Our long pleasant fall seems to be continuing, even the larches are not quite done.
Six Ramblers set out a little before 10.  The biggest route finding challenge of the day was finding our way through the parking lots to the trailhead.  The trail up to Saddleback was quite pleasant.


Doug heading up the Yellow Needle Road

We took a bit of a break (for elevenses) before heading up Fairview Mtn.  We took an early trail that seemed to head up only to dissappear.  And so we had a bit of a bushwhack to get onto the main route.  And what a highway that route has become since this scribe last was here about 20 years ago! We were all at the top by about 12:30.  


Carl at the summit of Fairview (out of the wind)

 


Hiding from the wind on Fairview

 


John, Doug, Yolande, Manfred and Shirley on Fairview Mtn

 


Carl, Manfred, Doug, Shirley and Yolande on Fairview Mtn (Mt Victoria in bkg)

It was pretty windy up top but we found some shelter.  Once back at the Saddle we had the option of returning directly back or returning via Sheol Valley (an extra 7 or 8 km).  


Young porcupine on Sheol Valley trail

 Well the Sheol Valley section is very pretty, but lower Paradise Valley is nicer on skis, and the horse trail back to the parking area was tedious to say the least.  I think that we all came to the conclusion that we didn't need to repeat the trip via that route.  It would be better to plant a car at the Paradise Valley trailhead and then avoid the horse trail along the bottom of the mountain.
We were back at the cars a little before 4, having hiked about 18km with 1000m of ascent.  Temps were about 4 when we started and close to 14 when we finished. 
Many thanks to Shirley, Yolande, Douglas, John and Manfred for joining me Carl (C/S).