The Red Lobster Journal for 1975

Golden Ears with High School Students, Chipmunk Creek,
Mt. Foley, North Face of Castle Towers


Golden Ears - With High School Students!

As I remember it, I was teaching at Webster's Corner Elementary and I got a call from Randy Wheating asking if he and Ryan Shellborn could meet with me. When we met he asked if I would be interested in taking him and one or two of his friends up the Golden Ears. Randy and his friends seemed like nice high school students so I said I would. I asked Alan Lizee if he was interested in coming with me, and that's how my relationship with Randy Wheating, Ryan Shellborn, and Gordie Shellborn.
We made it as far as Panarama Ridge that first day, only to have it cloud in and snow during the night. It was spring and the snow was wet and heavy. You couldn't see far. I had the cigarette addiction at that time and I have forgotten my cigarettes. I was miserable. I was cranky. I was not a happy camper. Does the picture show that? Needless to say we had a breakfast of sorts, packed up, and headed down.

The trip was not what we had hoped in terms of weather and destination, but it was the beginning of great friendships that have lasted till this day (2007).



Chipmunk Creek - Chilliwack Creek area
Alan and I went for a hike up the Chipmunk Creek valley hoping for an opportunity to explore new territory and perhaps get access to the Lucky Four Group. As the picture suggests, it was a wet trip. To me the picture suggests how keen we were in those days to get out, even when the weather wasn't great. The only way Alan would have taken a full set of rain gear is if he expected to get full on rain. Well, we did.



Mt. Foley - Chilliwack River area
Alan and I made a trip to the site of the former Batzer Hut on the south side of Welch and Foley. As I remember it, there were another couple of young guys who were equally optimistic about the chances of good weather that weekend. They camped next to us on the flat area where the hut used to be.

We spent two nights there and we spent our second day doing some minor hiking about, but the winds were high and it snowed off and on all weekend. Again, I can see in the picture that Alan had is trusty yellow rain pants along.

I remember that Alan had brought up some prepared vegetables for that trip. They tasted great.



Golden Ears - Golden Ears Park
Lynn and I did an overnight hike around the back of the Golden Ears. We camped low on the road but had glorious views of the north face of Edge and the weather was good.

The next morning we were able to easily hike up to the eastern part of Panarama Ridge. On the way down, we were able to do bum slides! A fun trip.


North Face of Castle Towers - Garibaldi Provincial Park

Late in the summer, Garvin Morris and Alan Lizee suggested that we go and climb the north face of Castle Towers. I hadn't done that much climbing that year, but I wasn't going to let that stop me from doing some seconding.

Whenever I think of the "north face" of anything, I think of some of the books I have read about north faces and the thought conjures up visions of epics. I was excited about the thought of doing the north face of Castle Towers.
We made an early start on the trail up to Black Tusk Meadows and went up and over the Helm Glacier and down to a campsite at Gentian Pass. The view above shows the north face of Castle Towers. We climbed up the right hand part of the face that is in shadow and came out on the ridge just in the gap immediately to the west of the summit tower.
On the way up the next morning, Alan practiced a little ice climbing while we were taking a break in a crevasse. He always has so much darn energy!

The climb on the face was a lot easier than what he was climbing here. Thank goodness!
The morning light was wonderful. It was cool, and the glacier was interesting but safe, in spite of the view in the picture above. The climb up the glacier to the bergshrund on the north face was interesting because of the route finding amidst the crevasses and occasional seracs. After creating a good belay at the burgschrund, Garvin lead the first pitch.The picture above is actually the last pitch of the climb, leading out from the belay at some rock Alan had set up.
After Garvin had done the first pitch, I climbed up to him and anchored myself the best I could. Alan then came up to me and kept on going as he was third. He made his was up to a small rock outcropping and used a few chocks to anchor himself. I then climbed up to him, anchored myself, and Garvin did the last lead . This picture above shows Garvin just setting off from the end of the first pitch. The burgschrund is the lip even with the top of his pack. If memory serves me correctly, the face was about 45 to 50 degrees.
The summit was a short scramble immediately to our left from where we topped out. Here Garvin Morris and I enjoy the view. Mt. Garabaldi is seen between us, and Sphinx on the left edge of the picture.

The picture to the left shows the view to the south. You can just make out Mt. Baker on the hazy horizon with Judge Howay or Robie Reid on the left of the horizon. Coming closer, Mt. Carr is in the middle top of the big snow fields, and in the foreground, Phyllis's Engine.

We descended via the west side, broke camp, and hiked out all the way to the car. I taught school the next day and was very tired. I was told Garvin took the day off! Doing that as an overnight climb from the car was pushing it a bit. It would make a great two night trip.