• Everett at treeline on the long ski approach

  • The view to the south. In the near distance is Mt. Whyte; beyond is Abbot Pass (Mt. Lefroy on the left, Mt. Victoria on the right)

  • Everett scrambling on the loose ridge

  • Garland contemplating the void as he makes the delicate last moves below the summit

  • Garland skiing above treeline

  • Everett on the col, the summit is in the near distance

  • Everett cramponing to the col between Mts. Niblock and Whyte

Mount Niblock

I couldn’t resist sending another report from a superb trip I did yesterday with Garland Jonker.

Mt. Niblock is the northernmost peak in the peaks surrounding Lake Louise. As shown in the pictures, attaining its summit involves a lot more than skiing: crampons were needed for a short stretch of bulletproof snow leading up to the col, and the summit ridge was quite airy. Our stay on the summit was brief because heavy black clouds arrived just as we did. By the time that we were back to our skis we were in the midst of a snowstorm, which changed to rain about halfway down the mountain. Needless to say, I was in “survival skiing” mode the whole way.

Data: 4h20m to the summit; 1h50m to descend to the car. Elevation gain 1200m

Everett at treeline on the long ski approach
Everett at treeline on the long ski approach
Everett cramponing to the col between Mts. Niblock and Whyte
Everett cramponing to the col between Mts. Niblock and Whyte
Garland skiing above treeline
Garland skiing above treeline
Everett on the col, the summit is in the near distance
Everett on the col, the summit is in the near distance
Everett scrambling on the loose ridge
Everett scrambling on the loose ridge
Garland contemplating the void as he makes the delicate last moves below the summit
Garland contemplating the void as he makes the delicate last moves below the summit
The view to the south. In the near distance is Mt. Whyte; beyond is Abbot Pass (Mt. Lefroy on the left, Mt. Victoria on the right)
The view to the south. In the near distance is Mt. Whyte; beyond is Abbot Pass
(Mt. Lefroy on the left, Mt. Victoria on the right)

A day of high adventure in the Canadian Rockies!

7 thoughts on “Mount Niblock”

    1. Not really, Terry. Those are just snowballs that fall harmlessly off sun-heated rock. Avalanches are not a problem in late spring (so long as you’re back in the trees by early afternoon).

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