May 28, 29/09-McBride Range Ski Traverse

McBride Range Ski Traverse-2 days

Andy Traslin
66 km
Asc 17,300 feet
Dur 41:08

The standard for this traverse used to be about 7 days. Ever since I saw a couple of crusty sun burnt people finish this traverse 10 years ago, I wanted to do it, but didn€™t get around to it. A remote traverse
So close to North Vancouver. Recently I heard it had been done in 18 hours. So I set off to try and match
It in at least one day. I knew the start and finish. I left early and got off to a good start on firm traveling snow. Going well into the Cheakamus river where I got turned back a few years ago. Arduous terrain with the fast melting snow. Skis off and on and off and on over and over again. Once past the river it was supposed  to be a straight forward climb up to Mt. Sir Richard. This wasn€™t the case as I started to get baked by the sun. I started to really slow down here in this zone. I finally made it to the col. No time to rest as the wind started blowing, and the realization of how big the slots were and how far out there I was. I didn€™t have time to get wigged out it was survival time. I seriously considered turning  around here,  but I pushed on through here following some animal tracks through the crevasses over  to Wolverine pass. From here It was a sketchy climb up steep slopes to gain the Forger glacier. Crossing the Forger glacier and one navigation error with a miserable ski and bushwhack through slide alder to gain drop pass the hard way. Once at Drop pass it was another steep climb up big slopes to gain ridge of Hour Peak. Once again not the time and place you want to be skinning but at this point I had no choice with warming temps that weren€™t cooling off overnight. It was just move forward one struggle after another but that was the only way I was going to finish, moving and slogging one foot in front of the other. One bivy on the ridge and another climb up to Mt. Luxor and some scary crevasse section. Another climb up to the Sphinx glacier and wet corn skiing. One look of the lake and I knew I was in trouble. Too my surprise the lake was starting to thaw out so I  had to contour around the outside of the lake, which was as sketchy as anything I had encountered. My ski edges flexing to the limit on the lake, like traversing a skateboard bowl lip, and once and a while I had to boulder with my feet in the water and pebble wrestle with my  pack and skis dangling and trying to force me into the water, which was as sketchy as anything I had encountered. Probably one of the worst trip ideas I€™ve made, but I finally completed the traverse and got to enjoy the ski out to Rubble creek.

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