Garibaldi Park: Clearing Storm over the Valley of Desolation

A clearing fall storm begins to dissipate over the Valley of Desolation as sunlight burns off the clouds. Taken after a ramble through the clouds around Black Tusk.

Subject Mountain: The Black Tusk
    Photo Value: 7 *R
Date: 2002.10.19
Vantage Point: East of the Black Tusk Microwave Tower, 1.1 km NW of The Black Tusk   49:59:00 123:03:06
  Google Map
 Photographer: Mitch Sulkers

After much bouncing and jostling on a Saturday morning, we arrived at the gate on the Microwave Road near the Black Tusk area of Garibaldi Park. Stretching our limbs while walking up the ridge, we soon found ourselves walking into a thick cloudbank that challenged our routefinding skills while limiting our perspective in the alpine.

After a few hours following ridgetops, discussing the merits of an ascent in the murk, and studying the various specimens of rock available, we had a quick snack and wandered back down the ridge towards the Microwave. It was then, of course, that the sky began to open, and we were treated to ever better views as time progressed.

Sitting in a small col to the east of the Microwave Tower, we watched the sky brighten to the east, eventually allowing a full view of Empetrum Ridge and the Valley of Desolation, in the Helm Creek Valley, beyond.

Straying mists prevented us from viewing Helm Peak and its consorts, but the warm light on the western slopes of Cinder Cone and Helm Ridge continued to draw our attention. So too, did the absolute lack of snow left on the north of the Tusk, and area that is normally very popular with early season tourers and, alas, snowmachiners.

Access: Via the Black Tusk Microwave Road, from Function Junction in Whistler, to the locked gate at the Garibaldi Park Boundary. From there, walk the road to the Microwave Tower, then follow the obvious trail along the ridgetops.

Technical: Asahi Pentax Spotmatic F 135mm lens 100ASA Fuji Superia Scanned from the Print using Adobe Photoshop.