Scramble: RT 7.0; 4.0 up. Haines Junction was sadly the terminus of our road trip. We were very fortunate that the weather forecast was holding up. We chose this popular objective for our first outing, keeping tomorrow's better weather forecast for a longer trip. It was a cloudy day with a minimal chance of precipitation. We set out after breakfast, and low clouds engulfed the mountain tops. The trailhead wasn't far, so we started hiking at a decent time. The wide trail soon turned to singletrack and began to climb steeply to treeline; we reached the cirque in just over an hour. The well-trodden path continues on the ascent ridge; it is easy to follow. The only challenge was the wind, but we came prepared. As we gained elevation, the wind increased and visibility reduced; at some point, we were subject to snow squalls, which was neat as we could observe sunny openings below. I think this is typical weather at this time of the year; it can be exciting. Once on the summit, we took pictures, then retreated a bit lower down where we found a sheltered spot to take a good break. On descent, we hoped the wind would die down so we could extend our hike with a short scramble to neighbouring Dalton NW7, but the wind and its cold bite remained constant. I remember it being cold from the cirque to the top; the hike lower down was somewhat sheltered from the wintry conditions. This hike is an easy outing with beautiful views of the glaciated peaks of Kluane National Park, if good visibility is in your favour!
