Nice ice! - Matt J. Simmons

by Matt J Simmons
t h e w r it e r @ m a t t js im m o n s . co m
Nice ice!
Onwards and
upwards on
frozen falls
ryan f isher
w h at g o e s u p
must come
down:
To get back to ground le v e l
f rom th e top of a c limb
o f ten means rappelling, as
d e monstrated by this climber in
M a l i gn e Can yon ne a r Ja spe r.
10 | FEB/MAR‘11 | www.n orthword.ca
Winters are long in the Northwest. Rivers stand still in icy repose, mountains
hide behind clouds, and waterfalls freeze in silent cascades. Silent, that is,
until someone breaks the sleepy stillness with the swing of an ice axe. Ice
itself is onomatopoeic—crunching, dripping, cracking, groaning—and there’s
nothing quiet about the sport of ice climbing. The alpine activity is a sensory
experience heightened by the inherent risk and the thrill of watching the
ground below recede with every step.
“Ice climbing is a totally unique sport that threads a fine line between pleasure, pain, and fear,” says Jonathan Lambert, an enthusiast from Terrace. The
sport has its roots in mountaineering, but also exists on its own. Climbers
use ice axes and crampons (not to mention an arsenal of other tools) to safely
make their way up sheets of ice, usually frozen waterfalls.
“Climbing anything is fun,” says Derek Willmott, a Smithers schoolteacher
and climber. “It allows a degree of mental focus that clears out your mind
very pleasantly.
“The actual movement of ice climbing tends to be less gymnastic and
elegant than climbing on rock,” he continues. “For me, a lot of the appeal
is the fantastic scenery that you can climb through. Picture a sinuous river
of radiant blue ice winding upwards through convoluted rock canyons: giant
icicles, weird “cauliflower” lumps, freestanding pillars, all sculpted in shades
of green, blue, grey, clear. It can be truly stunning.”
Ice in all its myriad formations is beautiful. But climbing it—isn’t that a bit
strange? “Climbing frozen water is pretty contrived,” admits Scott McMillan,
another Smithers climber. “But what sport isn’t? You generally can’t rockclimb in the Northwest in the winter,” he explains, “so it’s a good way to get
your climbing fix without having to leave the country.”
Like most extreme sports, ice climbing requires some prior knowledge and
plenty of preparation. “It’s not something you should read about and then
just go out and do,” warns McMillan. “Take a course or go out with knowledgeable friends first. With good training and judgement it is a relatively safe
pursuit, but without proper training it can be very dangerous.”
Risk is one thing, but what about the pain? “Anything worthwhile involves
a certain amount of pain,” says Canmore athlete Will Gadd. “The interest
factor just has to outweigh the pain factor, and ice climbing is very, very interesting!” Gadd’s ice climbing expertise is unparalleled: he’s won numerous
awards, opened the hardest routes in the world, and continues to climb
competitively at an international level. Last year he climbed non-stop for 24
hours for a fund-raiser, ascending the equivalent of over 25,000 feet. “Even
after climbing ice for 30 years I still find myself laughing at the idea that I’m
actually climbing a frozen waterfall,” he says. “How weird is that?”
While the Rocky Mountains may be an ice-climbing mecca, northwest BC
has a lot going for it. “When the weather is right around Terrace and Rupert—
a good cold spell—the ice can be as good as the best stuff in the Rockies,”
says McMillan. Plus, he says, the Rockies have “thousands of climbs, but also
thousands of climbers.”
The Northwest is often defined by its emptiness, and in the world of ice
climbing, emptiness means potential. “Rounding a corner in an unfamiliar
creek canyon to come face-to-face with a curtain of green water frozen into
fantastical shapes is pretty neat,” says Willmott. “Like other outdoor activities
here, there is just so much room for exploring and discovering new places.”
Gadd agrees. “For me, new routes are my main interest,” he says. “I love
getting out and finding new stuff. All the fun of ice climbing plus the exploration, research, and pure guessing that leads to unclimbed ice!” The Northwest
is full of countless cascades waiting to be discovered and climbed.
The entire northern landscape changes in winter, and BC’s icy waterfalls
showcase the deep freeze like nothing else. The following is a short collection of ice-climbing areas throughout the region. Each of these locations is
an amazing sight in its own right and can be incorporated into a tamer trek
on snowshoes or skis. While most of these climbs are not directly threatened
by avalanches, accessing many of them requires travelling through the backcountry, including through potential avalanche terrain. Be safe. Be smart. For
more information, check out the user-developed site, northernbcice.wetpaint.
com.
Terrace-Rupert
The highway between Terrace and Prince Rupert
is a jaw-dropping scenic drive, and in winter it
just gets better. When the weather is right—
immediately following an Arctic outflow—there
are a number of climbs along this stretch of road
that easily equal Rocky Mountain ice climbing
but without crowds of climbers.
Weeskinisht
At the base of Weeskinisht Peak in Seven Sisters
Provincial Park, there is an unexplored climb
waiting for someone to head out and christen it.
To access, follow the Cedarvale Trail into the park
(Trails to Timberline by Einar Blix details the trail
itself) and scramble up the talus slope at its end.
Look for the ice in a gully to your right.
Exstew Valley
The Exstew climbing opportunities are best
accessed by snowmobile, as access is via an
unplowed logging road. In good weather, it’s
worth the effort. There are beginner, intermediate, and advanced climbs.
... continued on Page 12
Exchamsiks
When the ice forms on the Exchamsiks wall,
it becomes an astonishingly beautiful and
somewhat crazy sight. Climb it if you can, but
make sure you come back afterwards!
Rumbling Dragon’s Tail
One notable route on the highway itself, near
John Little Falls and the Exstew River, is this
enigmatically named climb that culminates
with an incredible view of the Skeena and its
mountainous surroundings.
Little Oliver Creek
This valley is blessed with a variety of climbs,
ranging in difficulty. There are a few ways
to access the climbs—check the website for
details—but the namesake creek is about 40
kilometres east of Terrace. The climbs here are
all named with the same creativity you find
on mountain-bike trails and rock-climbing
routes. “One Fierce Beer Coaster” is a personal
favourite.
Usk
Located in an avalanche path on the railway side
of the Skeena, the climbs behind Usk require
timing the ferry across the river and hiking the
train tracks. The view is suitably spectacular, but
watch for falling snow.
s l i ce o f i ce:
jo n a th an lambert
Terrace
Th e R u m bl i n g D r agon ’s Tai l rou te l oom s abov e
th e S k een a v al l ey n ear Exs tew, beck on i n g
i n t re p i d a d v e n t u re r s . A n y o n e re a c h i n g t h e t o p
w i l l be rew arded w i th a s tu n n i n g v i ew of th e
v al l ey, w eath er per m i tti n g.
Kitselas Road
There is an assortment of climbing opportunities
along the Kitselas Road by Terrace Mountain,
which itself has ice-climbing potential in a few
locations.
Kitwanga
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riding the dragon:
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Kitwanga Mountain
Near Kitwanga, on the Cedarvale backroad,
there is a cliff band that offers both ice and
mixed (rock and ice) climbing. It’s “a bit of a trek”
to access, but worth the effort.
C l i m b e r A n d y L e q u i re g r a p p l e s w i t h a
s e c t i o n o f t h e D r a g o n ’s Ta i l o n a d a y o f
excel l en t con di ti on s .
w w w. no rthwo rd .ca
| FEB/MAR‘11 | 11
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Hazelton
Porphyry Overlook
Located in a canyon on the Bulkley River
between Moricetown and Hazelton is a
couple of top-rope climbing routes. This
location could be good for beginners
heading out with experienced and
equipped friends.
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Hagwilget Falls
Hagwilget Peak is a formidable sight,
dominating the skyline behind New
Hazelton. At its snowy base is a climbable
waterfall, accessed by snowshoe. The
mountain itself is also climbable,
although summer is probably the more
sensible time of year for a full ascent.
... continued from Page 11
Stewart
On the road to Stewart—Highway
37A—there are incredible high alpine
opportunities. Ice climbing routes no
doubt abound, but most are unexplored.
Avalanche exposure along this stretch of
highway is very high, however, so alpinists
beware!
Smithers
Reality Check
Inside the ski boundary of Hudson Bay
Mountain, this cascade is visible from
town. It’s not a beginner climb, but
interested skiers can voyeuristically visit
its base on their way back to the lift.
Bob Quinn Lake
str aig h t u p:
derek wi l l m o t t
Sc o t t M c M i l l an l eads a st e e p,
w e t c u r t a i n h i gh above H ungry
Hill , ne a r Hou s ton .
12 | FEB/MAR‘11 |
Kinaskan Falls
On the far side of Kinaskan Lake (north of
Nigunsaw River and south of Dease Lake)
is an ice route that leads up from the lake
into a gully. To get there, snowshoe or ski
across the lake itself.
Netalzul Falls
This waterfall north of Smithers is
described as being located in the “middle
of nowhere.” Accessed by logging roads
and a bit of a bushwhack, it’s technically
within Netalzul Meadows Provincial
Park. Even the Parks website warns
that “Netalzul Meadows is not easily
accessible,” and this isn’t counting
winter conditions. But the hardest treks
often have the highest rewards, and
Netalzul Falls is a 100-metre cascade in a
spectacular mountain environment.
Little Joe Falls
These falls are located in Babine
Mountains Provincial Park. Skis or
snowshoes are necessary. To access the
falls, either follow the summer trail or cut
directly to the creek and follow the ice.
an ic e
locat i o n :
easy?
www.n orthword.ca
Silver Queen
Also in Babine Mountains Park, this ice
is accessed from the Joe L’Orsa Cabin in
Silver King Basin. While the climb itself
is advanced, the cabin and its scenic
surroundings are available to all for $5/
night.
s cot t m cm il lan / j erry hui sm an
D e re k W i l l m o t t
l ead s “ the eas y
seco nd pi tch” o f
M ean B ean, u p
to a hug e cav e
behind a giant
pi l l ar o f i c e .
d erek wi llm ott
S c o t t M c Millan climbs
the f i r s t p i tch of Mean
Bea n i n t he L i ttl e Ol i ve r
C re e k a re a n ear Terrac e .
H e i s b e l ayed from below
b y J e r r y Hu i s man . “Th i s
i s a g o o d ex am pl e of
the k i n d of s cen ery an d
set t i ng t h at attracts m e
t o i c e c l i mbing,” says
p h o t o g r a pher Derek
Willmott.
Glacier Gulch
There are several climbs in Glacier Gulch,
ranging from beginner to advanced. All
are accessed from Glacier Gulch Road. If
you’re heading out just to scope out the
scene, a pair of snowshoes are worth
bringing—the road is only plowed
partway and a short slog through the
snow is necessary to get to the ice.
Ningunsaw Falls
The Nigunsaw River is a tumultuous river
that meets Highway 37 north of Bell II. The
waterfalls—and associated climbing—are
directly off the highway.
Houston
Hungry Hill Falls
Hungry Hills Falls is above Helen
Lake, just out of Houston. This climb is
accessed by skiing or snowshoeing from
Summit Lake Road. It offers a great view
of Morice Mountain and the Telkwa
Range.