| From
Lake Alice, ascend the far (eastern) gully that leads to Bobac's south
ridge
above an
impressive headwall. Aim for the base of the first cliff on the
ridgeline and start your traverse on the east side using a natural
steep
scree ramp (see pictures). There's a good transition to the saddle just
before the summit block. Follow easy slopes to the top. |
|
 |
|
|
Cirque Peak as we
near Lake Helen early morning. |
Scramble:
RT 14.0; 7.5 up. Bobac Mountain is a nice peak just north of Lake
Alice, it's nearly as tall as adjacent Watermelon Peak. This
30-kilometer hike grants easy mileage on a great trail over easy
terrain, the short exciting scramble leads to a lofty viewpoint. We
read Rick Collier's account of his ascent through the boulder field and
also came across a couple of failed attempts going that
way. Looking at the mountain's east side from
Watermelon Peak, we couldn't help but to notice an obvious,
uninterrupted ramp leading to the saddle between the disrupted ridge
and the summit block. The ramp reminded me of the one leading to the
Richardson-Pika Col from Hidden Lake except this one is steeper and
high above an impressive vertical wall. Fabrice was adamant about
trying the ramp; if this route proved successful, it would avoid both
the boulder field and the cornice!
After being turned around at
the trailhead last year because of a closure, we made sure to keep an
eye on the trail report from the National Park; the trail to Lake Helen
can be closed or have a 4 person restriction. Following a stretch of
poor weather, Fabrice and I were both granted a day off during the week
to take advantage of the stellar weather before it spoiled again. We
sent some invites and Raff was able to get the time off and come along.
We started on the popular trail by headlamp. As we neared Lake Helen,
daylight was upon us and the sky was clear. A thin layer of ice had
formed on puddles; with the fresh snow, it felt like fall. It took
about 4.5 hours of delightful hiking to reach Lake Alice. We aimed for
our planned route and gained the scree ramp on the eastern side of the
ridge. So far, the terrain was easily negotiable; we were excited and
anticipating the following ramp section. The fresh snow gave the
traverse an alpine feel, Fabrice led the way staying high up near the
cliffwall. The snow was over boot-top; although it pin-wheeled,
it did not propagate. Consensus was that it offered great footing
as opposed to scree. We carried on across the ramp and were thrilled to
see it simply connect to the saddle, avoiding the cornice altogether.
We ascended the slopes to the
cairn while soaking in the view and the feat. Once at the top, we
cheered after putting on extra layers. This one was especially
rewarding, we weren't sure the route we had plotted from Watermelon
Peak
would be fruitful. We enjoyed the top for an hour before backtracking
to the
lake. Once at the lake, it was understood we had to take another pause
before resuming our return; Lake Alice is a marvel.
The hike back in the afternoon sun was quite pleasant; we met some
people on horseback at Dolomite Pass, they were heading to
Isabelle Lake. We lost the sunshine as we descended to Lake Helen. The
rest of the trail down was uneventful as we hastily hiked, trying to
beat the dark. Our feet were very sore by the time we reached the car! |
|
 |
|
Heading to Dolomite
Pass with Dolomite Peak in the background. |
|
 |
|
Along Lake
Katherine's shore, Dolomite Pass in the sun ahead. |
|
 |
|
Beautiful terrain
leads to Lake Alice at the base of Bobac Mountain. |
|
 |
|
Gaining Bobac's
south ridge, lining up for a traverse on the scree ramp. |
|
 |
|
|
Straightforward
ascent right by a pointy pinnacle. |
|
|
 |
|
|
A bit loose in
places. |
|
|
 |
|
|
Looking back at Lake
Alice. |
|
|
 |
|
|
Aiming for the base
of the cliffwall just right of center. |
|
|
 |
|
|
On the eastern side,
the top of Bobac Mountain comes into view. |
|
|
 |
|
|
Avoiding the boulder
field below. |
|
|
 |
|
|
Hoping this route
leads to the saddle and summit block. |
|
|
 |
|
|
Traversing above an
impressive wall that guards the east side of the mountain. |
|
|
 |
|
|
Looking back. |
|
|
 |
|
|
Nice transition to
the saddle. |
|
|
 |
|
|
Watermelon Peak
south-east of us. |
|
|
 |
|
|
Summit slopes. |
|
|
 |
|
|
Looking back again. |
|
|
 |
|
|
Reaching the top! |
|
|
 |
|
|
Summit picture
looking south-east, courtesy of Raff. |
|
|
 |
|
|
Fabulous
north-western view. |
|
|
 |
|
|
Heading down. |
|
|
 |
|
|
Backtracking on the
ramp. |
|
|
 |
|
|
Mount Hector
protrudes over the ridgeline. |
|
|
 |
|
|
A terrific drop
exists to the sea of car-sized boulders. |
|
|
 |
|
|
Fast descent to the
lake. |
|
|
 |
|
|
Time for another
fine break by lovely Lake Alice. |
|
|
 |
|
|
Nice random hiking
following the lake's outflow. |
|
|
 |
|
|
On our way to
Dolomite Pass. |
|
|
 |
|
|
Late afternoon
sunshine as we climb back up Cirque Peak's shoulder. |
|
|
 |
|
|
Lake Helen and
shade... |
|
|
 |
|
|
The uninterrupted
ramp as seen from Watermelon Peak. |
| Back to home page |
|
|