Mountaineering and Beyond

"There's no glory in climbing a mountain if all you want to do is get to the top. It's experiencing the climb itself - in all it's moments of revelation, heartbreak and fatigue - that has to be the goal." - Karyn Kusama Day Three Thursday was mostly uneventful, we left Lake Louise and headed to the Columbia Icefields to set up camp, the mountaineering course we were signed up for recommended that we stay at the tents only campground throughout the course so that we were able to keep in touch with our guides and be close to the start and end points each day. We set up the tent, a task that barely took any time at all and decided to head into Jasper to kill some time in the afternoon, an hour and a half drive of nothing but gorgeous views and mountains on winding highways. We stopped to stretch our legs at Sunwapta Falls, more of a nature walk than a hike, but approximately 5km loop of some beautiful views, a few lookout points of waterfalls and fresh air but definitely recommend if you have some time to spare on this drive.

This was the night that we learned that flying from Ontario to Alberta to camp in mid October weather was not an entirely feasible task. Though we packed an entire suitcase of just camping gear and supplies including sleeping bags rated to -15c, insulated sleeping pads and plenty of base layers, it was freezing. My adventure buddy opted to attempt to sleep in the car hoping it would be warmer, I stayed in the tent optimistic that between my sleeping bag and all my layers I would survive the night. We both woke the next morning shivering, apparently I managed to get a slightly more restful and warm sleep than he did but neither of us excited for an entire weekend of being cold with no escape from the elements.

Day Four - The Course Begins Starting the morning off by hopping in the car, cranking the heat and going for a drive to warm up with the sunrise before the course started, we were exhausted and trying to mentally prepare ourselves for a day in the snow, ice and wind. We got back to camp and threw our gear bags together, meeting the rest of the crew at the designated meeting location. The company we chose to do the course through was Yamnuska. They offer a variety of courses throughout the Canmore and Jasper areas and I could not recommend them more highly. Our guides name was Larry and right off the bat made the entire group feel at ease, had us laughing and getting us excited to start the day. We were given extensive gear packing lists ahead of time but also given the option to rent the pricier necessities from Yamnuska which was a great option for first timers and those of us flying into Alberta for the weekend. We were fitted for mountaineering boots, given crampons, harnesses, ice axes and belaying ropes/carabiners as well as helmets. When registering for the course they forewarn that the itinerary was liable to change due to weather and group fitness levels. The first day was supposed to be things such as avalanche safety, self arrest and snow anchors but due to the course being early in the winter season and the Athabasca glacier being pure ice with no snow to be found, Larry altered the day to be more ice focused instead. Thanks to the previous night being spent freezing, I was glad to hear we wouldn't be rolling around in snow all day (the change in plans also meant I got to experience and fall in love with the sport of ice climbing but more on that later).

Excited to get the gear on and start the day

Geared Up With our 40L bags and 30lbs of gear strapped to our backs, we headed out to the glacier. For those who haven't visited, there is an effect called Katabatic Wind where cool air draws off the glacier down to warmer pockets and creates frigid microclimates making even a warm day feel as though you're standing in a sub zero degree wind tunnel. The wind took my breath away and made me thankful I was as bundled up as I was to start the day. We made our way to the toe of the glacier and Larry assisted us with putting our gaiters, crampons and harnesses on before we went any further. Throughout the process he educated us on the dangers, shared cool facts, stories and gave us a glimpse at what we'd be learning throughout the day. We were getting the hang of walking with crampons on, how to tackle different terrain in them, learned about ice anchors, each having one on on our harness to practice with and about crevasse dangers and how they change with the season.

Learning how to use the ice anchors

Ice Climbing After a quick lunch break, we put all of our new skills to use by getting to experience the sport of ice climbing. Larry set up a few ice anchors at the top of a crevasse, handed us ice axes and told us to lower ourselves into the never ending crevasse until we didn't feel comfortable to go any further...and then encouraged us to go further. I will never forget the feeling of knowing I am only secured by a 13cm anchor in ice and backing myself over a hole and just trusting that if I fall backwards, I'll eventually have fun climbing my way out. But what is growth, if we aren't pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zones? What is the point of adventure if we aren't feeling uncomfortable in learning what our limits are and how we can push past them. We're stronger than we give ourselves credit for, we just have to trust our minds to prove it. So...I backed myself over the crevasse and I let go and when I felt like I was getting uncomfortable, Larry told me I was capable of more and he was right. And then, I climbed. He had given us a brief demonstration of technique which is, of course, easier said than done and most definitely involved some wrong footing, some falls and swinging by the rope before steadying myself again and with each foot I got closer to the top, I became more confident, more capable, more aware that it's not only a physical climb but a mental one as well. And I was hooked.

Day Five - The Summit Knowing we had a long climb ahead of us, we met Larry at 0630hrs with head lights, shivering and layered up but excited for the climb. The first two hours or so were spent scrambling and hiking up a steady incline, which, in mountaineering boots takes some getting used to. Larry gave us some pointers to avoid hot spots and we took occasional breaks to take in the gorgeous views. For anyone that has hiked with me, you know that for as often as I hike, you think I'd be coordinated except in reality I'm a total klutz and can't seem to stay on my feet. This unfortunately lead to me taking quite the tumble, jarring my knee on a rock and snapping my MSR trekking pole within the first hour. Having to rely on an ice axe for stability, which is significantly shorter than a trekking pole, and was not ideal.

Yours truly trying to use my ice axe for stability

After two hours of scramble, we stopped for a snack, put on our harnesses and crampons and tied ourselves in groups of 3 to begin crossing the glacier. I'll take a minute here to suggest that, while sugary carbs are an adequate way to keep up energy short term, and every single person in our crew brought candy of some sort...candy and -10 degree weather means you are going to be using up precious energy chewing on frozen candy. Stick to simple cards like tortilla wraps or bread and fats like nut butters and trail mix to keep you full and energized! Once we were separated into our rope teams, we began the ascent to the glacier, the leads had the toughest jobs due to being the ones to break path in the 2 feet of snow, the rest of us required to ensure that we didn't walk too fast, keeping little to no slack in our ropes (I, the natural speed walker, was not good at this.)

It took approximately another two hours to get to, and cross the glacier with a labyrinth of crevasses and surprise, surprise, more inclines. Due to minimal snow fall this time of year, most of the crevasses were very clearly visible and made this portion a good learning experience for how dangerous this could have been if they had been hiding under snow cover.

A section of crevasse we navigated around

We then began the steepest part of the ascent, the final portion before the ridge which was a leg burner, being still part of the rope team means no man or woman gets left behind but also doesn't give the opportunity to take any breaks.

The peak second from the left was our end destination

Once at the ridge we stopped for another break, removed crampons and began the hour scramble to our summit goal. Finally at the peak, the feeling of accomplishment was surreal, the view was even better and the laughter and smiles from the people around me made this moment exceptionally memorable. The climb was a mixture of rewarding, uneasy, exhausting, freezing and awe inspiring, a constant wave of emotions that changed with each footstep. The snow covered scrambles were technical, constantly needing to be aware of a solid foot placement, on the lookout for rockfall and false snow bridges, the glacier travel was exhilarating, nerve wracking and fascinating, the ascent to the ridge was a rush of adrenaline one foot in front of the other, tired legs and a wind burnt face. The hike along the ridge was a test of determination and confidence as the sheer drop-offs on each side of me taunted each misstep, watching rocks fall hundreds of feet before finding their resting place. The view - indescribable.

The Decent Two hours of quad burn, following absolutely no path, sliding/hiking down the side of the mountain in a switchback pattern so we didn't go tumbling head first into the person in front of us.

Total ascent: 6.5 hours (ish) Total descent: 2 hours (ish) Total climb time: 8.5 hours Time at the Peak: 10 minutes

As the quote at the top of this page states, you have to find a way to love every minute of the adventure, the joy doesn't just come from the view at the top. It comes from the journey, the company and the personal growth along the way. I am telling you right now that you aren't going to enjoy every single second, the bitter cold, the exhaustion and the adrenaline are going to take a toll on you but you have to learn to love the strength you find within yourself to push forward regardless of how you're feeling along the way.

I would recommend Yamnuska time and time again, every point of my experience with them was seamless, they were quick to answer questions via email or phone call, the rental gear was in great condition and Larry was a stellar guide who made the experience as incredible as it was. My only complaint from the entire weekend was the fact that basecamp for people out of province takes a lot of preparation, flying with enough warm gear and camp supplies and grit. If it wasn't for Larry and Dylan (the other guide that joined us) loaning us their Arcteryx gear and another wonderful human in our group loaning us a heavyweight duvet to keep us warm on the Saturday night in -20 degree weather and 20cm of snow, we would have been a lot more miserable. However, if you find yourself inclined to take this course or another like it, I highly encourage you to take the plunge. Just ensure you have enough of the proper gear and are prepared for the worst potential weather to make your time memorable and enjoyable on and off the mountain.