June 21, 2025
~ submitted by Matthew Lettington
The Trip: Nine Peaks
I’ve been to Nine Peaks before. It’s a relatively straightforward third-class scramble — if you’re on route and the environment cooperates. But when I picked this location months ago, I had no idea what conditions we’d face. I chose the longest day of the year and planned a four-day itinerary to give everyone a fair shot at summiting. In the days leading up to departure, I nervously checked four different forecast models twice a day, trying to build a reliable picture of what we’d face. Even as we departed, I was still holding my breath.
Day 1 – Cushy
We hiked the Bedwell Trail into the cirque below Big Interior. Conditions were fantastic: cool and overcast, with the clouds rising as we did. It was like hiking under a sunshade, keeping us cool as we laboured under mountaineering packs.
Just past Little Jim’s outflow, we encountered the first snow patches. From there, it was axes out as we crossed snowfields and descended into the cirque. We set up camp under clear skies, basking in the warmth of the late afternoon sun on one of the longest days of the year. Bugs were minimal, the breeze gentle, and morale was high — a perfect start.
Day 2 – A Little Labour Involved
We were up early to beat the heat. Thanks to warm temperatures and an overnight breeze, most tents had little to no condensation, making packing easy. By 5 a.m., the sky was already light — sleeping in wasn’t an option!
We ascended Big Interior’s snowy face in near-perfect snow conditions: solid underfoot, easy to kick steps into. With only about 4 km on the day’s agenda, we took our time — though the real work came in the elevation gain and loss.
Wind met us on the summit, along with low visibility. I’d hoped to scout Nine Peaks’ gully from here, but the clouds had other plans. A brief mix of rain, snow, and ice pellets swept through — not enough to soak us but enough to send us hustling off the peak.
We descended to our second camp, just below Marjorie’s Load. We pitched tents on rock outcrops above the snow and filtered meltwater from nearby pools. A breeze picked up as we set up, so we guyed everything down carefully — just in time. Rain hit around dinner, and we retreated to our tents. Then after the rain came fog. It cut visibility to less than 25 metres. I could see water droplets floating through the air, and the wind carried them up and under the tent flies where it accumulated on some of the tents so much that a few folks needed to mop up the water to keep gear dry.
By 8 p.m., the fog lifted briefly — enough to reveal our objective. I still couldn’t see the gully’s condition clearly, but I gathered the team and we reviewed gear and our early-morning plan: depart by 6:30 to catch the best summit views.
Day 3 – Miserable and Amazing
Wind and rain started around midnight. None of us got much sleep. At 4:30 a.m., gusts hit hard enough that I had to brace a tent pole with my hand. Eventually, I got out — barefoot — to flatten the tent and prevent damage. Across the way, one tent was already down from broken poles; another had torn guylines. We all scrambled to pack up in the predawn chaos. Thankfully, it was warm and dry — in colder or wetter conditions, this would’ve been a real emergency.
By 6:30 a.m., we were moving. Conditions on the snow were perfect again — fast and secure. We made good time down to Bear Pass and up the Beauty Glacier. Behind us, we spotted two more Island Mountain Ramblers making their own approach to Nine Peaks.
As we crested the glacier, I finally saw the gully — intact! I exhaled audibly. All the anxiety of the previous days melted away. Everyone was going to summit.
The gully was in good shape — no more than 35% grade — and a short scramble brought us to the summit, where we enjoyed sunshine and warm breezes. We didn’t linger long, as we had a big day ahead. Before descending, we paused to greet the other IMR team, who kindly returned my sunglasses — left behind in my Jeep. Perfect timing for the sunniest moment of the trip!
We returned to our high camp, packed up, and began the long trek back over Big Interior to the cirque. Spirits were high after the summit, but the weight of our packs and the blazing afternoon sun wore us down. Still, the stunning views helped pull us through.
Back in the cirque, I was done. Exhausted. Poor sleep, long hours, big elevation swings — I lay in my tent, flaps open, dozing in the warm air as the shadows grew long. It was a good kind of tired.
Day 4 – Cushy, Again
The hike out mirrored Day 1, with a twist. We chose a different route out of the cirque to avoid some early annoyances but found ourselves at the top of a questionable snow slope. Our options were to backtrack, skirt a waterfall, or rappel. We had the gear, so we rappelled.
Another bonus: meeting another two Ramblers near Little Jim’s outflow; they’d camped at Cream Lake.
Final Thoughts
Reflecting on the success of this trip — both on the mountain and within the club — I’m already thinking ahead. Maybe next year I’ll plan something similar for Crown Mountain or Mount Filberg. Both offer incredible terrain and easier scrambling than Nine Peaks, making them ideal options for our growing community of new trip leaders.
Thanks again to everyone who volunteers. You make the Island Mountain Ramblers more than a hiking club — you make it a home for adventurers.