Dean Perez: Gravell Peak- Walk and Ski

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Gravell Peak- Walk and Ski

March 15, 2015

Gravell Peak: a mysterious little gem tucked east of Mount Currie, accessible via Green River FSR in the Pemberton Valley , near the airport, but don’t expect any terminal lounges here.

The Green River FSR was surprisingly well maintained, although a bit busy with logging activity around the 2 km mark. Just after crossing the Gravell Creek bridge, we veered right onto a smaller road. Unfortunately, about 1 km in, at roughly 380 meters elevation, our journey was halted by a fallen tree blocking any further vehicle passage. No valet parking here, we had to hoof it.

We took the West spur of Gravell Creek road on foot. Along the way, we encountered a road washout so deep it felt more like canyon exploration than a forest road walk. After that, the road gave up entirely to thick alder tangles, so we ditched the trail and began ascending the NW ridge of Gravell Peak.

The ridge was surprisingly friendly, steep but with nicely spaced trees that made the climb enjoyable. We hit snowline at 1500 meters and strapped on skis for the rest of the way to the summit.

At the top, the weather was less welcoming: low visibility paired with biting winds meant no summit selfies, no lingering, just a quick regroup and then ski down. The flat light on descent played tricks on our eyes, making us feel a bit dizzy, but the skis kept moving.

For the return, instead of braving the washed-out West spur again, we took the East spur back to the car, a slightly longer but much less canyon-like escape route.

Gravell Peak may be obscure, but it served up a solid mix of adventure, mystery, and enough trees to keep things interesting!