Seeing as we're talking about access issues, I talked to the BC Forest
Service in Golden yesterday and access to some major peaks in the west
Rockies via logging roads is becoming more difficult:
BCFS Sullivan River Road: This accesses the south end of the Clemenceau
and Chaba Icefields, most notably Tsar Mountain. The bridge over the
"gorge" was pulled out yesterday. All other bridges will be gone by the
end of the summer and the entire Sullivan River will be inaccessible
and peaceful again for the deer and bears and all that logging slash.
So Tsar is once again a fly-in mountain or a major hiking expedition it
sounds like. I snooze I lose.
BCFS Rice Brook: This accesses the S Face and E Ridge of Bryce. Also
the west side of the Alexandria group, although that would require some
bushwhacking I think. Apparently this road has been decommissioned too
and I was told it's probably impassable past the wire gate at the top
of the steep switchbacks before the road wraps around the corner into
Rice Brook. It was uncertain if the bridge over Rice Brook was out, I
am assuming it is gone.
It depends on the Brook crossing, but if that is doable either by
bridge or fording then to get to the start of the approach to the S
Face would be only 3-4 km walking along the road. Then it's the hellish
slog up the avalanche path, which is bad enough going down, I've never
walked up it.
The east ridge approach will be longer, probably a good 10 km. Not as
good as 2 years ago when I drove to treeline and had a leisurely 3 hour
walk to the bivy at the col, but better than in 1988 when Sylvia and I
walked in over the Saskatchewan Glacier, Castleguard Meadows and
Thompson Pass!
If the bridge over Rice Brook is gone, this would be an excellent place
for a work crew to go in and spend a day putting in a wire crossing or
something. Even if the road is eventually impassable for vehicles from
the Bush River, Bryce S Face would be only a long 3 or easy 4 day trip.
And the route is a reasonably straightforward objective technically for
clients, easier than the normal routes on Robson, Assiniboine, Alberta,
Deltaform for those 11'er chasers. A bit "physical" though, mostly in
the approach up the avalanche path. The E Ridge would also be 3-4 days,
and if a client had the skills to climb Assinibone they could do the E
Ridge. And if they can do the E Ridge they can do Alberta. Probably.
I may be going to Bryce later in the summer and will let you know if
what the stream crossing is like.
Mark
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