Scrambling with Mark.

My advice to anyone attempting to summit this interesting peak is, "take a rope and know how to rappel. If these aren't options, make sure you have your will in place."

Mark and I found the ascent of the summit block to be too steep and exposed. Ascending the block wasn't too bad, however, we knew that we would have had extreme problems getting down and so we backed down about 10 meters up. I'm sure most competent scramblers would have few difficulties in negotiating the steep terrain, but you have to know your own limits and we hit ours on this trip. Another party did make the summit and then they used a 50 m rope to rappel down the summit block. Our 10 m rope and lack of rappelling gear and experience precluded an attempt.

We settled for the southern tip of the mountain that, fortunately, still boasted a terrific view.   

This trip marked the end of  my "summer of scrambling". Stats. for the 6 week period: 23 trips, 24 summits achieved (15 of those solo), and 1 failure (today!). 

    
Wapta Mountain, as seen from the Burgess Pass hiking trail, in November, 2002

    
A terrifc drop-off into the Burgess valley; Mount Burgess is directly behind me

Heading towards the summit block

Mark ascending the steep terrain of the summit block; we backed down just above this spot

Mark at the southern tip of the mountain; Mount Stephen is behind him

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