Thursday July 2. And that was Peyto Hut, our cozy abode for 2 nights. After an oatmeal breakfast we packed up and cleaned up. One of my tasks was to empty some leftover bison stew and pasta into the outhouse. It is not a fun thing to do. The outhouse, as you can imagine, has a strong pungent stench of the excrement of many mountaineers. And in I go, with bowls of food, to throw the leftovers into the hole. It’s a whole lotta smells!
Wednesday July 1. Happy Canada Day! At 7:30 am, after a heaping breakfast of eggs, bacon and hash browns, we assembled our gear and descended from Peyto Hut. In the distance, Mount Habel rose to the sky- glaciated on either side, snow covered in parts, and rocky as expected. At an elevation of 3087 metres, this would be the peak that we would conquer. The only thing that stood between us and the summit was the ice… no big deal. The previous night, there was a huge thunderstorm of rain, hail, cracks of thunder and flashes of lightning. The rain melted some of the snow leaving the ice exposed and the remaining snow a land of slush.
Monday June 29. The first night in a new, unfamiliar place can be rough. I can’t say I had the best sleep. Even though the foam mattress in Bow Hut was comfortable, it’s just never the same as the comfort of your own bed. I had the top bunk all to myself, but even with the window open all night, I was roasting in the sleeping bag. Like, full on sleeping in a pool of my own sweat type of roasting. It was gross. I awoke to find breakfast ready on the table- pancakes, bacon and coffee. Yamnuska Mountain Adventures certainly had not disappointed with the food thus far!
And so the mountaineering adventure begins!
Sunday, June 28. It was an early start to the morning. I was up at 5:30 am for the requisite coffee and eggs breakfast before gearing up and driving to Canmore for 8:30 am. For what, you ask? Months ago I signed up for the 6 day Introduction to Mountaineering course through Yamnsuka Mountain Adventures. I have been hiking and scrambling for many years, but glacier travel was a bit beyond my scope. It was time to explore those skills, and the mountains accessible once you have those skills. After arriving at the Yamnuska office in Canmore, I met the tour guide James Blench along with the rest of the crew. To say he’s experienced is an understatement. Apparently he’s quite the legend: he’s been guiding since the 70’s and he’s one of the original Yamnuska guides. He’s led trips all over the Rockies and spent many years guiding in Peru. He’s also an international mountain guide, certified through the IFMGA. We were definitely going to be in good hands. Slowly, the six soon-to-be alpinists arrived, all of us wondering what the next six days would bring: a young 18-year old from Norway; an outdoorsy gentleman from BC; a couple from Cochrane; and a guy from Ontario. And then there was me… inexperienced, and ready to learn!
HIKES & HAMSTRINGS 