Panorama Ridge East Route Map (see link in desciption - or click here - for interactive version).

A dark, empty Taylor Lake parking lot...We've quickly learned that early starts are crucial at this time of year!

Winter's got to be a scary time for trees...also people...who walk under the trees!

A rare view along the Taylor Lake trail! I thought the Rockbound Lake trail, leading us up Helena Ridge East Peak was bad last week, but this really isn't any better!

I will say that this long forest slog is more entertaining in winter though...snowy trees are more interesting than bare trees :)!

Hey! That's kinda cool!

The trail started off crusty and packed, but the rain we had at lower elevations the past couple days meant snow up here, and as we reached higher elevations we were easily breaking trail through fluffy powder!

I love how bridges show the snow depth!

This tree looks lonely :(

How's your Frosty? Did Wendy's make that for ya?

Looking back down our trail up the creek. We never consciously took the right fork, leaving the Taylor Lake trail, but we eventually arrived at a clearing and it became obvious we had long left that intersection behind.

Mount Bell looms high above!

Breaking trail through the fresh snow! Photo credit: Dad

The terrain soon opened up as we reached the peaceful Panorama Meadows!

Our objective is still a long ways off!

Panorama Ridge guards the west side of the meadow!

These snowy cliffs on the south end caught my attention!

Plowing through deeper snow as we gain elevation, heading back into the trees!

Just in case anyone was wondering...We do have snowshoes on.

On the ridge!

We didn't want to stay too close to the ridge (possible cornices), so we switchbacked up the slopes just to climber's left.

The wind picked up as we left the trees, and ascended the open slope leading to the summit!

Beautiful view down the highway towards the town of Banff! Mount Ishbel, Cockscomb Mountain, The Finger with Mount Fifi behind, Mount Cory towering above Muleshoe Ridge, and Mount Rundle in the distance!

A bit of a plateau before the final climb!

Panorama Peak still towers high above!

Trudging up the final stretch through nasty winds!

Note the streaks of snow, in front of Mount Bell, in the blasting wind!

My dad approaches the small, jutting-out summit!

Frosty me on the freaking cold summit!! Photo credit: Dad

Mount Hector rises into the low cloud (far-right), above Hector South Peak and South Ridge (other possible snowshoe ascents), towards the north!

The Skoki group across the highway! Mount Richardson, Pika Peak, Ptarmigan Peak and Mount Redoubt meet the clouds (center), with the Lake Louise Ski Resort (Whitehorn Mountain) below-left, and Lipalian Mountain, Purple Mound (not so purple right now!), and Unity Peak (barely visible), piling up to the right!

Bulwark Peak (center-left) and Armor Peak (center-right)!

Protection Mountain ("TV Peak" in Kane's Scrambles), rises above a thin strip of cloud!

The long, beautiful cliffs of Castle Mountain!

Pilot, Copper and Brett to the south-east!

Me freezing my butt on the summit, while my dad freezes his hands taking this picture! Turned out pretty cool though ;) Photo credit: Dad

What a view!

Storm Mountain can't be missed! Little Copper kinda looks like a mini version, far below to the left ;)

Panorama Ridge is connected up to the north-west! Definitely not safe to continue any further for winter...might even be more than scrambling in summer...but maybe an interesting alternative route to Kane's??

Here's a pretty good representation of what the wind was like! Too bad you can't add sound to pictures!

Summit selfie...took me 5 minutes to warm up my hands after this one! lol!

Woah! What's that significant peak directly in the center!?...I've since found out that it is in fact Molar Mountain! Really stands out from this angle!

We've been meeting ravens on mountain-tops quite regularly this year!...Is there a superstition where that means good luck...or something? If not, I'm making one! If a raven swoops over you on a mountain summit, you will have good luck in the mountains!

Another raven shot...for extra good luck ;)

After a repetitive cycle of me taking a few pictures, warming up hands for multiple minutes, followed by me taking more pictures, I reluctantly agreed that it was time to head down.

It's hard to believe, but this significant trail is new from our descent! Our tracks from our ascent had totally vanished in the snow-blasting winds!

Descending the open slope, back to the treeline! Photo credit: Dad

As we reached the trees, our ascent trail re-appeared, and we had a blast descending the powder back down to the meadow!

We had finally warmed up (down at a lower elevation), but it looks like the winds are still raging on up high!

Snow tsunami!

Back down in the meadow! Now just a long trek back down to the highway!

We're almost down...right??