Thank God for GPS. And for this guide.

This was all I could think about as our team of three meandered our way up the Lyell Icefield in the pitch black. A wet snowstorm pelted us from all sides, leaving us soaking wet in freezing temperatures. Perfect.

It was the first time my husband (photographer Paul Zizka) and I had climbed with a mountain guide, despite our having climbed quite a lot in the Canadian Rockies. But as Mike Stuart from Canadian Alpine Guides led us toward the Lyell Hut, I was thankful he was in front. It wasn’t his fault we were out in the cold, navigating his way by GPS to the hut. That is simply what happens in mountaineering; poor weather and bad visibility can make navigation difficult, to say the least. All we could do was trust Mike, and put one foot in front of the other.

The Lyell Hut is located on the shoulder of Lyell 5 (Christian Peak), 2000 metres above where we parked our car along a logging road North of Golden, British Columbia. We had spent over eleven hours hiking and walking on the glacier en route to the hut, which would be our landing pad as we tackled the Lyells, a group of five peaks over 11,000 feet on the Banff National Park border.

The situation was growing more desperate as we plodded along in the dark. With the weather showing no signs of letting up, we had no choice but to keep walking, despite our exhaustion. We also had no camping gear, so an emergency bivy wasn’t even a consideration. Trying to keep our minds focused on the arduous task at hand, eventually Mike announced that the hut was 400 metres away. I began counting every third footstep, though the counting was stopped abruptly when we began to climb a steep patch of snow. Plunging my ice axe in as hard as I could, I grunted my way upward, occasionally losing my stance as my leader’s footsteps crumbled under my feet. Exhausted, I finally saw the top of the rock outcropping it turns out we had been climbing, and Mike said he was standing twenty feet away from the hut.

“Music to my ears,” I responded, fairly breathless.

Everything moved in slow motion from the moment we entered the shelter and safety of Lyell Hut. Someone got snow melting on the stove. I didn’t know where to start. Unpack my bag? Everything is soaked. Eat something? When did I last eat anything? Sleep? Perhaps I should eat first.

Droopy-eyed, I pulled everything out of my 85 L pack and began to lay it out, doubtful it would dry at all. Eventually we had boiling water and each of us moved like zombies to prepare a hot brew. I sat looking at a bowl of Mr. Noodles for a long time before I finally took my first spoonful. Somehow extreme hunger and exhaustion made me lose my appetite. But, I knew I needed to eat.

Finally hunkering down for a night of rest, the three of us were sleeping before our heads even hit our pillows. Yes, pillows at 9,400 feet. What a delicacy.

The day after our fairly epic approach to Lyell Hut, we took a rest day to recuperate while our gear dried out. Naturally, the conversation often returned to our hike through the dark the night before. We all knew how close we were to things going very wrong. But, with Mike’s 13 years of guiding experience, combined with Paul and my six years of mountaineering experience, we had a successful outcome.

Upping the Ante

In mountaineering, experience is attained gradually. You start with easier climbs, less risk, shorter days and gradually up the ante. You also learn new techniques and learn to master your equipment, which in some cases is your lifeline (like our GPS). Experience also shows you where your limits are and helps you chime into your internal gauge.

Having Mike as a leader proved to be tremendously valuable as some of the climbing involved with the Lyells (particularly Peak 4 – see below) was beyond anything Paul or I had previously climbed. We’ve done some serious climbing – on Assiniboine, Mt. Louis, Sir Douglas, and other 11,000ers – but I realized on this trip that some terrain is simply still too much for me. If anything, I know I’m walking that fine line between managing my nerves and having a panic attack. Mike proved to be a solid leader, kicking steps and leading difficult sections (while also being a ton of fun and a great conversationalist back at the hut). He was someone I wholeheartedly trusted in trickier terrain or conditions I knew I was capable of climbing, but could never have been the one on the sharp end.

Still, a series of questions have been plaguing me lately: How did I get to this point in mountaineering? Some (arguably all) of this climbing is serious and involves a huge amount of physical output, mental toughness and acceptance of risk. But, have I truly accepted those risks? Do I even understand why I love climbing? Where are my limits? How much am I willing to challenge myself?

I’ll let you know if and when I find the answers to those questions. Sometimes I feel like I dove head-first into mountaineering and now am coming to terms with a new awareness of what this so-called sport truly involves.

In the end, we climbed Lyells 1, 2, 3 and 4 on our third day. Peak 4 involved some steep snow climbing as the alpine in some areas of the Canadian Rockies is still in winter mode this year. Mike led some steep, 70-degree snow pitches and 5.4 snow covered rock (which felt twice as hard) to get Paul and I to the summit. The guys also got up early the next morning to climb Peak 5 before we started the long trek back down 2000 metres to the car. I was keen to rest.

The trip turned out to be one of my best trips ever.

Whether he knew it or not, Mike taught us a lot of new mountaineering techniques throughout the trip. Most importantly, he introduced us to Dairy Queen as a reward for our hard work at the end.

To finish off, some footage from Peak 4 (Walter Peak). Here’s Mike leading the way:

About Canadian Alpine Guides

Canadian Alpine Guides is a full-service guiding company nestled in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, founded by Mike Stuart. CAG specializes in rock & ice climbing, alpine climbing and ski touring for all skill levels and abilities. Upon request, CAG offers avalanche and rescue courses. They pride themselves on delivering once-in-a-lifetime mountain experiences for their clients. View client testimonials here.