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Black Tusk in the Black of Night
Timestamp Free: 2018.12.19 - 01:42:21
Ranges: North America Ranges / Pacific Cordillera Range / Coast Mountains / Pacific Ranges / Garibaldi Ranges
  (3 days)
Participants: Stefan Albrecher, Matt Jesson, Adam Kleeburger
Difficulty: 2: Class 2
On the yearly high school geography trip to Garibaldi Lake we decided to get in some extra hiking. Too bad the only time available was at night!
Every year our high school geography class goes to Garibaldi Lake and Cinder Cone for a field study. Having been to the area more than a few times the teacher was more than happy to let me go. After a relaxed hike to Taylor Campground behind the teachers gruesomly slow pace, a few of us decided we needed more of a challenge. We decided on the Tusk in all its 2316 m glory, now if only the teacher thinks it is as an good idea as we did. We decided to ask him in a more subtle way.
  Stefan: Can Matt, Adam and I go for a hike in the meadows tommorow morning before breakfast?
  Teacher: Sure, be careful, what time will you get up at?
  Stefan: Early.

Hey, whatever works! After an early dinner we went to bed hoping to get some sleep. Beep, Beep, Beep, 3:30 AM, wake up time. I crawl out of my warm bag and wake up the others. By 3:50 AM we are packed and ready to roll. It's a perfectly clear sky with a near full moon so we put away our headlamps. Knowing we have to be back in camp for the 7:00 AM wake up call we walk/jog at a good clip. Eventually the near level hill abruptly steepens to a calf burning mountain of pain. With my heart pounding through my chest we continue at an unrelenting pace. At 5:30 AM we reach the base of the Tusk to find a thin layer of slippery ice coating the rock. Not wanting to scramble up the slippery chimny we gladly agree on a much needed rest. By now we can see the first signs of pink sky to the east and the brightly shining stars to the west. At 6:00 AM we begin the steep jog back to camp. Halfway down we begin to see the first sign of sun on Mount Garibaldi, what a sight! We arrive in camp just after 7:00 AM, we are even the first ones up! We cook breakfast and prepare for the school hike to Cinder Cone and Helm glacier, my...

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