DE explores the Kokanee Glacier and Valhallas

on July 11 2011
DE goes on a recon­nais­sance mis­sion to get a first hand look at the Koka­nee Glac­i­er from above. Thier­ry Noblet of Koote­nay Lake Avi­a­tion (www.flykla.com) guid­ed the trip and pilot­ed the expe­di­tion. We flew through the Val­hal­la moun­tain range and over the Koka­nee Glac­i­er to gain insight and to be inspired. Stay tuned for the DE Insight on glac­i­ers. 
Another view of GladshsheimThe ‘research vessel’, a Cesna 172 plane, agile enough to get us close to the mountains and glacier. The plane was so light that thermals clearly felt throughout the flight.Kootenay Lake Aviation (https://www.flykla.com/) provided the guided flight complete with detailed explanation of features we saw. Our pilot, Thierry Noblet, was outstanding.The dashboard – fortunately the pilot knew what these all meantDavid Oswald, DE President, getting prepared for take off.A view down Kootenay Lake as we headed towards the mountains.The patchwork clear cut sites that are typical of this area.A side view of Mount Gladsheim - note the sheer face.A view from the other side of Mount Gladsheim. The ridge ascent is visible here.A wider view of the ridge near Gladsheim.Kokanee Lake. The blue roof of the cabin can be seen on the lower left side of the lake. Sadly, this lake is a burial ground for some brave alpinists.The Kokanee Glacier - a well-known designation for many alpine enthusiasts, as well as being an important part Canadian natural heritage.Kokanee Glacier from another perspective.A wider shot of the Kokanee Glacier that captures its wide expanse.The return to Nelson – the approach to landing.TouchdownSafe landing and the taxi in.The mission complete – safe and sound.The advanced fire-fighting technology of the Nelson airport. Fortunately we did not need to use this.
Browse the gallery using the links above or swip­ing with your touch-enabled device.
Click or tap the image for a full-size view.

Share this post: