Capturing the Art of Nature
Wells Peak Reprised
Back in July the mountain blocked our attempt at the summit with deep snow. Today the snow was gone and we managed to tame the mountain.
Category
Serendipitous Discoveries
2012
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This year, September has proven to be a warm and dry month and with the likelihood of good week-ends Geoff thought we could try Wells a second time this year rather than wait for next summer to affect our revenge. So we were watching the weather reports as the month progressed and come Saturday the 15th we felt great at having a chance for a second go at the summit. Like last time we left the house at 6:30AM but this time the sun had not yet risen and we enjoyed glimpses of a colourful sunrise. After our traditional stop for coffee we were on the road and making good time for the start of the FSR. We took a brief second stop for some food items in Bridal Falls and then it was onto the logging roads. The drive up the rough road seemed to go faster this trip as the road had been travelled and we didn’t need to clear any branches.
Soon we were at the parking area and ready to head out. After getting organized we were on the trail at precisely 9AM. Having done the first section before, we made good time up the old road and into the forest. The day was still much cooler than last time and so I was able to keep up a better pace as we ascended the steep slope to the ridge. The ground seemed drier and so our footing was a bit more sure which helped us to keep up the pace. Before long we had reached the point where we first encountered snow last time but today the ground was dry and we could actually follow the trail. Thinking back to our previous attempt and referencing the GPS track we noticed how we had wandered off the trail. Today it went quite quickly as we could follow the established route which was easier than the one we had forged.
As we reached the ridge Geoff wanted to detour to the rock outcrop where we had eaten our lunch last time. Today it looked so different with the snow gone. There were trees all around us and the area looked so much fuller than when the snow was burying everything. After a brief rest and some photos we returned to the trail and hiked up the ridge to where the trail finally started to cross the open slope. During this section of the hike the trail was hard to find and we only found it sporadically. The slope was still very steep and uneven and we slipping quite a bit on the heather, so having learned from the Mt Hansen hike we put on our crampons and enjoyed better traction for the rest of the hike. In reviewing our path later we learned that we had ascended too high on the slope, which lead us into the gravel slide area. This was a challenge to get across but we eventually managed.
We finally made it across the slope to the far ridge where we saw a couple of cairns indicating the resumption of the trail. Here we were able to spot worn sections in places and so we started up the slope to the shoulder and a very narrow ridge that connects to the main ridge between the major peaks of Wells. This section was steep and we felt it a challenge but then we reached a 100 foot long section where we had to scramble and crawl up the slope. Our spikes made it easier but we had to be very careful as there wasn’t much keeping us from a few hundred foot fall. I was glad to get passed this section and onto the main ridge.
The main ridge between the south and central peaks was very broad and flat with lots of spots one could easily pitch a tent. We made our way to the central peak – it being the highest of them all. After a short hike we were finally at the true summit and shedding our packs and gear. It sure felt good to get that load off. The sun was warm but not overly hot and there was a warm breeze which cooled us off as we rested. After a few minutes we got our stoves out and cooked our lunch. It was great having a hot meal even in the warm sunshine. After waiting we gathered photos from the area around the summit and then I called home with my radio. I always enjoy chatting with home from the back-country as so few have the tools to do so. Done with Carolyn, I was flipping the dial back to our hiking frequency when I heard a CQ on the standard calling frequency. It was a high school student who was also on a mountain peak a bit south-east of Lillooet – 145Kms due north of us. I was surprised to hear her and so I stopped and answered her call. We ended up chatting for 20 minutes before I finally felt we had to get going. She was out for the week-end with her class mates camping on the peak. Several of them also had their license. She was using the same Kenwood handheld as me but she had a 4 element yagi for her antenna.
Once I was done with the radio we started down from the peak and decided to walk over to the southern peak as it was an easy walk along the ridge. While on this sub-peak we were buzzed by a tour helicopter. It was only 120 feet from me at it closest – the tourists inside were waving at me as they flew by – a bit distracted form the views. Done with the peaks and tourists we returned to the small side ridge we had climbed up to get here. This time we had to descend the bare steep section. Geoff made good time going down this area but I took a bit longer as I was having trouble finding adequate grips to help lower myself. But soon I was finished with the exposed section and onto flatter trail. We continued along the shoulder following the path we used coming up but this time we headed out for the broader slope and descended a bit faster that way though the loose gravel made for some challenging steps.
We eventually returned back to the side ridge and reached the cairns we saw on our way up. We added a few rocks to the markers to make them a bit more visible to those coming behind us. Resting for a bit we then set off across the open slope for the resumption of the trail on the far side. We still could not spot any trail markers along the slope and before long we realized we had stayed too high and gone too far! So we dropped down slope and doubled back towards the centre of the slope. It didn’t take too long before we were on our old path where we could actually see the trail. We made good time dropping down the trail – our spikes giving us the extra traction we needed for the faster pace.
Though it was hotter than on the way up the tree cover kept us from over-heating which allowed us to make good time on our descent. We were at the truck before long, exhausted and hot but feeling great that we had mastered the summit. We took our time getting packed up and but eventually we were on our way back down the road. The drive down went without problems and as we reached the highway we felt both relieved and a bit disappointed that we were done so soon. The drive home went quickly and then we were unloading the truck.
I found the hike to be tougher on my legs than the others I had done this year. This is likely due to the extensive amount of rough slope we had to cross in the middle of the trail. The heather field was very uneven and though one had decent traction the unevenness made for a difficult crossing. Not sure what to plan for next year – Mt Hansen for sure but beyond that we will need to think up a few options.