May 2, 2025
~ submitted by Matthew Lettington
After the disappointing loss of my axe in early April, I vowed to return and reclaim it. Having been up the east ridge twice in the past six months, and feeling confident about where I had dropped the axe, I was sure we’d find it! Familiar with the terrain, I invited a larger group of club members to join the adventure.
You might wonder — how different could the route be after just three weeks? Quite a bit, as it turns out. The trail was a little bushier and noticeably slower. Already, the buds had burst, and tiny leaves were emerging, making the bush thicker and harder to push through.
We toiled longer in the forest this time. Much of the snow had melted, revealing the previously hidden undergrowth and creating new obstacles to weave through. With less snow, some features that were easy to cross before became much trickier. The lower bushy gully, for example, was now a wet mess of mud, moss, and unstable debris. More than once, pieces of loose trees threatened to come crashing down around us!
When we reached the spot where I had dropped my axe on the first trip, we found it — just inches from where I had left it! I suspect I must have stepped on it the first time, pushing it deep into the snow and into the thicket below.
The day was so beautiful that two of us decided that the 1200-metre mark was the perfect spot for an extended lunch break. The remaining ten members carried on toward the summit under Rick’s fine leadership.
While the snow on the upper ridge was melting quickly, an impressive amount still clung to the cornices, and the final route to the summit remained heavily choked with snow.
Our descent was slow and steady, but we returned to the road in about the same time as our earlier trips.
A special thanks to Rick for his excellent co-leading! Your willingness to volunteer and support the group made it a fantastic day for everyone. Ultimately, the return trip was about more than finding a lost tool — it was another great day of camaraderie, adventure, and a reminder that the mountains are always changing, even in just a few short weeks.
Album of images: https://photos.app.goo.gl/GvEm6cgtxEpVA6ri8