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| Vancouver Island Alpine Guide |
Difficult access to Bate has been the sole reason the area has not become a Mecca for rock climbers searching for new routes. In fact as of 1998 there are know to be only 4 accents, and up until 1998 only the first accent had accessed the area on foot. The reason for this is that the only access to the area was via the Perry River to Peter Lake. While this was good access to Mount Alava, it presents Bate at its steepest, with bluffs blocking routes around Peter Lake. Robbie Macdonald and Paul Ericson on their first accent were able to work their way around Peter Lake on the south, high on the flanks of Alava; but, this was extremely difficult.
After the first accent several parties have flown into the basin North of Bate. Sandy Briggs has named this basin “Shangra La”, and for good reason. It is a perfectly flat gravel basin surrounded by steep rocky summits. In August the basin is a sea of alpine flowers with two alpine lakes.
The best route in is to scramble up the valley draining the east flank for Mt Bate. This route is only appropriate for experienced backcountry hikers due to the many objective dangers.
To reach the start of the route:
Route into Mt Bate from Conuma River, taken from an old 92E/15 map. For some reason the map makers have placed the name of the mountain on a lower summit. Logging Roads are in Red, and the route is in Purple. P is where the cars are parked. W major washout with the bridge out. C1, C2, C3 are campsites. L is ledge system across East Face of Bate
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From the car hike west up the logging road. Within 200m you will come to a major river crossing with the bridge removed. In August it is simple to hop across on exposed rocks, but in the spring is likely to be a much larger challenge. Continue up the logging road as it goes through a forest area and passes the end of a narrow ridge to the east of Mt Bate.
The road comes out of the forest and into a clear cut, then crosses the creek that drains the valley east of Bate. In August the creek was dry even though higher up it was flowing quite well. The road swings to the right and parrallels the creek for a 100m. Before the road swings left away from the creek, leave the road and recross the creek heading for the old growth forest on the east/right side of the creek.
Hike up throught the old growth on the east side of the creek. Keep about 30m away from the creek to stay in the clearest old growth. There is actually is minimal bush. At 700m you will suddenly break out of the forest and onto a steep scree slope. Suprisingly this is the end of the forest and except for afew thickets the route is in the open. Open ground at 700m on Vancouver Island is only caused by severe avalanaches durig the winter (or logging). Any one attempting a winter accent is warned that this would be a very scary place to hike through.
About a killometer up the valley the route up is blocked by a line of cliffs and there is a major waterfall coming over this cliff on the right. Just to the right of the waterfall is the only break in this line of defence,where a small patch of forest clings to the steep ground and almost makes it down to the scree slopes you are on. Further to the right and above you is a large cliff leading to the ridge above.
Hike up the scree slope aiming to reach the top of the scree about 25m before the base of the slopes leading to the forest. Unfortunately a 100m before this you will have to traverse across a very steep dirt/gravel gully that is not visible until you reach it. Make sure you have your ice axe out and are wearing heavy duty mountaineering boots with good edges. You need the ice axe to help keep your balance and maybe to dig a step or two.
From the gully hike up to the base of the cliffs, then traverse across a slimmy ledge to reach a steep slope leading to the forest. Carefully accend the slope to the forest. Remember you are climbing above a major water fall, “Do Not Fall Here!” Thinks ease up as soon as you can grab the first branch of slide alder and bashing into the dense thicket is a major releaf. Bash up through the forest for 50m then get onto meadows above the thicket. Hike up then drop down into “Three Waterfall Basin.”
“Three Waterfall Basin” is the first campsite (C1) on the route and is in a good possition to climb Bate. If you have designs on other objectives at the head of the valley or want a more spectacular campsite continue on up the valley. One disadvantage of this campsite is the noise from the waterfalls.
The route continues up the valley to the east/right of the right most waterfall. Again you will be climbing above the waterfall so care must be taken. At the top of the waterfall the route drops down to the creek. Just above the waterfall the creek comes through a narrow canyon. In August it was possible to jump across the creek and scramble along ledges just above the left/west side of the creek. If the water is too high it should be possible to take route higher on the right/east side of the creek, above the canyon. Earlier in the year this area will be covered with snow, but watch out for the creek undercutting the snow!
If you are heading to the summit of Bate, it is possible to head left/west up the rock towards Bate near the end of the canyon. The route up the valley stays on the left side of the creek until it reaches a deep lake in a nice basin. Cross the creek and traverse around the lake on the east/right side. There is ample area for camping (C2) just past the lake, but if you’ve come this far keep going.
At the end of the basin head up the slope to the east/right, attempting to get above the house sized boulders near the creek. Past the large boulders cross the creek below a small waterfall then scramble up to the upper “Shangra La” Basin (C3) where there is several football fields of flat ground to camp on.
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To climb Bate from “Shangra La” Basin (marked C3 on the map above)
the route first traverse across a wide ledge system (L) on the east side of Bate.
Within the first 500m you will hike by two deep lakes on the ledge.
Keep on the ledge all the way across the Bate massif.
Scramble up easy rock at the end of the Ledge and onto the ridge Dast of the SE summit of Bate
(marked as Mt Bate on the map).
Continue up the ridge about a 100m until you can head NW, beneith the SE summit on the East.
Traverse NW then up to summit block, which is the left most of a set of three spires.
Head into the notch to the right of the summit block.
From the snow rope up and climb a black dike for half a pitch to a rapele site (one move of 5.4-5.5). Another half pitch of class 3 on the edge of the summit block leads to with a few meters of the summit. To reach the top there are a few exposed class 5 moves on a slab. The summit is very pointy with only room for two. There is a rapele point set up for the 5m rapelle to get off the summit. Yes that is really 5m, a very short rapele but is far more comfortable than down climbing the slab in boots. The middle pitch is down climbable. A half rope rappele gets you back onto the snow. |
Mt Bate from the North. The route marked in green. Note the small lake at the bottom of the photo just to the right of the route. Sandy Briggs
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Last Updated: Sept 13, 1997
