Ref: Chic Scott's Summits and Icefields.
Approach note: Instead of starting at the Lake O-Hara parking lot, we
parked east of the bridge nearest the BC-AB border on the Trans-Canada
Highway. We followed the train track to a Continental Divide marker
where we veered towards old highway 1A ski trail. |
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At the Continental
Divide marker on the old highway 1A. |
| Ski mountaineering: 5.0 hours up to
Mount
Niblock Col. With stable snow conditions and great weather, we decided
to visit Niblock again. On a previous attempt, we were stormed out; by
the time we had reached the glacier, the bitterly cold wind and reduced
visibility made going further unsafe... However, not on this trip!
Travelling was pleasant on an old uptrack and the temperature was
mild. The route quickly reaches the alpine terrain, which is amazing;
it
reminded us of White Pyramid's ski route. The draw is sheltered and
narrow and the upper bowl is glaciated. We were a bit nervous on the
upper slopes as we neared the col, that is some big terrain! Once at
the col, we attempted Mount Niblock and had to turn around 30 meters
from the summit; the ridge was heavily corniced. We returned to the
col, had lunch and prepared for a really good ski down. We felt nervous
but soon focused on this awesome ski run with boot-top snow.
The snow got deeper at treeline offering some excellent turns;
we reached the uptrack all too soon! |
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Following a decent
uptrack up the drainage. |
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At treeline. |
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The upper bowl and
glacier. The col is hidden, climber's left. |
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Further up into the
bowl. |
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A bit nervous going
up and across to the col... |
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Looking back. |
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Mount Niblock's
summit block. |
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We start up. |
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We went climber's
right of this rock outcrop, the summer trail goes left but we couldn't
see it. |
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There's a different
feel when snow plasters the mountain. |
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Ascending steep snow
on the wrong side of the rock outcrop. |
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We crested on the
ridge behind Fab, the summer trail goes around the rock outcrop (right
bottom). |
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The summit cairn is
visible. |
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Backtracking. |
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Back at the col,
looking north-west. |
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Preparing for a good
ski run. |
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Really good skiing
it was! |
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Another fine day in
the mountains. |
| Back to home page |
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