Sometimes, the mountains throw surprises at you, and not the kind involving powder stashes or summit views. This weekend’s Mamquam trip was a solid reminder that backcountry travel means expecting the unexpected... and being ready to MacGyver your way out of it.
Day 1: Mamquam Misadventure
The plan was a casual ski tour into the Mamquam area with an overnight at the cabin, some exploration, and a possible summit. That plan took a sharp turn downhill, literally,when Chris' Dynafit toe piece ripped clean off while descending to Ring Creek.
For a moment, it felt like the trip was over. But, after some classic backcountry ingenuity, duct tape, Voilé straps, and some questionable engineering, we managed to MacGyver the binding back onto the ski well enough for Chris to skin back up to the cabin. Crisis (somewhat) averted.
We made it to the Elfin Lakes cabin, slightly rattled but still in good spirits. A warm shelter, some food, and a night under the stars (well, plywood roof) made everything feel a little less disastrous.
Day 2: Little Diamondhead & A Mental Note
With Chris’ ski situation still technically "held together with optimism," we opted for something more mellow. We headed out for a short tour to Little Diamondhead with Craig.
The weather held, the snow was decent, and morale was surprisingly high considering our mechanical adventure. The tour itself was uneventful, and it felt good to be moving again without breaking equipment or spirits.
At some point during the tour, I ended up leaving Craig behind, even though he was totally okay with it. But looking back, that was a dumb move. In the backcountry, no matter how confident, how mellow the terrain, or how competent your group, you stick together. It’s just one of those golden rules. I definitely learned that lesson (the hard way, thankfully without consequence).
 |
| Chris and Craig skiing down to Ring Creek |
 |
| Jason, Chris, and Craig crossing an avalanche debris down to Ring Creek. |
 |
| Little Diamondhead and Atwell Peak |
 |
| Craig at the base of Columnar |
 |
| Squamish Valley |
 |
| Atwell Peak |
 |
| Craig on the summit of Little Diamond |
 |
| Mamquam |
 |
| Pyramid group |
 |
| Craig skinning back up to Gargoyles col. Atwell in the background |
 |
| Craig skinning back up to Gargoyles col. Atwell in the background |
 |
Skiing back to the hut. |
No comments:
Post a Comment