TR: Mountain Animals Gathering at Campbell Icefield

**The Gnarwhale** · 01-21-2009, 04:31 PM

Last week a handful of friends and I made the trek from SLC, WY, AB, & MT to BC for a week of self-guided earning ‘em on the west slope of the Canadian Rockies. Here’s photos from the days that followed.

Adding the approximate location of Whitefish, MT to the map.

It’s possible that The White Room picked up a “Change?” sticker just a couple hours earlier.

First purchase in Canukistan:

Ready to RUUUMMBBLE

Yours truly. Phyched. R. Strong's photo.

We arrived to the Campbell Icefield Chalet with 140cm of new snow and more on the way. A good part of the first day was spent digging profiles on a variety of aspects around and below treeline. We were surprised to find a bomber snowpack.

[

So we knocked out three or four quick laps on short shots before dark.

Dennis:

Dennis coming up for air:

The next day we explored up and down the valley, and tiptoed into the alpine during as visibility improved from “poor” to “fair”

BC bluebird:

R Strong’s photo

]

Pillows galore

The clouds cleared for a few hours after sunset. Time for the monopod. Thanks again Otter.

Longer exposure by R. Strong:

But it snowed another 15 or 20cms before morning

More pillows were slayed. Hopefully more pictures forthcoming. I was too amped to take pictures.

The only possible downside to the hut is that all tree skiing is below the chalet so during low vis the day always ends with an uphill.

Getting the most from 8.5 hours of daylight

Food was consistently awesome. 10lbs of flour will make a LOT of pizza dough.

It snowed more that night

Nic drops a knee

D. Long carried some serious camera gear.

Looking down the valley

I was out after the second or third fold. I hate this game.

**The Gnarwhale** · 01-21-2009, 04:32 PM

The next morning was clear when we woke at 7 but fog rolled in at first light around 8am. By sunup at 8:40 it looked like it might burn off.

We headed towards E Pk of Mt Sir. Allen Campbell, hoping that it would clear.

The fog lingered. We kept heading up.

Until we were above the inversion.

Into the alpine

A. Lindell’s photo

Onto the glacier

Yodel-ay-hee-hoo

B-rad topping out. In a tee shirt. In January.

All 12 on the summit

Nic gets it first

Down the glacier

Yo-yo-ing through the afternoon

One last lap up to a couloir that Nic and I scoped earlier in the week

StraightChuter would be proud

Alpenglow on the way out the drainage

Last light on Thunder Mt with another 1000’ to descend before the climb home

The last steep

Brecky looks a lot like desert.

The lady friend...

...Immitating this

We dug every day at a variety of elevations and aspects and found the snow glued. Sweet.

Onto the Campbell Icefield

The Dent Group miles away across the Icefield.

Tiptoeing to the edge

And down again. Selkirks and Rogers Pass out on the horizon

The last supper

Mountain flying pioneer Don Mctighe, along with both of his chins, handled the controls so easily it seemed casual.

Zee end

**Hutch** · 01-21-2009, 04:38 PM

Awesome TR!

Added to bucket list.

**pdiddy** · 01-21-2009, 04:42 PM

Wow, thanks, I briefly forgot I am at work right now.

**sawatchsplitter** · 01-21-2009, 04:44 PM

Outstanding! After this TR, I'll wait awhile before I post my hut trip! Really beautiful place! The night shot was $$$!

**nick > jesus** · 01-21-2009, 04:45 PM

AWESOME!!

looks like a great trip.

**Roo** · 01-21-2009, 04:45 PM

Stellar stuff. Five stars.

**LightRanger** · 01-21-2009, 04:45 PM

FKNA sweet.

**powdork** · 01-21-2009, 04:47 PM

wow. sweet.

dood.

**PulverSchwein** · 01-21-2009, 04:49 PM

amazing stuff.

**wrinkledpants** · 01-21-2009, 04:52 PM

Wow.

1234

**skideeppow** · 01-21-2009, 04:56 PM

Great stuff as i still sit at my desk on injured reserve.

**addict** · 01-21-2009, 04:57 PM

Fuck

YEAH!

**Trainwreck** · 01-21-2009, 04:59 PM

Wow, quite an amazing trip, thanks for the TR!

**adam** · 01-21-2009, 05:01 PM

Is that heaven?

**encore** · 01-21-2009, 05:02 PM

Great TR

**Little Big Lost** · 01-21-2009, 05:02 PM

Looked amazing! wOw!

Me = Jealous

**Lani** · 01-21-2009, 05:03 PM

Very nice.

**RootSkier** · 01-21-2009, 05:07 PM

holy hell, that is fucking awesome

**skadams.ca** · 01-21-2009, 05:08 PM

Fuck Yes

In fact so good I'm gonna have another read after I wipe the drool off my chin

**The Gnarwhale** · 01-21-2009, 05:10 PM

Lani= Sky? Just listened to "The Crusade" epidosde of the Dirtbag Diaries podcast driving south through Montana the other day. Great stuff. Check dirtbagdiaries.com for those who dont know.