This trip started at 1:40 am at the parking lot of Edith Cavell. A short hike to the first snow patch that leads to the east ridge in the full moon is breathtaking. We put on our crampons and started our accent. This where my epic began, nearly reaching the ridge, my footing failed and I slid down the corn snow in the dark and thinking to myself "this is it!" After 80 or 90 feet of high speed (it felt like 100 miles per hour) decent losing the ice ax right off the bat was not in the plans. Somehow, some lucky turn of event I stopped short of slamming into the rocks where we just crossed. Big sigh of relief and adrenaline rushing through my veins was definitely happening. A distance call from the ridge, "...EDDIE!"

Lucky for me that I packed a spare ice ax, with the adrenaline that was coursing through my system I started my accent again, collected the ax where I had started to fall and shortly was on the ridge where Mike was waiting patiently and perplexed at what happened. I showed him my Huge road rash on my left forearm and out came the first aid. As you can see from these photos, we continued our accent. Whenever there were snow I was very slow going. Can you blame me?

Sun rise at 6:30 am, this sight was to be remembered forever. The First Step to the peak was so intimidating that talk of turning back was spoken, but not really in our plans. The interesting parts were just beginning, hanging out there and looking under your arm pits and seeing the Cavell pond beneath you is some thing that I cannot be captured in words.

The summit was reached at NOON! After a paparazzi session and lunch on top of the world, the ugly decent of the west ridge was to begin. But that is another story...back at the vehicle by 7:30 pm.

360 DEGREE PANOPIX:

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by Eddie Wong
August 17, 2000

RELATED LINKS

• Edge Control (Ski & Outdoor Store)
• Avalanche report (Jasper and Area)
• Peter Amann ( Certified Mountain Guide )

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