News 2004
Space still available on ACC winter camps
Dec 22, 2004
For more information, visit www.AlpineClubofCanada.ca or call 403-678-3200, ext. 112
Marmot Women’s Ski Camp
Location: Rogers Pass, Glacier National Park, British Columbia
Date: February 27 - March 4 (6 days)
Cost: $995 + GST
Fairy Meadow Ski Extravaganza
Location: Selkirk Mountains, British Columbia
Date: March 19 - 26 (8 days)
Cost: $1895 + GST
Mystery Creek Ski Camps
Location: Mystery Creek, Whistler Backcountry, Coast Range, British Columbia
Week 1 Date: March 25 (eve) - April 2 (8 days)
Week 2 Date: April 1 (eve) - 9 (8 days)
Cost: $1895 + GST
Coast Steep Couloirs
Location: McGillvray Lodge, Pemberton Backcountry, Coast Range, British Columbia
Date: April 17 -23 (7 days)
Cost: $2995 + GST
Clemenceau to Columbia Icefields Traverse
Location: Central Rocky Mountains, British Columbia/Alberta
Date: April 29 (eve) - May 7 (8 days)
Cost: $1795 + GST
[top]
Fairy Meadows Hut Openings
Prime Fairy Meadow Powder Week Available, March 12-19 Twenty Spaces
Fairy Meadow February 19-25 Two Spaces
[top]
Hiking and road conditions in the Adirondacks / Conditions des sentiers et des routes dans les Adirondacks
francais:
Suivant les pluies diluviennes d’hier (jeudi) provenant de la tempete tropicale Frances, un avis special a ete emis par le Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) pour le parc des Adirondacks concernant les conditions des sentiers. Ceci remplace le message que j’ai envoye il y a une couple de semaine. S.v.p. restez sur les sentiers bien a l’epreuve de l’eau que j’ai suggere a cette epoque. Si vous etes incertain a ce quels sont, veuillez me voir lors de votre prochain sejour a Keene Farm et je vous aviserai a ce quels sentiers sont appropries en ce temps-ci. Voici l’avis le plus recent emis par le DEC:
Due a des pluies abondantes cette ete, les sentiers sont boueux par endroit. Les randonneurs sont avise de rester sur les sentiers et de marcher a travers les sections boueuses pour ne pas creer de nouveaux sentiers autours des sentiers originaux. Priere de porter des bottes a l’epreuve de l’eau et de la boue. LES PLUIES ABONDANTES ONT AUSSI AUGMENTE LE NIVEAU D’EAU DE PLUSIEURS RUISSEAUX ET DONC CERTAINS SENTIERS NE PEUVENT ETRE PASSABLE. Fin du message
Les routes qui etaient fermees hier de Montreal et Ottawa vers le parc due aux innondations sont maintenant reouvertes, en assumant qu’il n’y a plus de precipitation. La route amenant au stationnement du haut sur notre terrain restera fermee cette fin de semaine pour permettre l’eau de s’eccouler du champ principal.
David Gillespie, coordonateur volontaire de Keene Farm
English:
Following yesterday’s (Thursday) torrential rainfall from tropical storm Frances, a special advisory was released from the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for the Adirondack Park concerning trail conditions. This replaces the message I sent out a few weeks ago. Please stay on the hardened trails that I suggested at the time. If you are unsure as to what they are, see me while you are at Keene Farm and I will advise you as to which trails are most suitable at this time. Here is the latest advisory from the DEC:
Due to the high amount of rainfall received this summer, trails are muddy in many locations. Hikers are advised to stay on the trail and hike through muddy areas to avoid creating "herd paths" around those areas. Wear appropriate footwear for hiking through wet and muddy areas. THE HIGH AMOUNT OF RAINFALL HAS ALSO RAISED THE WATER LEVELS OF MANY STREAMS, LOW WATER CROSSINGS MAY NOT BE ACCESSIBLE. End of message
The roads that were closed from Montreal and Ottawa to the park yesterday due to flooding are now reopened, assuming of course that no further precipitation occurs. The road that leads to the upper parking lot on our property will remain closed this weekend to allow for drainage of the main field.
DavidGillespie, Keene Farm volunteer coordinator
[top]
Hiking and climbing conditions in the Adirondacks/Conditions de randonnee et d'escalade dans les Adirondacks
Herein is a message from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), Office of Natural Resources, Region 5:
Interior Conditions
NOTE: Due to the high amount of rainfall received this summer, trails are muddy in many locations. Hikers are advised to stay on the trail and hike through muddy areas to avoid creating "herd paths" around those areas. Wear appropriate footwear for hiking through wet and muddy areas. End of message
Based on my hikes of the past few weeks, in order to have a more pleasant hiking experience, I would recommend you to stay on the "hardened" trails in order to minimize trail impact and hiking in less mud such as Bald/Rocky Peaks, Giant via the Ridge Trail from Chapel Pond and Algonquin as examples of longer hikes; Cascade, Noonmark and The Brothers as intermediate hikes and finally Mt Joe, the Crows and Owl’s Head as shorter hikes.
Also, please note that all climbing areas are now free of the Peregrine falcons and are fully reopened for the remainder of the season. Always verify the following website for year-round information regarding climbing areas of the High Peaks region of the Adirondacks: http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/reg5/closedroutes.html
David Gillespie, Keene Farm volunteer coordinator
Ci-dessous est un message provenant du New York State Department of Environmental conservation (NYSDEC), Office of Natural Resources, Region 5:
Conditions des sentiers
NOTE: Due a des pluies abondantes cette ete, les sentiers sont boueux par endroit. Les randonneurs sont avise de rester sur les sentiers et de marcher a travers les sections boueuses pour ne pas creer de nouveaux sentiers autours des sentiers originaux. Priere de porter des bottes a l’epreuve de l’eau et de la boue. Fin du message
Base sur mes randonnees des dernieres semaines, enfin d’avoir une experience plus agreeable, je recommande que vous rester sur les sentiers bien a l’epreuve de l’eau pour minimizer l’impact sur les sentiers ainsi qu’avoir a ne pas marcher dans la boue tels que Bald/Rocky Peaks, Giant via le Ridge Trail par Chapel Pond et Algonquin comme exemple de longues randonnees; Cascade, Noonmark et The Brothers comme randonnees intermediaire et finalement Mt Joe, The Crows et Owl’s Head comme randonnees de courte duree.
Aussi, notez bien que toutes parois d’escalade n’ont plus d’activite de faucon pellerin et donc sont reouvert pour le reste de la saison. Toujours verifiez le site web suivant concernant les informations sur les sites d’escalade de la region des High Peaks des Adirondacks: http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/reg5/closedroutes.html
David Gillespie, coordonateur volontaire de Keene Farm
[top]
Update regarding Bear Canisters for the Adirondacks/ Mis-a-jour Concernant les Contenants a l'epreuve des Ours pour les Adirondacks
After attending a few meetings sponsored by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) earlier this year, it was determined that the education process about the proper use of bear-resistant canisters is to begin this season with enforcement for next year (2005). Emphasis will be on the secure placement and storage of all food items as well as other attractants such as trash and toiletries for those who intend to stay overnight in the wilderness areas. Also, bear-resistant canisters will be made available in some of the local outdoor retail stores and the High Peaks Information Center at Heart Lake either for purchase or rental.
It is the hope that by educating the backpackers of the proper use and storage of food canisters, incidents involving backcountry users and wildlife will be kept to a minimal. Following my statements is the official letter from the NYSDEC regarding its policies on this topic. Please do not hesitate to pass on this information to friends and any organizations that frequent the Adirondack Park. Thank you! David Gillespie, Keene Farm volunteer coordinator
21 mai 2004
Apres avoir participe a une couple de sessions initie par le New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) au debut de cette annee, il a ete determine que l’education concernant la bonne utilisation des contenants a l’epreuve des ours devra debuter cette saison suivi par l’application de la loi l’annee prochaine (2005). L’emphase sera surtout mise sur le placement secure et l’entreposage de toute nourriture ainsi que d’autres produits attrayants tels que les dechets et toiletteries pour ceux et celles qui ont l’intention de passer une nuitee dans les zones sauvages. Aussi, les contenants a l’epreuve des ours seront disponible dans certains magasins de plein air locaux et le High Peaks Information Center a Heart Lake soit pour l’achat ou bien l’allocation.
Il est espoir qu’en eduquant les utilisateurs de plein air quant a la bonne utilisation et l’entreposage de ses contenants, les incidents impliquant les randonneurs et la faune sauvage seront minimise. Suivi ce paragraphe est la lettre officielle du NYSDEC concernant les politiques sur ce sujet. S.v.p. n’hesitez pas a passer ces informations a vos ami(e)s et tous organismes qui frequentent le parc des Adirondacks. Merci bien! David Gillespie, coordonateur volontaire de Keene Farm
[top]
Route 73 closed between Keene and Lake Placid until May 27 / Route 73 est fermee entre Keene et Lake Placid jusqu’au 27 mai
Route 73 is closed between Keene and Lake Placid due to road construction until May 27, 2004. You will need to take Route 86 from Lake Placid to Wilmington and then to Upper Jay to get to our camp and vice-versa to Lake Placid. The Adirondack Loj Road and the Cascade Lake areas are only accessible from Lake Placid. All trails, trailheads, parking areas and the day use area around the Cascade Lakes are open, except for the lower Pitchoff Mountain trailhead parking area. The Owl’s head trailhead is open but accessible only from Keene.
21 mai 2004
Route 73 est fermee entre Keene et Lake Placid due a la construction routiere jusqu’au 27 mai, 2004. Vous devriez prendre la route 86 de Lake Placid a Wilmington et par la suite, a Upper Jay pour se rendre a notre camp et vice versa pour Lake Placid. L’Adirondack Loj Road et l’endroit de Cascade Lakes sont accessible seulement de Lake Placid. Tous sentiers ainsi que les stationnements et les aires de repos aux alentours de Cascade Lakes sont ouverts a l’exception du stationnement de Lower Pitchoff. Le sentier amenant sur Owl’s Head est ouvert mais accessible de Keene seulement.
-DG
[top]
DEC alerts hikers to muddy trail conditions in the Adirondacks/Conditions des sentiers dans les Adirondacks
Below is a press release of the trails affected by the mud season followed by recommended trails to do as an alternative till June 07, 2004. Please do not hesitate to pass this information to other individuals or organizations that frequent the Adirondacks. Thank you! David Gillespie
Ci-apres est de l'information sur les sentiers a evite due a la fonte de neige et la boue suivi par des recommendations de sentier a faire comme alternative jusqu'au 07 juin, 2004. S.v.p. ne pas hesitez a passer ces informations a d'autres individus or organismes qui frequentent les Adirondacks. Merci bien! David Gillespie
Hikers should temporarily avoid high elevation trails in the Adirondacks
With the start of a new season of outdoor hiking and recreation on public lands in the Adirondacks, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today urged hikers to be cautious and postpone taking any hikes on trails above 3,000 feet until early June.
DEC is asking hikers to voluntarily avoid trails above 3,000 feet, particularly high elevation trails in the Dix, Giant, and High Peaks Wilderness Areas of the northern Adirondacks, due to muddy conditions and the potential damage hiking can cause to vegetation and the soft ground.
To avoid damaging natural resources and promote safety, hikers are advised to only use trails at lower elevations during the spring mud season. Lower trails usually dry soon after snowmelt and are on less erosive soils than the higher peaks. DEC is asking hikers to avoid the following trails through June 7, 2004:
* High Peaks Wilderness Area - all trails above 3,000feet; wet muddy snow conditions still prevail, specifically: Algonquin, Colden, Feldspar, Gothics, Indian Pass, Lake Arnold Cross-Over, Marcy, Marcy Dam - Avalanche - Lake Colden which is extremely wet, Phelps Trail above John Brook Lodge, Range Trail, Skylight, Wright and all "trail-less" peaks.
* Dix Mtn. Wilderness Area - all trails above Elk Lake and Round Pond
* Giant Mtn. Wilderness Area - all trails above Giant's Washbowl, "the Cobbles," and Owls Head.
DEC suggests the following alternative trails for hiking, subject to weather conditions:
* Debar Mt. Wild Forest: Azure Mt.
* Giant Mt. Wilderness: Giant's Washbowl Roaring Brook Falls
* High Peaks Wilderness: Ampersand Mt., Cascade, Big Slide, Brothers, Porter from Cascade; avoid all other approaches
* Hurricane Primitive Area: The Crows, Hurricane Mt. from Route 9N
* McKenzie Mt. Wilderness: Haystack Mt., McKenzie Mt.,
* Pharaoh Lake Wilderness Area: Pharaoh Mt.
* Saranac Lakes Wild Forest: Baker Mt., Panther Mt., Scarface Mt.
* Taylor Pond Wild Forest: Poke-O-Moonshine
[top]
Bear barrels required for overnight stays in the High Peaks
Effective immediately, overnight stays in the High Peaks area will require the use of bear barrels. More information as to their availability will be made at a later date as far as local purchases or rental in the High Peaks region. Enforcement of this new regulation will likely occur for the 2005 season.
Débutant immédiatement, les nuitées dans cet endroit exigeront l’utilisation des barils à l’épreuve des ours. Plus d’informations sur leur disponibilité seront transmit à une date future en ce qui concerne l’achat local ou la location dans la région des High peaks. La mise en vigueur de ce nouveau règlement prendra place probablement en l’an 2005.
[top]
Falcon closures at Poke-O-Moonshine, Moss Cliff, and Washbowl Cliffs
Update: May 21 Please consult the DEC website for up to date info.
Effective immediately, cliffs will be closed to rock climbing at three locations to protect peregrine falcons. ALL routes on Poke-O-Moonshine Mountain and Moss Cliff at Wilmington Notch will be closed to climbing. At Chapel Pond, all routes on the Washbowl Cliff and Lower Washbowl Cliffs will be closed. Routes on the Spider's Web, and all climbing areas west of NY Rt. 73 will remain open to climbing at this time. These cliff closures will remain in effect until June 10, or until peregrine falcon nest sites are confirmed. Once nest sites are confirmed, climbing routes which may disturb nesting will remain closed, but routes which we determine to have no impact on falcons will be opened to climbers.
Débutant immédiatement, les sites d'escalade dans trois endroits seront fermées pour protéger lesfaucons pélerin. TOUTES parois sur Poke-O-Moonshine Mountain et Moss Cliff à Wilmington Notch seront fermées pour l’escalade. À Chapel Pond, les parois sur Washbowl Cliff et Lower Ausable Cliff seront aussi fermées. Les parois sur Spider’s Web et tous sites ouest de la NY route 73 resteront ouverts pour l’escalade en ce moment. Ces fermetures resteront en vigueur jusqu’au 10 juin ou bien jusqu’à les nichées seront identifié. Dès que les nichées seront confirmé, toutes parois qui risquent de nuire à ces nichées resteront fermées mais les parois qui sont determiné à ne pas avoir un impact sur les faucons seront réouvertes aux grimpeurs. Je vous informerai en temps et lieu.
[top]
A letter from Guide Cyril Shokoples on Jumbo Glacier Resort
Greetings Montreal Section Executive
And a special hello to those of you that I have personally met on courses and in the hills.
I just spent the last two days skiing in Jumbo Creek in the Purcell Range in British Columbia with RK Heliski. (I work part-time for RK Heliski in the winter.) I am sending this note to all of my friends, friends of friends and people that I think can make a difference in stopping what I think is an impending travesty that is about to befall that very area.
Please don't worry, this is not part of some advertising campaign or marketing scheme. If you have never received an email from me before you will likely never receive one from me again. Your name didn't come off some big emailing list so you don't have to ask to be removed. All I want to do is alert you to an important event in the mountains of Western Canada.
If you can't place who I am or where you may have heard my name before, I am a mountaineer and skier and have been a member of the Alpine Club of Canada for almost 30 years. I received the Silver Rope Award from the ACC in the 1980s and received the Distinguished Service Award just a few years ago. I also teach the national summer and winter leadership courses for the ACC and have guided at their General Mountaineering Camp for over 20 years. I am the immediate Past President of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides and received their Distinguished Service Award last year. In short, I am a dedicated mountain user and I didn't just fall off the turnip truck yesterday.
NOTE: This email is a personal plea and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the ACC, ACMG, RK Heliski or any other organization. I do NOT belong to WildCanada or the Jumbo Creek Conservation Society, but I do believe in most of what they say about the negative impacts of the proposed Jumbo Glacier Resort.
I want to bring to your attention an upcoming deadline regarding public comment on the proposed Jumbo Glacier Resort development in the Purcell Mountains of British Columbia.
I have supported some wilderness travel developments and opposed others, so I cannot be classed as a rabid environmentalist. I believe in an orderly and well thought out plan for environmentally sound expansion of commercial operations in the backcountry and I adamantly oppose the notion that Canadian wilderness should be made to look like the European model of mountain resort development. I have travelled to Europe on a couple of occasions and have seen why we should strive to preserve a substantial portion of our pristine wilderness as undisturbed as possible. There is a reason why so many Europeans travel to Canada. They want to see wilderness as it should be... WILD.
I don't oppose some of the orderly expansion and upgrading of a number of existing ski resorts but I do STRONGLY OPPOSE the proposed Jumbo Glacier Resort development.
If you already know about the proposed Jumbo Glacier Resort development and have not yet written to oppose development in a most important region of the Purcells, please do so as the deadline for submitting public comments is April 13. It is critical that you ACT NOW as some sources believe that the BC government is already leaning in favour of this monstrous development that in the opinion of one of my friends will "rip the heart out of the Purcell Mountain Range in BC." If you know nothing about Jumbo Creek please read the further information following the end of this email.
If you are a climber or an Alpine Club member, you should know that the proposed development will impact three of the nine 11,000 foot peaks in the Purcells. Jumbo, Karnak and Commander Peaks will be irreparably altered by this expansion. The Alpine Club of Canada has held four of its national General Mountaineering Camps just below these peaks in Farnham Creek in 1971, 1975, 1987 and 1991. Never again would a camp of this nature be feasible. Three of the area's classic mountaineering objectives would no longer be wilderness adventures as ski ski lifts would be right in the area of the summits. The views from all of the surrounding high summits would be marred by ski lifts and other structures. Only Howser Peak in the Bugaboos would have a view from an 11,000 foot summit in the Purcells that was not scarred by lifts and structures. That is a very sad thing.
There are already 6000 letters and emails that have been sent in opposition but the BC government is apparently not listening to the local and regional opposition. The only way to stop this project in its tracks is to overwhelm the decision makers with as broad a base of opposition as possible. If you live in BC or know someone who does, it is doubly important that you make your voice heard. You don't have to be a great writer or spend hours penning a reply. Just simply state that, "I oppose the Jumbo Glacier Resort Development." That is what they need to know. You can also easily go to the WildCanada website where form letters can be sent by you with the click of a button. The link to follow is: http://www.wildcanada.net/jumbowild/faxengine.asp
If you would like to send your own personal letter of opposition, the following people should hear from you:
Honourable George Abbott, Minister of Sustainable Resource Management srm.minister@gems6.gov.bc.ca
Mr. Martyn Glassman, Senior Planner, Environmental Assessment Office eaoinfo@gems5.gov.bc.ca
Honourable Gordon Campbell, Premier of British Columbia premier@gov.bc.ca
Wendy McMahon, Member of the Legislative Assembly wendy.mcmahon.mla@leg.bc.ca
If you want to educate yourself further, please go to the WildCanada website where you can follow links to information from both proponents and opponents of this development.
I apologize for this intrusion but hopefully you will recognize the impact this development will have on the Purcells and wilderness travellers in western Canada. In addition, the precedent this sets is frightening. Thank you for your patience and understanding in reading this far. I hope you actually have time to either send a letter or email opposing this development or gather further information to make up your own mind. In any case, please do so soon.
Sincerely
[top]
Jumbo Glacier Resort threatens undeveloped wildlands of the Kootenays
A group of foreign investors are trying to get government approval to develop a ski resort in the Purcell Mountains (Jumbo Glacier Resort). This will be an expensive resort in a wilderness area, likely affordable only to rich foreign tourists. In order to "mitigate" the effects of the resort development on the local grizzly bear population the developers will have to close almost 4,000 square km of wilderness to the Canadian public. This includes such well known destinations as Monica Meadows, Lake of the Hanging Glacier, and the Macbeth Icefield. For more information visit www.unofficialopposition.com. If you would like to help out, please go to www.wildcanada.net.
Dec 20, 2004
There has been a cancellation at the Bill Putnam (Fairy Meadow) Hut, March 12-19, 2005. The space can be booked by a group of 20 or two groups of 10. If you have group smaller than 10, let us know. If the hut is not booked by a large group by January 7, we will sell the space to groups of less than 10. The cost including hut and helicopter is $675 per week for ACC members and $725 for non-members. We are not supplying a guide or cook, although you are more than welcome to hire your own. For more information, contact Carole Perkins at cperkins@AlpineClubofCanada.ca
Two spaces are available at the Bill Putnam (Fairy Meadow) Hut for the Okanagan Section Trip during the week of Feb. 19-25, 2005. The cost is $735/person and cancellation insurance is available for $88. Contact Dave Rothwell at mountainphoto@shaw.ca
Sep 10, 2004
Aug 30, 2004
May 21, 2004
May 21, 2004
Apr 23, 2004
Apr 20, 2004
Apr 19, 2004
Mar 31, 2004
Cyril Shokoples
Mar 19, 2004
