Chimney Col **

Via Chickadee Valley. 

Idea

Find some turns on Chic Scott’s Chickaboom Traverse route.

Planning

Avalanche hazard for BNP – Low, Low, Low

Mountain Forecast for Chimney Peak – Mainly sunny in AM, snow showers in PM, winds moderate at ridge line, windchill near -30

Logistics

Park at the Continental Divide parking lot on the 93S

Trip Report

The route begins up the Chickadee Valley on the other side of the highway from parking lot. A well-trodden trail will bring you up the drainage and into the valley.

After a few km’s of skinning through timber, the trees begin to thin and you can begin planning your ascent through the head-wall. Our approximate route up is in red.

Jenn reaching the top of the head-wall, with glaciated Whymper sub-peaks in behind.

Nice views back into Chickadee valley from where we came. Boom mountain to the left, Whymper to the right, Storm in center.

Working our way through the undulating terrain towards Chimney peak/col.

Jenn leading while roped up on the glacier. We had to weave our way through a few small, but open, crevasses. Chimney peak on left.

Reaching Chimney Col, Mount Bell in behind. Large cornice rimmed this col.

Looking down into Boom Valley, with Quadra and Bident. Large, open crevasses immediately below the col deterred us from completing Chic Scott’s Chickaboom traverse route.

The potential for beautiful turns behind us made our decision to return same way pretty easy! Here’s Jenn cruising back down the glacier with great powder.

The long, flat slog back through Chickadee valley to parking lot.

Stats

Our GPS track in blue, with alternate descents if conditions permit (more snow to cover crevasses on the northwest side of Chimney Col). That being said, returning the same way offered great skiing! Note that I have not successfully found an ascent/descent route from boom lake. Let me know if you have beta bets on this!