Archive:Mel's 26-27 March 2011 Joffre Snowshoe

Synopsis

A non-threatening beginner overnight snowshoe trip to Joffre/Duffey region. Trying to decide on Keith's Hut or tenting/snowcave at Upper Joffre Lake.

• Why is this Beginner Friendly? - this trip is beginner friendly in the sense that beginners to backcountry and we will be happy to teach and wait for them, not in the sense that it is easy or safe. If you can walk, you can snowshoe. See the VOC definition of beginner friendly Here.

Skills Required

• Can walk (if you can walk, you can snowshoe! You might resemble a funny penguin for the first 400m until you get the hang of it quickly.)
• Avalanche know how - must know how to use a beacon, please ask if you don't
• General fitness and/or willingness to suffer

Route

Driving: Estimated Driving Time from Vancouver: 3 hours

To reach the trailhead of Joffre Lakes, take Highway #99 (Sea To Sky Highway) northbound through Squamish, Whistler, and Pemberton. Continue straight through the lights at Pemberton, along the highway towards the town of Mt. Currie. Turn right at the intersection with the sign towards Lillooet. Zero your odometer and continue along the winding road, past Lillooet Lake before heading up a steep hill. After traveling 21km from the intersection in Mt. Currie, watch for signs to the Joffre Lakes parking lot. The trail begins at the furthest end at the bottom of the lot.

Trail from Joffre Lakes

• Estimated Length: 6 km
• Suggested time: 5 to 6 hours one way (maybe more)
• Elevation change: 400 metres
• Map from BC Parks: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/joffre_lks/joffre_brochure.pdf

Gear Required

Remember, the VOC has lots of gear for rent in the clubroom. There are lots of ski packages, Avalanche packages, ice axes, packs, harnesses, helmets, etc... available in the clubroom.

Check out the gear lists on the wiki for a backcounry ski trip here: Gear lists. Below is the generic one for a ski hut trip for a starting point. Please use your own judgement to add or omit items on the list. If you're going on snowshoes, make an appropriate substitution for snowshoe equipment where you see skis.

Personal items are in regular font, shared items are in italic font

Essentials

• water bottle (at least 2L, unless you know yourself)
• headlamp and batteries
• sunscreen
• sun glasses and/or goggles
• map
• compass
• backpack
• pocket knife
• whistle
• lighter and/or waterproof matches
• first aid kit
• Toilet Paper

Clothing / Equipment

• warm jacket (fleece or down)
• long underwear (top and bottom)
• toque / hat
• mitts / gloves
• weatherproof jacket (goretex or coated nylon or softshell if weather is forecast to be sunny)
• weatherproof pants (goretex or coated nylon or softshell if weather is forecast to be sunny)
• hiking poles?
• gaiters (optional if your pants have an integrated snow cuff)
• warm pants (fleece or down)
• insulated booties (optional)

Food

• Lunch and snacks x2
• Breakfast x1
• Dinner x1

Sleeping

• sleeping bag
• sleeping pad
• ear plugs, because somebody will snore (optional)

Cooking and Eating

• bowl, spoon
• Stove with fuel. If using white gas, for each person bring 150 mL
  • May use hut stove if available
  • 300mL to run each lantern
• Pot and matching pot gripper
• Toothbrush
  

Snowshoe hardware

• snowshoes
• waterproof boots
• poles
• snowshoe repair kit
  

Avalanche Safety Gear

• 457kHz avalanche transceiver (with batteries, tested in advance)
• shovel
• probe
• snow saw (optional)
• rutschblock cord (optional)
• loupe (optional)
• crystal card (optional)
• CAC Avaluator card (optional)
• CAC Public Avalanche Bulletin Printout{{#if:0|
  

Climbing Gear

• Helmet}}
• ice axe
• harness
• belay device
• carabiners
• rope
• prussik cords

Pre-Trip Meeting

The pre-trip meeting will be 6:00pm Wednesday, March 23 in the clubroom before the VOC Banquet. If the trip is small, we might just correspond by email and head straight for the VOC Banquet.

It is important that everyone comes to the pre-trip meetings since this is where trip details, rides, food groups will be sorted out and questions will be answered for everyone. If you are on the waitlist, come to the pre-trip meeting and you'll probably get a spot. Conversly, if you are on the list and don't come you may lose your spot, unless you contact the trip leader (Mel) and a driver to make your own arrangements.

Participants Sign-up (experience level, avalanche level, vehicle)

Details and Signup Here!