Summer mountaineering camp 2024 - Mummery Glacier
If you landed on this page via an internet search then please contact me for information on mountain guiding and rock climbing guiding in the Canadian Rockies, Bugaboos, or Rogers Pass. The information below is for clients booked on this trip.
If you are attending our Summer Camp please read ALL of this information package carefully. Hopefully this answers most of your questions but if not you can contact me. I’m really looking forward to this trip!
Click here if you are looking for a gear list.
If you get nothing else from this information package, please do the following:
Read the waiver carefully ahead of time. You don’t need to sign the waiver now, you will do that once you arrive for the trip.
Have a look at the gear list here and make sure you are able to bring everything on the list.
changes from last year
There are few things that will be different than last year:
There will be seven guests rather than six. Adding the one extra guest over last year enabled me to invest in some new camp gear, and gives me a bit of breathing room in case the helicopter costs are more than expected. I discussed this change with Carla and we both agreed it will not impact safety or the guest experience, in fact in terms of crevasse hazard it will be a bit safer.
There will be five staff: two guides (Carla and Shep), a camp manager/extra guide (Mark), a camp helper (Margie), and a camp guardian (Molly the dog).
This means that if an objective requires it Margie can stay in camp and the three guides can go out as three teams composed of 4, 3, and 3 rope team members. Alternatively you may go out as two ropes of 5 each and I can stay in camp to keep things running there. There are other possible configurations as well.
This year we will need to have avalanche rescue gear ready to bring on the trip. If the need for this changes I will let you know shortly before the trip, but plan on bringing it. See the gear list for information.
In addition to the large lounge tent we will have a cooking tent too.
I will supply all eating utensils except for your favourite coffee mug. Having everything the same shape is easier in the kitchen.
My long-time cook/caterer has come out of retirement for me and will cater the trip so we will have good food and plenty of it.
driving to the trailhead
We need to get nine people with backpacks and one dog to the trailhead. The road is usually passable for 2WD vehicles, but if we have enough higher clearance and/or 4WD vehicles available those will be better. Margie will be driving one F-150 with the dog, she can take one more person and lots of gear. The last bit of road is rough (this can be walked if necessary).
The group is responsible to get themselves to the trailhead. Renting an appropriate vehicle may be required.
Please let me know the following:
If you have a higher clearance and/or 4WD vehicle and if so how many people you can take.
If you think you need a ride up the Blaeberry road to the trailhead.
THE Staff
Mark Klassen – That’s me. I will be camp manager/extra guide.
Carla Demyen - lead guide. Those of you from last year’s camp will know Carla. She is now a fully certified Mountain Guide! And we are pretty proud of her.
Shep Howatt - apprentice guide. Shep is a fully certified Ski Guide and an Apprentice Alpine Guide. He is the son of one of my early mountain guiding mentors! I look forward to working with Shep for the first time.
Margie Smith - camp helper. Most of you know my partner in crime. The camp helper designation means she will try to do far more than her fair share around camp even if the rest of us try to tell her not to.
Molly - camp guardian dog.
a note about Molly
Molly is a Pyrenees mountain dog, a type of livestock guardian dog. She considers Margie and I to be her livestock. The breed is suspicious of new situations, people and animals. She is a guardian dog, not a guard dog, so she warns us of situations rather than chasing/engaging with a threat. She has not been trained to be guardian of anything (if anything we have tried to train it out of her), she is just that way naturally.
To become friends with Molly requires a bit of work. At the beginning, if you try to touch her she will shy away and she will become more suspicious of you. Please ignore her and don’t touch her, don’t even put your hand out to her, even if she comes in and sniffs you (which she will). Your best bet is to interact with us normally and if you want to interact with the dog talk to her instead of trying to touch her. She will become comfortable with the situation over time.
IMPORTANT TIMES AND PLACES
All times are Mountain Standard Time (same as Calgary).
This schedule is preliminary, there may be changes before the trip starts.
8 AM, DAY 1
We will meet in Golden on the first day, at the Alpine Helicopters hanger at the airport, 204 Fisher Rd, Golden, BC V0A 1H0. We will drop the gear off that will be flown in and sign waivers.
Shep will fly in with this gear and start setting camp up.
The rest of the group will convoy up the Blaeberry Road to the Mummery Glacier trail parking, about a two hour drive.
There may be an opportunity to car pool to the staging area if necessary. Although the road is often passable to 2WD vehicles, it may be best to have an AWD/4WD vehicle with a bit of clearance, but we will not know the condition of the road until early summer.
From here the group and Carla will walk into the camp with day packs. It is 6-7 km and 600-800 m elevation gain. 4-6 hours. You will need one day pack with all the gear and clothing you would normally use for a day of off-trail hiking, including hiking poles. Climbing boots or a sturdy pair of hiking boots are required. There may be a stream crossing so appropriate footwear would be required if that is the case. I will try to get in there the week before the trip to see what shape the trail is in and whether the log bridge is intact.
You will need to provide your own lunch on this day. All food is provided once you arrive at the camp.
DAYS 2-4
Climbing! As mentioned previously we have a few different options as to how the guide:guest ratios and rope teams will work.
Day 5
Everyone will pack their personal belongings in the morning. For those who are keen there may be an opportunity to do another climb, weather and conditions permitting. If you choose this option be prepared for a long day (12 hours perhaps), it will be similar to a big day mountaineering in the Lake Louise group or Columbia Icefields.
The entire group will walk out, either together or in two groups. Mark will pack the main camp and fly out with the gear.
A note on flying logistics
Mark is attending another climbing trip before the Mummery Camp which means flights on Day 1 will be dovetailed with that trip. The plan is to be up on the Freshfield Icefield above the Mummery Camp. On Day 1 the helicopter from Golden will fly to the Mummery, drop Shep off, then pop up to the icefield above. The heli will pick that group up and bring Mark down to the Mummery where he will jump out to help Shep set up camp.
There is an alternate universe here if weather/conditions are not conducive for the Freshfield Icefield trip. In this case Mark would either already be at the Mummery camp location, or would travel into the camp with the Mummery group. Regardless of what happens nothing will change for the logistics of the Mummery group.
DELAYS
There is always the possibility of delays getting into or out from the camp due to poor flying conditions. Be prepared for this by not making important plans for right after the trip. If we are delayed on the way in you are responsible for your own accommodations/expenses in Golden while we wait for a weather window.
Packing
This is how you should pack:
One day pack with all the gear and clothing you would normally use for a day of hiking, including hiking poles. There will be off trail hiking so your climbing boots or a sturdy pair of hiking boots are required.
One medium or two smaller duffle bags with your camping and climbing gear. A total of 20 kg or less. Smaller bags are easier to pack than large ones even if there are more of them. Bulky items such as camp chairs, or sharp items like ice axes that you don’t want to be in your duffel may be separate from your luggage. Please do not strap anything on the outside of the duffel.
The Camp
The camp will be simple but comfortable:
One large cooking tent.
One large common tent. This tent may be used to lounge or dine in, and will be used for overnight gear storage.
Two open-air sit down bucket toilets.
Shower tent - you can expect to be able to have one shower during the trip.
You supply your own tents and sleeping gear (option for renting a tent from me).
You should bring in a camp chair of some sort.
See the equipment list for the complete directory of what you need to bring.
Camp duties
The staff will do the bulk of the camp chores but we will need help with some things such as kitchen clean up, fetching water etc.
Climbing Objectives
These are the main objectives available:
Karakal (2950m)
Jones (3000m)
Nanga Parbat (3270m)
Gilgit (3120m)
Helmer (3068m)
Barlow (3143m)
Mummery North and South (3300m)
RISK
Safety is our number one priority but it is important to understand that no matter how well prepared we are there is still an element of risk while mountaineering. These risks are shared by both the group and the guides. Some of these risks include:
crevasse falls
falls while climbing
snow avalanches
rockfalls
icefalls
cornice falls
interaction with wildlife
weather events
The most important person in managing your personal risk and the risk of the group is YOU. If you prepare even just a little bit beforehand it is very helpful and the families of both the other participants and the guides thank you. There are a variety of ways you can help manage risk on this trip:
Be physically fit and rested when coming into the trip.
Listen to the guides’ instructions and if you are uncertain of what is expected of you please ask!
Be aware of the situation around you. As you travel through the terrain think of what you can do to reduce risk for yourself and the group (EG place yourself in a safe spot at regroups in avalanche terrain, keep the glacier rope tight, place yourself in the best position to avoid rockfall etc).
Practice crevasse rescue prior to the trip if you have had previous training. The safety of your fellow climbers and the guides rely on YOUR skills.
Consider taking a course that involves safety training relevant to the trip (EG avalanche rescue, crevasse rescue, rock rescue).
Speak up. If you see something you feel is hazardous, mention it to the guide. If you feel uncomfortable with what you perceive is a risk, mention it to the guide. We can discuss your concerns and change what we are doing if necessary.
You will need to sign a waiver that will make you well aware of these risks. You will sign it when you arrive for the trip. Please have a look at the waiver before the trip so you understand what the risks are and what you will be signing when you get here.
Traveling in the mountains together as a group is all about having trust in each other’s abilities. In over 30 years of guiding I have only had to deal with three minor incidents requiring an immediate evacuation. We do not expect an accident but we need to be prepared in case there is one. The more we trust each other the more we will all enjoy our time in the mountains together because we know we are able to take care of each other in the unlikely case there is a problem.
MOUNTAIN RESCUE
In over thirty years of guiding we have only had three evacuations from the field for minor injuries or illness.
Mountain rescue on British Columbia provincial lands, such as where this camp is located, may be performed in two ways:
The guide calls outside resources directly for help. These resources may be a helicopter company or an adjacent guiding operation. This type of call-out is often the fastest way to get help in an emergency situation, such as a serious injury from a crevasse accident or a fall. It may also be used for a minor injury or illness evacuation from camp, where search and rescue services are not required and will not respond. These costs would be in many thousands of dollars.
The guide calls for help from the local volunteer search and rescue team. This type of call-out takes longer to get a response, but may be used for non-emergency evacuations from the field such as an injured knee. As a general rule this type of call-out (helicopter expenses etc.) is paid for by the provincial government for recreational incidents, although that may not always be the case. There is a slightly greater chance that a commercial trip such as this will be charged rescue expenses (mostly helicopter costs), but there are few, if any, precedents for this. Whether a party is charged for the cost of a rescue is decided on a case by case basis by the provincial government (Emergency Management British Columbia); unfortunately it is not clear what parameters they consider when making this decision. Costs may run into many thousands of dollars.
If there are charges for a rescue, the group members that require evacuation are responsible for all costs.
You need to decide for yourself whether to buy rescue insurance for the small chance that we require a call out for outside resources and that you will be charged if those services are required. It may be appropriate for you to to purchase mountain rescue insurance for this trip.
Make sure to research options carefully to make sure they are appropriate for your situation. Here are some companies that provide this service:
American Alpine Club Global Rescue package. For the cost of a membership in the AAC (US$80) you get US$7,500 mountain rescue insurance. This would probably cover all or most of the cost for many incidents.
Global Rescue. US$500,000 coverage. You need to be more than 100 miles from your home for this to kick in so it is not appropriate for clients on Canadian trips who live in proximity to Alberta or British Columbia.
Tugo. This may be less expensive than the Global Rescue $500,000 package and may be appropriate for trips in Canada. You will need the optional adventure sport coverage.
FOOD and MEDICAL ISSUES
If any of you have special food requests or medical conditions I need to know about and which you did not include on the form when you paid for the trip please let me know as soon as possible.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Read the guiding waiver carefully ahead of time. You don’t need to sign the waiver now, you will do that once you arrive for the trip.
Have a look at the gear list here and make sure you are able to bring everything on the list.
QUESTIONS?
If you have any questions let me know! Email me.