We were pretty successful at timing this trip just as the unsettled weather ended and we started to get blue sky spring days, alas we were not successful in getting the peak. We did summit the sub peak just before White Pyramid which we nicknamed "The Sphinx". This was high enough that we could appreciate and concur with Chic Scott's description: "A tremendous ski ascent offering superb views of the Freshfield and Mummery groups, Howse Peak, Mount Forbes, and Mount Columbia." Chic could have added the Wapta peaks (Bill picked out Des Poilus), the Lyell's, Mount Cline and more. There was a price to be paid however ....

We left Calgary at 5:00 am and left the cars around 8:00 am carrying skis through the totally snowless bush down to the Mistaya river. Various approaches to the thigh deep crossing were adopted from hip waders to underwear and ski boots with spare liners. I think I recall from a previous attempt there maybe a shallower spot further north near some old stream gauge equipment.

We headed west, still carrying skis, up the low ridge behind which we hoped to find Epaulette creek and snow. We found both more or less simultaneously with the snow having an old ski track which we followed for a while until it crossed, magically, to the west bank of Epaulette creek (the snow bridge, presumably used, was no longer there). We rejoined the ski track above Epaulette lake.

There was visible debris both sides of the valley. As we climbed, and the day warmed the cornices and lingering snow on Epaulette mountain, we would hear the roar and look around to pick out the spume from another solar triggered slide. None of the debris and slides reached valley bottom. Higher up the old track we were following headed up left to the ridge before the end of the valley. We kept on up the valley though, to just below the col, as described by Chic Scott. There was some powder here on top of an icy crust .... and it was steep. We ditched the skis and started boot packing. It was hard work.

We broke trail along the ridge enjoying a wonderful and steadily unfolding panorama. On our nicknamed "Sphinx" peak we got a view of the summit.

It was around 3:00 pm, we were uncertain on snow condition lower down affecting descent time and, most significantly, the coordinator was bagged! So we headed down.

For three of us on AT gear the ski down was great corn snow - much better than I had anticipated when calling the trip. The tele two found it a bit heavy though. Lower down, on the last moraine, I did kick off a surface slough as the top 5 cms was getting mushy.

The snow continued to support us as Carl and Bill navigated us down. Lower down they introduced me to "moss skiing" between snow clumps "it will be way easier than carrying the skis" and indeed it was!

We got back to the cars around 7:00 pm. At that time on a Monday highway 93 is fairly quiet but I am sure there were some quizzical glances from passing traffic at these people emerging from the snowless bush in underwear and dripping ski boots carrying skis on their backs. We stopped in Lake Louise for supper at Peyto Bill's (Monday night in early May: pretty quiet and not bad service).

Thanks from John to Sim, David, Carl and Bill for getting up early - I agree with them it was a very worthwhile day off work - despite not making the peak - motivation for me to get in shape and lose weight!