After moving the start time to leave Calgary even earlier to 4:30 am this coordinator was pleasantly surprised that the three others originally signed up still wanted to try this trip. Stan and Jeannine, though, decided to get an extra hour or so of sleep by car camping Friday night in the Ghost. John and David met Stan and Jeannine at the foot of the big hill around 5:50 am and we drove to a first stream crossing where John decided not to adventure with his new Subaru. We were on the trail up the Ghost valley just before 6:30 am.

Three crossings of the Ghost later we were at the base of a triangular gravel bank at the foot of the Valley of the Birds - an ice climbing area. We decided to try climber's left of the gravel bank and then mild bush whacking up a steep slope looking for the reported "faint trail". Eventually we did find the trail which is well cairned, flagged and blazed but goes up climber's right of the gravel bank! We gained the west ridge of the Valley of the Birds and followed it north on to the main ridge running down east from Devil's head. It was very windy here but a great view of our objective. We had to contour around to the south side. It is best to go right up to the cliff base as there is a faint trail there. I can personally attest to the fact that cutting the corner and sidehilling your own way is extremely tedious!

Approach Ridge via VOTB

East Face of Devil's Head

David at the start of the ascent gully on Devil's head

The Wrong Gulley

Stan on Devil's Head

We got to the cairned gully on the south side around 11:30 am. and set off up to the peak. We initially went up the gully to the right of the pinnacle - the way NOT to go as described in the route description I was using from Bivouac.com. More wending and weaving and then we came to the crux "chockstone chimney". I struggled with the chockstone eventually taking my pack off and going up left. Jeannine and Stan showed how it should be done in fine style. There was snow and ice above and below in this gully which made it a little trickier. After this there was one other steepish bit and then we were on the summit around 2:00 pm. Looked like we were the first party since August last year to sign the register. Having been up close to the east face I have tremendous respect and admiration for one of the August parties who came up the east face - a route called "Devil's Bargain".

Tilted summit group on Devil's Head (photographer needs practice at these shots...)

On return, before the gully, above a steepish bit was a sling with a rap ring we did not use. We did use a piton Jeannine found for Stan to give us a belay down to the rap station. This belay is probably not necessary, normally - we used it because of the snow / ice above the rap station. After that we carefully made our slow way down on loose rock as a tight group to the base of the gully.

Jeannine rapping chockstone gully.

Chimney

The way down? Having heard quite a few stories of different folks trying different ways down this mountain and getting cliffed out and, sometimes, spending a night out I suggested we return the way we came. The weather looked good when we set off but by the time we got to treeline we got hit by heavy rain / hail and thunder could be heard across the valley. At this time I was glad we had left as early as we did. The shower was heavy but not prolonged. When we got to the valley floor the rain had stopped. Your scribe yelped and squealed as he crossed the cold waters of the Ghost (he maintains it helps make his feet feel warmer!) and we were back at the car just before 9:00 pm.

Thanks again to my companions: David, Stan and Jeannine for their usual fun company, help and good advice on these long day trips. We seem to end up doing one of these each year. Felt bad about turning a few folks down after the first three signed up but 4 was a good number - as it was there was little room after belaying down to the rap station - and (surpise!) there is lots of loose rock on this mountain. Coordinator and scribe John.

Devil's Head