Via Welsh Lakes.
Ref: Aaron Cameron and Matt Gunn's Hikes
around
Invermere & the Columbia River Valley.
From the south end of the Upper Welsh Lake, 348067, head south-west
past a tarn, 343065 and aim for the Alpha Centauri-Carmarthen Col. A
cairned traverse provides a moderate way to the col. We travelled on
the edge of North Star Glacier before gaining Carmarthen's south ridge.
Blocky terrain easily leads to the top. |
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After costly
repairs, we take no chance. |
Scramble:
RT
11.5; 5.25 up. We've visited Welsh Lakes on many occasions,
sometimes camping with the dogs and other times as day trips to
scramble a peak. This area is a gem despite the last kilometers to the
trailhead requiring a high clearance vehicle. It's always a pleasure
coming here, especially in the fall when the larches turn
yellow and contrast against the aqua blue lakes. We had
ulterior motives on this trip, we wanted to familiarize ourselves with
the Alpha
Centauri-Carmarthen Col and see how long it takes to get up there. This
information will help us determine if we can venture onto the North Star
Glacier as a day trip. Following nearly 3 hours of driving, we hiked up
the trail and reached the back of the middle lake in good time. We
recalled
previous trips with the dogs, often too early in the season and
continued to the upper lake on a crude trail dotted by cairns. The
weather wasn't promising despite the good forecast, we thought
thunder might be eminent... Still, the odd blue holes gave us
a
glimmer of hope that it might improve throughout the day. We
carried on beyond the upper lake, past the tarn and onto the gravel
flats; Centaurus Glacier and the col came into view. We made our
way to the col by ascending a little too far climber's left;
although the route we chose worked well, the cairned traverse is more
direct. We travelled on the edge of the glacier and climbed up the
ridge. By now, horizontal graupel chilled us; thankfully it
didn't last, we made it to the top as the sun pierced through the cloud
cover. The sights are outstanding, we had to stay for awhile to soak it
in. Fabrice found a nice sheltered spot where the wind was totally
attenuated, we ate lunch. When I stood to put back the rusty tin with
no
lid that is the register, I realized how sheltered we truly were; the
wind was cold and the temperature barely 10˚
Celsius. We backtracked to the col where we located the cairned
traverse and made it down to the gravel flats before the rain. We had
another quick break as it started to drizzle; the timing was perfect,
we were off the upper mountain and soon on the trail. Like the graupel
on the summit ridge, the drizzle didn't last and
returning was pleasant. All and all, this was a fantastic scramble at
Welsh Lakes!
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Lower Welsh Lake
with Antrim and Leitrim Peaks, left of center. |
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Middle Welsh Lake and Connemara
Peak. |
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Continuing to Upper
Welsh Lake. |
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Looking back, we've
left the good trail behind. |
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Several cairns
indicate a crude trail. |
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Fabrice adds rocks
to the cairns.
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Reaching Upper Welsh
Lake with the Alpha Centauri-Carmarthen Col in sight. |
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Looking down at the
Upper Welsh Lake. |
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Going around the
tarn to the gravel flats. |
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Making our way to
the col. |
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Waterworn rock precedes the col. |
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Too far climber's
left of the cairned traverse but it works. |
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Short scramble. |
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Travelling on the
edge of North Star Glacier. |
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Blocky
lichen-covered rock, typical to this area. |
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Summit ahead. |
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View north with Mount Ethelbert
left of center. |
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North Star Peak and
Gwendoline Mountain on the right. |
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Impressive mountains looking
south-west towards Commander Glacier. |
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Three of the four
Welsh Lakes, Aberystwyth Lake is unseen on the far left. |
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Heading back. |
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Crampons back on,
the glacier is down to ice. |
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Mount Alpha Centauri
in front of us. |
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Galway Peak. |
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Back at the col, we
noticed cairns lower on the left. |
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Several cairns
indicate a natural traverse. |
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Down from the col easily. |
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Looking back. |
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Using friction on
the waterworn rock. |
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Awwwww. |
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In case the weather
turns for the worse. |
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Gravel flats. |
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One last look at Mount Alpha
Centauri and Centaurus Glacier. |
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Going around the
tarn. |
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Double rainbow over
the upper lake. |
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Backtracking to the
lovely lakes and trail below. |
| Back
to home page |
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