Trip Report Details

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Trip Date: 17-Jul-2010
Activity: Mountaineering
Destination: Wenkchemna-Opabin Passes to Lake Ohara

Report:

It was a beautiful day with great views and minimal wind which made for a very enjoyable trip. It took us a little longer than last year as we had some gear problems along the way.

The agenda was pretty much the same as last year; do the car shuffle with the drivers and meet the non-drivers at Eiffel Lake.

Eiffel L.-Wenkchemna P.

The forward group actually went down to the lake to have a look around and then climbed up to meet the drivers group on the trail. We then climbed up to Wenkchemna Pass across patches of snow still covering the trail. After summit shots

Wenkchemna Pass. Bob, Dennis, Greg, Janet, Ivan, Shirley, Cordula, Yoko, Corrina, Janice, Bob, Jeanette

Eiffel-Pinnacle-Temple

the group commenced the descent on what is getting to look more and more like a trail. Lower down we were able to use sections of snow to glissade or bum slide depending on one's level of comfort.

Down from Wenkchemna

Lunch was held near Eagle's Eyrie

Eagles Eyrie

where we watched the marmots frolicking in the heather.

Marmot

After lunch it was a climb up to the start of the Opabin Glacier where roping up and cramponing commenced. This is where we ran into one of the strangest looking harnesses anyone had seen and this was a new piece of equipment of one of the participants. In the end, we gave up trying to figure how it worked and made a sling style harness to get us mobile again. It was a hot climb up to the Opabin col.

Opabin Pass

The first group opted to go to the rock right close to the top, and it turned out to be quite loose,

Opabin Pass- Bob & Ivan

Opabin P./Greg,Dennis/.

while the second group climbed over the fairly vertical snow wall at the top.

Opabin Pass/Dennis,Janet/

Opabin Pass /Shirley, Janet, Bob/

Coming down the back side into the Opabin Valley the coordinator and one of the participants had crampon problems which got sorted out on the slope. The route off the glacier was fairly straight forward with no crevasses of any concern noticed. We continued to near Opabin Lake before unroping and decramponing. As time was starting to get on,

Opabin view

we hustled down to the Relais Hut where a number of us partook of various liquids. The last bus was packed as we bounced our way down to the parking lot. All but one joined the beer and supper at the Outpost Pub in Lake Louise and we were back in town around 10:30pm for quite a long day.

Thanks to the experienced people, who showed the "ropes" to and helped the less experienced ones. It seems everyone enjoyed the trip under quite good conditions although the snow was a little softer than last year contributing to occasional balling up under the crampons.

Those enjoying this trip were Dennis, Cordula, Greg, Janice, Ivan, Yoko, Jeanette, Shirley, Bob, Janet and Corrina. Thanks to Ivan for the wonderful photos.

Bob - Coordinator and Scribe

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