mavs00
New member
We've spent the last 10 days out west and some time here in beautiful Whistler, British Columbia. we've been here before, and for a few years now, we've (Nick and I) have been eyeing a few prominant peaks just north of town known as the Wedge Group. Specifically, we've wanted to do WEART PEAK, which at 9250' is the second highest peak in Garibaldi Provincial Park.
The climb is pretty rugged and involves a 7000'+ gain in less then 7.5 miles, including the final 3000' freeclimb to the summit (no route). There is a remote hut at 6200' at beautiful Wedgemount Lake, a jem green glacial lake. With Rainier looming next Tuesday and Wednesday, we wanted to do this hike early in our week here to allow adequate recovery. The clouds have been hanging low most of the week, so out went those plans. There was a break in the weather from Thursday though Saturday, so me an Nick decided to just start hiking and see what happens. we had 3 overriding goals.
1) climb as high as we could while still having fresh enough legs to feel comfortable and not sore the next day. 2) Spend the night at the lake hut (6200') as to help aclimatize us to thin air, and 3) Be off the mountain and resting totally by 3:30 PM (friday). With this in mind, of we set off with 40+ overnight packs for the trip in.
The wedgemount lake trail is the most rugged in the park. It's 4 miles straight up and climbs 4000'. What a slog.... In all of the 4 miles, all but 20-30 steps are UP. The crux of the climb is a 800' ROCK SLIDE to the lake. OH, but when you get there, you are REWARDED.
Wedgemount Lake is a glacial lake above the treeline that sits in the basin created by the Wedge group of peaks. It's gem green in color and surrounded by glaciers and high rock walls. It's beauty is breathtaking. BC Parks have built a TINY MOUNTAIN HUT up there which we used. It took us 2:37 to get up to the hut and while a tough climb, we were happy with our pace and how we felt.
After a nice dinner of Mountain House, we strolled back to the top of the cliff and WATCHED THE CLOUDS DANCE accross the valley into the Pemberton Icecap. Clearing was expected overnight and after a cold night (low's in the 20's), we awoke to BEAUTIFUL SKIES and even a little Alpenglühn at dawn on Wedge 3500' above us.
After a quick breakfast, we were off by 6:30 Am. From the hut, it's a free climb, meaning there is no routes or trail, only word of mouth descriptions and general go there, do this stuff (kinda like bushwhack descriptions here). Our plan was to head around the north side of the lake and skirt the WEDGEMOUNT GLACIER. Once around the glacier, we would shoot up the valley towards the Wedge/Weart col at ~8200'.
The whole area was one huge rockfall hazzard and every step was over TALUS & SCREE. It was like walking in the funhouse floating floors except much scarier since if these rocks gave on a steep sections, you'd surely hurt or kill anyone under you.
The scary section was a 3-tired route with each tier invloving a 500+ climb through a talus field carefully picking your way through. Blessfully, the final tier was A SNOWFIELD and much easier on the legs. It was good PRACTICE for Rainier. One steep SNOWSHUTE later, we made the col and were rewarded with amazing views to one of the largest glaciers in the park (WEART GLACIER).
At this point, it was decision time. It was 8:45 AM and we made the 2000' climb to this point in about 2:15. Our legs were a little more tired then we wanted due to the unstable talus we'd crossed. RAINIER was heavy on our mind. Weart towered 1000' feet above us along a easy scrambling high ridge (the hard part of the climb was over as the headwall is considered the crux). We could make the summit in 1:20 minutes of steady climbing which would 1) get us out later then we wanted, 2) put us at a level of fatigue that 2.5 days of rest might not be enough recovery time.
Our day was done, we choose the high spot on the ridge (at 2505 M - 8218'). and made it our SUMMIT. We sat down in the 25 degree chill and just took it all in. WEART TOWERING ABOVE US, WEDGE LOOMING EVEN HIGHER, and the LAKE FAR BELOW AND THE DISTANT PEMBERTON ICECAP.
Nick was slightly disapointed, but the decision was made easier by the great views we enjoyed. It took alot of disipline not to go for it, because we knew it was in our grasp. The weather was fine (just cold), the hard part behind us and we could almost touch the summit. However, the REAL GOAL was still a few days away. We could still very easily fail on Rainier, but we never want to look back and say that scalling ALL OF WEART had something to do with it.
Besides, just as important to us, this meant a more leisurely climb back through the iffy TALUS and rockfall areas. After all, one misstep or a ugly shifting rock would just as quicky end our trip. No sweat, we even had some time go out and play on the GLACIERS. We even got to stop and SMELL THE FLOWERS.
Back to the hut by 11:30 where I heated up a lunch and Nick built a FITTING TRIBUTE to this special place we will surely return to. We hung out and headed down the 4000' trail by 1PM, but not before one final PICTURE accross the way.
All and all, as I look back on it 24 hours later, we did the right thing. After a nice 10 hour sleep, both of us awoke with just a little fatigue in our quads (from the downclimb). Plus we slept at 6200', climbed over 6000 vertical feet to 8218' (which is higher then we ever have) still feel pretty darn good. Rainier, ready or not, here we come.
The rest of the PICTURES
The climb is pretty rugged and involves a 7000'+ gain in less then 7.5 miles, including the final 3000' freeclimb to the summit (no route). There is a remote hut at 6200' at beautiful Wedgemount Lake, a jem green glacial lake. With Rainier looming next Tuesday and Wednesday, we wanted to do this hike early in our week here to allow adequate recovery. The clouds have been hanging low most of the week, so out went those plans. There was a break in the weather from Thursday though Saturday, so me an Nick decided to just start hiking and see what happens. we had 3 overriding goals.
1) climb as high as we could while still having fresh enough legs to feel comfortable and not sore the next day. 2) Spend the night at the lake hut (6200') as to help aclimatize us to thin air, and 3) Be off the mountain and resting totally by 3:30 PM (friday). With this in mind, of we set off with 40+ overnight packs for the trip in.
The wedgemount lake trail is the most rugged in the park. It's 4 miles straight up and climbs 4000'. What a slog.... In all of the 4 miles, all but 20-30 steps are UP. The crux of the climb is a 800' ROCK SLIDE to the lake. OH, but when you get there, you are REWARDED.
Wedgemount Lake is a glacial lake above the treeline that sits in the basin created by the Wedge group of peaks. It's gem green in color and surrounded by glaciers and high rock walls. It's beauty is breathtaking. BC Parks have built a TINY MOUNTAIN HUT up there which we used. It took us 2:37 to get up to the hut and while a tough climb, we were happy with our pace and how we felt.
After a nice dinner of Mountain House, we strolled back to the top of the cliff and WATCHED THE CLOUDS DANCE accross the valley into the Pemberton Icecap. Clearing was expected overnight and after a cold night (low's in the 20's), we awoke to BEAUTIFUL SKIES and even a little Alpenglühn at dawn on Wedge 3500' above us.
After a quick breakfast, we were off by 6:30 Am. From the hut, it's a free climb, meaning there is no routes or trail, only word of mouth descriptions and general go there, do this stuff (kinda like bushwhack descriptions here). Our plan was to head around the north side of the lake and skirt the WEDGEMOUNT GLACIER. Once around the glacier, we would shoot up the valley towards the Wedge/Weart col at ~8200'.
The whole area was one huge rockfall hazzard and every step was over TALUS & SCREE. It was like walking in the funhouse floating floors except much scarier since if these rocks gave on a steep sections, you'd surely hurt or kill anyone under you.
The scary section was a 3-tired route with each tier invloving a 500+ climb through a talus field carefully picking your way through. Blessfully, the final tier was A SNOWFIELD and much easier on the legs. It was good PRACTICE for Rainier. One steep SNOWSHUTE later, we made the col and were rewarded with amazing views to one of the largest glaciers in the park (WEART GLACIER).
At this point, it was decision time. It was 8:45 AM and we made the 2000' climb to this point in about 2:15. Our legs were a little more tired then we wanted due to the unstable talus we'd crossed. RAINIER was heavy on our mind. Weart towered 1000' feet above us along a easy scrambling high ridge (the hard part of the climb was over as the headwall is considered the crux). We could make the summit in 1:20 minutes of steady climbing which would 1) get us out later then we wanted, 2) put us at a level of fatigue that 2.5 days of rest might not be enough recovery time.
Our day was done, we choose the high spot on the ridge (at 2505 M - 8218'). and made it our SUMMIT. We sat down in the 25 degree chill and just took it all in. WEART TOWERING ABOVE US, WEDGE LOOMING EVEN HIGHER, and the LAKE FAR BELOW AND THE DISTANT PEMBERTON ICECAP.
Nick was slightly disapointed, but the decision was made easier by the great views we enjoyed. It took alot of disipline not to go for it, because we knew it was in our grasp. The weather was fine (just cold), the hard part behind us and we could almost touch the summit. However, the REAL GOAL was still a few days away. We could still very easily fail on Rainier, but we never want to look back and say that scalling ALL OF WEART had something to do with it.
Besides, just as important to us, this meant a more leisurely climb back through the iffy TALUS and rockfall areas. After all, one misstep or a ugly shifting rock would just as quicky end our trip. No sweat, we even had some time go out and play on the GLACIERS. We even got to stop and SMELL THE FLOWERS.
Back to the hut by 11:30 where I heated up a lunch and Nick built a FITTING TRIBUTE to this special place we will surely return to. We hung out and headed down the 4000' trail by 1PM, but not before one final PICTURE accross the way.
All and all, as I look back on it 24 hours later, we did the right thing. After a nice 10 hour sleep, both of us awoke with just a little fatigue in our quads (from the downclimb). Plus we slept at 6200', climbed over 6000 vertical feet to 8218' (which is higher then we ever have) still feel pretty darn good. Rainier, ready or not, here we come.
The rest of the PICTURES
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