BANFF – Until the tragic events of last week, very few people had ever heard of Howse Peak, let alone ever attempted to reach its summit.
Barry Blanchard, a well-known Alpine guide in Canmore, was the first to climb M16 in 1999, one of the most difficult routes on the east face of the mountain and the same route David Lama, Jess Roskelley and Hansjorg Auer used to get to the top on the mountain on April 16 before they were killed by an avalanche on their descent.
“It’s an expert level ascent,” said Blanchard, who climbed the route with Scott Backes and Steve House.
“Of the millions of people who participate in mountaineering and climb mountains, globally you’re talking one per cent who would come with the ability to attempt the east face of Howse Peak.”
Unlike Lama, Roskelley and Auer who summited the route in a single day, it took Blanchard and his team four days to get up and down it in 1999.
During their ascent, they got caught in a two-day storm and then on the way down Blanchard broke his leg after a snow mushroom fractured above him as he was repelling down, smashing his body into the side of a gully.
“A large bonded piece of snow broke away from the face above us, accelerated through the air for 500 feet, impacted the face above me and broke my leg,” said Blanchard, who was slung off the side of the mountain the following day.
“I was lucky to be standing one foot to the left and my partner Scott had driven an exceptionally good piton because the ice screw got ripped out by the avalanche. I was very fortunate to be left hanging on the mountain.”
According to Blanchard, M16 is a challenging 1,000-metre mix-climb route that involves a large unsupported snow slope that skirts the bottom of the mountain and 7+ grade pitches of water and ice.
“The ice is only two to five centimetres thick, so it’s not thick enough to take an ice screw, so you’re protecting on rock equipment and occasionally getting in an ice screw.”
Reflecting on the tragic circumstances of the past week, he said no matter how good you are, sometimes it simply comes down to luck.
“You can dedicate your life to becoming very, very good at what you do, but you also need good luck because it is a very dangerous pursuit,” said Blanchard.
He said he spoke with John Roskelley, a longtime friend and Jess’s father earlier this week to express his condolences.
“It’s just a heart breaking time,” said Blanchard, his voice cracking. “I can’t imagine losing a child, it’s just tragic.”
