The Chilkoot Trail - July 1, 2001 - Member Trip Report
| Hike Name: | The Chilkoot Trail |
|---|---|
| Country: | Canada |
| Province: | British Columbia |
| Trip Rating: |  |
| Trip Date: | July 1, 2001 |
| Duration: | 1 day |
| Trail Conditions: | Poor |
| Trail Traffic: | Heavy |
| Trip Weather: | Cloudy, Fog |
| Trip Winds: | Light |
| Trip Precipitation: | Rain, Showers, Sleet, Snow |
| Trip Temperature: | High: 31-40, Low: 51-60 degrees Fahrenheit |
| Trip Report: | 7/01/01: SHEEP CAMP TO HAPPY CAMP (7.5 miles) – Hey it’s Canada Day, eh. What a way to spend it. Woke up at 5am and hit the trail by 6:30am. Cooked our morning breakfast in a crowded hut since the rain started right after we loaded our packs. Hiked in the rain for an hour after breakfast, but it stopped by the time we hit the snow. I took a break at the Scales to power down some snacks before the big climb over the pass. The others pushed on, and we eventually met up again before the final push to the summit. Most of the climb was hand over hand rock scrambling. The last 500’ were covered with snow as was most of the trail to Happy Camp. We had heavy clouds and light rain as we reached the pass and the border between Alaska and the Yukon. Since it was Canada Day, the ranger flew balloons and gave us each a small pin of the Canadian Flag. We headed straight for the shelter, took a 45 minute snack break, and watched the steam rise from our polypro shirts. The hike from the Pass to Happy Camp was bleak, desolate, and somewhat surreal. The wind howled, the rain/sleet pelted us at times, and the signs told us not to stop since we were in an avalanche area (although it had been a number of years since one came through during hiking season.) It was bright enough for shades although we were socked in under heavy cloud cover. Crater Lake was entirely frozen over. Morrow Lake was 2/3 frozen. It’s July right? Followed the trail and some wolf/big dog tracks to Happy Camp by 2:30pm. Pitched camp immediately, and jumped into some warm clothes and my sleeping bag. The others headed to the warming hut for obvious reasons. Unfortunately, this place didn’t have a stove like Canyon City. After about a 2 ½ hour power nap I met up with the others in the shelter. The place was packed by the time I got there since most of the hikers had arrived during my siesta. Cooked up some dinner as the Canadian Navy and the Scooby Doo crew arrived. The Navy was headed on to Lindeman City because they were on a tight schedule. They planned 11 miles today, and it must have been miserable. They figured they would be hiking until 11pm. Crashed early tonight, 9:15pm after hanging out for a while on the front porch of the shelter with The Camel, The Senator, and David (from Ottawa). So tired, fell asleep again without the energy to write up the journal entry for today. As hard as it was, though, this was probably the coolest part of the hike to date. |
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