• June 8, 2003
• Mountain height: 3,491 m (11,450 feet)
• Elevation gain: 1,506 m
• Ascent time: 5:30
• Descent time: 3:05

Mountaineering with Mark, Keung, and Peter Amann.

Our first mountaineering trip was a two day introductory course to mountaineering with Peter Amann - one day of training and then an attempt of 11,000+ feet Mount Athabasca. The weather was outstanding for the first day, however, we weren't so lucky for the second and our ascent of the popular mountain was tarnished a little by cloudy and whiteout conditions. We did get a few breaks in the clouds and were able to see a few of the giants of the Columbia Icefield area - North Twin, Alberta, Columbia, the Lyell group, and the extremely impressive and shapely

Mount Bryce.

We started the ascent at 4 am. Taking the easy and straightforward AA col route (Athabasca/Andromeda col), we made it to the summit at 9:45 am. We got about 90 seconds of good weather and decent views before, out of nowhere, a thick blanket of clouds enveloped the surroundings. That was the last we saw of what would have been an incomparable panorama.

The descent was very easy and took only a little over 3 hours. Overall, a great weekend, a wonderful day, and a more than worthwhile ascent. I don't know if taking the course has increased our interest in mountaineering, but after scrambling up Grizzly Peak in July of 2001, I was quite sure that it was the first and last scramble - and look what that has led to!!

    
Mount Athabasca; the picture was taken one month before our ascent

    
Day 1 at Parker Ridge; Keung with the south side of Mount Athabasca to the left; I wish the weather had been this good for the ascent on Day 2

    
Keung, Peter, and I on Athabasca's ridge

    
Looking west to Mount Bryce; unfortunately, this was as good as the view got; we were in whiteout conditions for the remainder of the trip

    
Me, Keung, and Mark on Athasbasca's 11,000 foot + summit