Explor8ion - a slice of infinity - Whistable Peaks (Whistler Loop)

Summit Elevation (m): 2255
Trip Date: October 29, 2016
Elevation Gain (m): 1150
Round Trip Time (hr): 7.5
Total Trip Distance (km): 13
Quick ‘n Dirty Rating: Class 2 – you fall, you sprain something
Difficulty Notes: No major difficulties for seasoned off trail scramblers. An easy, but loose and steep scramble from the creek to the summit of Table Top followed by a nice ridge walk to Whistable Peaks. Note: We combined several peaks in a high level traverse from Table Top Peak to Whistler Mountain.
Technical Rating: OT4; YDS (Hiking)
GPS Track: Gaia
Map: Google Maps

After leaving the summit of Table Top Peak, Wietse and I followed a delightful ridge towards the twin summits of Whistable Peaks. Dave McMurray named the more southerly of the twin peaks, “Eagle Peak” but Wietse and I politely decided to rename it due to a plethora of peaks already named after that majestic bird of prey. It took us a while to come up with “Whistable” but it seemed to fit the fact that the summits are pretty much the same height and located nicely between Table and Whistler Mountains.

The elevation profile map for the Whistler Loop including the three summits and the lookout. It’s sort of amusing that the only official peak is lower than any of the others.

There were no technical challenges to make the twin summits, other than the necessary height losses and gains over and between them. One downclimb along the way was easy scrambling.

Looking down a serrated ridge towards the first Whistable Peak. Gladstone is the rounded peak at center in the distance.

We both took readings from each summit to see which was higher and I got higher readings on the first, while Wietse got higher readings on the second. Our altimeter readings were slightly higher than our map readings.

A dry ridge makes for much more relaxing hiking compared to a week previous on Lys Ridge.

Great views over Table Mountain (C) towards Beaver Mines Lake. Table Top at far right.

Looking east (L) and south (R) from the first summit over Table Top, Prairie Bluff, Gladstone, Larry, Frankie, Castle Peak and the second Whistable Peak at right.

The views from each summit were similar and we enjoyed the light winds and warm sunshine before reluctantly deciding to continue on to Whistler Mountain.

Classic Castle Wilderness views off the ridge.

Hiking along the ridge to the second Whistable Peak.

Ironically the only official peak of the day was buried in a clump of trees below us. We briefly considered bagging a couple of higher peaks to the south (i.e. Larry and Frankie) before deciding they were best saved for another day.

__PRESENT

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