International Basin – International Mountain

July 25, 2022

This is Day 2 of 6 days climbing at International Basin with the Alpine Club of Canada General Mountaineering Camp. All climbs are guided by ACMG guides and experienced volunteer leaders. To see an overview of climbs in this area, please click here.

The highest mountain in the area is International Mountain at 3,099 m, and it’s the one everyone wants to summit. It was offered on Day 2, and I was sure to sign up quickly so I wasn’t left behind. The guides determine the guest to leader ratio, and once the trip is full, that’s it. You’re then moved to your 2nd choice. As I discovered the next day, it pays to be careful what you put as second choice. We had four rope teams heading up that day, with three guests per leader.

Our lead guide was Chucky “The Man” Gerrard, the GMC Manager, and I was on Mike McMinn’s rope. I hadn’t climbed with Chucky since the 2012 Mount Sir Sanford Camp, so I was looking forward to seeing him again. I was lucky enough to climb with Mike and Amber McMinn three times at last year’s Mummery Glacier GMC, but this would be my only day with Mike. I was joined by Iwona and her fiancé (now husband!) David.

Despite this being one of the longer days, it was so much fun. I was climbing with many people I’d met at previous camps, and everyone was in a great mood. We left camp at 6:50 am, which wasn’t a bit too early due to the intense heat wave. We heard it was over 35 above in Invermere, and we were definitely feeling the heat up here. I was doing the Climb Recap Speech at camp that night, so I was on the lookout for funny stories and situations.

Gear

Mountaineering boots, helmet, crampons, ice axe, harness, full crevasse rescue kit, and ice screw. Gaiters are an option depending on your pants. Most people carry at least one collapsible pole that can be stored on or in your pack.

Overview

From camp, we crossed the creek on the Everest Ladder, and then made the long trek below Strutt and Sandilands Peaks. Once on the lower glacier, we roped up for the slog across to the ridge. We hiked up to the top of the ridge on scree. Once at the top, we put on crampons for the upper glacier traverse. At the steep exposed glacial ice, our guides put in anchors and brought their teams up. Below the summit block, we took a little break (elevenses), before heading up to the summit. We were blessed with clear blue skies (no smoke!), and no wind. We returned the way we came.

Totals – Downloadable Tracks on Gaia, Displayed on Strava

Date: July 25, 2022
Group:  16 (Guide Chucky Gerrard, Leader Mike McMinn, Alisen, Iwona and David)
Distance:  11.9 km
Elevation:  925 m (3,052′)
Time:  9 hours 15 minutes (includes lunch break)

International Mountain Route

With a big day ahead of us, we were up extra early and out of camp by 6:50 am. We crossed the creek, and then made the long traverse below Strutt and Sandilands Peaks. I’d made this trek two days in a row, and I was happy to not do it again. While it’s pretty scenery, it’s the same rock and snow over and over again. It’s easy to forget where you are in the trek. Once past Sandilands Peak, we roped up to cross what we called the lower glacier.

After about 4 km, we came to the rock ridge that separates the lower and upper glacier. We unroped, then hiked up the scree. The lower portion is a rat’s nest of churning scree with no real trail, but then about 1/2 way up, a solid, consolidated trail magically appears.

Once at the top of the ridge, we made a quick stop to put on crampons and rope up again for the upper glacier.

From this stop, we turned towards International Mountain and started to gain elevation in earnest.

Chucky thought the going was a bit too easy, so he took us up higher than we needed to be. He called down to other two groups to keep on their line and save themselves a bit of effort. Not all was lost, as we got a lot of good photos out of it!

The only real technical thing on this ascent was the wall of glacier ice. Our guides expertly set anchors, and brought their teams up. The only time we had trouble with crevasses was above and beside this ice wall. Once we were above the ice, Mike went in to his waist. I backed up to put more pressure on the rope, and he pulled himself out of it. On the descent, Chucky’s team decided to go around the ice wall to skiers right. Chucky found a bigger crevasse and he went in to his armpits. Amber and her team hit the deck, and then threw it in reverse to tractor pull Chucky out. No harm done to Mike or Chucky.

Once we got to the base of the summit block, Chucky told us to take a break and have some food. It was just a little after eleven, and we had travelled about 5.5 km. I was absolutely starving at this point. The breakfast granola was being rationed for some reason, and I’m not big on bacon and sausage. Lunch was a sandwich, and store-bought cookies. I now started to beg food off the diabetics who were given meat and cheese. I learned after this to request hard boiled eggs to supplement my lunch.

While we ate, Chucky pretty much ran up the steep slope to take a look at the route. In 2012 at Sir Sandford GMC, I was able to do one climb with Chucky. I tried to get a photo of him climbing, but he was so fast, it was like he simply alit upon the rock. Even the other guides were talking about his athleticism. Ten years later, and he’s still amazing to watch.

Once Chucky was back, we took off the crampons and rope, and scrambled to the summit. The rock was stable and grippy, and it was an enjoyable ascent to the summit of International Mountain.

International Mountain Return

We descended off International Mountain the same way. We stopped at the lunch (elevenses) spot and had another bite to eat, and put on our crampons.

Above the ice wall, the groups had a choice: get lowered down the ice, or walk around. We chose to be lowered, which was more work for Mike as he had to set another anchor, lower us, and then lower himself. But he’s such a good guy, he did it with no complaints.

Chucky’s group elected to walk around to skier’s right, but just when they were getting out of sight, Chucky fell into a crevasse. He went in up to his armpits, but Amber got everyone to hit the ground, and then reversed to tractor him out. This was a bit scary, and Amber was about to yell at Mike to come help when Chucky stopped falling.

It was a long slog back down across the glacier. Once at the lower glacier, we found a small waterfall where we could replenish our water.

Back at camp, everyone was pretty tired. When the Trip List for the next day was posted, I was not paying attention. By the time I signed up for the ‘easy’ trip, all the spots were filled and I was adding my name in the margins. My bad, but it lead to an adventure the next day, for sure!

As for Mike, he was aptly rewarded for his great leadership skills by … going back to International Mountain the very next day! This time he was the lead guide, and was responsible for getting the group there and back safely.

While International Mountain is the highest in the International Basin, it’s not the furthest or the most difficult. It is a beautifully shaped mountain, and well worth the trek to summit.

Join me for the next adventure of summiting Horseman Spire and Malachite Spire.

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Alisen