September 26-27, Joffre-Slalok-Cerise loop

Went up to the Joffre-Matier area (BC Coast Mnts) last weekend for some skiing and alpine climbing. We ended up doing a nice loop starting at Joffre Lakes, climbing the north face of Slalok (Stonecrop Glacier) on hard ice to a bivy on Slalok's NE ridge. The next day we climbed Slalok (easy walk on crampons along the ridge) and returned back to camp and climbed down to the Matier Glacier. From the glacier we put our skins on and skinned to the Spetch-Hartzell col and had some great September turns on grippy to firm neve. After skinning back up to the col we traversed over to the Joffre-Matier col and skied down partway on the Anniversary Glacier. We could ski down as far as where the normal route on Joffre branches off, and then had to exchange skis for crampons again. Walk out was fast and uneventful, and basically the first car that passed us on the highway took Thomas with them to pick up the car at the Joffre Lakes parking lot.

Climbing up the Stonecrop Glacier, Joffre Lakes in the background


Final traverse over to our bivi spot on the NE ridge of Slalok (summit in background)


Beautiful sunrise from Slalok


Summit


Matier Icefall from above


September turns on the Upper Matier Glacier


More turns:


First September turns! And I'm excited for freshies!!!