Changed access for Sky Pilot and Habrich- what does it mean?

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J Mace
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Post by J Mace » Tue Apr 20, 2010 3:58 pm

There is (or was) a gate just off the highway, at the turnoff at the top of the long straight hill.
The gate BCMC has a key for is the one that is part of the golf course not the one off the highway at the top of furry creek hill, if thats what you were referring to.

However you can go in that way, I bushwacked up the marmot creek approach from there, not bad not good, or you can head up to the Park Lane dam then up to Sky Pilot, but again I wouldnt recommend it.

Basically walking to LOE via Stawamus and then Shannon cr is not a big deal, the route is spectacular and people should just bike ride in.

You must be a member and you must reserve in advance for the BCMC key, I know because I am not a member...

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Post by Dru » Wed Apr 21, 2010 5:41 pm

psi4ce wrote: can someone figure all this stuff out and post a nice map or topo for me? 8)

A competent 4x4 vehicle is likely involved.
Image

Red is the road that has been reopened, the Stawamus-Indian FSR, as far as the pass (end of line)

Blue is the Shannon Creek Road that is the usual access to Habrich and Sky Pilot.

Blue star is summit of Habrich.

X on the blue line is the giant boulder blockade that is as far as even most jacked up 4x4s can drive on the Shannon Creek road. From here to Habrich is about 2 hrs/10km of hiking. Not much faster with a mtb on the way up but way faster riding it on the way back down.

See McLane's "Alpine Select" guide for more precise, but still out of date info

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Post by Brendan » Wed Apr 21, 2010 8:15 pm

Awesome. Thanks for posting that Dru!!

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psi4ce
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Post by psi4ce » Thu Apr 22, 2010 7:21 am

Yeah thanks, that's cool!

So rather than follow the blue road for 10km, why don't people just drive to the end of the red road and hike straight up? More effort? Terrain is difficult? No opportunity to use MTB on descent?

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Post by Dru » Thu Apr 22, 2010 8:30 am

The blue road goes right to the base of Habrich more or less, you do have to hike up from the road end via a gully to the climb, takes about 45 minutes.

From the red road... you have to bushwack all this,
Image

Then drop back DOWN from that col to the end of the blue road, a loss of about 300m.
Then climb up the same gully as you would when you approach from the blue road.

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psi4ce
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Post by psi4ce » Thu Apr 22, 2010 8:35 am

Thanks!

I am now an expert on the Habrich approach 8)

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Post by Dooley » Thu Apr 22, 2010 8:43 am

Yeah me too.

I will go for a drive and look at the boulder blockade. I still want to get to km 10 of the red road to see where the road is impassable (bridge out), so I may do both and will report back on Monday.
When in doubt....run it out!!!!

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Post by Brendan » Thu Apr 22, 2010 6:56 pm

We are all experts on the matter now!!

I love pictures. It reminds me of school and learning with pictures :oops:

Dru
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Post by Dru » Tue May 04, 2010 6:15 pm

Some current info on road status and ongoing logging here
http://www.clubtread.com/sforum/topic.a ... C_ID=35059

Sounds like you can drive to near Fluffy Kitten :)

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Great news

Post by Mr.Sleazy » Tue May 04, 2010 10:38 pm

This is really good news, and pretty much unexpected too - I thought MoF would permanently close that road just to save the money.

I was up there 2 weekends ago to snowline, which at the time is right at the trail access to Fluffy Kitten. Yes you can drive right there with a half decent vehicle, the road has even been graded and repaired to the Kitten trail, it is possible to do it in a car if you are real careful (yes I know first hand).

The Shannon road (blue line in map above) will never ever be opened its a lost cause. Its possible to get past the boulders with a dirt bike or mtn bike, from the boulders its 2-3 hrs to the trail up to Life On Earth.

The Kitten won't be climbable til early July.

Also wanted to leave a warning - our rope bridge over the Stawamus at the Kitten access is not in the greatest shape. One of the base strands has snapped and the bridge itself is now about 14 years old so watch out. By july when the Kitten is good for climbing you probably won't need the bridge anyways, the river is low enough to boulder hop and no big deal if you fall in anyways.

Here are more access details:

http://www.rockclimbing.com/routes/Nort ... __Habrich/

Photo below shows Habrich summit from the northeast side (fluffy kitten is off to the left out of frame). LOE is on the other side of Habrich around the right skyline.

Not practical to bushwhack from the NE side to the SW side in fact that is crazy talk. It would be much much more difficult than the climb itself, both technically and aggravationally.


Image
Brian Pegg

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Post by Dooley » Wed May 05, 2010 9:04 am

Well, I drove over the boulder blockade and made it as far as the memorial for the three chaps. The road beyond there is a lost cause. There is a washout section that is only three feet or so wide and heavly overgrown.

They have started logging on the north side of habrich as of three weeks ago, so it is possible that access to drive that road will become very limited when trucks start hauling.
When in doubt....run it out!!!!

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Post by J Mace » Thu May 06, 2010 10:51 am

If you made it to the memorial then the rest is a trivial mountain bike ride to the climbers trail to the base, I bet 2 hours to the bottom of the route.

Took me three from the boulder blockade.

awesome!!

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psi4ce
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Post by psi4ce » Thu May 06, 2010 12:07 pm

Dooley wrote:Well, I drove over the boulder blockade
Wait a minute, I thought the boulder blockade was impassible. What, do you have some kind of monster truck or something? :shock:

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Post by Dooley » Thu May 06, 2010 12:25 pm

psi4ce wrote:
Dooley wrote:Well, I drove over the boulder blockade
Wait a minute, I thought the boulder blockade was impassible. What, do you have some kind of monster truck or something? :shock:
Nope just a Jeep. Never under estimate a Jeep with a skilled driver.
When in doubt....run it out!!!!

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psi4ce
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Post by psi4ce » Thu May 06, 2010 12:27 pm

Are you from Newfoundland? :D

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