Garibaldi Provincial Park protects almost 2,000 square kilometres of rugged alpine wilderness just north of Squamish and provides world-class hiking, mountaineering and skiing objectives for locals and tourists alike. The majority of the park is virtually impenetrable, but a few well-developed access points between Squamish and Whistler allow outdoor enthusiasts to explore some of the region's gorgeous, alpine terrain. The iconic volcanic peak, Black Tusk, is one of the area's major draws, and shortly before the fall rains settled onto the B.C. coast, we made an exploratory trek up Empetrum Peak to see the Tusk from a new perspective.

Garibaldi Park

Approaching the North Buttress of Begguya (Mt. Hunter)  ©Doug Shepherd

Climbing with three has it's appeals.  Splitting the work with an extra person, more warmth while cuddling, and general camaraderie. That said, I've been known to repeatedly say "I hate climbing in the mountains with three" and turn down climbing trips, especially on technical alpine routes.  My reasoning for this comes from many failed climbs with three people, due to general slowness, stuck ropes, difficult communication, and even a lack of stoke!

However, I've recently had a break-through, efficiently climbing large routes with a team of three.  Part of this is finding the right partners and part of it is due to finally figuring out the right gear and tactics for efficient movement with three people.  Keep reading for my take on making it work in the mountains with three.

The West Coast Trail is a world class hike on the far side of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. This scenic journey is a wonderland of thick coastal forests, sweeping beaches and rugged headlands riddled with caves and sea stacks. Wildlife is abundant, and sightings of bears, cougars and whales are very common. A few thousand visitors challenge themselves on the 75-km trail each year and the varied surface and weather conditions provide a challenge when it comes to selecting gear. Upon returning from a five-day trek along the trail, I thought I'd share a few thoughts on gearing up.