Niles, Mount
Trip Report
After sumitting Mount Daly the day before, we were up at 07:00 and ready for an easier day on Mount Niles.
We got what we wanted! Mount Niles is a much shorter and simpler scramble than Daly is. There's no glacier, no cliff bands and really no route finding if you stick to the trail / cairns.
We ascended the same drainage as the day before and got to the upper meadow. From there we descended slightly to climber's left and made for the pinnacle, following cairns through the boulder field.
Once at the col we admired the much different views than we had the previous day - today it was cool and cloudy compared to sunny and warm the day before. The views were still very good - even more dramatic with the different lighting.
I took Kane too literally and thought by 'back side' he meant the glacier side of the pinnacle. He doesn't. Just follow the ridge up and around the pinnacle on climber's right, you should be on a marked trail almost the entire time. We went around to the left on the way up, which worked but was very steep and loose.
The scrambling up from the col was fun and fast and within an hour we were on the summit. 2 hours from the bivy - not bad considering Daly took over 4!!
The descent was even quicker. We went exploring a bit on the descent from the upper meadow. Instead of going down on skier's left we went around to skier's right and then found a way through the cliffs on the west side of Niles Meadow. It was a good little deviation from the route. I would even suggest going up this way - it's fun and the terrain is only moderate.
The walk back out to the parking lot with full packs was long but uneventfull. We felt really good about getting Niles and Daly in such beautiful fall weather with great conditions and good companionship. Both these peaks are highly recommended, but I would suggest doing them together with a bivy if possible.
A different day than the day before! The clouds make for a dramatic early morning sky.
Rod comes up on the upper meadows. Our campsite is 150 meters below.
Dramatic morning lighting and the boulder field.
Great views today - even though it's cloudy!
Rod comes up to the col:
Looking back at the col, and Rod.
Vern goes up to the pinnacles from the col. We went left to get around them but you should go straight up between them. (Picture by Rod Dewit)
Sherbrooke Lake looks great today. Cathedral Peaks are catching some rays.
Looking towards Emerald Lake, Carnarvon and the Presidents:
Mount Daly from the summit of Mount Niles:
Mount Balfour.
Emerald Lake:
Vern on the summit of Mount Niles - many more ascents than Daly. (Picture by Rod Dewit)
Vern and Rod on the summit of Mount Niles.
Summit panorama (click to view full size):
Little Yoho valley from the summit of Mount Niles:
Balfour:
Rod descends Niles:
Vern descends through the pinnacles. (Picture by Rod Dewit)
Panorama from the col - one last look at the Waputik Icefield and Mount Balfour (click to view full size):
Cool little skull that I found. Probably a marmot:
Descending the opposite side of Niles Meadows than usual:
Our ascent gully that we used both days (picture by Rod Dewit):
Looking back from the trail out:
Looking back at Mount Niles from the trail out. This looks like a long way - and it is!
Rod hikes out along Sherbrooke Lake.
