finish up the day.
Left the swanky confines of the Red Rock Resort where we'd be spending the next few days and hopped into a Chevy Bolt EV we rented to get us to and from the RRC. Battery was fully charged when we left but depleted at an alarming rate on the relatively short drive there, no doubt thanks to the temperature being in the 20's! Figures. I'll keep my "polluting" ICE-powered vehicle please and thank you.
Turtlehead, as seen from our hotel room window, is a prominent horn protruding from the eroded rock formations that dominate the east side of the canyon. From the trailhead, it's a little over 6.5 kilometers round-trip and 2000 feet vertical to reach the top. As easy as all this sounds, I personally struggled with the arctic wind, low energy and achy joints on this day. Little did I know then that I was about to come down with flu! Returning from Turtlehead, we made an impromptu detour along the Calico Tanks Trail to the saddle between Calico Tank Peak and West Calico Tank Peak, myself continuing solo to the top of the former. Took some route finding to avoid technical terrain, but there's a way albeit with some exposure.
Back at the trailhead, we decide there was enough daylight left for one last hike and so off we go for Ice Box Canyon. Just under 2 kms to the end of the canyon, where the pools were all frozen hard and a couple "snotty" ice stalactites hung from the polished headwall at the canyon's head. Damn cold in there, but thankfully no wind! Back to the trailhead and then the resort without running out of juice thankfully, detouring to the nearest Avis to drop off the silly Chevy along the way. Looks like "they're" all done with Vegas for the foreseeable future but stay tuned for San Diego in January 2026!
Agata needed me outta the house for more than a couple of days, and I conveniently owed my folks a visit for the holidays, so off across the pond I go this time by myself. Kinda a spur-of-the-moment decision and no hops on the East Coast thank you very much, both of which of course resulted in airfare costing an arm and a leg. Suffered in coach for far too many hours, seats far too tightly spaced and ass far too sore from cushions far too thin. Could air travel possibly suck any more?
Neither the chicken nor pasta looked any good, but at least I arrived in VCE as scheduled. Hopped into the "taxi" which pops arranged to take me from the airport for the ~2.5-hour ride to my 'home away from home' in the Dolomites. Spent the next week and a half chillin' with mum and dad and of course slaying the hardpack! Coverage was decidedly "low tide" as usual, so no off-piste action lest I risk blowing up my ankle like I did back in 2016. Made the most of it just the same, ranging far and wide over the thousands of kilometers of perfectly groomed trails to choose from.
Pictured descents and scenery from Col Rodella, Passo Pordoi, Sass Pordoi, Marmolada, Porta Vescovo, Pralongia, Passo Falzarego, Lagazuoi, Bec de Roces, Vallon/Piz Boe, Passo Gardena, Dantercepies, Champinoi and more. Blah blah blah...most importantly, it was a privilege to spend quality time with loved ones and be humbled by the sublime grandeur of these amazing mountains!
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