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Photo credit: Icefall Lodge
This trip targets a ski ascent of Mount Forbes with a helicopter approach to the Mons Hut where we will be based for up to 4 nights. The trip will take place on the best 5-day weather (cold and sunny ideally) window from - Wed. May 6 to Wed. May 13. The trip may be shortened to 4 days based on weather/conditions.
- The exact trip dates will be selected by the group 1 week before departure.
Itinerary · Day 1: 6-hour drive to heli staging area (approx. 51.7911, -117.1697: drivable end of the Valenciennes River Forestry Road). Fly in to Mons Hut. Set up an uptrack from the hut for the next morning. · Day 2: Ski ascent of Mt Forbes through the West Glacier, Rosita couloir, Rosita-Forbes ridge, then NW face / W ridge. Ski back down to hut. 1,600 m gain, 20km return. Expect a 16- to 18-hour day. · Day 3: Spare climbing day for Mt Forbes, or ascent of Mons Peak or Cambrai Mountain. · Day 4: Ski ascent of Mons Peak, Cambrai Mountain or Division Mountain. · Day 5: early start with descent (ski then bootpack) to vehicles traversing below Mons Peak (exposed to avalanches and rock falls). 1,500 m loss, ±5km ski then ±16km walk with skis on pack, many creek crossings. Longer if road washout on the way to heli staging area. Drive back to Calgary.
We will work in ropes teams of 3 to 4 persons. The max. number of participants is 10 (2 heli flights), and the min. is 4 participants (1 flight, to keep the helicopter cost per person manageable).
Other rope leaders will be selected first, then drivers. High clearance 4x4 vehicles are required to get to the staging area (1 to 3 vehicles, depending on the group size). If a smaller group of 4 or 5, we will likely fly from Golden.
Technical difficulty: Advanced mountaineering skills and good stamina: glacier travel with big crevasses; potential for WI3 ice climbing. Complex, big terrain regarding avalanche risks (>40 degrees slopes). Participants should have an AST-2 training or equivalent experience, and a few winter alpine routes under their belt (potential for easy mixed climbing). There are 2 main technical and physical challenges on this trip: 1) the Mt Forbes climb, 2) the descent from Mons Hut and return to vehicles (8 to 12 hours; do not underestimate the effort!).
Costs:
· · 4-night stay at Mons Hut ($2,000 for 10 persons + GST): $210 to $350 per night per person · Helicopter fees (fly-in only): approx. up to $530 per person (based on 7 participants). · Other: carpooling fees to the heli staging area: approx. $200 per vehicle, or ±$50 per person (not included in payment to ACC Calgary) · Total: roughly $800. $830 now shown on this posting, which is based on 7 participants.
A detailed budget will be shared with participants later, and the exact amount will be adjusted based on the number of committed participants. The ACC Calgary will offer refunds if the number of participants is 8, 9, 10, which creates cost-efficiency regarding heli flights and Mons Hut booking. There are a few other variables that impact trip costs, e.g. potential road washouts, which could extend flight time.
Gear:
Ski mountaineering gear. Some ice climbing may be found in the Rosita Couloir, and on Forbes NW face or West ridge: boot crampons, 1 mountaineering axe + 1 ice tool should suffice to pass those ice patches.
Readings: · Bill Corbett’s, The 11,000ers of the Canadian Rockies · David P. Jones, Rockies West · http://www.icefall.ca/icefall-traverse/ · https://perpetualski.ca/2015/07/forbes/
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