In the late summer of 2023, Isobel Phoebus, Sasha Yasinksi and Sara Lilley established a new route on the southwest face of Gladsheim Peak in the Valhalla Mountain Range, supported by the Jen Higgins Grant for Young Women. Below is their story.
The Alpine Club of Canada is dedicated to helping young women pursue their adventure dreams with annual cash grants from the Jen Higgins Fund. Teams must include a young woman who is central to conceiving, developing and leading the trip. Established by friends and family to honour Jen Higgins after her death in 1997, Jen’s enthusiasm and generous spirit continue to live on by supporting young women in creative, self-propelled, mountain adventures with this grant. The ACC is honoured to continue Jen’s legacy of sharing knowledge and enthusiasm with others.
Annual deadline for applications is January 31.
Once upon a mountainous summer in 2023, three adventurous souls—Sara, Isobel, and Sasha—decided on a trip to the Valhalla Range to attempt a new alpine route.
Six months prior, the trio had found themselves in a familiar place — applauding and nodding in admiration at the audacious feats of the trailblazers who had first ascended these routes. While repeating these ascents, they began to wonder: Could intermediate climbers, even those who might be considered late bloomers, dare a first ascent? The bubbling desire to accept this challenge began to boil. Could it be that we, too, could attempt a first ascent?
In the heart of the Valhallas, where Norse legends meet Canadian peaks, the trio said a quiet “F*#&-it” and set sights on Gladsheim Peak. One of the twelve halls of the heavenly realm of Asgard, “Gladsheim” is the Great Hall of the Gods. The mountains whispered tales of continuous cracks and unexplored faces. The adventure began, with the plan to try hard and maybe climb some cracks that hadn’t seen a chalk-covered hand before.
The Valhallas offered more than climbing. The team had their share of wildlife adventures, bonding over a shared admiration for mountain goats and pikas. “Where’d the goats go?” became their rallying cry, especially for Isobel, our resident wildlife enthusiast. A survey on goats added a touch of citizen science to the trip, all in the name of preventing goat-human conflicts in the provincial park.
Sasha, the wildland firefighter of the group, became the fire sage when the mountains decided to play smoke over the first few days of the trip. The team delved into impromptu lessons on smoke patterns and firefighting strategies, pondering the nature of wildfire’s most intense blazes. One memorable day, their well-thought-out food run turned into an unexpected rendezvous with an alpine storm. Lightning crackled, hail pelted down, and the team, laden with axes and crampons, became the cast in a high-altitude thriller. A dash, a huddle, and some quick thinking ensued. Teamwork had never felt so real.
Between moments of terror, Sara’s introspective thoughts reached an all-time high and led to serious conversations about the nature of consciousness. She grounded herself by giving lectures on the foliated fabric of metamorphic rock, explaining how flaky mica minerals contributed to the grit that constantly littered their climbing shoes.
As they explored routes like the Full West Ridge and South Dihedral on the south face of Gladsheim, the team stumbled upon a line that called out to them like a climbing spirit from the Viking age. The ascent of “Crystal Pocket” was a delightful surprise, unfolding smoothly over seven pitches and some scrambling, covering 500m of cracks, roofs, and dihedrals. Swiftly, the jitters were forgotten, replaced with pure climbing joy. The crux pitch, perfectly led by Sasha, presented itself as a hanging serrated left-facing corner with challenging roof features that demanded a delicate dance of finger locks, airy stemming, and ring locks. The route was completed over a two-day return trip and was a celebration of sheer pleasure. No bolts were harmed (or placed) in the making.
As the expedition wrapped up, the team reflected on their seemingly over-prepared selves. What had felt intimidating turned out to be a tale of climbing joy and friendship.
Wild Mountain Eats fueled their adventures with 14 days of dehydrated dinners — Shepherd’s Pie being a standout team favourite. Onward Up contributed essential climbing gear, including the Petzl Volta Guide ropes, Gully Axes, Irvis Hybrid Crampons, and Nemo camping equipment. Valhalla Pure Outfitters Canmore supplied Ursacks for secure food storage and an MSR Reactor stove, which boils water faster than you can say “We only have one more Shepherd’s Pie left… Who gets it?” Save-On-Foods provided an array of calorie-dense goodies. Lastly, The Alpine Club of Canada’s Jen Higgins Grant provided financial backing, making the Valhalla saga an unforgettable experience filled with local support and encouragement.
And so, with a newfound route and a hearty mix of adventure, the trio bid a fond farewell to the Valhallas. “Crystal Pocket” stands as a reminder that the mountains are for everyone. These three adventurers left the Valhallas with their hearts a little stronger and their chalk bags a little emptier.
The ACC is dedicated to helping young women pursue their adventure dreams and your donation to the Jen Higgins Fund helps us support them. The Alpine Club of Canada is honoured to continue Jen’s legacy of sharing knowledge and enthusiasm with others.
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