Always a treat to read Jeremy Blumel’s bi-monthly column in The Chief Newspaper.
Climbing treads the line between life and death, sport, self-exploration and lifestyle.
After reading Leigh McClurg’s June 4th Squamish Chief story about failure in the mountains, “Turning back: It’s not failure,” I reflected on a recent time when I turned around before the top, failing to reach the summit because of dwindling time on the clock. My bitter-tasting failure soon mellowed into the sweet wine of good judgment and enriching experience.
It was 10:30 a.m. on the day when I came up with the plan to scramble up Mt. Habrich via the West Ridge. In hindsight, this was a bit late, as start times go.
I flitted around the house frenetically, snatching the gear I thought I needed. Small pack, wind shell, one litre of water, food, shorts, shirt, socks and extra socks and trail runners were the basics to explore how the gondola has changed the experience of summiting one of the coast’s sub-alpine granite peaks.
Stepping out of the gondola car, my shuffle already playing, I jogged off down the dirt road towards the Shannon Creek Valley. You might wonder why I didn’t go towards Al’s Habrich Ridge trail if I was heading for Mt. Habrich. This trail is a more scenic route created by the gondola trail builders, but with more distance. I chose the old tried and true climber’s route that begins down the road to Sky Pilot.
Once at the old campfire ring, I headed hard left up the climber’s approach trail to Mt. Habrich. This trail is flagged and well worn but so steep it feels like the dirt version of low-angle rock climbing. Up through the forest I went, marvelling at the angle the trees grow at compared to the ground. Spat out and wrung out on the saddle west of Mt. Habrich, the mountain loomed above, impossibly high with an unreachable summit.
See the full article at The Chief.