The facilities around Moraine Lake are getting ready to shut down for the winter, but there were still a fair number of people milling about when we arrive around 10:30am. Our destination was Eiffel Peak, but we weren't sure how much snow would be present so figured we'd do whatever we could.
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| Entering Larch Valley and our first view of Eiffel Peak |
We decided to access Eiffel Peak via Larch Valley. Once we got to the first flat, open area before Sentinel Pass, we began bushwhacking towards the creek as all the side trails were hidden by snow.
This area seems like it would be great for skiing! Too bad it's such a long approach in the winter.
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| On the summit ridge, having lunch |
Once we got on the summit ridge, we could see that there was a fair amount of snow on the upper headwall, so getting to the top didn't seem likely on this day. Fortunately, the sun was shining and it was quite warm, all things considered.
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| An exposed outcrop just below where things get scrambly |
We made it all the way to where the rock changes from brown to grey, and at that point we could see that the gullies cutting through the headwall would be difficult without ice axes (which we did not bring). Fortunately, this spot was quite comfortable and we had a second lunch before heading back down.
We decided to try and connect back with the Eiffel Lake trail, but due to the snow it was difficult to find the best way and so we eventually cut back down into Larch Valley.
As we got lower down, it felt like a summer day and jackets were no longer necessary.
We will have to try Eiffel Peak again next season. The views were spectacular and the route seemed straightforward, especially without any snow.
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