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Red line is the actual track I took up to where I went which was recorded by my GPS. Not much trail there, so expect some bushwhacking.
Being next to the popular hiking trail, Ptarmigan Cirque, the landscape here was similar = lots of flowers.
Right before hitting scree. Showing the ridge which connects Arethusa and Storm Mountain. The route is straight up from where we are standing and we went to the right to get around the rock bands. You can try the rock bands, but I am not sure going to left to around the bands.
So scrambling begin.
(Photo by Ali Shariat)
It's really this is most of the elevation gain we had to deal.
On the ridge, Wil pointing at the chimney which is the other side of crux that Kane's book describes.
Just before the crux, taking earth shot. It was narrow and exposed.
Mark, the ridge walker came down the crux. It was actually quite easy we all were like huh?
Mount Rae on the left.
Hummm… Don't fall.
Exact quote from Kane's book. "You should immediately go over to the easier left (west) side to avoid the narrow, rotten ridge crest ahead." Why are we going OVER?!
(Photo by Mark Evans)
At least we got nice pictures playing with the rotten ridge. Wil approaching the last bit of the ridge.
Mark going over the bump on the rotten ridge. Going over the bump was the most scary thing from this hike as both sides were exposed especially the side you can't see where it was a cliff with no angle.
The ridge walker finishing up his work.
The narrow rotten ridge wasn't enough for the ridge walker, he took even narrower one with a drop at the end of the ridge.
Storm and Mist Mountain behind.
Canadian monkeys. Wait, These monkeys are all imports from Holland, UK, and Japan.
(Photo by Ali Shariat)
At the summit. Mount Arethusa is 2912m in height. But Mount Rae make this mountain look a tiny mountain. Look at the scree slope on Rae, I hiked up all the way up a week ago.
Summit view and my new tradition, the names!! Mouse over.
Group picture. From far left to near right, Shaun, Wil, Mark, me, and Barry. Oops, don't forget the camera man, Ali. Barry is 50 years old and he does marathon and triathlon. When he said he's carrying extra weight on his backpack, I thought he was only kidding. No he wasn't kidding. His pack was bloody heavy yet he beat me no problem... There aren't too many who can go faster than me, but he was completely out of my league.
(Photo by Ali Shariat)
Shaun, the rock climber, doing crazy down climb on this endless rock slab.
Rest of us, scramblers, followed Kane's route which is with his words, "The west ridge give a quick (but steep) descent route." He said "QUICK" decent… Normally with this elevation down climb should take about one hour or less, we took two hours. The gully was steep and wet clay-like soil making it very slippery. That was not enough rocks were loose that they kept rolling, we kept yelling "Roooocks!! Roooocks!! Roooocks!!" Suddenly more frightening object came down. Mark yelled, "Scramble book!!" I was like "S scramble book?" then I saw Kane's scramble book going down the gully... Almost hit me, my god!!
(Photo by Mark Evans)
After a while going down the loose, slippery gully we fed up and tried going down rock slab.
Finally we made all the way down the "QUICK" descend route and came to this peaceful ponds… The End.
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