Le Piston

Sweet Pictures and nice climbing! You have done it...with style. Don't knock those climbing huts...they often have bars, dry beds, hot meals, and women. Beats some of the wet camps I've had in the Northwest. Your TR makes me want to go back to the Alps!

I would have loved to hike in, the area is spectacular, but we had limited time and the helicopter saved us 2 days. This was a really great climb! As it turned out the snow conditions were horible in the Icefields where we planned on climbing after Assiniboine...but who knew. Canada has tons of cool climbs that few of us in the States know about. I went up again this summer, didn't climb what I had planned due to daily rain but came away with two first ascents and nearly a new route on another peak. I'm not a hard core climber either (see TR Rostrum Peak) Assiniboine would be worth another try...it's a beautiful mountain (with a lot of loose rock).

Just wanted to post a picture of the fire...it really was there, not that that makes getting turned around feel any better! I hope you get up there...try in the fall, the larch trees are beautiful when they've turned golden.

Thanks for contributing to the TR's. I love this route! It sounds very similar to my experience...without the snow. Did you take any pictures on the approach or climb up? Nice first TR! Hope to see more of them

Nice job. I really enjoyed the pictures. I'd like to do this route before I get too old and fat. That looks like a cool route.

Trip: Ingalls Peak - South Ridge Date: 8/16/2008 Trip Report: I had been trying to get my friend Shawn up Ingalls Peak for a couple of years. He is an animal on indoor walls and sport climbs, but hasn't done much alpine rock. I consider Ingalls a nice introduction to the alpine world...nice approach trail, beautiful views, clean rock and straightforward climbing. Our last try didn't make it past the trailhead, as a forest fire had the trail closed. When we pulled up last weekend we saw a notice regarding the Jack Creek fire...deja vu. Not to be deterred, we forged on into the sunset light. The views from the pass of the flaring trees was pretty awesome, but the fire never threatened us or blew smoke our way. The next morning I hiked over to Ingalls Lake to feed the skeeters, take pictures of goats, recon the approach, and chat with some climbers headed for Stuart. I collected a well rested Shawn and we headed back to the lake. The gulley had a few snow patches, but we easily hiked around them up to Dogtooth Spires. We had the mountain all to ourselves (A first on a nice summer weekend!). We protected 3 pitches and scrambled up to the summit. I never tire of the great views in that area. Shawn didn't enjoy the hiking, but liked the climbing and scenery. I'll keep trying to convert him! Gear Notes: Light alpine rack with cams to 3 inches. We took a single 60 meter rope and were able to rap the whole thing. Bring bug juice, they await you! Approach Notes: Someone on a Stuart TR had asked about snow. There are still some patches on the approach, but these are easily avoided...so no ice axe, crampons, gaiters, etc. needed.

Nice job! I think I ran into you while I was heading in to do Ingalls Peak. Thanks for the great TR.

Rod, you are an animal! I really wish I could have gone with you. Sorry for the mix up on schedules. Nice trip report and pictures. It looks like an awesome trip.

For any that might be interested, these peaks are on Rostrum Peak map 84 N 14. The unnamed peak is 9600 feet and grid reference 886413. Ruby peak is 8900 feet, grid reference 894489. My thanks to Larry Dolecki for the info.

I'm not very good at posting trip reports (do they have a "trip reports for idiots"? The first photo is Larry Dolecki leading up the icefall. The second photo is the unnamed (so far) peak near Rostrum. The third photo is me on the east ridge of Rostrum Peak before the weather really got bad.

Trip: Rostrum Peak, B.C. - Attempted new route East Ridge, 2 first ascents Date: 7/7/2008 Trip Report: My original plan was to climb Mt. Sir Donald and Mt. Forbes, but between daily rain and a washed out access road, the plan changed to Rostrum Peak and it's surrounding mountains. Larry Dolecki, a professional guide I had climbed with in Switzerland, wanted to try a new route on Rostrum's east ridge. We did a fun river crossing, bushwack (no trails) and set up camp in the rain. The next day we crossed a moraine and started up an interesting icefall. There were some 70 degree to vertical steps of ice, but mostly crevasse dodging up to the glacier below Rostrum's east ridge. After a steep snow slope/arete we reached a rock band, when the weather turned to a mini blizzard and the rock got very slick and hard to protect. So, we descended and did a first ascent of an unnamed peak adjacent to Rostrum's east ridge. The next day we did a first ascent of Ruby Peak (near Icefall Peak)as a traverse in the rain up the northwest ridge (lower 5th class) and down a steep snow gully down to a nicely unbroken-up glacier and back to the tent. It wasn't the classic Sir Donald and Mt. Forbes, but for a casual weekend old fart climber like me, it was a good adventure. Gear Notes: Standard glacier gear, small alpine rock rack. Helmet a must with the loose shattered limestone. Approach Notes: Transcanada Highway 1 east from Rogers Pass to the Bush River road. 4 wheel drive helped over a log and washouts. We parked just below Mt. Aras next to a big washout. A thigh deep river crossing, bushwack through small trees to a canyon, onto the moraine and a nice camp spot on heather benches.

I have the Trango S EVO boots and use them for summer glacier climbs and mid 5th class alpine rock climbs, for which they are perfect (if it's not too cold). I have the Grivel G-12's for any serious glacier travel and Trango aluminum crampons for everything else and have found they are secure and fit well. I like the anti-bot plates, as I've had balling up of snow with other crampons. Any of the other options suggested will work, it's a matter of preference and features. I have used rubber crampon covers if I put the crampons in the pack with my shell and other gear. When I strap them on the outside, the less weight the better. I hope this is helpful

Trip: Mt. Assiniboine - North Ridge Date: 7/30/2007 Trip Report: My friend Rod and I climbed Mt. Assiniboine via the North Ridge. With limited time we took a 6 minute helicopter ride to avoid the 17 mile hike to Lake Magog and saved 2 days. From the Hind Hut we started about 5:15 am and hit the summit in 5 hours. We would have been faster but for lots of loose rock and one route finding error. The ridge is mostly exposed 4th class with a couple of pitches of mid 5th that we belayed, then a nice ridge walk to the summit. The view is 360 degree peaks. There was no snow on the route, so we left the axes and crampons at the hut. It is a beautiful peak! Gear Notes: Helmet, Helmet, Helmet! (the day after our climb someone got beaned by a rock dislodged by another climber) Light rack of nuts and cams 0.5-3. 60 meter rope was nice for rappels. Approach Notes: The approach trail is called the "Gmoser Highway". It is somebody's sick sense of humor to call it a highway. The trail starts from Assiniboine Lodge and goes around the north side of the lake, then angles up a talus field onto a headwall of loose sloping rock ledges. There are spots where the trail is a foot wide and the rock bulges out, making the going very sporty with a pack. Once past the waterfall, you ascend a snow patch or scree to a cairn marked trail up to the Hind Hut (about 9000 feet elev.)

I've had both versions of the Trango S and they rock! They are light, climb mid 5th class rock well, and work fine for easy glacier climbing (I've taken them up Ranier in summer conditions, glacier approach on Forbidden, etc) They aren't real durable, but seem worth the money for 2-3 seasons of use.