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Climbers Traverse 13 Peaks in B.C.’s Valhalla Range

On Aug. 22, Vince Hempsall and David Lussier circumnavigated the 13 peaks of the Mulvey Basin in Valhalla Provincial Park, B.C.

The Nelson-based climbers pieced together a compelling read about their adventure at Mountain Culture, which you can read here.

In it, Hempsall notes, “Later I would learn from David (who’s in the process of authoring a guidebook to the Valhallas) that the first peaks to be climbed in this area of the Valhallas were done so in 1953.

“Leon Blumer and Gordon Hartley marched in from the North via the old Gwillim Creek trail for many kilometres before scrambling up the Humps (East and West) and the East Molar.

“Ironically, we would not be accessing those peaks on this excursion because they are not a true part of the horseshoe around the basin but rather overlook Mulvey Creek from a lower vantage.”

Read more about the traverse here

Hempsall and Lussier climbed the peaks in counter-clockwise order. Their first-half of their climb included reaching the tops of: Mount Dag (2,750m), Little Dag (2725m), Batwing (2,650m), Mount Nott (2,600m), East Wolf’s Ear (2,750m) and West Wolf’s Ears (2,750m).

And the second half included: the Muzzle (2,700m), Gimli Peak (2,810m), Nisleheim Peak (2,650m), Midgard Peak (2,810m), Asgard Peak (2,830m), The Trireme Wall (2,715m) and Gladsheim Peak (2,830m).

“The route involves about 12km of linear distance and 2,300m of elevation gain,” notes Lussier.

“There are numerous single-rope rappels required, endless fourth class scrambling and multiple pitches of simu-climbing up to 5.10a.” Read more about their climb here.

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