Ski-Touring to Berg Lake

Ski-Touring to Berg Lake (Winter 2013)

Summary

This trip report is an account of conditions on the Berg
Lake trail from February 1- 4, 2013.

Kinney Lake – 01 Feb 13 (2130)

Back to Robson for the first time in a long time. It is good
to be home.

We departed the trailhead at 1630 and arrived at Kinney Lake
campground at 1930. I am skiing with Tim and Allan, great dudes from TRU. The
snow was terrible packing snow and I fell numerous times. Trees have already
fallen across the path from the weight of the wet snow.

The third to the seventh kilometers were in the dark. Pitch
black tonight with the cloud cover. The plan is to move to Berg Lake tomorrow.
With current snow conditions it will be very difficult.

It is very warm for Feb 1, but I guess I shouldn’t be
surprised that it is raining right now. It is always raining at Mount Robson.

Berg Lake (Hargreaves Cabin) – 02 Feb 13 (2233)

I have arrived at Hargreaves and am about to pass out.

It was a tremendous day, eleven hours to skin from Kinney
Lake to Berg Lake campground. Snow conditions continue to be horrendous and it
was sticking like super glue to my skins. Often I would be dragging an extra
fifteen pounds of snow on each ski.  Fell
four times on the trail, once backwards into a tree well. It was exhausting.

Emperor Hill was very difficult and time consuming, but we
were able to provide some amusement for the mountain goats. We skinned from
Emperor Falls campground to Hargreaves’ Cabin in the dark. The last 3km were
like crossing Antarctica.

I am totally exhausted, one of the most difficult things I
have ever done in my life.

Thank God for Hargreaves.

Whitehorn – 03 Feb 2013 (1847)

We have arrived at Whitehorn after skiing down from Berg
Lake. We didn’t need skins as it is mostly flat and downhill. My feet as
destroyed from using slack country gear for the last 3 days and I physically
could not go any further.

When we departed this morning across Berg Lake it was like
the 2^nd crossing of Antarctica, with fridge temperatures and strong
winds. Emperor Hill was fairly easy to ski down but I had lots of difficulty
with the switchbacks, falling three times.

It is absolutely beautiful country in the winter. The mountain
goats were in the same spot on Emperor Hill for a second round of amusement. We
departed at 1030 and arrived at 1550, making it my slowest descent yet of
Emperor Hill.

Kamloops – 04 Feb 2013 (1805)

I have returned safely from Robson.

We skied out from Whitehorn and only needed skins for the
one kilometer hike up from Whitehorn campground. Great ski down the slope North
of Kinney Lake. Good ski out but crossing Kinney Lake was intense, it was definitely
not as cold as it was at Berg.

It was beautiful clear skis on Robson when we were leaving.
The snow was still super sticky and the temperature was around zero. The snow
was so sticky we didn’t need skins for the many short uphill sections.

Tim and Allan really pulled this trip together. My equipment
was super lacking and they broke 99% of the trail. It was a stellar team and I
am forever grateful.

“Only a few
adventurous spirits go to Berg Lake in the winter...”