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

A quiet highway below Crowfoot Mountain as we drive to the trailhead. Driving down the highway from Waterfowl Lakes campground, we saw lots of snow on the peaks around...often below the treeline! Hopefully the snow doesn't pose too much trouble!

A brisk walk along the creek on this frosty morning (note the snow on the trees just above the headwall!) offered to be a good warm-up, and we soon arrived at the headwall with multiple waterfalls. Our route took us up to the right of the major waterfall pictured here. It was just before the headwall that we caught up to a young man who had left his car slightly before us. We soon learned his name was Mike, and we completed the rest of the ascent together! Unfortunately, the group photo we took at the top was on his phone, and although I gave him my number at the end, I haven't heard from him since...Still waiting for those pics Mike!!

Frosty trees, highlighted in the morning sun!

SNOW!!

A unique view towards Mount Andromache from within the snowy forest!

Once out of the trees, we made our way in the general direction of the scree ramp leading to the ridge. The summit of Noseeum is center-right in this photo.

Soon the scree ramp (narrow snowy chute leading through the cliff band, on the far left side of this picture) came into view, and we headed towards it.

Looking back towards "Noseeum Lake" as we ascend the slick, snow covered scree leading to the ridge!

The snow (or more so, the snow melting!) soon proved to be something to worry about! About halfway up the narrow scree ramp (a little ways above us in this photo), we heard rocks (not just scree, but decent sized blocks!) tumbling down the cliffs above us! They landed in the narrow gully we were ascending and came rocketing down towards us (missing us by a mere couple of feet!). We ducked below some small ledges, pressing ourselves against the slope, and made a run to more ridge-like terrain on our right, as a handful more rocks went whizzing by!

Safely at the top of the ramp, looking off the other side of the ridge! After the rock scare, we stayed as far right as we could, avoiding the middle of the gully, and carefully and quietly made our way to the ridge.

More than just a dusting of snow up here! Photo credit: Dad

Following the ridge, while surrounded by incredible views!

Still a long ways from the summit!

Looking towards the summit, from the highpoint before the final climb.

Sheer drop off the north side of Noseeum's ridge! Note the slabby nature of the rock...The layer of snow covering it made it hard to identify, and was extremely slick!...Yes, I fell on my butt, and yes, it hurt.

On the summit of Noseeum Peak! The view east offers a unique perspective of peaks hidden from the highway! The lush, green valley below, stands out amongst all the snow covered peaks!

Mount Balfour towers high behind Bow Peak!

Dolomite Peak's impressive shape stands out...Would love to climb that someday!

Cirque Peak, Observation Peak, Mount Weed (peeking out behind), and OXO Peak (left to right)!

Ramp Peak (left) and Mosquito Mountain (right) in the foreground, with Clearwater Mountain (center-left) and Mount Willingdon (right) rising monstrously high in the background!

Molar Mountain (center) is one long scramble with 2400m elevation gain! With days getting shorter it'll probably have to wait for another year!

Narrow glacial gully off the east face of Noseeum Peak!

Hector Lake, with Pulpit Peak rising directly above, and Mount Daly towering behind in the distance (all center)!

Sea of glacier! Mount Hector, Little Hector, and Mount Andromache (left to right) make for an absolutely incredible picture!

Beautiful Bow Lake, with the long ridge of Crowfoot Mountain directly above! Too bad we didn't have the air quality we have today when we traversed that a few weeks ago! :(

A group of very similarly looking peaks! OXO Peak (far-left), Bobac Mountain (distant, center-right), and Watermelon Peak (far-right).

Looking down Noseeum's South-East ridge, towards the Skoki group in the distance! Ptarmigan Peak, Pika Peak, and Mount Richardson (center, left to right) are the highest of the bunch!

Summit register!

My dad, on the summit of Noseeum Peak with Molar Mountain behind!

Summit selfie!

Summit pano, including two unbelievably blue lakes!

Back on the move! "Noseeum Lake" looks like tinted glass below!

Fresh footprints in the snow! Wonder who made those!? :P

My dad and Mike hiking down the last bit of the ridge...no I wasn't lying, Mike does exist (he just insisted most pictures be taken on his fancy phone) haha!

Mike and I make our way down the gully of doom...very carefully and quietly might I add! Photo credit: Dad

My dad makes his stealthy descent.

Out of the danger zone!

Before heading down, we went to check out "Noseeum Lake", and were met with this perfect reflection of Andromache! My dad and Mike made a bet, that if the temp was 20 degrees when we reached the lake, that Mike would swim...It was only 12 degrees, but he went anyway!

You only live once right!? Didn't think I'd be jumping in a lake that was surrounded by snow a few hours earlier...but here we are! Gotta knock off those bucket list items once in a while along with those summits! Photo credit: Dad

After an icy swim (more like jumping in and then getting back out to safety ASAP!), we continued to circle the whole lake before heading back down.

Pointing to another memorable summit to add to the books! Photo credit: Dad

Family of mountain goats living the life.

On descent, we were too busy chatting, and found ourselves cliffed out to the left (in this picture) of the waterfall. We then had to traverse a variety of terrain, until we eventually met up with where we had ascended earlier (ascent - red, descent - yellow)! Our ascent of Noseeum turned out to be a much more eventful and adventurous endeavour than we imagined it would be when we set out...But that's what made this peak so memorable, and I'll never forget this beautiful day in "ze alpine" with Mike!...You know what else I haven't forgotten about?...The pictures! Where are those pictures at Mike?! LOL