Explor8ion - a slice of infinity

Trip Date: Saturday, June 29 2019
Reference Trip: Three Passes Route
Quick ‘n Dirty Rating: Class 2- you fall, you sprain something.
Difficulty Notes: An easy scramble from Tomahawk Pass via west slopes.
Technical Rating: SC5; RE4/5
GPS Track: Gaia
Map: Google Maps

After enjoying a nice supper break at our Tomahawk Pass bivy site, Joanna, Phil and I set off up the easy looking western slopes of Tomahawk Mountain. We were hoping for a nice evening ascent with the fading light. At this point in our day we were feeling the 31+ km of walking, 14km of biking and 2100m of height gain from our approach to Tomahawk Pass and ascent of Wapiti Mountain.

Hiking to the easy west slopes of Tomahawk Mountain from the pass.

The weather was gorgeous as we ascended easy alpine meadows and scree slopes to a false summit over the pass. The wind had died down substantially from earlier and the sun was still playing hide and seek on the brilliantly green meadows in the surrounding valleys and small ponds and tarns at the pass below.

Three Passes Route overall route map showing the long bike ride through Ya Ha Tinda and our counter clockwise route up Tomahawk Pass through Divide Pass and back along the Red Deer River.

Incredible lighting over Tomahawk Pass as we ascend the easy west slopes of Tomahawk Mountain. The mountain rising west of the pass is unnamed.

Incredible lighting over Tomahawk Pass, looking down Tyrrell Creek at left.

The ascent was easy and straightforward and within 1.5 hours of leaving our bivy at Tomahawk Pass we were at its namesake summit with stunning views in every direction in the dying light of a long summer day. I took photos of the many familiar and unfamiliar surrounding peaks including unfamiliar east faces of well known summits such as Willingdon and a mean looking cloud covered Cataract Peak. Closer summits such as Wapiti, Forbidden, Wellsite, Scalp, Tyrrell, Condor, Peters and Whelk stole the show.

Ascending the easy and very scenic west slopes of Tomahawk Mountain. Views south down Tyrrell Creek.

A group of rams runs past me on the west ascent slopes of Tomahawk Mountain.

Dramatic lighting on Dodo Peak to the north, with Hatter to its right.

Phil and Joanna approach the summit of Tomahawk Mountain (R). Peak “HH89” at center distance here.

Views west include l to r, St. Bride, Douglas, Temple, Drummond, McConnell, Boar Station, Cataract, Deluc, Smoky, Willingdon Group, Harris, Condor, Peters, Mamen, Dodo, Whelk and part of Forbidden Peak on the right.

Incredible late day lighting over the Tomahawk Pass area looking to Wapiti Mountain at left and Melanin Peak at center distance.

Daylight was fading as we started our descent to camp at around 21:30. Early summer trips have so much daylight – very handy for traveling long distances. The descent back to Tomahawk Pass went quickly with no issues and soon we were back at our bivy.

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