Iceface Peak






 
August 23, 2024
 
Mountain height: 2897 m
Elevation gain:    1300 m but I took the scenic (tortuous) 1600 m route
Ascent time:        5:20
Descent time:      4:35
 
Solo scramble.
 
To say this trip “kicked the living daylights” out of me would be a grave statement!
 
I had been thinking about this somewhat obscure and unnamed summit, northeast of Mount Noyes, for several years. An amazing trip up Spreading Ridge in 2022 rekindled that interest but it would wait until August 2024 to come to fruition.
 
One of the big draws for attempting this peak was to check out Noyes Creek. Perhaps it had similar treasures to those found along its northern sister, Totem Creek; perhaps not, but I wanted to find out. The initial hike alongside the north side of the creek was surprisingly easy and pleasant, with few route-finding challenges. Of equal surprise were signs of human traffic. I always thought this to be a seldom traveled area, but clearly I was wrong.
 
Eventually I reached the lake marked on the map to find the body of water reduced to a few streams and lots of marsh. While the area was not quite a scenic match to the magical first lake along Totem Creek, it certainly possessed a charm of its own, with many “Oh wow!” views.
 
Although my plan was to follow Noyes Creek all the way to the head of the valley, bushy terrain past the lake caused me to change the route. Instead, I crossed the creek, aiming for open slopes that appeared to lead to a slightly lower summit northwest of the objective. And there ends the pleasant part of the ascent!
 
While the scenery and views throughout this trip were stellar, the terrain underfoot was anything but. In fact, the several vertical hundred metres of terrain before the first highpoint was possibly the worst I’ve ever experienced – unstable rubble on a relentlessly steep and foreshortened slope. When the rubble disappeared, it was replaced with hard-packed dirt and loose pebbles – the polar opposite of stellar! And preceding that, I had to endure an even more foreshortened slog up steep unforgiving slopes of scree. If the views hadn’t been improving with each metre of elevation gained, I probably would have bailed on the ascent and returned to explore the creek as a consolation.
 
By the time I reached that first summit (a cairn indicated I was not the first to reach it), I was absolutely wiped out; the result not only of the grueling ascent, but also 2 weeks of gorging myself on fish and chips, curry, and Cadbury’s Dairy Milk chocolate in England before the ascent!  Fortunately, a food and Gatorade break, plus the scintillating views in every direction were enough to rejuvenate me. Getting to the true summit from there was mercifully easy with great footing underfoot – finally! Again, an inspiring summit panorama was cause for a break and many photos.

 
The descent was epic – horribly epic! Initially, I considered trying to descend the route I wanted to ascend, via the pass south of the summit. However, given that I couldn’t see the entire route and any cliffs that could stop me dead in my tracks, I opted to retrace my steps towards the first summit and then peal off and descend to the original route. Had I stuck to that plan, life would have been okay. Instead, I convinced myself I could take a direct route down to the Noyes Creek valley (apparently, I REALLY wanted to see that valley!) and then follow the creek out. 
 
All started well and I was able to lose a significant amount of elevation on decent scree. Shortly after, however, cliffs barred the route, and I had to go back up. Thinking an easy route might be right around the corner I repeated my mistake and once again had to drag myself halfway up the slope again. The only option at this point was to side-slope all the way back to the original line. I would only describe that part of the trip as nightmarish – all the aforementioned nasty terrain underfoot, practically zero surfable scree, several forced elevation gains, and way longer than anticipated. It took me 2.5 hours to finally intercept my ascent route, a task that I imagine I would have completed in an hour had I stuck to the initial plan.
 
Physical and mental exhaustion were in full play at this point. Depleted and somewhat nauseous, I completed the trip in a zombie-like state, my yelling to warn bears more of a down-trodden moan - I would have provided little resistance had a bear mistaken me for a giant bar of Cadbury's Dairy Milk chocolate!
 
Despite the general misery getting up and down this peak, the day was filled with beautiful scenery and fantastic summit views. If I ever return, I will stick to the valley throughout and lay off the fish n’ chips and chocolate beforehand!

Note: although I initially called the mountain Noyes Creek Peak, several days after the ascent I found a reference to it on Bivouac that identifies it as Iceface Peak.



The Noyes Creek valley, as seen from near Spreading Ridge. Iceface Peak is at the left and centre, Mount Noyes to the right.



Near the start of the trip. Noyes Creek is followed on its north (left) side throughout.



That thing on the left isn't part of nature!



But that is



Given I was following a creek throughout, a surprisingly took very few long exposure photos



Howse Peak makes the first of many appearances



Shockingly, I run into a set of bear tracks. Even more shockingly, the bear was wearing boots!



The last of the long exposure photos



The southwest ridge of Spreading Peak is lined with a string of very impressive highpoints



The lower northeast summit of the objective appears



One of those highpoints on Spreading Peak



Close-up of awesome Howse Peak



Mount Chephren - my feet still hurt from that ascent, 18 years ago!



The terrain opens up







Arrived at the area where there's a lake marked on the map



Many of the highpoints on Spreading



Going the wrong way; I need to be on the other side of the water



Logs made the crossing easy



Same as above



This place was the scenic highlight of the trip for me











Going around what's left of the lake



Another highpoint



And another



I was able to get close to the summit of this one on the Spreading Ridge trip



Chephren reflected



Chephren and Spreading



At least the dried-up lake has left behind some beautifully varied scenery



Same as above



As stated, I loved this area!



Another Chephren reflection







The Spreading highpoints and the glacial stream that originates from the glacier on the northeast side of Mount Noyes



The lower summit of Iceface Peak in the centre



A very silty waterway



The route I would eventually take up the mountain



This is why I decided to stop following the creek, though in retrospect it would have been fine



Steep but easy slopes near the start



Still enamoured by Spreading Ridge



Another impressive massif is now coming into focus - Mount Noyes (summit at far left)







The remains of three random trees



If I was sensitive, I would say the mountain is giving me the finger!



Two of those trees



The cool pinnacle that is not a middle finger



The views continue to improve



Approaching a rock band that interrupts upward progress



Skirting the band on the right side



Lots of colourful rock en route to distract from the tedious footing











Trending right onto steep scree slopes



That steep



Heading up to the small col



Good thing the views are great...



...because it's a steep, unrelenting slog to get to that col



The first objective



Approaching the col, the layer of reddish rock brings me back to Waterton



Spreading Peak dominates to the view to the north



Looking up the Noyes Creek valley. The glacier at the head of the valley is much smaller than the one depicted on maps.



Had to scramble up to a minor highpoint while at the col



View to the north from the highpoint



View to the south



Chephren Lake under Mount Chephren



The ridge up to the lower summit looks relatively straightforward



Big waterfall in the valley to the northwest



Spreading and the red rock



Looking back along the ridge



Distant Corona Ridge



Corona and another outlier of Spreading Peak



Here comes the nasty stuff. The terrain ahead is steeper than it looks and the footing is atrocious.



I stopped often to curse and take a few photos



Cursing and taking photos - actually a very cathartic combination!











Off the really bad stuff and onto just bad stuff



Finally on decent terrain, with a longer than expected walk to the summit



Summit



The true summit of Iceface is about 1.8 km southeast (near the right)



The string of difficult peaks south of Howse Peak



Howse Peak is a beast from the east and a super long slog from the west



Mount Forbes is the highest mountain in sight



Mount Sarbach (right), the two Kaufmann Peaks (centre) and Epaulette Mountain (left)



Spreading Peak, Totem Tower, and I think the one of the right is Hall Tower (part of the Murchison group)



View to the north



A highpoint of the northwest ridge of Marmota Peak



Marmota Peak



Recondite Peak in the centre



Easy to see how Iceface gets its name



Heading over to the true summit



Good views of Marmota throughout



The glacier on the east side of Iceface



Lots of super cool terrain to the southeast



All of the above



Pano to the northeast



The Iceface glacier



Looking back to the lower summit



Looking forward to the true summit. Pleasant terrain underfoot!



Quill Peak. Interestingly, I couldn't find any map that depicts the small glacier on the northwest side.











Mount Loudon above Porcupine Lake



Porcupine Lake



Stayed as close to the glacier as possible without setting foot on it







Got smitten with Porcupine Lake!















Mount Noyes and the glacier that feeds Noyes Creek



Steps away from the summit, another strip of red rock appears



Summit view to the north



Northeast



Southeast



Southwest



Northwest



Close-up of the Noyes glacier



Close-up of the Iceface glacier







The waterfall that becomes Noyes Creek



I think that's part of The Lyells in the distant centre



Mount Cline - still one of the most disappointing trips I've ever done







Heading down the south ridge for a short distance before starting the horribly epic descent



There's that red rock







Very cool shades and hues on this and the surrounding mountains



Looking down the Noyes Creek valley



There's a tarn down there that I really wanted to visit



The route that I will eventually have to side-slope



Failed attempt to descend directly down to the valley; have to go back up.



The south end of the valley



Still side-sloping



Another failure



Back up to the side-sloping terrain



Cool pinnacle



Almost back to my ascent line



Same as above



Looking up to the lower summit



While there was some decent scree here, the terrain still required care most of the time



Took a slightly different route down than up



Back at Noyes Creek, with the lower summit above



Back at dried-up lake. The lower summit looks very different than the morning view of it.



Back at the start, completely wiped out, but happy to have seen a new valley and a new summit

The End

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