Revel-Stoked!
Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada: It’s out of the way of just about everything—and that’s what makes it so damn special.
Revelstoke is anincredible place. As an Arizona boy, I had heard legends of mythic proportionswhere Norse gods go when they want neck deep powder.
Revelsoke is that place but is also so much more than a world-class ski destination. As the Epic Trails crew and I set off for the mountain town, I had no idea what kind of true mountain adventures lay ahead.
It was late June when we visited Revelstoke and this year summer came late to the mountains. The snowpack was still thick in many places. The sunshine, however, had arrived and was rapidly freeing up the trails for hiking, camping, climbing, mountain biking, and all sorts of summer fun. With each day of sun, a few more million wildflowers sprung up as well.
“Yep,” I thought to myself, “This is gonna be epic”.
We then met up with Emelie Stenberg of Revelstoke Backcountry Guides. Emelie is a heli-ski guide in the winter and a mountain hiking/climbing/everything badass guide in the summer. We were off to Roger’s Pass to explore the glaciers and stay in one of the numerous, glorious, mountain huts in the area. Historically, Roger’s Pass was an important place for the railroads. It essentially unlocked the Canadian Rockies to train travel. Today, it’s just another ho-hum, blow-your-socks-off playground for hikers, climbers, and anyone who wants to surround themselves in insane beauty (Canada has more than a few of these places just layin’ around).
Emelie and I hiked high up into the snow to the base of the Illecillewaet and Vaux Glaciers. These mountains and glaciers are incredible! The glaciers, through our guides, reveal just how much has changed in the last hundred years. For example, these two glaciers used to meld together much lower down the mountain. Tourists could visit the base of the glaciers relatively close to the trailhead. The glaciers have since retreated significantly, and in doing so have left behind beautifully carved and polished rock. Despite the beauty, it’s a sobering testament to the changes our world is undergoing.
Mike Bromberg, Founder of Revelstoke Backcountry Guides, is a climbing and mountaineering ball of energy and smiles. Mike and I had a mission to climb Mt. Begbie together. In order to get ourselves acquainted before the climb—as well as to have a little fun—we headed over to Waterworld, one of the best climbing nooks I’ve ever experienced.
The Columbia River begins its mighty flow to the Pacific just outside of Revelstoke. Dams along the way make a series of beautiful reservoirs and lakes. Rising out of the waters of Lake Revelstoke is a 400-foot tall, west facing cliff that is the Waterworld climbing area. Mike and I rappelled down the cliff onto a tiny wooden platform bolted to the rock just above the water. From here, there’s only one way out—up.
We climbed Pirates ofthe Waterworld, a 4-pitch 5.10 classic. It provides plenty of fun, whereclimbers can lean out over the water with hundreds of feet of air beneath theirfeet. It’s an exciting climb to say the least. The holds are plentiful, and themoves are fun, making it one of the top climbs of my life.
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Pirates of the Waterworld. Photo by Lukasz Warzecha -
Photo by Lukasz Warzecha -
Photo by Lukasz Warzecha
When it came time to climb Mt. Begbie, Mike and I were joined by Shasta Coombes of Flexpeditions – a local outdoor adventure education company. Mt. Begbie is Revelstoke’s most iconic mountain. Anyone who has been to Revelstoke will be familiar with the sight of Mt. Begbie as it looms above the city and is visible from just about everywhere. Local breweries and businesses use it as their namesake. This stunning mountain looks like it’s just begging to be climbed.
Despite all the amazing athletes that live in Revelsoke, apparently climbing Begbie is still on most people’s “to-do” list. And I’m doing it.
So, Mike, Shasta, and I set off from the trailhead and instantly the trail turned vertical and refused to relent. We hiked about 4,000 feet up over the course of just a few miles. It was like a beautiful stair stepper. Every step is up. We began the day in a lush cedar forest but after a couple hours the forest gave way to a more alpine environment with some lingering snow. As we passed the last few trees towards the top (these trees perfectly exemplify the meaning of resilience), we stumbled our way into camp. Here, at the treeline, we set up for dinner and a night of sleeping under the stars. In the morning we’d be waking up with the sunrise to make our climbing bid.
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Milky Way over Begbie -
Wake up call -
Shasta, maker of coffee -
After watching the Milky Way float over Mt. Begbie all night, we woke up, made some coffee, and set out for the summit. Unfortunately, Shasta and her bionic knee weren’t able to join us, so Mike and I roped up on the glacier and began the technical ascent to the top. Crossing from the glacier to the rock can be quite the tricky transition, but luckily for us, a snow bridge was in perfect shape and made it easy. From there, we followed an incredibly narrow and exposed ledge…the kind that makes you breathe deep and pucker in your pants.
After navigating the ledge, it was smooth sailing to the top—just a bunch of fun and easy bouldering moves and a ridgeline hike to the top.
It just so happened to be Canada Day when climbed the iconic Mt Begbie. In honor of the holiday, Mike and I planted a flag and celebrated. It was one of many perfect moments that made our visit to Revelstoke a truly epic adventure!