Mount Aeneas - Scramble

Back on July 12 Les, a friend from Kimberly, and I scrambled Mt. Aeneas near Invermere, B.C.  Using the description from "Hikes Around Invermere and the Columbia River Valley" by Aaron Cameron and Matt Gunn.  

We parked at the trailhead sign for Pedley Pass and the hike to Bumpy Meadows and Pedley Pass is quick and quite scenic. The great guidebook description takes you to the beautiful little tarn below the north slopes of Mt. Aeneas (2235m).  We contoured around the right side (west) of the lake, which was still mostly frozen and partly snow covered; great shades of blue!  No snow along this scree walk.  
The steep scree gully (about 150 metres tall) that accesses the upper ledge below the summit block was mostly hard snow.  Neither Les or I brought ice axes.  Les is a hiker and not comfortable on steep snow so he chose a nasty looking scree gully to the right of the standard gully (he eventually paid for this).  I did have ski poles (Les did not) and felt quite comfortable on the steep snow, near 40 degrees for final third of snow patch.  I made quick time up the gully; Les did not.  

Les' route eventually encountered loose and steep rock bands; not recommended.  I waited nearly an hour for Les to appear below.  I was glad to see he was okay. 

Once reunited we continued up easy scrambling on the west ridge to the summit of Mt. Aeneas.  We enjoyed the views and spotting peaks from both the Rockies and Purcells, but it was very hazy so there was limited views. 

On descent I gave my poles to Les and kicked big steps in the snow for Les to follow.  Once off the snow we made quick time back to the parking lot.  All in, about 7 hours car to car.