Vermilion Peak attempt
    




January 3, 2016

Round-trip time: approximately 6:30
 
Solo snowshoe.
 
I picked a perfect weather day to make another run at this sweet little peak, but not a perfect “conditions” day.
 
The overwhelming majority of the ascent went extremely well, atop good supportive snow. However, as Alan Kane clearly points out, the summer route goes right up an avalanche gully. Accordingly, I avoided this gully, sticking to treed terrain for the lower section of the route. Sometime later, I traversed over to the southeast ridge, where I thought summit success was guaranteed.
 
I thought wrong! The ridge to the summit was initially straightforward, however, the final push featured exposed, double-corniced terrain that looked terrifying. One glimpse and I turned around.
 
No summit, but a wonderful trip with stunning scenery and views throughout. The Rockies in winter, on the bluebird day are simply unbeatable!


The objective from near the road



Beautiful morning light



The summer route goes straight up this avalanche path



Heading for the treed terrain, right of the avalanche path



Alpenglow to the west



Tree shadows on the snow are always eye-catching during the snow months



Ochre Spring Peak has one of the best summit panoramas of mountains in the area



The view to the west features a ton of cool peaks. Mount Drysdale (just left of centre), with The Rockwall to the right.



Ochre Spring and a few of the bigger Moraine Lake peaks



The upper slopes of Vermilion



Those peaks around Moraine Lake: Hungabee, Deltaform, and Allen



This mountain is very popular with skiers



Same as above



The Goodsirs



Traversing over to the ridge to avoid steep terrain



My tracks



On the ridge. Skiers have been up here too.



Stanley Peak



Heading up the ridge. I was confident at this point that the summit would be easily reached.



A close-up of the summit ridge caused a sudden drop in that level of confidence!



Distant Mount Biddle at the right



Beautiful, but scary



The summit of Storm Mountain



No way am I going up there!



View to the west from my highpoint



My tracks through the snow



Parting look at the Death Trap



Close-up of Biddle



Mount Ball



Awesome view to the east



Mount Whymper



Close-up of Stanley Peak



Very distant Mount Assiniboine



Mount Haffner and Haffner Senior. Wish we had weather conditions like today instead of the dismal ones on Senior in 2008!



Although Haffner and Senior seem close together, they are separated by almost the same distance as Vermilion and Haffner.


And speaking of Haffner....Mozart's whole Haffner symphony is pure delight, but the 4th movement is simply dynamite!!


Following my tracks back



Three biggies: Biddle, Hungabee, and Deltaform



Snowshoe descent tracks lack the aesthetic curves of ski tracks



Case in point



Better case in point



Love the contrast of snow, sky, and trees



...add shadow



New growth among the remnants of the fire



Same as above



Almost looks like something getting shot out of the sky!



Trees casting long shadows



Same as above with more



Nearing the bottom and looking back up the route



Ochre Spring again



Had the time and energy after the Vermilion attempt, so I did a short section of the Paint Pots trail. Here's Vermilion Peak from the other side of the Vermilion River.

The End

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