How to get lost in the Mountains in three easy steps
I should qualify right off the bat the difference between ‘lost’ and ‘off course’. Lost is defined as “unable to find ones way” where off course is simply a matter of things not going exactly as planned, that is to say if you had a plan in the first place.
This particular example I would qualify not as truley being lost but rather simply getting off course. It occurred last weekend while en route to Steed Hut in the Bonnington Range of the Selkirk Mountains near Nelsons BC. We were trying to access to Steed Hut which is fairly straight forward given the hut is located beneath the summit ridge of Siwash Mountain. Siwash being the largest peak in a chain of summits heading south from Snowwater Heli Skiing’s terrain at the end of Rover Creek.
After driving 14km up Rover Creek, we parked the car and headed due south for a few kilometres along some cat skiing roads avoiding Snowwwater’s private land and lodge. After rought 45minute you come to a prominen saddle that gets you up and over the first ridge and into a secondary bowl. This bowl is easily crossed and then you go up and over another ridge and into Siwash bowl. This is where our troubles began. Having been to Steed Hut 6 years prior I was very confident of the route and also the location of the hut so I got comfortable and did minimal route planning prior to the tip. Mistake #1. Combining this with the fact that I did not bring my topo map of the area, nor the GPS coordinates for the hut, we proceeded to search for the hut in the wrong bowl. After a few hours of futile searching and with daylight fading the decision was made to climb to the ridge and scout the next bowl to the south to see what was there. Immediately Steed Hut could be seen from the ridge and the ominous threat of spending a night under the stars was alleviated.
While the consequences of being ill prepared for such a simple and routine hike were not life threatening the possibility of camping out would have been uncomfortable at best and a good lesson learned. I have now been reminded of how quickly things can go wrong and what not to do. Three basic mistakes:
1. Didn’t take a topo map
2. No prior research of the route or hut location
3. Rely completely on memory of trip six years early
Lesson learned.
(For all the stats, GPS coordinates and details of this route check out the Suunto Movessount page here.)
The route out was much more efficient via the summit ridges.
(For all the stats, GPS coordinates and details of this route check out the Suunto Movessount page here.)
Looking south from the summit of Siwash Peak to Grassy Mountain and the location of the first hut along the Bonnington Traverse.
For all the details of Steed Hut on the Bonnington Traverse have a read here and be sure to check out all of the backcountry skiing options around Steed Hut here.