Overall

Start of trip; Dennis, me, Joe, Ron and Mike

• Awesome trip with great people:  Joe, Ron & Monique, Mike, Dennis, Mark (ATV driver shuttle) & Nicoletta(?), Jason.
• All said their doors' are open for me and I believe them.
• All want to ski Whitewater and back country together and I believe them.

Ron's pictures are at:  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1VDgfypObB9Hckgn4XwEo3jmj4h38eRBt

Sunday August 2

Clouds on the way out

 Everyone up early this morning as we are heading out today.  Warm last night even up here at the col above Herd Lakes.  Lots of mosquitoes even in the tent and I think inside my sleeping bag.  We hiked down to Herd Lake and it was so calm and reflective of the the snow and rock that it didn't look like a lake.  Interesting walk along the gully feature to the base of the climb up to the col.  After stopping for lunch Mike and I stayed right and the others took to the snow on the left.  We all made it to the col but I was glad to say off the snow as the ground below was rock smoothed by a glacier.  We saw three slides including one which ran across the tracks of the other 3 of us.  As we hiked down to Gwillam Lakes Jason spotted us and we went to his campsite for beer!!   Jason was supposed to join us for the end to the trip but we were a day or two behind schedule.  He soloed the Gwillam area from Friday night.  It was 3+ hours to the parking lot!  I was surprised by the number of hikers going to the various campsite along the trail.  Even the drive to Vallican was long and rough.  I don't think you would see a mix like that in the Lower Mainland doing that drive and hike.  After getting everyone back to Ron's, Dennis and I went back to D and D's place.  We were going to go for dinner and pick up my car but instead went to Ron and Moniques' place for dinner.  Delicious chips, pizza, BBQ, wine, beer and pie.  Dennis and I then drove to my car arriving just after dark.  My plan was to drive home or at least part way but since it was dark I decided to sleep in the car and the Shannon Creek trail head. 

Saturday August 1

Campsite over Herd drainage, Devil's Range in background

  Everyone was up early so we were on our way just after 7:00 as we changed from bug clothes to hiking clothes and DEET.  I have had the same bottle for years and just emptied it this morning.  We wasted hours this morning climbing up and along the wrong ridge before figuring out that we had to hike down and climb a different ridge.  The N-S ridge we wanted was too difficult so we scrambled and bush wacked down to Ice Creek.  We tried bush wacking up the drainage luckily found the Ice Creek Lodge trail.  Glorious.  We hiked to the Lodge and a thunderstorm approached in the distance.  The lodge was closed but all the other buildings were open.  We stayed about an hour and only a few drops of rain fell.  I was worried that we were too far east to get to the Herd Lakes but the trail continued to the alpine and an easy slog up to the col on snow was done by 6:00 pm.  We scoped out the terrain, Herd Lake(s), Devils Range, our exit tomorrow....  We decided to camp at the col as the weather looked favourable and the bugs were almost bearable. Awesome campsite overlooking the Herd drainage.  Great idea to stay here.  Tomorrow we will hike to meet the car pickup and then all get out together.  Luckily we all packed for six days however Dennis only packed for 4 days plus extra.  We will have to share what we can with him.

Friday July 31

Photo of Ice Creek Lodge

No unexpected surprises today except we saw other people.  About 1/2 hour into our hike we met up with 2 young guys going South to North.  What we had planned on doing in 4 days will likely take 5 and those 2 were hoping to get out today on their 3rd day.  Later saw some others when we were going up Snow Creek.  They were on the other side of the creek so we didn't get a chance to talk to them.  We went down to Snow Creek and good thing we did - the ridge from the 3 Nemo Lakes to the col/pass at the head of Snow Creek looked very difficult and unrelenting.  We hiked up to the ridge from the col and for the first time we had an enjoyable ridge walk.  We got off the ridge before the first lake and after the "summit".  lots of elevation loss to get to the lower lake, lots of bugs there so we went up to the second lake.  Made camp about 5:00 pm.  Not a ton of bugs, not too hot, not too stiff or tired.  I went for a swim in the like when we got here.  That was surely refreshing and somewhat cleansing.  About 8:00 pm now sand we are in our tents to get away from the bugs.  Tomorrow's hike will be challenging ridge walks or bush bashes just like so many other days so far.

Tuesday July 30

Almost August and some lakes are still partly frozen

 Up early and fast as bugs are still relentless.  Up the ridge to the north of Mt Meers.  Relatively easy scramble up to the ridge.  We then tried to find a way along the ridge and then the best place to scramble down into the Caribou Creek drainage.  After lots of scrambling and lowering packs on a rope we stopped for drinks and realised that we were in the wrong drainage!  We should have gone over the east ridge and into Nemo Creek.  We did make it to the Nemo Lakes at about 4:00 pm and set up camp.  The climb to the col according to the topo map seemed pretty easy however no one wanted to bush wack the valley bottom so we spent most of the afternoon side hilling and crossing drainages and buttresses.  When we finally made it to the correct drainage the snow slope to the col was pleasant.  The north most lake was still mostly frozen and we camped there.  Having some free time and not much bugs meant we all got to swim or clean up before dinner.  Bugs getting a bit worse after dinner so we are in our tents at 7:00 pm or so.

Wednesday July 29th

Never lost but always checking the maps, GPS's and the view

 The plan was to leave camp at 8:00 am but the three came over to Dennis and I at 7:00 all ready to go.  We left about 7:15 and up, up up with some down, down downs.  Had some ridge walks and some down scrambling into bowls and up again to cols.  When it was finally time to decide if we could stay on the ridge at Mt Niord we went down to Wee Sandy Lakes.  Heinous bush, boulders and mosquitoes for hours.  We finally found a place to camp below the col between Mts Niord and Meers.  Mosquitoes still a problem at camp so once again we were all in our tents pretty quickly.  All together about 12 hours of scrambling in the heat.  I'm tired and dirty.  Had to use sun screen and DEET several times today.  Wet wipes aren't cleaning me up any.  Too bad the bugs were so bad at the wee sandy beach on the lake.  Camping is probably good and the beach would be great for swimming and getting cleaned up.  We were there about 3 pm so we didn't stay.  The last few hours up to camp I was the slowest.  I kept thinking either the mosquitoes would die or I would.  We are all safe and sound.

Tuesday July 28

Every day had snow climbs up to the cols.  We were always picturing what the skiing would be like.

Mike joined us this morning at Ron's.  Took Ron's diesel SUV which Monique drove back home.  A few wrong turns on the highway before we found the right road.  I think it started out as the same one I took with Dawn and Mark years ago when we camped by the lake.  Today we drove on a pretty rough road which I feared my car wouldn't make it up but all OK to the Shannon Lake trailhead.  A father and son and daughter (?) arrived shortly after us.  They were just up to Shannon Lake for the day.  It was very hot, sunny day and we were all sweating pretty heavily.  Bushy trail to Shannon Lake and trail around scree to the "upper" Shannon Lake.  Snow climb above that then easy scramble down to the lake we are staying at.  Other than one very old fire ring no evidence of any one here.  We arrived around 2:00 pm so it was a short day as expected.  Swampy in places but it has enough shade.  Almost 5:00 pm now so thinking about dinner.  The tree (Ron, Joe and Mike) are sharing an MSR white gas stove that leaked.  Luckily they cooked over a fire and then got the stove working.  Not sure how long we would last with 5 of us on mine and Dennis' compressed fuel.  At about 7 the sun dipped behind the ridge and the mosquitoes cam out.  After some of Joe's 10 y.o. Bowmore we all climbed inside our tests to get away from the mosquitoes.

Monday July 27

Drove from home to Dennis and Dar's place in Vallican - 3300 South Slocan Road.  Gravel road but well used from town.  The "Whole" Community Centre is quite close to their place.  Home, and workshop still in use.  House is now framed and Dennis is hoping to get roof put up soon.  Hot day driving up 35-37C, "cool" at top of Paulson Pass ~29C.  Some mosquitoes but far less than I've seen lately. I'm sleeping outside on my cot under a bug net which I've never used before.  Will get up at 5:30 am tomorrow to get ready.  Met Joe and Ron and Monique at Ron and Monique's place about 5 minutes from here.