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Page Type:
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Route |
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Lat/Lon:
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51.54360°N / 116.5764°W |
Route Type:
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Scrambling |
Season:
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Summer |
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Time Required:
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Half a day |
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Difficulty:
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Moderate |
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Overview
The scramble route up Isolated Peak accesses the peak from the South side and involves traversing West over broken shale/rock beside a glacier. The route then goes up steep hard dirt slopes covered in loose crap and up the left gully to attain the west ridge and an easy hike to the summit.
This scramble would be easier on wet dirt or snow if you are comfortable with an axe and crampons.
If you are proficient with glacier gear it would be easy to use the glacier to ascend the West ridge and then continue up to McArthur.
Route Descriptions
Two scrambling approaches. From Little Yoho valley - campground or hut- find good trail on East side of hut and follow up through trees into a very scenic valley. The trail now follows a rocky drainage which leads up to the SE corner/base of Isolated Peak and the NW end of Whaleback.From Takataw falls trailhead take little elbow trail and the take Whaleback trail to highpoint. Leave trail and follow cairns to scramble up and along the length of the Whaleback and then descend to the SE corner of Isolated peak.
The trail winds up over several rockbands and west between the glacier tongue and lower ledges of Isolated. Angle up and around a buttress and then up steep hard dirt covered in crap. We angled to the left across ledges to the left gully which had some moderate moves on ledges covered in wet crap.
The gully comes out on the west ridge which leads easily to the summit.
Climbing sequence
Pic from Whaleback - The route goes along the base of the left side of the mountain and beside the glacier and then angles up to the base of the big wall. The gullies on the SW side are hidden fron view in this pic.
Came up broken shale/rock beside glacier and then angled up to buttress (that is on left) - pic taken on way down
After pass buttress(on right) scramble up steep hard dirt and scree and angle left across ledges to left notch/gully - steeper than it looks here - picture by Marko Stavric
Shows approx route across steep dirt/scree and ledges - Note high snow and rain this year had cleaned a lot of the loose rock off and wiped out most old tracks which left steep angled hard dirt.
Shows upper part of Isolated peak from the West.
Dow looking at the glacier to the West. The gully we came up tops out just below him
The upper slopes
Essential Gear
Ice axe and crampons might be required if early in year and expecting to climb snow. Later in august we were totally on broken shale and hard dirt/crap. Helmet required if with a large group.There was running water from the glacier.