Fri, Aug 28 2009, Sat, Aug 29 2009, Sun, Aug 30 2009, Mon, Aug 31 2009 - Rogers Pass D- 5.5 (4 days) (View Original Event Details) Trip Leader(s): Mike W Participants: Mike W, Jacqueline Louie, akunimoto, Tyler Kirkland, Ian MacLeod

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Mount Sir Donald 3284m via NW Ridge (D- 5.4)
Friday Aug. 28, 2009
By Jacqueline Louie

A sunny blue sky day on Mount Sir Donald in good company – who could ask for more? We didn’t make the summit but had a great day out and learned a lot.

We wanted to do this climb on a weekday to avoid the crowds and potential rockfall hazard. That part of our plan worked well. But there were a number of other factors we hadn’t counted on that slowed us down.

It took longer at the Rogers Pass Visitor Centre than expected to get our backcountry permit, as well as the information we needed about the Sir Donald bivy site. The approximately 45 minutes we spent at the visitor centre meant we left the trailhead later than planned. It was pleasant and cool walking in the evening, but our 7:30 p.m. MDT start meant we didn’t stumble into the bivy site – 5.4 kms and 1,000 vertical metres later – until well after nightfall at 10:30 p.m. We spotted the biffy right away but took nearly half an hour to find the tent sites.

This is a comfortable bivy site with plenty of room. (On Saturday, the day we headed back down to Rogers Pass, there was quite a crowd of climbers including guides and aspiring guides preparing to do their exam). However, for anyone climbing toward the end of summer, be aware this location might not have running water by late August. (We found running water a day-and-a-half after our arrival, after descending from Mount Uto – it was a tiny trickle situated just above the bivy site). There is also water in a nearby standing pond, which we drank from after disinfecting.

Our late arrival Thursday night meant we didn’t start out until about 8:15 a.m. MDT Friday, moving up scree toward the upper moraine trail and arriving at the Uto-Sir Donald Col, at approximately 2,540 metres, at 9:15 a.m. Climbing in two rope teams, we moved up the ridge to about 2,830 metres, approximately one-third of the way up, before deciding to pull the plug as we weren’t moving quickly enough. We began descending at the top of the west face slab rappels, at rappel station #6 or #7.

It’s useful to practice beforehand on how to be organized on the rappels (which are 25 metres each). Most of the lower stations are tiny, and some are an extremely tight fit for three people. Once you get to rappel station #10, you must down climb quite a ways on fourth class terrain. It took us a while to find the top of the next rappel (#11) because it was located farther down than we had expected.

Recommendations: To do Mount Sir Donald in a reasonable amount of time, you need to be proficient at climbing very quickly up to 5.4, and placing and removing protection quickly. Maximum two on a rope. For a less experienced group, we highly recommend Uto (southwest ridge) which is much shorter and easier, but also a very good climb. Uto is a more appropriate objective for a club trip with less experienced participants, and could be used as a training climb for Mount Sir Donald.

Participants: Mike W (trip co-ordinator, rope leader), Tyler Kirkland (rope leader), Amber Kunimoto, Ian MacLeod, Jacqueline Louie (scribe).

Uto Peak 2927m via SW Ridge (PD 5.1)
Saturday Aug. 29, 2009
By Ian MacLeod

On August 29, 2009 we climbed the SW ridge of Uto Peak in the Sir Donald Group near Rogers Pass, BC. Mike W led the trip and the first rope along with Jacqueline Louie and Amber Kunimoto. Tyler Kirkland and Ian MacLeod formed the second rope team. We tried for an early start but it was around 7.00 am MDT by the time we wandered out of camp at the lower bivvy site and headed for the col between Sir Donald and Mount Uto. There was a good trail to the col which we made sure we took this time having not bothered the day before when attempting Sir Donald. Even early in the day the weather was warm and the forecast for hot and sunny held true.

We left the col to climb the SW ridge around 9.00am and the fun scrambling started right away. The rock was blocky and solid with good holds. We were roped up due to periodic sections with lots of exposure but only placing protection 'where required'. Some good-natured banter about when that might be and the discussions were usually after the event given we were 15-20m apart and out of sight of each other most of the time.

Scrambling was fun and sometimes challenging but not as sustained as the previous day on the NW ridge of Sir Donald. So it was nice to get to an occasional flat spot to take a breather, apologise to your rope buddy for swearing at him even though he couldn't hear you, and check out the progress of the rope team in front. This was a good time to get pointers on how to tackle the upcoming sections by watching the first rope team. Sometimes this helped and sometimes it just looked painful. The straddle technique (à cheval) is best left to those who enjoy that kind of thing.

There was an ultimately unsuccessful bid by the second rope team to summit first by traversing round to the south but their brief lead was dashed by a steep (and obviously little-travelled) final section. Not a recommended route. We all made the summit by around 11.30 and enjoyed the magnificent views.

We descended by the NW ridge with some fun downclimbing scrambling and a couple of rappels. To gain the descent gully required more rappels on steep sloping slabs and traversing between rappels. Eventually we reached a scree gulley to return to the bivvy site around 4.00 pm. We then packed up and hiked down to Rogers Pass before dark. A day that went to plan and was thoroughly enjoyed by all!

NOTE by Mike W
If you’re descending the NW ridge, you’ll come to a well-tracked gully at 689804(NAD83) that seems to lead down to the Sir Donald lower bivvy. However this gully cliffs out. You need to continue further along the ridge to the gully at 686805(NAD83) or the ridge at 685805(NAD83).

Mount Tupper 2804m via W Ridge (PD 5.3)
Monday Aug. 31, 2009
By Amber H. Kunimoto

On August 31, 2009, The Calgary ACC section climbed Mount Tupper in the Hermit Range by Rogers Pass, British Columbia. We departed Rogers Pass at 5:00 pm the previous day and headed up the trail to Hermit Meadows camp which took just over 2 hours with 810m elevation gain in 3.1 km. The weather was much cooler at this time so we were able to make good progress, even though we stopped multiple times to fill our faces with the delicious huckleberries that greeted us along the trail. Hermit Meadows is a beautiful camp site with a running stream and amazing views. Ian, Tyler, and myself decided to travel lightweight and we left our tents in the car. We stayed up until 1:00 am enjoying the beautiful evening staring at the stars nestled in our sleeping bags.

Woke up at 5:30 am and from there we followed the climbers’ trail and moraines NE until Tupper crest is reached. We then followed Tupper crest SE and then east as it turns into the west ridge of Tupper. Initially it requires nothing more than walking, but it eventually turns into fun and exposed scrambling up and down over a series of blocks along the ridge until the Hermit is reached.

The Hermit is a huge free-standing gendarme on the ridge crest that is visible from the Highway. Essentially one doesn't need rope until you come to a 20 m wall with 3 close-by route options. There is a 5.6 and two 5.3 route ascents. We took the route directly up a crack that was graded a 5.3, Mike set up a top rope belay at this point. Unfortunately the views were hazed due to the fires, but the weather was superb.

Our ascent took longer than anticipated so we quickly snapped some summit photos and made our descent with about 4 rappels. We packed up our gear at camp and hiked out. Our feet were raw but the abundant huckleberries and advil helped with the pain on the descent. We had to use our headlamps for the last 30 minutes of the hike. Thankfully arrived at the car and changed into clean clothes. We arrived back at the NW section of Calgary at 3:00 am.