The Giraffe goes on summer vacation

brianzurek
Jul 23, 2021
2 min read

Its summer in the Canadian Cordillera and the Giraffe is eager to get in the mountains

a road trip is planned, the van is packed and adventure awaits!

ACT I - Lake Louise & Grand Sentinel

The Giraffe had her eyes set on climbing the Grand Sentinel above Lake Louise for some time... perfect weather and a general lack of crowds made for perfect conditions for a waltz with the pinnacle time forgot. The Grand Sentinel...

Gearing up at the Moraine Lake parking lot

The climb is roughly a two hour approach from the parking lot - mostly hiking up to sentinel pass

Hiking out of the 'valley of ten peaks'

At the pass

The trail fades away to snow and scree...

Alien landscapes are crossed

Scrambling to the base

Looking up at route ahead

On belay!

Almost there...

At the top!

and after a short period of celebration its time to head down - who knows when this thing is going to fall over!

Rapping

On the walk out Eva found a rock...

...as did Brian!

Back at Moraine Lake - tourists like to come here because it is pretty

Next day was spent climbing at Lake Louise - which requires an obligatory photo every time you pass

Soaking up the sun and getting ready to climb

Looking back at the lake...

A good couple of days is capped off by the discovery of wild strawberries

ACT II - Mount Tupper

Next stop is Glacier National Park (the Canadian one) to camp at Hermit meadows and climb mount Tupper (seen behind van).

A stream provides a pre-adventure bath

Clean! Time to pack up

and hike up! Good thing we got some practice

Look, there is Mt Tupper!

Lets keep hiking up

and up

Finally Hermit Meadows!

Taking in the views

Camp

Pooh with a view

After a good night sleep. Next morning packed and ready to climb

Lets go!

we're off

More hiking awaits

over snow...

rocks...

up...

...up...

...and up, we go

Finally a ridge comes into view

Shouldn't be too much further, should it?

Looking at path ahead

Maybe its time to start to rack up

Hiking or climbing?

Climbing...

Headwall push

At the top!

View the other way

Berg Heil!

and time to head down

which way do we go?

Down this way!

Brian happy to be off the ridge

A few streams to cross

Not just one

A long days work and we are rewarded with a swim!

Happy to be going in the water not jumping over the water

ACT III - Squamish

After a week in the high mountains its time to head down to the coast for some casual granite crack climbing at the legendary town of Squamish. Relaxed morning...