Jewell Peak attempt


Barrier Mountain Lookout VI
 
 
March 11, 2025
 
Mountain height:      2030 m
Total elevation gain: approximately 1000 m
Ascent time:             7:10
Descent time:           1:30
 
Snowshoeing and hiking with Mark.
 
Given the outrageous ascent time, clearly this was a case of picking the wrong objective for the conditions.
 
My only ascent of the Twins Towers (one of them sometimes referred to as Jewell Peak) occurred in 2005. The Towers are usually approached from Grant MacEwan Peak - a relatively recently named peak that is part of the Heart Mountain loop route and is fact the highest point of the loop. Also recently, a different route up Jewell from Barrier Lake has gained a level of popularity. I’m not sure what part of my brain told me this new route would be a good candidate for a winter ascent, but it was obviously the bad part!  
 
The route started very well, following a set of old tracks in the snow. Those tracks soon ended, but still we were making good progress breaking a new trail. Upon reaching the bridge, where you leave the Jewell Pass trail, we put on snowshoes and started up the creek. Again, progress was pretty decent, even with very deep snow in the creek.
 
Unfortunately, as we gained elevation, conditions became increasingly more challenging, and our progress slowed accordingly. As well, we could see the Jewell Peak ridge above and it was getting pounded by vicious winds. I checked the required elevation gain to get to the top, it turned out to be a harrowing 600 m – that may not seem to be a big number, but in present conditions it might as well have been 6000! I predicted we were still at least 3 hours from the summit. We had no choice but to turn around and call it a day or try to salvage the trip.
 
Our salvage operation (the Barrier Lake Lookout), though straightforward, was far from a pushover. Travel was easy throughout, but the journey was sooo long and sooo boring! Of course, we had used a huge amount of energy trying to get up Jewell, and therefore everything seemed longer and more strenuous than it normally would be.
 
Once we hit the intersection with the “regular” lookout trail, we abandoned our backpacks and made our way up slowly up to the lookout. The view was decent, but we were both too tired to really enjoy it.
 
The upside of our long ascent route would be the luxury of the super easy and much shorter descent. Even then, we were both completely depleted by the time we reached the parking lot.    
 
A disappointing day with some light at its end. Lesson learned but probably not! I doubt this will be the last time we will fail because of challenging conditions and/or a poor choice in objectives.
 


Nice morning light



A close-up of Jewell Peak. It looks snowy and inviting at this point.



Better look at how far away Jewell is



A very scenic point along the Barrier Lake trail. Mount Baldy in the background.



Looking down on the trail where Mark is taking the previous photo



View from above



Onward, now breaking a new trail, but snowshoes were not necessary



The south side of Yates Mountain (where Barrier Lake Lookout resides) has some very interesting strata of rock



Here Comes The Sun



Now on the Jewell Pass trail



Jewell Peak



The bridge



After crossing it, we put snowshoes on and started up the creek



Sometime later, watching snow blow violently off Jewell's north ridge



And off the surrounding trees



Somewhere near the point we decided to bail on Jewell. With a perfectly blue sky we wanted to get to the top of something.



Back at the bridge



Typical travel for the next two hours - lots of trees and no views



Finally getting out of the trees and checking out the drop over McConnell Ridge



There are several deep fissures in this area and much care is needed, especially when snowy







Clouds are starting to build to the west, as predicted on Spot Wx



Hitting an impasse. Trying to get to the other side would have been a very questionable decision!




This is one of the cooler areas on the mountain



Fissure to the right, drop-off to the left




Now on the other side of the fissure



View to the south



Another gap you want to be cautious around



Grinding our way up to the lookout



The lookout is atop the bump at the left



Thankfully a group had been up here earlier and had beaten a trail into the snow



There's the trail



At the top, looking west



View to the north



Peaks to the southeast



Mary Barclay's Mountain (I think)



Gilligan Peak



Heading down



View from the popular open area along Prairie View Trail

The End

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