Mount Chesmill Route Map (see link in desciption - or click here - for interactive version).

Pretty morning glow from the highway. Looks like it's gonna be a cloudy one :(

Rather than starting at the Chester Lake parking lot, we continued down the highway, about 800m to the south, where we would take a short-cut that quickly allowed us to intercept the "Headwall Lakes Alt Trail".

We easily followed the broad snowshoe trail, as it leisurely gained elevation, eventually merging with the Snowdrift Trail (about 1.3km in), continuing towards Headwall Creek.

We soon reached this junction, and took the right fork, continuing down along Headwall Creek.

Mount Chester rises into the clouds, as we parallel the creek on its west side.

The trail soon leads down to the creek, where a bridge grants access to the east side.

Incredible snow formations fill the creek!

More fascinating natural artwork!

Although the snowshoe trail backtracks slightly to the south, before following up above the east side of the creek, we noticed some "fading" skin tracks following directly along the creek. Enticed by the incredible winter scenery (as well as it being a shortcut ;)), we decided to follow them.

The art show continues :)

The creek required a bit of navigating at times, crossing back and forth when the sides became too steep, but there were snow bridges when we needed them, and I greatly enjoyed this part of the trip!

This is my final creek picture...I promise! (at least on ascent ;))

In reading Vern's report, I learned that his group had some excitement crossing back over to the east side of the creek after continuing further north. With that in mind, when we saw an opportunity to ascend relatively mellow slopes above the creek on the right, we didn't pass it up.

After a short section of "bushwhacking" (there was actually very minimal whacking of bush involved), we emerged to the more "open" valley below Mount Chester.

We easily angled our way up, in the general direction of the ascent drainage, through the young trees.

Looking back to where we intercepted the drainage.

The route ahead.

Sections of the drainage have some steep sides (here we check exactly how steep), and although largely treed, this drainage could definitely be an avalanche trap!

Looking back as we emerge from the narrow drainage. The drainage starts off mellow, but some sections do become quite steep! (emphasized when you can't switch back much due to the even steeper sides!)

Mount Chesmill rises to the left, with the col we're aiming for, center.

Recent avalanche activity...

...prompted us to ascend on climber's left of the drainage, out of the line of fire of the steep, snow slopes above! Photo credit: Dad

In avoiding the drainage, we were forced to ascend steep, treed slopes on climber's left. Although this put us in safer avalanche terrain, ascending this slope became quite brutal when the angle continued to steepen and trees continued to thicken!

With that being said, it didn't take long before we were in search of a route back down to the drainage.

Switch-backing up the drainage, towards the col. Luckily, our brief tree endeavour was just long enough to avoid the bulk of the avalanche terrain. By the time we descended back into the drainage, the slopes to our right were less snow-loaded, and even displayed protruding rocks.

Rippled, windblown snow, leading up to the col.

The snow soon became sparse, and we were forced to make the final trudge up to the col in ski boots.

Looking across the col, and up to the heavily corniced sub-peak rising to the west.

The greatly foreshortened trudge ahead. This looks fun...

I miss my skis already!

Mount Burstall gets some sun on this relatively drab day.

Break time! Also...I really should've gotten better ski boots for scrambling...I got no flexibility!

Back on the grind. Photo credit: Dad

I've decided I don't like rock so much when I'm wearing ski boots...We tried to stick to patches of snow for relief as much as possible, but there was just no avoiding the piles of rubble!

At least the views are opening up a bit :)

The final summit ridge! We dropped down to the left, to avoid cornices.

Does the rubble ever end!?

WOOOO! Boy was that pink box a welcome sight!

Summit selfie!

The view off the summit, to the east, includes the beginning of the connecting ridge to the distant Headwall Peak, as well as Mount Inflexible across the valley, with its connecting ridge leading down to Kent Ridge North!

Mount Chester rises impressively in the opposite direction, with well known peaks such as Mount Birdwood, Commonwealth Peak, Mount Smuts, and The Fist, all barely visible in the dark cloud to the left.

Mount Murray and Cegnfs (yup, I spelt that right...) dominate the view across the highway, but Prairie Lookout still looms above!

Mount Smith-Dorrien towers mystically among the clouds.

Looking up to the next highpoint in the ridge connecting Chesmill to Headwall. Definitely not a winter extension...

Mount Chester is definitely a highlight view, rising over 3000m across the valley!

Mount Inflexible (left) and Kent Ridge North (right), along with some impressive rock folding on the ridge connecting the two.

The view over said ridge includes Mount Lawson, as well as the distant Opal Range.

Hero's Knob (which sports the popular "Sweet 16" backcountry ski run), sits below the larger, and largely hidden, impressive peaks beyond.

Mount Birdwood meets the clouds, high above Pig's Tail, Commonwealth Peak, and Commonwealth Ridge!

Mount Smuts (famously attributed as Kane's hardest scramble) makes an appearance above the small, but prominent, Fist.

Peering along the significant cornices down the summit ridge.

Summit register! Not many entries in this one.

My dad, sitting comfortably on the summit of Mount Chesmill!

Me, with Mount Chester. Photo credit: Dad

Looking forward to skiing down! Getting to the skis...not so much!

Apparently getting down rubble in ski boots is even harder than getting up it! Even more so than on ascent, we were on the hunt for snow, avoiding rock at all costs.

My dad reaches the col, above some failed cornice debris from the sub-peak. Other than some slick slabs, surprising us beneath the snow, as well as being in a constant battle with my bottom buckle (it just didn't want to stay closed!), our strategy worked quite well, and we made it down to the col in a fraction of the time it took on ascent.

After retrieving our skis, we carried them the short ways down from the col until we reached ski-able terrain. Photo credit: Dad

Mount Chester continues to impress.

You know what time it is!

The moment that makes all the suffering feel worth it! SKI TIME!

Pretty pretty tracks :)

Ooh! Blue sky! Too bad it's a little late :(

In being north facing, the snow quality in the drainage did not disappoint!

With it being almost three whole months since Vern's ascent, all signs had vanished, and there was unlimited (although actually kinda limited by the steep sides of the drainage) untouched powder to enjoy! Photo credit: Dad

Although an enjoyable run, it's probably not a great place for laps...One skin track up, and a couple ski tracks down, already use up a good chunk of the untouched pow!

I've sure missed this! Photo credit: Dad

Chesmill rises in the distance, as we look back upon reaching the end of the drainage. Hard to believe we were just up there with how speedy the descent was on skis!

Looking back up to Chester, and more blue sky being revealed, as we exit the valley.

Following Headwall Creek back out.

Beautiful lighting as we follow our skin track back down the Snowdrift Trail.

Our last view back to Chesmill, as we reascend on the west side of Headwall Creek, before a mainly downhill skin track back to the highway! Although the drab cloud prevailed for the length of our summit stay, and we weren't granted the spectacular views you'd expect from this viewpoint on a clear day, I greatly enjoyed this trip! The long rocky bootpack is absolutely brutal in the moment, but the combination of a ski approach, a boot pack to make the summit, and finally an enjoyable ride down, made this feel like our first complete ski ascent! It's definitely one I'll remember (and this time in a good way!...unlike Wolverine Ridge.)