GMC 2021: Mummery Glacier - on the ground

This is part 2 of a 2-part blog post. See part 1 here.

The 2021 General Mountaineering Camp runs from July 10 to August 19 in the Mt. Mummery group, southwest of the Freshfield Icefield in the western Rockies. The peaks here haven’t seen tons of traffic over the years, owing to the remote nature of the area. As a result, good images of the peaks, the glaciers, the ridges and faces are difficult to come by.

Lucky for us, ACC Life Member Roger Wallis documented the heck out of the place on a trip in July, 1986. Roger supplied us with a trove of images, both from the air as well as from the ground, giving us an amazing preview of the area before the camp this summer.

This blog post gives us a look at the area from the ground. If you’re trying to piece things together, you’ll want to access the GMC Proposed Routes Map, Rockies West (Volume Three of The Climber’s Guide to the Rocky Mountains of Canada by David P. Jones), and probably a dose of Google Earth.

Roger’s pictures are fascinating from the perspective of mountaineering, from the perspective of the changes to the landscapes over the past 35 years, and just for the rare look at cool, big mountains on the western side of the Rockies that not too many people get to see. Thanks, Roger!

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These mountains are described in David Jones’ wonderful 2018 Guidebook to the “Rockies West,” Volume #3 of his series of Climber’s Guide to the Rocky Mountains of Canada. D.J. has photos of every Mummery area peak, often from many angles, and on all he has a “red line” numbered route. However, our area of interest occurs in three different chapters of the guidebook, from p.126 to p.173, and the relevant photos are quite scattered, so I have referenced the page number and whether it is an upper or lower photo. Changes in snow cover on peaks less than 3000m and on faces not facing north are fairly obvious from my 1986 photos to D.J.’s 2010-2016 photos.

These photos are taken on the ground, mainly looking from north to south. First a semi-circle west then north from the Helmer/Gilgit Col; then again starting at Helmer/Gilgit Col going down the east side of the Freshfield Glacier.

The Lloyd McKay Hut (as it was in 1986) and those camped outside. On the far skyline from the left to right: at the very edge of the photo is “Far West” Barlow; Gilgit, and then the high snow plateau with first Nanga Parbat; then on the right - Trutch.

(For those wondering, that Lloyd MacKay Hut was moved to the Wapta and became the Balfour Hut. The Lloyd MacKay name was transferred to the Mt. Alberta Hut. There is no ACC hut in this area today. - Ed)

From the Freshfield Meadows. On the far skyline, from left to right: the three summits of Barlow; Helmer - partly obscured by Gilgit; Gilgit, and the high snow plateau with first Nanga Parbat; then on the right - Trutch.

Taken on the way to Mt. Garth. From left to right; Barlow; Helmer; Gilgit; Nanga Parbat (and on the other side of Nanga Parbat, far away, N and S Mummery); Trutch; and on the right edge - Waitabit Peak.

The true summit of Barlow is the rock in the far distance on the left; the “main” peak is “Barlow West,” and to it’s right, the “bump” is “Barlow Far West.”

From left to right: “Barlow West”; “Barlow Far West”; Helmer; Helmer/Gilgit Col; Gilgit. (See Rockies West, p.142 lower photo).

Helmer North face. (See Rockies West, p.142, lower photo). People for scale.

Nanga Parbat west face (from Trutch). (See Rockies West, p. 160, upper photo).

Towards Trutch’s NW Ridge (See Rockies West, P.163, lower photo).

On Trutch’s NW Ridge.

Peaks NW of Trutch from left to right: Trutch; Walker; Bulyea (in far distance); Pilkington’s. (See Rockies West, p.173, lower photo.).

From left to right: Walker, Bulyea (behind); Pilkington North.

From left to right: Walker (N. face); in far distance can just see Barnard; Bulyea; South and North Pilkington. (See Rockies West, p.169, lower photo.)

On left - Bulyea (NE ridge on skyline. On right - Walker (S face).

On the left - Barnard, on the right - Bulyea, in the middle - “Between the B’s” Pt. 3,246m. (See Rockies West, p.161, middle photo.)

From left to right: Bulyea, N. Pilkington; and Freshfield (unclimbed ridge facing the viewer). (See Rockies West, p.169, lower photo.)

Left to right: Freshfield to Dent South. (See Rockies West, p.170, upper photo.)

Dent South (left), Dent North (right). Back to the head of the Freshfield Glacier and now down the east side, from south to north.

In the distant centre is Barlow and to its right “Barlow West” and then “Barlow Far West,” on Barlow’s immediate left is Mt. Low and the pointed peak to the left is Mt. Whiteaves.

From right to left: Low; “SE Lambe”, and the main peak on the left is Lambe.

From right to left: Whiteaves; “SE Lambe”; Lambe. (See Rockies West, p.151, upper photo.)

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Everyone is welcome. Join us! 

There is still space in week 6 of this year’s GMC (August 7 to 14) and the Artists Week (August 14-19). Call Tara at 403-678-3200 ext 213 for more info.

Whether you're looking to challenge yourself on remote alpine summits, savour delicious chef-prepared food at 2,000m, or enjoy the camaraderie of like-minded individuals, the GMC offers it all.