A last minute cancellation brought us down to six on a trip that would require a reasonable amount of trail breaking. Most of us were pretty tired when we arrived at the cars at 9:00pm but HAD a great satisfaction in having completed a trip that is rarely done and none of us had skied completely before. As we started none of us was sure what to expect in the North Simpson drainage lower down but everything worked out with no canyons or waterfalls which could not be circumvented.

Three of us met at Assumption at 4:15am to set the cars at the Simpson River parking lot before meeting the rest of the group at Sunshine at about 7:00am. There was lots of fresh snow on the Healy Pass trail which got us wondering if we would even be able to find our uptrack to Simpson Pass. At the Simpson Pass junction we skinned up for the climb to the pass. The up-track put in by Ramblers last weekend was barely discernible and was mostly filled in. The trail breaking was heavy, especially on the steeper uphill sections.

A woman's work is never done - Joan breaking trail through Simpson Pass.

At times it was necessary to look for the uptrack. We arrived at the pass at about 9:45am and stopped for a brief snack break and to take the skins off.


First break Simpson pass around 10:00 am

At first the drainage was quite open and the skiing was easy and required trailbreaking as the slope was an easy grade. Further down toward the Eohippus Creek intersection, the trees closed in and a small canyon had to be circumvented. At Eohippus Creek, the skiers track that we had seen last weekend headed up and we started making our own trail. It was necessary to climb up above a small canyon and drop to the creek once past it -nothing too serious. As we proceeded down there were sections of open water which forced us up onto the banks usually with some trees. We stopped for lunch between Eohippus Creek and Laryx Creek junctions.

After lunch the skiing was fairly straight forward and the valley allowed us to stay low in the drainage or even on the river in sections. As the main Simpson River valley approached the North Simpson valley widened further and more options became available but there was more deadfall. The grade was fairly low at this point. Once at the Simpson River, we spent a little time looking for the Scoup Campsite in hopes of finding the trail but were not able to find either, so set off skiing along the river gravel flats. This is a wide fairly flat valley and rarely was it necessary to ski up on the bank to avoid river meanders. Partway down we did find the trail for awhile but lost it again (it is not maintained). As we neared the skier track that was set from Surprise Creek cabin two kilometers beyond by two Ramblers last weekend the group felt it would head inland to meet it. However, the going became onerous bogging down in snow on slopes with deadfall, so it was back to the river gravel flats where we remained until the Surprise Creek cabin was reached. It was actually a nice ski with views down the gravel flats and I would recommend this to future trekkers on this trip.

On the Simpson river above Surprise creek near Verdant creek junction.

Once at the cabin, everyone except two were curious to have a look inside. Most people were impressed how it was equipped and the fact it did not cost or need to be booked to stay there.


Snack break Surprise Creek cabin

Once headlamps were found and people refreshed with food and drink we again set off. I believe it was around 5:50pm when we left the cabin.

The group were now on the broken trail where the skiing was easy if your wax worked ie. grip vs. no grip. A number of us had varying degrees of this and since there is some up and down on this trail section a number of us were also grovelling up uphill sections. Rewaxing seemed to help little and a couple resorted to skins of different sorts. As darkness came on after 7:00pm the downhills became a little more challenging in the dark. But amazingly with all the different problems including a headlamp battery failure we all made it to the cars within about 5 minutes from 1st to last around 9:10pm. Some of us were walking funny and others were just plain tired from the very long day. Once loaded up we did the car shuffle to Sunshine PL and a few of us stopped for a welcome coffee at Tim Horton's in Canmore. We were back in the city sometime after midnight. A comment was made to the coordinator that these trips posted as one day trips should really be posted as multiday trips. It took a few seconds to sink in, the coordinator being one of those categorized in the tired category. We are not sure about the one posing the comment, although they did make a comment about stiffness.

Thanks to Joan, David, John, Sim and Dennis for joining me and all the hard trailbreaking work done by you to complete this trip. It probably won't be done again for awhile. In a demented way it is kind of nice to say you have done this trip, although I don't think any of us will be rushing back to do it soon. A special thanks to John who helped with the trail breaking to beyond Surprise Creek cabin last weekend and was one of the 4:15am car shuttlers and to David who also was coerced into but graciously accepted being the other 4:15am car shuttler. Thanks also to John for the photos.

Bob - Coordinator & Scribe.

David wants to re-iterate thanks to Bob and John for breaking the trail from highway 93 to Surprise creek cabin the previous week. We skied much of this 10km in the dark and had there not been a trail, I think we would have spent much time finding the best route. After 13 hours of skiing, you do not want ANY added difficulties. Thanks guys.