We had no trouble getting to the Sunshine parking lot just before 8:00 am. Fifty minutes later, returning from leaving two cars at the Redearth trailhead, we hit a tailback 1-2 kilometres from the Sunshine parking lot. Fortunately the rest of our group patiently waited for us in the Gondola station and we were all on the trail around 9:20 am.Usual trek up Healy creek. Through the meadows below the pass there was only a single fresh track broken by a lone skier ahead of us. We later met up with Lars who broke a very nice route up to the pass - Sim and David stayed on wax the whole way.

Unfortunately it was pretty socked in at the pass so the usual great view was not for us. One of the group had never been to the pass before and I am not sure you could believe us when we said it is a great place to be on sunny windless day. We thanked Lars for trailbreaking and offered a ride back to Sunshine in return - only thing was he had to ski to the Redearth trailhead! A great ski down to Pharoah creek down the trackless Egypt lake side of the pass. The great snow conditions made me think we should maybe be yo-yoing not touring. Great snow!

With the delays we had we seemed to be running a little behind schedule so we did not go to the Egypt lake public cabin but found a bit of shelter for a late lunch at the Warden cabin around 1:15 pm.

I was perhaps a little over zealous keeping the group moving but thanks everyone. Bill set off to start breaking trail down Pharoah creek and we did, eventually, catch him up. We made good progress taking turns with pretty good boot top trail breaking, mostly, down Pharoah creek with some interesting down hills and creeks to cross.

We were at the Redearth warden cabin for a snack break around 4:15 pm.

Then off down the exciting Redearth fire road! The fast folks were probably at the cars, without headlamps, around 5:30 pm. Quite near the end I bounced across an unseen bridge in the gathering gloom. I took it as an omen to get out the headlamp! We were probably all out around 6:00 pm. Some gymnastic moves required to squeeze 5 and the skis in my car - thanks ladies who squeezed in the back. We returned to a much quieter Sunshine parking lot after I had an enjoyable day with Yolande, Sim, David, Bill, Arnold, Alicja, Shirley, Jeannine and Lars - thanks all. John

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