Having not done this trip I had a route description from Gillean Daffern for this trip which described a clockwise loop with an optional steep and rocky descent "that may appeal to some". Brian had done this trip and highly recommended and advocated for ascending the Daffern descent route which has options for easy and fun scrambling. Looking at the snow free ridge from the trailhead we decided to take Brian's advice which worked out well. On the shady parts on the approach Etherington creek logging road snow had melted and refrozen as ice and some donned the spikes. Soon we left the logging road and headed up the dry south facing ridge to the start of the scrambling.

Yolande and Janice at the start of the easy scrambling on the south ridge Three Cairns

Brian and Katrin enjoying snow free scrambling on south ridge Three Cairns

The scrambling is optional as there is always the option to move off the rocky spine to a steep off trail route on the east side. This photo by Bruce (thanks Bruce) shows the rocky spine's west side:


West side of the south ridge of Three Cairns.

Eventually the ridge levels off to a grassy approach to the summit which we reached just before noon. It was fairly windy but we found good shelter in trees on the east side before heading up, after lunch, to the wind for the group summit shot.


Group on summit Three Cairns

We could have descended by our ascent route but that would have made for a very short day. After a bit of discussion we decided to head west and try and follow Daffern's suggested ascent route. We got to the col to the west and came across a strange thing hanging in a tree.

?? Anyone know what these are ?? (We also saw a yellow one near the summit Three Cairns)

There had also been another one of these things hanging near the summit. We looked around for a trail from the col but none was obvious so we headed down the obvious open draw below the col. Minimal bush made for an easy descent back to the Etherington logging road. It was still early, I think around 1:30 pm, and we had not joined at the 4 way junction of Gillean Daffern's route so we explored a bit more to the west to the 4 way junction of logging roads / snowmobile trails. If I were to do this trip again I would definitely take Brian's ascent route and, now knowing the area a bit better, try to find the descent route to this 4 way junction. We were back at the cars around 2:15 pm with time for a debrief with an interesting discussion on the medical efficacy of marijuana and other drugs sometimes classified as "recreational".

We met at Heritage for the car pool, fine OK travel in the morning but two sections of single lanes on 14th st and Crowchild trail made for a slow home return. Thanks to the cheery folks: Yolande, Cordula, Jeannette, Janice, Inge, Brian, Bruce and Katrin who joined me, John, on this short but pleasant trip.

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