Mt Harvey Nov 30, 2006

Mt Harvey - Nov 30, 2006

John Baldwin's classic ski touring book is well known by B.C. backcountry ski tourers. It has many obscure references to places that seem like unlikely ski destinations - perhaps if Vancouver was 10 degrees colder it might be decent ski touring. We've just gone through one heck of a cold snap and a lot of snow. Our plans to ski Baker shelved by uncertain road conditions, we decided to head just up the road and tour Mt. Harvey, an area just north of Lions Bay - only 15 minutes drive from Vancouver.

Grahame and Rob are members of Lions Bay SAR and are preparing at the trailhead to the popular hiking route to the Lions. Quote Grahame: "I can't believe we're skinning up from here. I can't believe there's much snow. Is this November?"

The trailheads here are all marked by hippies.

It wasn't all roses. Lots of blowdown means that all Doug's hard work brushing the trail was undone. Here Rob shows another side after coming off worst going up against slide alder and broken cedar.

Sharon and Grahame taking the easier path bushwhacking.

Photo ~Rob McLachlan

Breaking out into sun at the 1000m mark (trailhead was at 240m). There are boats and tugs towing log booms in Howe Sound not too far below us.

Snow depth at 1050m is about 150 cms but highly variable and without much base - lots of ski and foot pen all the way to ground. We dug our first pit of the season - first 10cms of new storm snow from last night failed on CTE3. No result on other layers. New snow was 4F, layer at 10cms, no perceptible facets or w/s, layer at about 65cms extending 5 cms of 1F snow and rain crust at variable points on the slope between 80cms to 120cms buried. Aspect was W, NW. Some supported crust on W slopes (possible solar?). Anyway, to make it short, it seemed pretty bomber.

It got warm pretty sudden so we decided to get a few runs in before snow went to the doghouse. Grahame drops in.