After a good start, this trip ended as a disaster. On descent, one member took a fall, was evacuated by helicopter to a Calgary hospital and is recovering with several broken ribs, multiple lacerations and bruises. Without a helmet, this member would probably be dead. Rambler incident reporting protocol is being followed.

We left the Highwood Pass parking lot a little late at 8.40am and were soon walking through the pleasant Ptarmigan cirque. It was hot (+20c?), smoky with a slight breeze. We followed the rough trail across scree into the cirque below Mt Rae and started up. The route to the Mt Rae's north ridge is ugly. There are several scree gullies interspersed with rocky ribs. Loose rock is everywhere. We donned helmets, picked a gully, stayed together and started up. By working together and veering climber's left we made the col on Mt Rae's ridge without incident. An adjacent snow patch was observed and discussed as the starting zone for an accident in 2020.

Ascent of ampitheatre towards Mt. Rae

Three Ramblers approach the col enroute to Mt Rae. Note snow patch in bottom left.

Ramblers at the col on the ridge to Mt Rae

The ridge was followed with deviations to climber's left as required to gain the summit for lunch at 12.30pm.


Lunch on summit of Mt Rae

Because of smoke the views were disappointing. We descended the ridge approximately the way we had come. We split into 2 groups with 2 members well in front of the other 4. This was actually good as rockfall was always going to be an issue especially below the ridge. Consequently the fast twosome continued down into the cirque and stopped well out of harm's way.


Descent of ridge of Mt Rae

On reaching the col, the remaining foursome agreed to descend in close formation to mitigate rockfall. We started down to skier's right as we found this the easiest route up. After some minutes, one member decided to try the snow. This member was warned to be extremely careful. Unfortunately this snow route turned out to be a disastrous mistake as shortly after, the member slipped and fell. This member crashed into the rocks and continued out of control down the ugly scree gullies to stop lower down (later I estimated a vertical drop of 100 metres). Update: Feb 2022: Subsequently, I have learned that the member did not actually walk on the snow. Apparently, the member poked at the snow with his/her poles and didn't like it. So the member starting walking downhill adjacent to the snow. But a foot slipped on a wet rock, the other foot landed on the snow and the member lost control resulting in the nearly deadly fall described above.


Accident scene highlighted in red from near the start of the fall on Mt Rae

Mt Rae view from accident scene upto the col and snow patch. A person is highlighted in red.

A SPOT SOS device was activated and the remaining 3 continued even more cautiously down the scree gullies. The fast twosome immediately made their way to the injured member and administered first aid. Two other people who were nearby and clearly shook up and out of their comfort zone were persuaded to go home. The fall occurred at 2.20pm. The helicopter arrived at 4.00pm. The injured member was evacuated by helicopter to a Calgary hospital where this person is recovering from several broken ribs, multiple lacerations and bruising, but alive (thanks to a helmet).


Mt Rae accident victim is flown to the staging area at Highwood Pass

Victim and medic are lowered from the helicopter at Highwood Pass near Mt Rae

At 2.35pm, two of the remaining 5 members had walked out in case of SPOT failure (it worked fine). The others were back at the parking lot by 6.00pm and all drove home safely. This was the worst trip of my life. C&S David

Participants: Terry, David, Gary, Susan, Evan, Brian