Sask Section 2012 Climbing Report

[report by Don Chodzicki]

It's already November and it is hard to bellieve we haven't had a trip blog for so long, so let me bring you up to speed.

In 2012 the Saskatchewan Section had some of their most successful climbing trips yet.  In January the club had such a high demand to go ice climbing we were forced to organize 2 trips! 

Choppers 1
The first ice climbing trip in February had a total of 23 people including the leaders.  The large number presented real challenges during the planning phase forcing a thorough review of options for accommodations, climbing locations, gear rental, leader to beginner ratios, trip dates, and other issues. 

Once again Nordegg Alberta was the location for our "base camp".  Day 1 the group climbed at Balfour Wall. It is always interesting to see how much the ice can vary from year to year, but once again beginners were provided with an impressive number of route options and a beautiful view of the valley. I personally really enjoyed going early with the leaders, hiking around to the top and helping to set the anchors for the ropes. 

Day 2 the group went to Two O'Clock Falls.  2 O'Clock is a bit smaller than Balfour which during the planning phase I thought might present a few problems, but somehow things ended up working out. Both days we had fairly decent weather.  To me 2 O'Clock always seems a bit cool whenever we go there but I know at least one person felt shorts and a Hawaiian shirt were more comfortable so maybe it was just in my head!

Choppers 2
For the 2nd ice climbing trip in early March Choppers had 12 people and this time the base camp was in Canmore.  Day 1 we climbed at Junk Yards near Canmore which meant both the drive and hike in were much shorter than we experienced on the Nordegg trip.  Temperatures were pretty warm though which can help make the ice softer and potentially result in a few areas of rock being uncovered. 

If you are a beginner ice climber and don't understand the advantage of soft ice (keep in mind I am no expert) think of single swing or single kick and almost a guaranteed stick of the ice tools or crampons, so you can waste a lot less energy.  And also if you are a beginner ice climber the concept of going ice climbing and finding parts of exposed rock may seem less than ideal, but this offers you an introduction to something called Mixed Climbing!    

Day 2 the group drove further west to a location called Hafner Creek.  For me this new location was like magic.  The hike in had limited vertical and given that there was an existing path through the deep snow we had it pretty easy.  Hiking in involved going through a narrow canyon with a stream running through it.  Then when you reach the location everything opens up and you are facing rock and ice walls all around you.  But not only was this a beautiful location it also offered me a really good chance to try Mixed Climbing! 

Mixed climbing basically involves the use of ice tools to climb rock and ice surfaces.  For me the really interesting thing (like many situations with the Alpine Club) is how you start to look at situations differently.  Initially I never understood how you could use an ice tool on a rock surface since you can't swing it and make it stick.  But after my introduction to mixed climbing I would look at a piece of rock and start to see the 2 or 3 millimeter ridge and figure out that I could solidly hook an ice tool or crampon on that ridge and all of a sudden it was game on!  The idea of placing ice tools rather than wasting one's energy swinging or kicking should really appeal to a beginner.  But what further impressed me was taking that new mind set of identifying little surfaces that can hold a person's weight and applying it during the club's annual Rock Climbing trip over the May long weekend.

Thrashers Rock Climbing and Scrambling 2012
Once again the beginner trip was to the Wasootch area south of Canmore.  The location is perfect for beginners and more experienced climbers due to the large number of routes and easy drive/hike in.  The logistics of running a trip to this location are also a lot easier based on it being a repeat trip.  Like always our leaders were kept busy setting the top ropes, educating us on proper technique and moving ropes to new more challenging routes as our abilities improved over the 2 days.  

Although the trip isn't geared towards teaching lead climbing I did have the chance to try leading my first 5.5 or 5.6!  Let me tell you it is always an eye opener when you don't see a top rope above you to protect your fall!  Needless to say I did survive it.  Another bonus to this year’s trip was I had an opportunity try to a little "Trad Climbing".  With a top rope in place I did a simulated trad climb which proved really interesting as I struggled to figure out how to place the pieces of protection in little crevices and attach quickdraws to them.  Let me just say I was glad I was on a top rope the whole time!

Returning to this year’s Thrashers was a scrambling component.  On day one scramble participants explored an un-named ridge east of Canmore, part of the Mt Fable loop south ridge.  For day 2 they climber to the North Peak of Mt Kidd.  The most fun on that route was the opportunity to bum-slide almost all the way down.  The addition of the scrambles to Thrashers worked out really well offering section members who aren't climbers an opportunity to still come and socialize with the climbers in the evenings.

To close things off I really want to thank all the trip leaders we had for the trips.  Thanks for setting the top ropes, being patient with the newbies, sharing your knowledge and offering us so many opportunities for adventure!

ACC Huts - Another Way To Have Fun in the Mountains

by Dave McCormick (dave.mcc@telus.net)


Not, perhaps, in the way you had thought, but as part of a Hut Work Party.


From June 21st to 29th, the ACC ran a work project at the Conrad Kain Hut in the Bugaboos.  For those who don't know the area, it's in the Purcell Mountains south of Golden, BC.  It's a premier climbing area with many granite spires rearing up out of glaciated terrain.  The Kain hut (named after Conrad Kain) sits just below Snowpatch Spire on the edge of the Bugaboos at an elevation of 2250 meters, with views of the Bugaboo Glacier, Hound's Tooth, Marmalota, Snowpatch Spire, Eastpost Spire and other peaks in the immediate area.


I try to join one hut work party each summer season and so, on the morning of June 21st, the crew (some volunteers, some ACC staff, 11 in total) met in Radium and made the drive north to Brisco and the 50 km west to the end of the Bugaboo Forest Service Road.


A good part of day 1 was spent ferrying loads of equipment, food and people up to the hut by helicopter.  If you haven't been on a work party before, the scale of these operations is something to see, keeping in mind that every possible tool that might be needed, as well as food for a large group for 9 days and building materials for a major renovation has to be on-site.  The nearest hardware store is a bit of a hike away....


The main goals of this project were to replace the siding on the hut, including 9 windows, dig out the outhouse and get the micro-hydro system working.  The work began almost as soon as the helicopter disappeared over the mountains.


It soon became abundantly clear that winter had not relaxed it's grip on this part of the world.  It was warm enough (I don't believe it dropped below freezing the whole time we were there), but there were several meters of snow everywhere.  We also had to contend with some rain almost every day and fog, some wind, cloud, and even the odd sunny break.


We weren't able to find the hydro system under all the snow, but there was success on installing the new windows, finishing the siding, doing some painting and generally just cleaning the site up.  And there was time for a short hike up towards Snowpatch and around the hills overlooking the Hut.


These Hut renovation projects take place every summer.  Volunteers are always needed.  Occasionally we look for volunteers with certain skills, but generally, as long as you like working with others, enjoy the mountain setting as a backdrop to your (usually outdoor) workshop and are somewhat handy with tools and building materials, there could be a place for you on an upcoming project.


Pictures of this project can be seen at: https://picasaweb.google.com/dave.mcc51/ConradKainHutProject


If this interests you, drop me a note and get on the e-mail list for upcoming hut projects.

Urban Adventure Race - Results are IN

The Urban Adventure Race was held on June 16th and the results are now in.  Results are posted on our website as an Excel file and can be read at: http://www.accsask.ca/pages/race.htm

Where Does Your Money Go?

The Saskatchewan Section helps support a few worthy organizations.  One of these is TABVAR (The Association of Bow Valley Rock Climbers), an organization that works to upgrade anchors and existing bolts on certain rock routes in the area.  The Section received the following note related to our 2011 donation:

The Bow Valley welcomes climbers near and far every year and many that I have come across are amazed at the amount of sport climbing we have developed and continue to develop here in the valley. We are very fortunate to have dedicated route builders that continue to find new lines, some of those crags go back decades and some from only a few years ago. Then there are those crags that await discovery...

Over the past three years we have also been fortunate to have individuals that have dedicated time to revisit some of the more popular crags and refit routes that are in dire need of anchor and/or protection bolt replacement, making these routes safer and there for more years of enjoyment. Through the Anchor and Bolt Protection Replacement Program TABVAR has been able to reimburse 100% any money that the individuals have incurred. TABVAR also maintains an inventory of hardware for distribution to refit routes.

All of this could not be possible if it was not for our corporate and individual donors, from near and far, that help TABVAR help to fund the ongoing efforts, year after year. I believe I can say on behalf of the climbing community - a very great thank you, and look forward to their continued support.

TABVAR can only continue the reimbursement programs, for new and refitted routes for as long as funds can be raised. The coming year, the challenge will be to solidify the continuing support of our current  donors and find new funding sources.

As a volunteer organization we always welcome ideas from the community. If you have an idea or wish to help out in some way feel free to contact us at this email - TABVAR.is@gmail.com.

The Board of Directors wish you a great climbing season for 2012! 

Cheers

TABVAR's 2011 annual report can be read here. 

Yamnuska Advanced Ice Systems Course

by: Kevin Esler

Date: January 21-22, 2012

Attendees: Jeff Dmytrowich, Howard Hemingson, Kevin Esler

Ice climbing is sometimes considered a dangerous sport. One of the biggest causes of danger in the sport is lack of knowledge and experience. As the three of us are finally at the age where we are slowly admitting that we are not immortal we decided to get some more experience and signed up for the Yamnuska Advanced Ice Systems Course.

The first day we met at the Yamnuska office, sorted out gear, checked weather conditions, discussed location, reviewed the avalanche report, and of course signed the customary waiver form. With all the formalities out of the way we headed out to “The Junkyard” which is located right in Canmore near the Spray Lakes Hydro Station. Our guide Nick Sharpe set a couple fixed lines so that we could demonstrate our skills and get some quick feedback on technique. After that was completed we did a set of simulated lead climbing with the protection of top rope still in place. We reviewed proper technique for setting ice screws, building anchors, rope management, and site hazard assessment. After a couple of climbs we moved to the south end of the wall and did some real lead climbing. This included setting our own “pro” on the way, and building an anchor at a belay station to set up for a multi pitch climb. After getting past a little sketchy ledge we made it up to the top and set up a tree anchor and rappelled down.

The second day took us out to Johnston Canyon. After about a 35 minute walk to get to the upper falls we quickly set up ropes and led up the first small pitch to set up for the main climb. We had two rope teams between the five participants. It was interesting how vastly different the ice conditions were between the two routes that were only separated by about 3m. After the lead climbers reached the top they set anchors and were belayed down and we set up on a more vertical section that was about 10m tall. I was able to take a video of one of that climb to help everyone get an idea of what it was like from a climber’s view. Later we practiced making V-threads and had a discussion about the rope management and protection systems.

While we were at Johnston Canyon there was a story being done about a climber that had used what he thought was an old V-thread to rappel from and fell 60ft when it failed. They later found that it wasn’t actually a V-thread but was an old piece of cording that was frozen into the ice. He was returning after surgeries and several years of recovery. It was a very good reminder of the value of making good and conservative choices when the consequences are so severe. It was surprising how many people were standing near or under overhanging ice that could have fallen at any time and how they seemed surprised or unconcerned when the hazard was pointed out. It was a great testament to the value of good education and training so that people can remain safe and control the risks and hazards to allow them to continue to enjoy the sport for many years to come.

You Want to Climb Ice, Eh?

by Jeff Dmytrowich

Climbing ice sculpted like blue glass can be one of the most demanding, exhilarating, and beautiful forms of climbing. Waterfall ice is a wonderfully varied medium, it can form in sheets, smears, pillars, bulges, grooves, icicles, roofs, cones, chandeliers and cauliflowers. It can also range in hardness from concrete to ice cream and is never the same from week to week and season to season.

Luckily for us, the geography and climate of the Canadian Rockies is perfect for frozen waterfalls, making it home to the best concentration of big, classic ice climbs in the world. The Rockies are the ice climber’s mecca with a wide range of climbing possibilities for frozen fun and adventure.

With adventure does come risk: sharp tools, falling ice, unstable formations, storms, and frigid temperatures are some of the hazards for the ice climber. One of the main things that keeps people from trying ice climbing is the cold or rather the thought of being cold and the the discomfort that comes with it. However as Will Gadd has said, “Being cold is not a mandatory ice climbing experience; suffering is a failure in planning and systems.”

There are three important factors for staying warm: stay dry, stay fed & hydrated and plan ahead. Planning ahead means just that , anticipating what the conditions will be in the near future and adjusting for them. Staying dry means keeping your clothes and skin moisture free. If you are well hydrated you will stay warmer and be happier, drink warm water or other fluids.

The dreaded “screaming barfies” (the unpleasant experience when blood flows back into cold hands and the feeling of wanting to simultaneously scream and barf occurs) can be avoided when ice climbing. Most people ice climbing wear gloves that are too heavy and just get filled with sweat. Also, thick, snug gloves can cause even a small amount of constriction that will decrease circulation. If your hands are dry and your core is warm, you won't get screaming barfies. Your core temperature is what determines your hand warmth when you are moving, not the amount of insulation. If you let your core temperature drop when belaying and then wear sweat soaked or thick gloves when you start to climb, you will definitely get the barfies. It is best to bring warm mitts, a warm belay jacket and a couple pairs of lighter Windstopper style of gloves for climbing.

Along with clothing to keep you warm and toasty there is a fair bit of gear that is needed for ice climbing: helmet, harness, boots, crampons, ice tools. Getting decked out with all this gear can be an expensive proposition; luckily almost all of the gear you need can be rented. It is often best to rent when first getting into ice climbing as it allows to try different types of gear. The gear for ice climbing, such as the ice tools become an extension of your body and it is best to find what works best for you and learn its intricacies before making a purchase decision.

So, how hard is ice climbing you may ask? Well, ice is difficult to grade accurately because it is constantly changing over the course of a season and even sometimes from morning to afternoon. Early season is usually thin and poorly bonded to the rock and these conditions can sometimes be the most demanding. As the season goes on the bottom of the climbs get fatter and so often the overall steepness decreases. Busy climbs can get chopped out creating easy axe holds and footsteps that take a difficult climb down to a beginner’s level. In the morning a climb can be brittle and strenuous but by afternoon it could be plastic or it could be plastic in the morning and slushie in the afternoon as the sun hits the ice.

Despite all these things, there is a rating system that rates water ice (WI) on a scale of 1 to 8.

• WI1 is solid, thick, low angle ice that would be easy to climb with one ice tool and crampons. This rarely gets used just like 5.1 in rock climbing.
• WI2 is rambling low-angle ice that will require a rope, especially for beginners.
• WI3 is where technical climbing begins and may have short steps of near vertical ice (about a body length) and longer sections of 50-70 degree ice.
• WI4 has a short bit of vertical ice or a longer pitch of 75-80 degrees and most beginners can top-rope but leading is now serious.
• WI5 has long sections of vertical ice so it can be technical and pumpy and may have funky ice that finding reliable screw placements may be difficult at times.
• WI6 is overhanging mushrooms, bad placements, very thin ice, free-hanging daggers, technical and brutally continuous. Only very experienced, fit climbers lead this rating.
• WI7 & WI8....lets just say it starts to get real scary with horrendous protection placements and the concern that it could all come tumbling down at anytime. Risks on ice climbs often increase with difficulty because the ice gets more precarious and difficult to protect.

Even though there are ratings, they are sometimes difficult to figure out , luckily ice routes are easier to assess from below than rock routes. This lets you see what you are getting yourself into (a WI4 route can feel like WI3 by mid-season after it has been chopped out).

There is not much left to get introduced into ice climbing except the technique. Ice climbing is not rock climbing. The technique involves the swing, the kick and linking them together. Rock climbers with less ice experience can get pumped on WI4+ more than they could on 5.12 rock and some ice climbers that send the hardest routes can barely climb rock harder than 5.10. The only way to learn and practice the technique for ice climbing is to get on the ice.

To get out on the ice to learn the technique, build some confidence and cruise up some ice routes while shedding fears, join us on the Section beginner ice climbing weekend, Choppers. The Choppers weekend takes place every February and we will have you going from absolute beginner to smoothly climbing WI3 with style.

The reward of a good ice climb is enormous, and I look forward to climbing with you at Choppers.

Ice climbing with my GoPro helmet camera at Bear Spirit Crag. Jan 2012.

Mark climbing the ice curtain at Bear Spirit Crag in Banff National Park.

If you have any questions about ice climbing or the Choppers weekend, I will be happy to answer them in the comments section.

Adventure Racing in Saskatoon

by Howard Hemingson

Race Director

This summer saw the ACC Sask Section and Prairie Dog Racing hosting two adventure races in Saskatoon. The Urban Adventure Race was held on Saturday, June 11 and the Gopher Chase was held on Saturday, September 17.

This was my third year organizing the Urban AR, which has been occurring off an on for the past decade or so. The Urban Adventure Race is a rogaine-styled race during which teams have a set time to find as many checkpoints (CPs) as they can. The race was based out of Gabriel Dumont Park, which is located on the East side of the river in Saskatoon. I had hoped for a canoe leg this year, but it was not to be since the river level was way too high. Twenty-three racers making up ten teams entered the race. Entries were lower this year, but I’m blaming the Bridge City Boogie, with its 6000+ entries, that was the next day.

The race started off with a 2 hr running leg which sent teams looking for CPs along the East riverbank, in the neighbourhoods of Exhibition, Buena Vista, and Nutana, and downtown. There were several strong running teams in this race with one team (Interrobang!?) reaching all of the running CPs and several others only missing only one CP. Teams then started a 2 hr bike leg that took them North to the trails in Sutherland Beach and along Whiteswan Dr. The bike leg proved to be more difficult than the running leg, since fewer CPs were reached.

Team Interrobang (Scott Theede, Kyle Gunderson) built on their lead and went on to win the race. Krat’s O’Shay (Jay Stark, Sheri Stark) finished second, which makes three podium finishes in row for them. Third place went to Strueby Sandwich (Shanna Strueby, Drew Bell), and Drew continued his tradition of losing a place due to accrued time penalties :-) .

The inaugural Gopher Chase adventure race was held in the fall. I’m hoping the Gopher Chase will be a stepping stone for bringing the Prairie Pitch back. The Gopher Chase was a point to point race with running, biking, and paddling and was meant to take between 7 to 9 hrs. Unfortunately, I've never organized a race like this before and the winning time was 9 ½ hrs. Some teams were unable to do the last running leg (I think some were OK with that). The race was based out of Victoria Park and had 11 teams consisting of 25 racers (there was even a solo racer!).

The race started with teams biking to the Arts tower on the U of S campus where they had to run to the top floor. They then continued on bike to the West riverbank on the North end of the city, where a repel challenge was set-up on the river bluff. From there, they biked back to the U of S campus where they did a trail run along the river. Teams then biked around campus and then returned to Victoria Park. From Victoria Park, teams paddled downstream, going ashore at the Bessborough for an obstacle course challenge, and then returned to Victoria Park. Racers then biked up to the Sutherland Beach trails and then through the city’s Northeast neighbourhoods. The racers then completed a mini-orienteering challenge in the Varsity View area before biking back to Victoria Park. The second paddle stage then took the racers upstream to the South Train Bridge and back. At this point, the race turned out to be much longer than planned and so the last leg was varied for some teams. The top two teams proceeded on foot to Diefenbaker Park where they played a few rounds of disc golf and then they ran back to the finish at Victoria Park. The next group of teams traveled to Diefenbaker Park on bike, while the last group of teams got an early head start on the post race BBQ!

Team Carbon Fibre (Barret Dunbar, Scott Theede) won the inaugural Gopher Chase, and this was Scott’s second win this summer! Dribzz (Geoff Meinert, Dan Guenther) came in second, while Lion’s Roar (Kristen Seimens, Andrew Jahsen) were third.

All in all, the Gopher Chase was a success. I had a few set backs, primarily making the race too long, but the racers didn’t appear to mind too much (or at least they complained behind my back). The paddle stages and the challenges, especially the repel were highlights for a lot of people.

Results from these two races can be found on the ACC Sask website and pictures can be found here. Planning is already underway for the 2012 race season, with the Urban Adventure Race and the Gopher Chases both returning. A winter race is also in the works and will coincide with Wintershine Festival this February.

See you on the trails!