Exploring the Kootenay Wilderness

Gerald, one of the local fellows here, has an annual "hiking trip" that he refers to as the "Thrash & Bash" off somewhere in the wilds of the Koots. The name quite accurately implies the nature of this trip. This year, however, the trip was a bit different. Gerald decided that it would be "interesting" to make a traverse from the Howser Creek drainage over to the Glacier Creek drainage using Echo Creek as the access valley and crossing the Macbeth Icefield. The only unusual concern was the glacier crossing, something not part of his extensive set of experiences. I've known Gerald for a few years now and have hiked and skied with him so he'd heard about some of my trips. I was invited along to help out with the glacier travel part of the route.

The original plan was to take 3 days (2 nights) to make the trip but we ended up using almost all of 4 days. Only a small part of the first day involved thrashing and bashing, as we made our way up the Echo Creek drainage which we reached by driving north along Duncan Lake, north-east up Howser Creek and finally up a logging road that wound it's way up an impossibly steep mountainside. I think our starting elevation was about 1800 meters (Kootenay Lake is at 600 m).

Route selection was entirely by map, there being no trails where we were going. Each corner and pass was new, and we never knew if the next corner would present impassible obstacles. Terrain is steep in this part of the mountains and although some sections looked a bit iffy, each new descent and climb and each new pass flowed into the next perfectly.

Our first night was by a peaceful alpine lake after about 4 hours and 600 m gain. The next day involved lots of "side-hilling", much climbing up rubble slopes and going back down on the other side, a brief crossing of a small bit of glacier and finally to our campsite (visible in the photo) by a small lake at the bottom of a snow gully along the side of one end of the Macbeth Icefield. Day 3 we crossed the Icefield, only spending a short time negotiating the labyrinth of open crevasses where we joined the Icefield. At an elevation of about 2700 m, the snow was fairly firm and there were no issues encountered (meaning none of us fell into anything!). A quick ascent of part of Mt Fleance and we headed for the rock bands at the glacier's end. We camped that night by the lake at the toe of the glacier; all of us were too tired to face the prospect of the hike out after the day's exertions. Eating and resting were higher priorities.

That night we enjoyed a lightening storm and some rain but the next day dawned clear and fine. It still took 4 hours to hike out the newly-cleared Macbeth Icefields trail and another 4 hours to go fetch the other vehicle and drive home, so a long day even if it was just logistical maneuvering. Gerald claims to be hooked on glacier travel and is already searching out the next trip. All of us had a great time exploring the Koots. Thanks to trip companions Gerald, Dan and Osa.

Pictures are posted here.