Scrambling with Mark.

What an amazing contrast to yesterday's snow and ice adventure up Athabasca Glacier! The weekend was like being in the Arctic one day and the tropics the next; crampons and winter gear Saturday, T-shirts and climbing gear Sunday - a great testament to this fantastically varied environment that we are fortunate enough to be surrounded by.

Gap Mountain is a great little scramble - short, steep in places, with a very pleasant ridgewalk, a terrific view from the summit, and the best scree-surfing you can imagine on descent. The crux - down-sloping slabs with a tremendous drop-off about ten meters below, although short was a serious affair, as the slightest slip would send you plummeting to your death, with no chance of stopping the fall. In light of these facts, we set up a good anchor around a large rock and belayed each other across.

The summit view is fabulous and the fine scree (dirt!) makes the descent a fast and fun one. 

   
Gap Mountain

  
Changing colours, heading toward the saddle  

    
At the saddle, with the ascent route of Gap Mountain behind

    
The crux - a deadly drop-off 

    
Mark at the summit, with Mount Wintour rising behind him

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