We set off up the trail - and I do mean UP - around 9:15, sunny but with some cloud. For the first hour it is a relentless up-climb. It must have rained quite a bit as the trail looked as if someone had drained the bathwater down it.

Our first viewpoint comes after about 20 or 25 minutes but the upward climb still continues.

We reached the ridge shortly after 11 and headed along it before descending to cross over to the far knoll for lunch.

The meadows were full of flowers all the way up, blue, yellow, pink, white. 2 other Ramblers on a private trip had climbed the ridge from the far west access via the Pass. They greeted us as we reached the ridge and decided to join us for lunch so climbed the knoll with us.

All day we watched as mists would swirl upwards from the valleys, mostly the Powderface Creek valley, then dissolve to nothing.

After lunch we re-traced our steps to Powderface Ridge and set off south on our off-trail part. We followed the ridge, over rocky slopes, along a few trails worn by many previous hikers until we reached the 2 huge boulders (conglomerates) where we had a short break.

Then we reached the next small meadow and carefully picked our way down the steep slope and through the trees to reach the trail just below the second outlier.Though it had been partly cloudy most of the day, it was still warm, about 18 on the ridge and 21 back at the cars. Fortunately there were no warrior grouse in sight and we made it safely back.

Thanks to Nadine, Brieta, Melissa, Gerard, Madeleine, Bill and, of course, Skylar. C/s/p Dorothy-Ann

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