August 21, 2021 -- Stats: 22.65 km / 1970m elevation gain / 2460m high / 9 hours MT
This album will prove that even in cloudy misty weather, you can still get good photographs. We did not have a view front the summit, but Terry & Ingrid saw a lynx close-up and got to knock the second most difficult hike off of the Quest-for-10 Hiking Challenge list put on by Mt. Waddingtons Outdoors in Chilliwack .
Although this trail starts in the western outskirts of the park, 90% of it is outside of the park.
8:30am and we're off... Would we have clear skies at the summit?
The forest trail was in great shape with a comfortable 20% grade.
From 1857 to 1863 a mule trail was built from Hope to Similkameen, funded by Edgar Dewdney from Hope. It provided access to the gold fields at Rock Creek. In 1861 portions of the Dewdney trail were widened and upgraded to a wagon road by the Royal Engineers.
Lipstick Cladonia
2) Golden Chantrelle 4) Pine Mushroom 6) Fly Agaric
Other than pink Fireweed, the alpine flowers were finished blooming. Autumn is hitting the mountains earlier this year.
2) Tolmie's Saxifrage
Past the tarn, the trail now became steeper. We had to gain another 470m in elevation.
The final 300m gain was on talus slope. After following the rocks marked with red paint slashes, I saw some rock cairns and started following them. This proved to be a less steep route and therefore more doable.
Almost there.
A narrow strip joined the summit to the ridge. No room for error there.
Allana sitting on the summit.
Here comes Ingrid.
Group shot: Terry, Ingrid, Allana, me & Case
Case grabbing a quick nap before the long descent. The ladies are taking notes and following instructions for where to take the selfies from the Quest-for-ten forms.
Wind pushed the cloud quickly across the barren slopes.
I went back the way I'd come up via the cairns, while the others followed the red marked rocks. I was waiting half an hour for them at the bottom of the talus slope.
We didn't notice the second lake till we were going down (upper left).
The summit is behind that ridge.
We call these; Hippies-on-a-Stick. Official name is: Western Anemone
Almost back at the tarn & bottom of the ridge.
The clouds were parting and giving us glimpses of the nearby peaks.
About one hour before sunset.
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