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Yamnuska Mountain Adventures

Mountaineering, Rock Climbing, Ice Climbing, Backcountry Skiing

  • Avalanche
    • Avalanche Skills Training 1 – Canmore/Calgary
    • AST 1 (Classroom Webinar/Rockies Field Day)
    • Avalanche Skills Training 1 for Ice Climbers
    • Avalanche Skills Training 1 Refresher
    • Advanced Companion Rescue Course
    • Avalanche Skills Training 2 – Canadian Rockies
    • Avalanche Skills Training 2 – Rogers Pass
    • Avalanche Skills Training 2 – Purcell Lodge
  • Mountaineering
    • Beginner Programs
      • Scrambling Skills and Safety
      • Snow and Ice Long Weekend
      • Intro to Mountaineering
      • Women’s Intro to Mountaineering
      • Youth Mountaineering Course
      • Wapta Ice Hike
    • Intermediate and Advanced Programs
      • Yoho Peaks
      • Intro to Alpine Rock in the Bugaboos
      • Intro to Alpine Ice at the Columbia Icefields
      • Lake Louise Classics
      • Moraine Lake Alpine Classics
      • Rogers Pass Alpinist Camp
      • Bugaboos Granite
      • Tonquin Valley Alpine Climbing
    • Canadian Rockies 11,000ers
      • Mount Temple
      • Mount Willingdon
      • Mount Cline
      • Mt Woolley & Diadem
      • Mount Hector
      • Mount Athabasca
      • Mount Andromeda
      • Mt Joffre Expedition
      • Mount Victoria
      • Mt Edith Cavell
      • Mount Forbes
      • Mount Assiniboine
      • Mount Robson
    • Fast and Light Series
      • Castle Mountain
      • Mt Louis Kain Route
      • Bugaboo Spire – North East Ridge
      • Mt Sir Donald – Northwest Ridge
      • Mt Aberdeen
      • Mt Stanley
      • Mt Fay – West Ridge
      • Mt Temple – East Ridge
    • One-Day Crevasse Rescue for the Alpinist
    • Navigation 1 (Back to Basics with Map & Compass)
    • Navigation 2 (Digital Trip Planning & Electronic Navigation)
    • One Month Summer Mountaineering Program
    • Private Mountaineering and Guiding
      • Climb Mount Athabasca
      • Bugaboos Climbing Guides
      • Climb Mount Assiniboine
      • Climb Mount Robson
  • Skiing
    • Instructional Backcountry Skiing & Boarding
      • Intro to Backcountry Skiing & Splitboarding
      • Splitboarding Intro
      • Backcountry Freerider
      • Ultimate Steep & Deep Clinic
    • Guided Steep & Deep Programs
      • Rogers Pass Powder Skiing
      • Signature Series Splitboarding Camp with Justin Lamoureux
      • Kootenays Powder Adventure
      • Backcountry Powder Pass
    • Ski Mountaineering & Classic Traverses
      • Intro to Ski Mountaineering
      • Crevasse Rescue for Skiers & Splitboarders
      • The Wapta Traverse
      • Bow to Yoho Advanced Ski Week
      • Remote Ski Camp – Freshfields
      • Bugaboos to Rogers Pass Ski Traverse
    • 11’000ers Ski Programs
      • Mt Hector
      • The Lyells & Mons Ski Descents
      • Mt Columbia Ski Expedition
    • International Ski Trips
      • Troll Peninsula, Iceland Ski Safari
      • Rishiri Island Skiing in Japan
    • Navigation 1 (Back to Basics with Map & Compass)
    • Navigation 2 (Digital Trip Planning & Electronic Navigation)
    • One Month Backcountry Ski Program
    • Private Ski Guiding & Splitboarding
  • Rock Climbing
    • Rock Climbing Level 1 – Outdoor Rock Intro
    • Rock Climbing Level 2 – Learn to Lead
    • Rock Climbing Level 3 – Multi-Pitch Climbing Course
    • Rock Climbing Level 4 – Trad Rock Leader
    • Rock Climbing Level 5 – Rock Rescue
      • Foundational Rock Rescue
      • Advanced Rock Rescue
    • Signature Series Rock Leader with Sean Isaac
    • Hot Rock
    • Ghost Rock
    • El Potrero Chico Rock Road Trip
    • Beginner Experiential Rock Climbing
    • Multipitch & Instructional Rock Climbing
  • Ice Climbing
    • Ice Climbing Level 1 – Basic Ice
    • Ice Climbing Level 2 – Top Rope Management
    • Ice Climbing Level 1 & 2 – Ice Evolution
    • Ice Climbing Level 3 – Ice Leader
    • Ice Climbing Level 4 – Multi-Pitch Ice Leader
    • Steep Ice and Mixed Climbing Clinic
    • Drytooling Clinic
    • Rampart Creek Ice Camp
    • Ghost Ice Climbing Camp
    • ‘Hot’ Ice Climbing
    • Signature Series Ice Climbing with Sean Isaac
      • Early Season Ice Camp with Sean Isaac
      • Ice Leader Camp with Sean Isaac
      • Mixed Master Camp
      • Steep Ice Clinic with Sean Isaac
      • Mixed Climbing Clinic with Sean Isaac
      • Ice Lead Clinic with Sean Isaac
      • Multi-pitch Systems Clinic with Sean Isaac
    • Southern Ontario Ice Climbing
      • Southern Ontario – One-day Ice Climbing Essentials
      • Southern Ontario Ice Leader
    • Avalanche Skills for Ice Climbers
    • Beginner Experiential Ice Climbing
    • Private Multipitch & Instructional Ice Climbing
  • Mountain Semesters
    • 3-Month Mountain Skills Semester
    • 1-Month Summer Mountaineering Semester
    • 1-Month Ski & Splitboard Semester

June 10, 2010 By Sylvia Watson Leave a Comment

Mt Columbia – MSS Final Expedition

Wow! What an amazing finish to a great Mountain Skills Semester. Combining all of the skills learned in the past three months enabled our group to lead the trip to the summit of Mt Columbia. The highest point in Alberta, Mt Columbia was the final jewel in the crown. The trip did however have it’s share of hardship with numerous hours of white out, spring snow storms, 9 km of difficult rocky walking in ski boots and many blisters.

Day one: A 7km walk in ski boots to the glacial lake revealed that we had chosen the wrong side of the lake; this added and extra kilometer or two and a creek crossing to correct. The final few km to our camp were tiring but also rewarding as we skied onto the beautiful Saskatchewan glacier.

Day two: Slowly but surely we passed the icefalls trapping the Saskatchewan glacier and gained the Columbia Icefields neve. This seamed to be the perfect time for the clouds to come in and practice whiteout navigation. With the skills learned we had no problems finding the Trench. We were now in a position for a summit attempt.

Day three: With some serious blisters in the group most were happy to be stuck in the tent as a Rockies spring snowstorm raged outside. As it cleared at the end of the day we did some creative snow shelter building.

Day four: Here’s a day any mountaineer would kill to be on! A 4am departure from camp for Mt Columbia under mixed skies brought us to the base of the East face. We took turns kicking steps in perfect snow up the face and found excellent conditions. Clouds engulfed the face as we were about half way up but cresting the summit ridge was an experience that none of us will forget. Out of the clouds and into the clear. We spent half an hour on the summit enjoying views of the majestic peaks in the northern Rockies and Selkirks. River valleys filled with streams of puffy white clouds looked like toy models far below our feet! With well over 50 km traveled on this trip, all twelve MSS students on the summit were more than deserving of the success. A quick descent and ski back to camp let us enjoy the success of the day and the sunny weather.

Day five: With the objective completed we headed back across the Columbia Icefields to the top of the Athabasca glacier, lot’s of whiteout navigation this day. Folks have the map work dialed!

Day six: The final field day of the three-month semester. A whiteout ski down the Athabasca glacier through heavily crevassed terrain to the road and the end of the trip meant no easy end to the semester. An amazing accomplishment for 12 great folks who are all ready for their own adventures in the mountains.

Looking forward to seeing you all out there!

Jesse de Montigny

Outside of the mountain skills semester, Yamnuska offers a Mt Columbia Ski Mountaineering trip as an open enrollment program.

Filed Under: Trip Reports

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