[MCR] Rockies, traverse from Mt Collier to Popes Peak

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

Guided a fabulous walk in the sky today, August 19th, traversing from  
Mt Collier to Popes Peak. Conditions on the Victoria Glacier were  
great this morning and access to the North Victoria/Collier Col  
should be good for awhile.

We descended the Popes Peak rappels with a single 60 meter rope. A  
hint on finding the first rappel is to descend the snow and ice ridge  
off of Popes to the northeast (along the Alberta/BC border), scramble  
down a stretch of blocky black rock, and then down a second snow  
ridge. At the bottom of the this ridge look down and left for a large  
slung block.

We walked down the "hanging valley" and traversed the "prominent  
ledge" mentioned on page 102 of Selected Alpine Climbs. The half hour  
of bushwaking to get to Ross Lake was tedious.

While walking along the Great Divide Bike Trail/Old Highway we got  
hissed at by a large grizzly with a blue ear tag who was eating  
berries just above Sink Lake -five meters away from us. We retreated  
slowly while talking to him. He wasn't moving so we walked around the  
east end of the lake to gain the train tracks where it looked like  
he'd already eaten all of the berries.

Happy  trails,
I guess

Barry Blanchard
UIAGM/IFMGA Mountain Guide
http://www.barryblanchard.ca
http://www.yamnuska.com
barryb3 at telus.net
1 403 609 4615
cell 1 403 609 1321













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