I had not been in the national parks since the ski season. Coincidentally this trip shared the same trailhead parking as a last ski trip on April 23rd. Three of the group on this trip had also enjoyed that fabulous late season ski trip organized by Manfred and all day we looked across the valley to the ski route from April with fond memories. We left the trailhead a little after 9:00 am and walked the road north on fresh pavement (the Radium highway is being repaved). Damian had Bob Spirko's track which was useful during the day and suggested where we should head up. On the lower slopes of the Whymper scramble route a fairly recently cut fire break meant, initially, there was no bush whacking. Above the approach gully the scrambling started with a little bit of route finding.

Damian and Jack routefinding on Mount Whymper

Barbara scrambling on Mount Whymper

The summit provided extensive views from Aylmer to the north east, maybe Sir Douglas to the south east, the Rockwall, an unidentified icefield in the Selkirks, the Goodsirs, Lake Louise and Moraine lake peaks, Mount Hector etc. etc. Not forgetting the impressive faces of nearby Storm mountain, Mount Ball and Mount Stanley.

Barbara, Clifton, Damian and Jack summit of Mount Whymper

Looking west to the Moraine lake and Lake Louise peaks

The register indicated quite a few people ski this peak these days. I speculate these folks come up to the col west of the summit from Chickadee valley as I have seen people climbing on skis to that col when we were yo-yoing the lower slopes of that route. The register had a 2015 entry by Alan Kane recommending an alternate descent route down the SE ridge until below the orange cliff band then traversing skiers left to a gully. We followed his advice and found numerous cairns marking the route to be back at the cars about 6:00 pm.

Another beautiful day in the mountains for me, John, with the excellent company of Damian,Jack,Clifton and Barbara.

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