[MCR] Cariboo Mountains, Teapot Range

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

A group of staff from Educo in 100 Mile House did their yearly staff 
training in Marble Canyon, at Esler near Williams Lake, and in the 
Teapot Range on the upper Horsefly River in the Cariboo Mountains.

The Esler site is a find near Williams Lake. It is a limestone formation 
with a N and a S aspect, only a few km from Williams Lake toward the 
West. The N aspect has about a dozen routes from 5.7 to 5.11, about 20 
to 30 m long, with well placed bolts and anchors. The S aspect is two to 
three pitches high and has only two routes at present. The access is a 
bit bumpy but drivable in 2WD. There is great camping and an outhouse at 
the site, but no water. Very good site for rock courses.

The access road to the Teapot Range is driveable to the top of the last 
clearcut with 4WD. The trail to the cabin is cleared. The cabin is a 
rustic affair that sleeps eight easily. Snowline is about 1900 m on 
solar aspects and melting fast. The snowpack is becoming patchy overall. 
Some ridges still have remnant cornices. We saw one recent size 3 full 
depth slab on a SE aspect from rock slabs at about 2100 m. The alpine 
hiking, which is varied and beautiful, is just coming into condition. We 
disturbed a family of three grizzly bears at treeline on the descent 
into the upper Horsefly River below Dutchman Peak.

-- 
Christoph Dietzfelbinger
Mountain Guide