Circle the Cirque Crest

RED PASS below! And beyond, Lake Basin. We are getting excited now...

From White Pass to Red Pass...

Circle The Cirque Crest - By D.W.Donehoo (All rights reserved)

New and loftier vistas greeted us as we studied the problem of getting over to Red Pass. Roper said to ascend up the Marion Peak slope and traverse over slabs and small unstable and large stable talus: indeed there was plenty of evidence people had been this way. We also noticed that just a little ways up from the lowest point of the pass ridge there was a sandy gully (with footprints) leading to the much easier slope below the trickier talus to our right. After some discussion, we decided to stay with the Roper route. In hindsight, we advise everybody to take the sandy gully and traverse the easier terrain below and to the right or if feasible after inspection, descend to the valley below and walk up to the pass. We went the Roper route and had to make our way through dangerous loose rock and talus which we now know can be bypassed. Live and learn.

Once past the tricky section and a traverse to a small rocky ridge above a bowl below the pass, it was just a stroll down benches and slabs among grass to an obvious level spot that allowed an easy traverse up to Red Pass, and another welcome pack break!