Team DarkGlobe - Adventure Racing - Night Training Exercise

Team DarkGlobe

Adventure Racing Team

Elfin Lake Trekking / Night Training Exercise

Event: Trek to Elfin Lake and Beyond
Date: August 27th, 2003 (Wednesday)
Time: 10:00 am
Duration: 14 - 16 hours (estimated)
Directions: See road map below
Required Equipment: Proper footwear and clothing
for bushwhacking and trail walking, the 10 essentials
of trekking, lightweight day pack, hydration, food, etc.

Notes:

We leave Vancouver on Wednesday, August 27th (2 days from now) in the early afternoon. We drive up (or walk up) to the Elfin Lake parking lot. At this point we have the OPTIONAL foot soaking (to test and train in foot management). We proceed to the Elfin Lake Cabin and beyond to the Opal Cone, the Gargoyles, Mamquam Lake and other points of interest nearby.

This is an overnight training exercise but we will not be stopping during the night. Therefore no sleeping gear (tents, bags, etc are required). In an emergency (or if one cannot continue on they could stay in the well equipped Elfin Lake cabin, complete with propane heat).

I have a spare headlamp should someone wish to participate and doesn't have one. A photocopied map will be supplied, but navigation will be taken care of for you. Please bring the essentials of hiking... compass (if you have one), rain gear, etc. I will bring satellite phone for emergencies. Geoff will bring GPS.

Outcome:

Geoff, Gerry and Craig in attendance.

We parked Geoff's car at the second to last switchback and Gerry shuttled everyone to the Elfin Lake parking lot on his Kawasaki KLR 650 motorcycle. We left the parking lot at 3:15 pm. Up past Round Mountain along Paul Ridge we went.

After arriving at the Elfin Lake cabin we pushed on to the Opal Cone, arriving there at 8:21. Darkness fell. It was here that Craig's knee gave out and we decided to escort him back to the Elfin Lake cabin and abort the hike to Mamquam Lake.

We left Craig at the Elfin Lake cabin and headed up the slope to the saddle between the two peaks near The Gargoyles. When we reached the saddle between the two peaks near the Gargoyles we followed the saddle ridge North East. In the darkness we could see a strange shape ahead and speculated that it was a tree or a rock formation, possibly one of the Gargoyles. It turned out to be a small snow field. Distance perception was severely downgraded by the darkness. I was able to use my MYO 5 headlamp to pick routes relatively far ahead but not far enough to see the route to the ridge leading to Atwell Peak. The MYO 5 has 5 LED bulbs that have a low, medium and high setting, as well as a focusable main bulb. We decided that attempting to reach the ridge was unwise in the darkness.

At the base of the Gargoyles we put on all of our clothing, including our Gortex rain gear and laid down for a while. The number of stars visible was incredible. The planet Mars, closest to earth for 60,000 years, was plainly visible in the South East sky. We also saw a few impressive shooting stars. When we could stand the cold ground no longer we followed our route back to the Elfin Lake cabin and collected Craig. His knee was not good. Dawn broke just as we reached the parking lot.

After an uneventful hike back to the Elfin Lake parking lot, Gerry shuttled Geoff and Craig back to Geoff's car. We headed back to Vancouver and some sleep.

Elfin Lake Parking Lot

3:15 pm

3,140 Feet

UTM Coordinates

0496260
5511216

Red Heather Cabin

4:22 pm

4,520 Feet

UTM Coordinates

0497294
5512240

Elfin Lake Cabin

5:43 pm

4,760 Feet

UTM Coordinates

0500822
5515118

Opal Cone

8:21 pm

5,775 Feet

UTM Coordinates

0501808
5519056

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Click Map to Enlarge

Topographical map.

Click Map to Enlarge

Road route to Elfin Lake parking lot.

Click Map to Enlarge

Topographical Map.

Click Map to Enlarge

Map showing Diamond Head Trail.