Mission accomplished!
After being turned back by tons of snow last year (in May), five Ramblers returned to challenge Kindersley Summit again (along with three other participants). This time we were completely successful.
On the way up Kindersley creek drainage (and down Sinclair Creek) we found and ate salmonthimbleberries, raspberries, blueberries, blue elderberries, red huckleberries, one strawberry, and what Mark called gooseberries (small black berry, leaf like a gooseberry or currant, but no hair/prickles on the berry). And we wondered about several other varieties of berry along the trail. However there was no sign of any bears having feasted on the smorgasbord.


At our 2005 Turnaround Point

Between Kindersley Pass and Summit we passed by a group of bighorn ewes and lambs.


Bighorn ewes above the Pass

We arrived at Kindersley trail Summit (which isn't really a summit) after about three hours.


Karen, Meagan, Kim, Ivan, Susan, Mark, Carl, and Jan at Kindersley Summit

Some dropped their packs and walked up to the small peak (which is a summit) to the southeast at 720167 (NAD83). In this photo we are on a small scrambly knoll just past that peak.


On the scrambly knob SE of Kindersley Summit

This photo on the return shows the ascent route which curves around from lower left to Kindersley Pass in the centre and Kindersley Summit at the right.


Returning to Kindersley Summit

Back together at the trail summit we had a long leisurely lunch.


Relaxing at Kindersley Summit

It was almost 20 degrees and there was very little wind. There was enough smoke in the air from remote forest fires that the long-distance views were significantly restricted.
The descent down Sinclair Creek was relatively uneventful. Ivan did detour to the one snow patch left and got in a nice little glissade.


Ivan glissading on the last snow

We stopped only to allow the berry pickers to catch up to the non-berry pickers. The scariest, most dangerous part of the whole hike was at the very end when we had to follow the highway for 800 meters between the two trailheads. The traffic on Highway 93 seemed so fast and furious after a wonderful day on the trail.
We all finished off the day by soaking our aches away at the Radium Hot Springs pool.
Kim's 15 year old daughter Meagan did an excellent job of tolerating the prattling conversation of a bunch of old Ramblers, and kept up very well to the Ivan's steady pace.

Distance 18.5 km, climb 1060 m (plus another 1 km and 100 m for those who went to the peak), 6 1/2 hours on the trail.

Many thanks to coordinator Ivan, participants: Kim and her daughter Maegan, Karen, Susan, Jan, Mark and Carl (scribe)

The Beary Pickers!