North America, Canada, Canadian Rockies, Siffleur Wilderness

Publication Year: 1973.

Siffleur Wilderness. A group led by Bill Putnam, with guides Rudi Gertsch and Frank Stark, and consisting of Jack Cade, Frances Chappie, Ed Johann, Victor Mahler, and me departed from the public campsite near the Siffleur River gorge just south of the North Saskatchewan River early on July 23. This year’s area was just west of the headwaters of the Escarpment River in the Siffleur Wilderness. Two days’ pleasant march took us up the Siffleur and Escarpment Rivers and then up the major western tributary of the latter where we camped at the second of a tier of three lakes. Surrounding this lake is an impressive, sheer 600-foot high escarpment, which we gained the next morning at its southwestern extremity to place our third campsite on top just east of lake number three. From thence, Bill and Jack made the second ascent of Kahl Peak via the northwest ridge, and descended the southwest ridge. Meanwhile, Rudi, Ed and Frances climbed a long, flat ridged peak of some 9500 feet directly north of the third lake. We left this camp the next morning via the 9500-foot col below the southwest ridge of Kahl Peak and travelled over a high bench glacier area to the south. Camp was set up on the glacier at about 8800 feet, south of the headwaters of the Escarpment River around noon. That afternoon, an unnamed 10,400- foot peak just west of Mount Martha was climbed via the straight-forward but long west ridge. Early the next day, we ascended the steep 9400-foot col directly west of our campsite, and descended 1000 feet into Bill Field’s Valley of 1925 to gain 9400-foot high First Pass to the north. Following an early lunch, we climbed Mount Anteus, another 10,400- foot peak, to the northeast of First Pass. Our way out from First Pass essentially retraced Bill Putnam’s route in during the Cambrian Cliffs trip.

Dieter H. von Hennig