We decided to by-pass the snow to the col by taking the strip of rock to avoid a transition to crampons. The snow at the top that we did have to cross was very hard and took some hard kick-stepping without crampons.
Jeff on the rock, by-passing the snow to the col, with the beginning of the east ridge in the background.
Jeff resting at the col before starting the ridge as the sun begins to rise and we get some light. Nice toque, eh.
The beginning of the ridge. We went right of the snow gully, before crossing over to the left below the snow triangle near the top. Smatterings of trail most of the way.
Moving up scree from the col, nearly at the base of the more solid ground of the ridge.
Starting up the ridge.
Looking down the valley, with some low mist entrenched.
Looking back down to the col, with the snow ascent to the col on the left. The ridge looks pretty crumbly, but it's actually not bad travel, with steps of good rock like the one I'm standing on taking the photo.
Here you see the ridge getting more and more solid
A nice place to hide if the weather turned unfriendly.
Jeff on typical terrain of the lower ridge.
Zoomed waaay down to the col to show a pretty nice bivy spot in the rock.
With the initial scrambling up the first part of the ridge done, you level off on a plateau and then the upper ridge comes into view. This is where the more technical climbing begins. My bowels loosened a bit when I saw how much snow was present...
A bit closer shot showing the upper ridge.
After traversing the plateau, about to start up the upper ridge.
The climbing soon gets a little bit meatier. I took the chimney on the left... then, ummm, not sure...
Looking back as another group reaches the plateau.
Looking back to the plateau, you can see that we're now beginning to deal with a fair coating of snow.
Oooo... looks like harder times ahead.
We took out the rope midway up this block and did it in two 30m pitches, with me leading first and Jeff finishing off.
Jeff at the base of the block looking up.
Here's me as my bowels loosen looking at that snowy ridge (photo courtesy Jeff)
Here I am leading the first pitch of the crux (photo courtesy Jeff)
After leading the first crux pitch, I had a great view!
I found good gear placements, including a bomber large hex, for a belay anchor at the top of the 30m pitch one. For pitch two (another 30m), Jeff was able to make use of another hex combined with an in situ pin at a rap station for the belay anchor.
Looking down to Jeff, about to start up the first pitch.
Jeff heading up the second pitch, which was on some drier rock.
Looking back down to the approach valley, you can see the faint trail in the scree of the moraine.
We had some super-cool-looking, but rather annoying, rime ice to deal with up higher.
Looking back down, you see how every ledge that can hold snow, is holding some!
Jeff with his gameface on.
Yeech. More snow... wasn't too bad though, other than a couple 20m sections we pitched out that, under the conditions, were far trickier than the normal crux of the route.
Can it be! The final few steps to the summit ridge! (photo courtesy Jeff)
Alright! We finally reach the easier terrain near the summit.
Some big cornices, all over the place, near the summit.
The goal in sight!
Me, all smiles at the summit.
Holding up the summit register with our fresh entries, the first of 2010 (photo courtesy Jeff)
Jeff taking it all in.
Looking down to the Tonquin trail.
Looking way down the north face, you can see the parking lot!
Looking back to the final parts of the summit ridge.
More Tonquin Valley
Starting the desent down the less techincal West Ridge (Alpine II) route which actually peels off to the right.
Looking down to the Angel glacier.
From the West ridge, looking back up to the summit. This was actually the most dangerous part of the climb for me, as I put my hand on a refridgerator-sized block as I was going around it. I immediately felt it slide on the loose scree underneath. In a split second I took a step backwards as it toppled just in front of me and went down the slope, exploding into bits a it pummelled down. It only took 10lbs of pressure from my hand to move it, but that sucker would have squashed me like a bug.
On the lower part of the bowl after dropping off the West ridge... looks tough, but there is easy scrambling right up.
You definitely don't want to drop into the bowl from the ridge to early, or you'll run into this wall.
Looking back at the descent ridge, you approach from off the right, then we came down at that circular patch of snow in the middle of the photo.
Now back in summertime, in the Tonquin Valley.
Nice trail to lead us home.
A good shot of our East Ridge route, going up the left edge of Cavell.
