South Twin, King Edward and Sundial. In July and August I spent 18 days alone around the headwaters of the Athabasca River. Seeing the view from the top of Wooley Shoulder, I hoped to climb the regular route on Mount Alberta. Two days later in a storm, with 800 feet of terrifying rotten rock below me and 1000 feet more above, I reconsidered. The next day I traversed the wide ledge that runs along the base of the Twins at 7500 feet. From a camp on the ledge I climbed South Twin via a long couloir leading to the false (west) summit. This route might offer a better descent from North Twin than going over Stutfield Peak, being easier to find in a storm (the top of the couloir is obvious just west of the minor summit) and having the tedious but safe ledge. In the couloir I had the choice of steep, slushy snow or rotten rock. That night it began to rain, bringing to an end the longest stretch (two days) of good weather on the trip. There were several short breaks in the drizzle that week in which I climbed the northwest ridge of Mount King Edward, another crumbling classic, and the north face of Sundial, a 500-foot snow and ice face with a beautiful shape. An attempt on the north face-north-west ridge of Mount Dais forced me farther and farther to the right until I ended up finishing the climb by the regular south-face route. I believe the South Twin, King Edward and Sundial climbs are new routes.

Dane Waterman