Mount Bowman - East Slope Scramble

View to Mt. Bowman on the approach.

 

Great signage at the official trail head.
About 1 km from the parking spot we used. 

After a very exciting helicopter pick up from the col between Mt. Queen Bess and Mt. Sussex, Scott and I were back in civilization. We drove to Williams Lake (3 hours) for lunch and beers. We had until Sunday night to fly home from YVR. We decided to drive part way camp and scramble some peak along the way. In the end we settled on Mount Bowman, near Clinton, B.C. on Saturday July 11. Mt. Bowman was a causal hike and made a good choice since the weather was threatening to rain all day. Pleasant forest trail approach, some interesting slabs near tree line, and solid elevation gain made for a good day out. Always fun to see new views and new peaks. According to my watch, we were did 1000m of gain over 18km. Fun day out.

View part way up the East Slope, summit block visible.

Mt. Kerr, the tallest in the range, high point left of centre.

Wild fire in the distance.
Helicopters were flying back and forth with water drops.

Summit poser.

Summit beers!

Mount Queen Bess - North Ridge, 5.5, 18+ pitches, Alpine IV Attempt

From our highpoint, view to the summit snow field.

Attempt on the North Ridge of Mount Queen Bess. One of Scott’s dream routes on this stunning 3298m peak in the Reliance Range of the Coast Mountains. We flew into the range with White Saddle Air Services, first class air transport. We were dropped at 2650m on the col between Mt. Queen Bess and Mt. Sussex. Very exciting and scenic flight. We were dropped off Sunday morning, July 5, with pick up scheduled for Friday morning July 10. We pitched camp and planned for a fast light attempt on July 6 deciding not to bring bivy gear (bad call). Short story; we climbed about 8 hours on mixed snow/ice/wet and loose rock (5.5+) to 2950m. We wisely chose to bail and decided to retreat to the easy west side glacier and traverse back to the col camp. Return trip was about 8 hours of mostly easy glacier travel. Next day was a rest day; also it was stormy with high winds and wet snow with zero visibility. We discussed a couple of options; return to the north ridge route with bivy gear, Mt. Sussex or Mt. Essex. But the bad weather never stopped and we were tent bound from Tuesday morning to Friday morning. We had a couple of short windows without pelting wet snow when we melted snow and made food, but mostly trapped in the tent to avoid the horrible conditions. Disappointing weather but really enjoyed the experience and the stunning beauty of the majestic Coast Mountains.

 

More to come.....

 

“Mount Sarcee” (’Ripsaw')(GR373253) – West Ridge Attempt.

 

Scott on our highpoint of the West Ridge. 

Mt. Sarcee is an unofficial name applied by David Jones in the guidebook "Rockies South. The Climber's Guide to the Rocky Mountains of Canada: Volume 1" (2020) for this significant peak (GR373253, summit height approximately 3000m) immediately east of Mt. Evan-Thomas. I met with David several times and provided a lot of information for the Opal Range when he was writing this guidebook, he had indicated that Mt. Sarcee was the name preferred and used by local climbing legends Glen Boles and Don Forest. 

Local hiking guidebook author Gillean Daffern has used the name “Ripsaw” for this summit. Gillean’s name was derived from the extremely jagged saw blade like North East Ridge of Mt. Sarcee. This sharp ridge is visible from highway 40 looking upstream into Evan-Thomas Creek. The name Ripsaw was always applied to the highest primary summit of the mountain. 

Tuesday June 9 Scott Berry and I set out for an attempt on the West Ridge of Mount Sarcee. We had attempted the South Ridge back on July 23, 2025 and were hopefully for redemption. Scott flew in from California and we had booked this time off work months ago. Unfortunately, the wet cold snowy spring and weather forecast did not provide us with a lot of confidence on success.

Great photo taken by Scott Berry from our July 2025 South Ridge attempt.
Low col left of centre is "Paradise Pass", Mt. Evan-Thomas to the left (west).
The full West Ridge and all the difficulties of the upper South Ridge are visible.
Mt. Sarcee summit right of centre. 

The weather forecast wasn’t good, but the forecast called for June 11 to be sunny and dry, fingers crossed. We biked to the Romulus campground on Tuesday evening and enjoyed some wine by a relaxing campfire.

Wednesday, June 10, the morning was cloudy, but dry and we started off with reasonable weather conditions. We were familiar with the approach and made good time to the excellent trail that heads north from the West Fork of the Little Elbow River to “Paradise Pass”, the col immediately west of Mt. Sarcee. As we ascended to tree line, the snow got deeper and deeper. At meadows below Paradise Pass, the average snowpack was about 1 metre deep! We found an area well sheltered by trees and managed to clear snow to have a dry (icy) tent platform.

Dug in a semi dry tent site.

Wednesday afternoon and evening we had on and off rain/snow showers. The plan for Thursday June 11 was to hike to the base of the West Ridge and keep climbing, hoping weather and rock difficulties allowed us to summit.

Thursday morning was blustery, cold winds and mostly cloudy skies. We had fingers crossed that the wind would clear out the cloud and provide the forecasted clear and dry day? Fun snow climbing, with good snow conditions, took us quickly up the lower West Ridge. Some fun scrambling with easy mixed snow/ice/rock took us relatively quickly to the high point of the West Ridge (once denoted on GAIA gps app as the summit of “Ripsaw”/updated 2026 with this mislabeled name removed).

Once at the high point of the West Ridge, we were convinced that we were out of luck. Black and scary clouds were immediately west of us, darkening the sky west of Mt. Blane and other Opal summits. As well, the West Ridge looked very challenging, difficult rock climbing. Between the incoming bad weather and upcoming complex rock climbing, we descended.

Black skies moving in from the west.
Dark Mt. Blane.

And it was the correct decision. As we crossed the snowy meadows back to our camp, it began to snow. From about noon on Thursday to noon on Friday, it probably snowed about 1 metre at our camp. Friday morning we hoped the weather would clear, but it just kept snowing and snowing. We packed up a soggy camp and headed home. Once again the mighty Mount Sarcee repelled our determined resolve.

 

View towards Paradise Pass as we headed out Friday afternoon.

Consolation - 5.8, 225m (7 pitches)

The money shot, Carlos making the airy traverse on pitch 6. 

Amazing day out May 24 with the young gun Carlos on Consolation. Consolation was one of the first established routes in the Ghost, put up in 1977 by Chris Perry and M. White and has become a classic multi pitch route. Mostly trad gear protection with bolted stations and bolts on hard to protect sections with a grade of old school 5.7 and 5.8 pitches. Overall, the rock is excellent quality. I led pitches 1, 3, & 5 and Carlos led pitches 2, 4, 6 & 7 (crux pitch 7). Started in the sun but in the shade after pitch 2 with a cold wind blowing on and off in the late afternoon. Highly recommended route. Awesome day out. 

Lumpy Corner - 5.8, 55 metres (2 pitches)

 

View up pitch 1 of Lumpy Corner.

2026 rock season opener! Better late than never. Got out with Carlos on Monday May 11 for an after work climb on an old favorite, Lumpy Corner. Over the decades, I have probably climbed Lumpy Corner 6 or 7 times, including back in the summers of 2022 and 2023. 

Old guy getting ready.
Photo by Carlos.

Young guy (Carlos) getting ready for pitch 1.

Great early or late season route on Barrier Bluffs, get lots of sun. Two pitches of 5.8, though the route is set with two immediate stations and a top anchor. The route is trad protection, except for 2 bolts on the tricky slab section above the second immediate anchor and 2 bolts and 1 old rusty piton on the uppermost crux moves. We did the route in two pitches, first pitch to the first station, about 24 metres and passed the second station and went to the top station, second pitch about 31 metres. 

Carlos did the first pitch. About halfway up the first pitch there is a difficult and committing traverse and a big step, with iffy pro, this makes the crux of the first pitch. Carlos had no trouble getting though and to the first station.

Crux of first pitch.

OSWB on second, just above pitch 1 crux.
Photo by Carlos.

I led the second pitch, more difficult and more fun pitch. Two cruxes, slab with small holds, then overhanging steep chimney exit, with  amazing hand holds and tricky feet stems. Great to get out. 

OSWB heading up pitch 2.
Photo by Carlos.

Looking down first section of pitch 2.

Lower crux on pitch 2.
Photo by Carlos.

Route crux, upper crux on pitch 2.
Photo by Carlos.

Finishing upper section of pitch 2.
Photo by Carlos.

Carlos heading up pitch 2.

Upper corner new top of pitch 2.

Carlos on rappel. 

View south into the Kananaskis Valley. 

"Mount Nomad" (GR265139) - Solo Ski Tour

View along summit ridge looking South East.

Friday April 10 had a last minute opportunity for a solo day out, after a bunch of domestic chores. Got away later than expected and my trip was longer than anticipated. Was targeting 8 hours round trip, but was way longer. I set my sights on the little summit of “Mt. Nomad”, an interesting peak directly west of Mt. Invincible and south of Mt. Warspite, with a summit elevation of approximately 2540m. I have skied the treed glades on the ridge south of Mt. Nomad a few winters ago. I left the parking lot with an early start of 11am. Warm and icy snow conditions was theme for the day, along with bright beautiful sun. Walked the packed snow/ice trail to the Point turnoff, then quick skinning to Invincible Creek. 

On the north shore of Upper Kananaskis trail, near
the Point Campground turnoff. 
Double summit of "Forks Peak" visible. 

Gaining elevation on the east ridge line.
View to Upper Kananaskis Lake.

View to the steep East Face of 
Mount Putnik. 

Gaining ground up the east ridge.

I started up the eastern end of the ridge right from the creek. Tight with trees only for about 100 metres vertical, then lots of openings for an up track. Steep and lots of work but soon good views and cool cornices made the effort worthwhile. I skied as fat west as I could and poked around on the north facing slope figuring out the safest line in the snow. Tried a few spots and settled on bare booting down a well supported snow line. 

First view of "Mount Nomad".

Lots of cool cornices along the ridge top.
"Forks Peak" to the west.

Looking up my bare boot track down into the creek valley.
I used the same trail on the way back to the ridge.

Once in the creek, back on skis and was able to skin most of the way up Mt. Nomad. Last 50 metres was mostly muddy soft scree slogging, always fun in ski boots. Arrived at the summit just before 6pm. A few photos, lots of great views. Debated a less steep line to return to the ridge, but did the boot pack on the same line. Skied the glades on the south slope of the ridge on the return. The snow was sun blasted hard crust, could have been fast and furious turns, but I took it easy. Beautiful sunset colours on the ski descent. Then the return trail ski by headlamp. Awesome day.  

Gaining elevation up Mt. Nomad.
View south over the intervening ridge.

View south along summit ridge.

Skis resting on the summit.

Summit poser.

View north as I descended the summit ridge. 

Looking down my boot track as I near the ridge line.

Deep snow plod.

Great views to Mount Lyautey.

Twilight colours as I skied down the south glades of the ridge.