Joffre Group
The Joffre Group is a concentrated group of moderate peaks, and ideal for novice mountaineers. This area features alpine rock, snow climbing, and scrambling with fantastic scenery. Most of the peaks are located in BC provincial park.
Access
There are two easy access routes from highway 99 (Duffey Lake Road).
From Joffre Lakes
Drive: From Vancouver, drive north to Pemberton, and continue on the Duffey Lake Road (Highway 99) towards Lilooet. Approx 40 minutes from Pemberton, pull out right at the parking lot for Joffre Lakes Provincial Park. Google Maps
Hike: A 5.5km well-travelled trail takes you through the forest past three lakes, each one more scenic that the last. At the end of the third lake, there are designated campspots, with the prime spot being a small pennisula on the south end of the lake. This is a very popular hiking destination in the summer, so don't expect solitude on a sunny long weekend.
From Cerise Creek
Drive: Follow the driving description above, but continue for 7.5km past the Joffre Lakes parking lot (check your odometer). Cerise creek is the next large valley over. The pull out off highway 99 is just before an obvious "avalanche" sign. Google Maps
- Note: If you don't mind paint scratches on your car, you can drive up the Cerise Creek Main logging road (follow highway 99 for about 4 kilometers, and turn right just before the Van Horlick Creek Bridge). Expect paint scratches, and very bushy conditions while driving this badly overgrown road. Cross the Casper and Cerise creeks. There is a parking spot (2WD, moderate clearance and good suspension only) where a steep and rough spur road branches left (shortly after Cerise Creek bridge), a HC-4WD car can continue up this spur road for a couple of hundred meters untill the end of the road (HC-4WD trailhead). Driving the logging road probably isn't worthwhile. Several parties who drove the road have been beaten to the trailhead by others who parked at the parking lot on the highway and just walked in. As of Sept. 2008 the road has been deactivated and waterbars have been put in, and the bridge over Cerise Creek has been removed.
Hike: From highway 99, follow a trail down to the creek below, cross the creek (bridge) and a second creek (logs). The trail goes up through the forest, reaches a clearcut, and follows the western side of the clearcut towards the Cerise Creek Main logging road (30mins). Go right and follow the logging road for about 5-10 minutes. After crossing Cerise Creek (as of Sept. 2008 the bridge has been removed and replaced by a log with handrail), there is a steep and rough road on the left (2WD parking). Follow this branch for about 5 minutes (HC-4WD trailhead). From this trailhead, continue along the trail to the moraines below the Anniversary glacier or Keith's hut. (1.5hr).
Hiking, scrambling and mountaineering routes
Approaches from Joffre Lakes
To Taylor, Tszil, Duffey and north/west side of Slalok: At the junction before the Upper Joffre lake campground, take the right path and head southwest up the Tszil Valley. Head up the Tszil glacier on the left to get to the Tszil-Slalok col. Continue along the trail to get to the Tszil-Taylor col. The trail crosses boulders, trees, and more boulders to the top of the col.
To the Matier glacier (for Joffre, Matier, Spetch, Hartzell, Slalok): From Upper Joffre lakes campground, cross a creek, and continue up a long moraine towards slabs. Scramble up through the slabs, and continue up towards the Matier icefall, keeping it to your right. Once you reach the Matier glacier it would be a good idea to rope up.
Peaks around Joffre Lakes
Mount Taylor (2318m)
- From the Tszil-Taylor col, ascend boulders and heather to the summit of Taylor.
Tszil Mountain (2377m)
- West ridge. From the Tszil-Taylor col turn left and follow the stepped and zigzag ramp to the summit. The route consists of mostly hiking, with some short sections of scrambling.
- East ridge. Glacier crossing and easy ridge walking from the Tszil-Slalok col.
Duffey Peak (2219m)
- From Tszil Mountain. Duffey Peak is visible from the top of Tszil Peak. Drop down from the summit to the Slalok-Tszil col, and continue down towards the very distinct north ridge of Duffey Peak. The route finding is straightforward, and is mostly hiking. This peak makes for a long day from Joffre lakes, since you have to climb Tszil Peak twice.
Slalok Mountain (Rex's Pillar, 2653m)
- West ridge, exposed scramble. Can be accessed from the Tszil-Slalok col (glacier travel), or by going over Tszil Mountain (no glacier travel needed).
- North face (Stonecrop glacier). Steep snow or ice route to 45˚. The upper part of the face (can be avoided on the left) offers some pitches to 50˚.
- East face. From the Matier Glacier, ascend the snow face (~45˚)between two rock bands to the summit plateau. Continue southeastward to the true summit (watch for crevasses).
- Northeast ridge
Approaches from Cerise Creek
To Matier, Joffre, Spetch, Hartzell: From Keith's hut follow a well trodden trail to the Anniversary glacier (above and west of the icefall). Follow the glacier to the Matier-Joffre col.
To Vantage and Howard: From Keith's hut, head towards the Vantage west col.
To the north side of Joffre and Chief Pascall: From the summer trail to Keith's hut, turn west into the valley between Joffre and Mount Chief Pascall.
Peaks around Cerise Creek
Mount Matier (2783m)
- Northeast ridge. The easiest route on the mountain, which consists of 30-40˚ snow, and a final scramble.
- Northwest face. For more experienced parties, this face offers straightforward 50˚ snow climbing early in the season, and 400m of ice later in the season. From the top of this face, scramble left towards the summit of Matier, and then descend the northeast spur.
Joffre Peak (2721m)
- Southwest gully (Aussie couloir)
- Southeast face
- East ridge
Mount Spetch (2579m)
- Southwest side
- Northwest face
Mount Hartzell (2615m)
- East face
Vantage Peak (2235m)
- East ridge
Mount Howard (2551m)
- From Twin One glacier
Mount Chief Pascall (2204m)
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