Date:
September
10, 2006
Participants:
Author and
Carrie
Distance:
Est. 10.5km
Elevation
Gain:
900m
Maximum
Elevation:
2500m
Elapsed
Time:
5 hours
Published
Routes:
Kane
Published
Rating:
Easy
Difficulty
- Endurance:
3.5
Difficulty
- Technical: 2.5
(3 in one spot)
Not having
much time to devote to a hike we decided to try the relatively short route up Grizzly Peak.
Warning: although a very technically easy climb, (a hike), this route
is not suggested for a winter ascent. The slopes that you must contour around
would be very avalanche prone when loaded and the confined trail and steep slopes would be a nightmare to climb when snowy
or icy. In fact, even wet conditions would make parts of this trail a recipe
for a bruised ass.
Although
not a route finding challenge by any means the easiest line up to the summit can be confusing.
My recommendation would be as follows: Follow the clear trail on the north side of Ripple Rock Creek. About 20% of the way up you will encounter a small broken rock band that will require a few very easy third
class moves (maybe). After this minor rock band the trail continues to contour
around the mountain gaining elevation. There are a few spots where the trail
appears to dissipate and appears that it may head North up the slopes, do not go up as you will run into 4th/5th
class terrain. Just keep following the trail as it rises gradually and contours
around to the backside of the mountain. After the first little rock band mentioned
above, you should not run into any other technical difficulties (but for a few spots where the trail may be washed out a bit). You will eventually make your way around the back of the mountain and come to two
major forks in the creek bed that is rising to meet you but still is 50-100m below.
At the point where the trail dissipates in the grass (before you cross to the middle grassy section), make a 90 degree
left turn and head up immediately towards the rock. In about 50-100 vertical
meters, about in line with a clump of trees in a minor drainage filled with scree you will intersect another well worn trail
similar in type to the one that you were just on. This is the trail that has
been worn into the hillside from people descending. If you look back down you
will see at least 2 other faint trails at varying contour levels carved into the hillside.
Don’t follow these as they are fainter animal trails. The two trails
that I am talking about are major human trails, the top one of which is almost at the rocks.
Follow this trail as it leads diagonally up though a couple scree bays and up some loose scree to the col between Evan-Thomas
and Grizzly. Turn west and follow the moss and grass to the top. Just before the cairn you will encounter some mild exposure for a few meters where the ridge narrows a
bit (still wide). On return reverse the directions. Don’t follow the top most descent trail all the way as it will fade out on 3rd class rock. BTW the descent will be the kind of very steep 2nd class trail that will
kill your knees as you arch forward to keep balanced….
