North-South Molar Pass traverse Off-Trail hike on 3-Sep-2016

Forecast was not good but reality was not bad /last year we had to give this trip up for too much snow and go Jasper instead/. No temperature bellow zero, no wind, no snow on ground. Just one graupel episode and little rain at night of Saturday. Trail muddy in places- specially South Molar Pass.
Saturday- walk in, build camp. Afternoon exploring ridge attached to Mosquito Mt., we got above tree line following faint trail from CG. This may be alternative route to Mosquito Mt. You have not to cross creek but is a little more bushwack then route I did with Francisco. Great afternoon before social around campfire.
Sunday- was big day of traverse with weather changing every five minutes- summits in clouds more often then visible. When we got to North Molar col we decided to give it a shot. I had Potter/Mike not Carl/description. He did that counter-clock wise and was talking about going down to North Molar via "easy grassy slopes". We went little down towards Fish Lakes and found grassy slopes to go up again /they were not easy at all/. Ridge walk is one of best and i think it should be done several different ways.
Weather held everywhere around was snowing but we were OK /saw Mt.Hector knob just once for ten seconds./
Monday- just walk out,quick lunch at Drake and go home avoid heavy traffic.
I had great group- patient with my slow pace and no ego problems.
Thanks everyone for participation, 
Suzy, Bill, Rosanne, Susan, plus Yoko and Philip for pictures.
Special thanks to Philip for help with decision making. Ivan C&S.
Traverse 18 km- 920 m el.gain- max el.2790 m
Looking at North Molar pass meadows and Fish Lake from Molar pass ridge
Looking at North Molar pass meadows and Fish Lake from Molar pass ridge

 

Philip, Suzy, Bill, Ivan, Rosanne, Susan, Yoko at top of Molar pass ridge
Philip, Suzy, Bill, Ivan, Rosanne, Susan, Yoko at top of Molar pass ridge

 

Yoko, Bill, Philip, Susan, Rosanne, Ivan, Suzy at Mosquito creek backcountry CG (MO5)
Yoko, Bill, Philip, Susan, Rosanne, Ivan, Suzy at Mosquito creek backcountry CG (MO5)

 

Ivan, Bill, Suzy, Philip, Susan, Rosanne. Hills behind of Mosquito CG..Bonus trip
Ivan, Bill, Suzy, Philip, Susan, Rosanne. Hills behind of Mosquito CG..Bonus trip

 

Looking west, Dolomite Peak at far right
Looking west, Dolomite Peak at far right

 

Ivan selecting route
Ivan selecting route

 

Looking back to Mosquito Lake
Looking back to Mosquito Lake

 

Rock formation on ridge
Rock formation on ridge

 

Marmot
Marmot

 

Ptarmigan
Ptarmigan

 

Mosquito Mt.
Mosquito Mt.

 

View from South Molar Pass
View from South Molar Pass

 

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