[MCR] Rockies, Coal Miner's Daughter, Silk Tassel and Spray River Falls

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

My fellow Mountain Guide, Nick Sharpe, and I guided, and enchained, ascents of Coal Miner's Daughter and Silk Tassel yesterday, February 11th. No one had been up to Coal Miner's Daughter yet this year, we broke a trail up to it. Our trail starts in front of the cook shelter in the parking lot. The climb is in interesting shape. A car sized shell came out from the base of it during, I'm assuming, the recent warmth. We avoided the new window pane that has since frozen over and accessed the climb from the climber's right edge. The ice there is well bonded to the rock. There is a 75 cm roof to pull exiting the steep ice, then a pleasant ramble up shallower ice to belay in the old mine shaft. An interesting 40 meters of climbing.

Silk Tassel is big and has a good trail packed up to it. Of note was a two hour appearance of the sun around 2 pm. The sun had some strength and given the milder air temperatures I was happier with the cloud cover that had kept the Sun at bay for the rest of the day. Bubble Wrap Blues was touching down and dribbling when we trotted away, when we came back from coffee in Field at about 4 pm the sun had cracked off the first 25 meters of BWB and it was gone.

I guided an ascent of Spray River Falls today, Feb 13th. There is a well packed trail leading to the route and making it hard, if not impossible, to get lost. The climb is in excellent shape, big and blue.

Happy trails,

Barry Blanchard
Mountain Guide
www.barryblanchard.ca
www.yamnuska.com