[MCR] Kemosabe ice climb, Waiparous Creek, Rockies: Feb 29, 2012

Subject: [MCR] Kemosabe ice climb, Waiparous Creek, Rockies: Feb 29, 2012
Date: Wed, 29 Feb 2012 19:11:37 -0700
Thick, blue, slightly brittle ice on Kemosabe today. Some hanging daggers on 
the right of the upper pitch threaten the area below.

The upper pitch felt harder than the grade, but we may just be getting soft.

Driving approach was shorter than I remember at just less than one hour from 
the Ghost River turn off to the parking at marker 131(on Ghost FLUZ map). Drive 
was in 2WD condition most of the way.  Creek crossing at marker 129 was 
straightforward with a thin breakable crust and water over a (apparently) solid 
base.  Parking before this creek crossing would only lengthen the walk by ~ 20 
minutes. We walked west on the cut line following the ridge south of Waiparous 
creek straight towards the route from marker 131. Good travel on some old 
tracks and knee to thigh-deep bottomless facets off the tracks: 1.5 hours from 
the parking. It looked like driving farther up Waiparous creek on the winter 
road towards marker 135, then walking south into the drainage, may shorten the 
approach time, but we did not try this option.

Josh Briggs
Aaron Beardmore

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Josh Briggs
Consulting Geologist / IFMGA Mountain Guide
✆ 403.609.9153
www.briggsconsulting.ca
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