Good trip with the best September weather that I've seen since arriving in Calgary in 1977. Also fun hut "mates". We all scrambled Mt Kerr, and 2 of us Mt Pollinger. But we retreated off Mt Kiwetinok because of exposed ice and Isolated Peak because the crux move looked more like 5.2 rock climbing than a moderate Kane scramble (has something collapsed since Kane in late 1990's?). The Whaleback ridge and Iceline trail were very pleasant.

On a fine Friday 21 September, we met up at the Takakawaw Falls car park at 12 noon and set off walking along the valley trail to the ACC hut soon after. On the way, we passed 6 women from the Edson area, who would staying in the hut for the same 3 nights. Although the 10 km hike only took us 3 hours, it took the women nearly double and they arrived in varying degrees of exhaustion. The men took the lower bunk in the small downstairs room and after some discussion, were joined by 3 of the women. Apart from a phone alarm sounding at 4.15am, it was a relatively peaceful night.

David and Bob relaxing at Stanley Mitchell hut.

On Saturday, we scrambled Mt Kerr, a straightforward SC5, and enjoyed magnificent views from its summit.


Bob and John on Mt.Kerr

John and David continued to try Mt Kiwetinok, while Bob returned to the hut. We got about halfway up before turning around on steep ice covered by a shallow layer of soft snow. Without an ice-axe, we were concerned that a slip would prove unstoppable and lead to serious injury as we crossed a steep gully.


Snow / ice above a steep drop-off that we turned back on Kiwetinok peak.

But an easy walk led to the summit of Mt Pollinger, with more views.


Whaleback Ridge and Mt.Balfour

However, it was now after 3.00pm, so we descended back to the hut the way we had come, leaving Mt McArthur for another day. Since only David had managed to book into the full ACC Stanley Mitchell hut for this Saturday night, John and Bob camped in the nearby campground. Despite a full hut and sharing the small bunk room with the 6 Edson women, David enjoyed a good night’s sleep.

On Sunday 23 September, we set out for Isolated Peak soon after 9.00am. As noted by Kane, the approach below the glacier is quite pleasant through trees and green meadows with bubbling springs. However, alongside the glacier is not great and the dirt and scree slope above towards the summit block is horrible. Kane suggests ascending these slopes into a gully and then working left on ledges to easier ground and the summit. However it was not obvious which gully he was referring to, so we chose the one to climber’s right as suggested in his photograph. We stopped at a 3 metre cliff which was more like YDS 5.2 than Kane moderate.

Isolated Peak: 3 metre crack that turned us around

Since an hour of searching did not bring anything easier, we retreated back below the glacier for lunch. Although I climbed this peak in 2001, I could not remember the route taken. About the only gully that we did not investigate was the long big one to climber’s left. Subsequent research of Bill Kerr’s website suggests that climber’s far left is the correct gully. But it would be aesthetically much nicer to approach via the glacier off McArthur in one long traverse.

After lunch, we climbed the zigzags up to Isolated col and walked along the ridge to Whaleback mountain for more views.

Mount Des Poilus, Mount Collie and the Des Poilus glacier

Bob ambling along scenic Whaleback ridge, Little Yoho valley.

John on Whaleback Ridge with Isolated Peak behind

A semi-bushwhack descent brought us back to the trail and the hut for 6.00pm. Now joined by 2 more women, the 3 old guys (Ramblers) enjoyed another warm evening and night.

When we had arrived at the ACC hut on Friday 21st, it was in immaculate condition. Thanks largely to the efforts of the Edson women; we left it in similar shape by 9.00am Monday. In amazing weather with no wind but some smoke, we all walked out on the scenic Iceline trail. Bob carried some of the women’s extra pack weight. With photo and other breaks (2 women went swimming), the old guys were back at the cars by 1.00pm and enjoying lunch in the Truffle and Pigs in Field soon after. Back in Calgary around 5.00pm, the car’s thermometer read +25c. Thanks to John and Bob from C&S David for a great long weekend.