Kakwa and Mt Sr alexander photos. march long weekend.

Those pictures bring back many memories.

Just a few short years ago several so called friends took me up the backside of Mt. Sir Alexander. After a long climb (several thousand feet as the base is at about 4000' and we climbed to about 9500'). Lots of fun getting to the backside and climbing (down to 7200rpm on the RT 1000 at the top). Over to the front and down 300' or so of vertical drop off (obviously no going back). Then crossing over to the front and looking down (500') or so to the glacer below (I remember looking up at the glacier from below and it was huge and hundreds of feet high), we side hilled across the slope in near zero visibility (the visibility can sure change on this hill). Sitting there collecting my/our thoughts after the crossing, the guys said the best part of the ride is the "stairway to heaven" that's just around the corner. The guys forgot to mention that this drop is near vertical (love that feeling with only the skis touching the snow) for what felt like a thousand feet. I think you some of your pictures are trying to climb the stairway.

That was my only and last adventure up Sir Alexander. Still waiting for the opportunity payback my buddies! Well maybe I got some payback after many evenings in the "Bus" drinking their booze. Got to love the Kakwa.

Until they changed the rules, I really liked riding up and around Mt. Ida.

Great riding on the backside and yes the sidehilling was above the glacier and the sh!tty part was that we were looking down at 30' high blocks of ice knowing we were above the glacier that we could see from the bottom. Not a problem for my riding buddies as they had been there many times before, but for the first time.....

When you cross the glacier, if you go right (SW) you can get very close to 10,000' and left is down toward the stairway.

There is no stopping on the stairway. We had two turbo apex's with us and no way could they climb up that chute more than 1/2 way.

Babette and Flat Top are are good riding areas but Mt. Ida was unreal with the upper bowls way above 8000'. From Mt. Ida you could look over at Jarvis.

I've been to kakwa a few times now and am starting to know the area a bit but fill me in on a little of this. Ive been to the hill in your first pic and then over that hill and to the left up to a large ridge but that was as far as we made it in that direction(poor visability). Is anything over that ridge?

What is the best way to get into Alexander? Is there a way to poke through the trees fromt the prince goerge trail? The glacier and the whole area around Alexander looks sick. any directions would be greatly appreciated. Even fire me an e-mail with a gps trail on it if you could be so generous!!

I am sure some guys could give better directions my one and only trip was in 05 but here goes:

One access route to Alexander is from the NE. We headed up over Babette, Flat Top down the drainage to the west then turned more northerly on the west side of Mt St. Patrick. From here you could head northerly toward Mt Ida or work your way west heading on the north side of Alexander. You need to continue west until you pass Alexander and end up NW of Alexander. When you look SE from this position you will see one long pull (not too steep and hundred of meters wide at the bottom and at least 200m wide at the top). This will take you up the backside of Alexander and end up north of the peak (probably at 8500' or so). From here you will drop down into a steep bowl (the bowl is wide and flat at the bottom but the drop into the bowl is pretty steep and about 300m long - with any kind of new snow you will not get back out to the west). Working SE through the bowl and easterly across Alexander you will end up mostly E-NE of the peak. Continuing to head south will put you above the glacier (you can clearly see this glacier from the base of Alexander on the esat side when looking west from Saddle Creek). Around the glacier to the south you will have no choice but to go east (sheer drop off to the south). You could also go west from this point and climb another 500-800' or so. From here you will work around the glacier (you are on the glacier but working your way around a steep face on the glacier) turn back to the NE and you will be sitting above the stairway (obvious as there is only one way down). The top portion of the stairway is very steep but smooth and is heading east. As the name indicates, there are many steps to this drop and you will continue to drop off these steps now working your way back to the south. The bottom of the stairway will put you back onto the Saddle Creek drainage and the back way into the cabin.

Wishaw Lake and Glacier are SE of Alexander and mostly south of the cabin where Alexander is mostly west of the cabin (bit south as well).

Don't go up Alexander unless the weather is perfect. You can climb the backside all you want but once you crest the top (top of the long pull - probably over 1.5km) and drop into that steep bowl I was talking about, you are probably committed to going out the east side.

Thanks for the info, those directions look pretty good to me, sure looks like a hairy route on google earth, can't wait to give it a try! Too bad the hi-res imaging didn't continue across Sir Alexander as well.

Now all I need is some sunshine and a bunch of gas, were heading from the red rock road all the way to 2 lakes/lick creek then into kakwa for the day its a pretty cool trail to cut across. I work at a gas plant on the red rock road so we stage allmost right from our plant. I'll be there friday on a D8 painted chrome illusion so say hi if anyone sees me!

Hey another guy from Wembley...I thought I was the only one. This year was my first year in Kakwa. I wasn't too huge into sledding until I went to Kakwa. Now I can't get enough. Down for this year but can't wait for next winter. Me and my roomate go but we need a guide up there so we can get to the good stuff.

how to post pictures

in photobucket.com, bring up the pic you want to post here. Left click once on the "Direct Link" box under the pic. Right click on the writing and choose the option "copy"

go to your Snowest post to the location in your post where you want to insert the pic. Left click on the little yellow button that looks like a picture of a mountain. Paste the direct link by right click, option "paste" or by pressing the control button and the V button at the same time.

Your pic will be here for everyone to see instead of a link to go to another site.

Yea we'll definitely have to meet up next winter and go for a ride. Like I said we need someone who knows more places out there. We usually go to Mt Ruth and play out there. I haven't been out enough times to explore but next year hopefully.

nice pigs

BTW, you are not retarded. I don't know haw to speak Chinese, not because I am stupid, but because I never learned how.

Now you know how to post pics and your pics are definately worth looking at.

sweet pics Brandon!!!!!!!!

Nice Pics. Looks like some rugged areas to ride.