Patrick – I finally took a look at your website, and I must say you’ve generated much nostalgia here. I’ve made so many extended trips to your Canadian Rockies in the ‘70s that came gushing from my memory banks. But, unfortunately, at 82 the body will no longer obey my commands. I can recall every minute detail of the crowning trip – a 10-day traverse with a buddy of the Brazeau Icefield in ’74. Leaving our car at the Poboktan Creek ranger station it was off to Endless Chain Ridge / Coronet Glacier / Valad Pk. / Mt. Henry McLeod / Mt. Brazeau / Mt. Warren / Mt. Warren / Monkhead / and down to Maligne Lake. Then walking 4 miles IN the lake (because the shoreline forest was so dense it was shredding our packs) back to the tour boat dock at the Narrows. Hitched a ride on the next tour boat back to its base at the north end of the lake, then hitched a ride to Jasper for an overnight room rental & bath, a steak dinner, and hitched a bus ride back to the car (Canadians are very accommodating to mountain travelers) such as us. Then on the way back to Seattle it was up Mt. Athabasca for sunset photos and back down in the darkness that night. None of this was LF, as the pack weight was 82 lbs including rope and all the necessary gear for safe glacier travel . . . sigh! I’ve always gravitated to the snowy places, rather than “desert rat” country, but I have to file a complaint : your Canadian snow is so dry it doesn’t compact very easily under the tripod feet (not at all like our local mountains in the Seattle area). And it makes it hard to go up 70* slopes, too.
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