Sir Donald (Selkirks)
NW Arete, 5.4
Glacier National Park, BC, Canada
Peter Valchev, Dow Williams
August 1, 2007
Some descent beta here

When people talk about long, moderate ridge climbs, Sir Donald always gets mentioned. Being one of the original 50 classics, it gets great popularity - and it is well deserved.

We leisurely started hiking up the 4km trail (with 950m elevation gain) at around 6pm. The trail is steep but extremely well built and maintained, and we were at the campsite below the col 2.5 hours later. Setting up the tent and eating our sandwiches, we were quickly in bed with an alarm set for 5am.

The morning was cold, but we quickly warmed up hiking up to the Uto-Sir Donald col. From there we soloed the first part of the ridge and then simulclimbed the rest, clipping the numerous fixed stations for protection. We were in no rush and wanted to enjoy the experience! Even though the ridge is not technically difficult anywhere, it is plenty exhilirating. We made it to the summit in a leisurely 3.5 hours where we basked in the sun and enjoyed the views for a while. Note that while it is only rated 5.4, this is a serious route and not a place one would want to be in if the weather moves in.

From the summit, we did the new rappel descent route which is the fastest way to get off. Downclimbing the ridge proper would also be a pleasant (but longer) option. After downclimbing and doing all the rappels down the west face, we enjoyed two beers we had stashed in camp. After packing up, we quickly headed down to meet up with Courtney and Deon who were waiting for us at the trailhead. We made it there just before 5pm, and headed to Lake Louise for bison burgers! Dow's altimeter showed 7800' accumulative gain (2400m)... doing this in less than 24 hours total, we were a little tired to say the least!

  the beautiful approach trail BC is green!  
  the beautiful approach trail BC is green!

  fat lazy marmot Sir Donald  
  fat lazy marmot Sir Donald

  Sir Donald (NW ridge is left skyline) about to go to bed mandatory self-portrait with next day's objective  
  Sir Donald (NW ridge is left skyline) about to go to bed mandatory self-portrait with next day's objective

  Sir Donald as the sun is setting slogging up to the col in the morning morning views  
  Sir Donald as the sun is setting slogging up to the col in the morning morning views

  the start of the ridge from the col scrambling up the start of the ridge simulclimbing  
  the start of the ridge from the col scrambling up the start of the ridge simulclimbing

  dow on one of the cruxy sections me leading out, photo by dow me on the ridge, photo by dow  
  dow on one of the cruxy sections me leading out, photo by dow me on the ridge, photo by dow

  amazing that i still have some of those snacks left dow climbing on the ridge crest  
  amazing that i still have some of those snacks left dow climbing on the ridge crest

  dow enjoying the exposure  
  dow enjoying the exposure

  dow enjoying the exposure me thinking posing  
  dow enjoying the exposure me thinking "it doesn't get more pleasant than this" posing

  climbing another step  
  climbing another step

  somewhere on the ridge, photo by dow the leader of another party that we passed Sir Donald's summit block  
  somewhere on the ridge, photo by dow the leader of another party that we passed Sir Donald's summit block

  Dow climbing up another steep section posing on the ridge crest  
  Dow climbing up another steep section posing on the ridge crest

  dow posing me on the ridge, photo by dow  
  dow posing me on the ridge, photo by dow

  me on the ridge, photo by dow approaching the summit  
  me on the ridge, photo by dow approaching the summit

  views from near the summit two happy climbers on the summit  
  views from near the summit two happy climbers on the summit

  standing on the tip of the mountain with a sandwich in hand wow  
  standing on the tip of the mountain with a sandwich in hand wow

  views of mountains far away  
  views of mountains far away

  amazing view me about to throw the rope on one of the rappels, photo by dow  
  amazing view me about to throw the rope on one of the rappels, photo by dow

  finishing the quick rappels down the west face all the rappel bolts had colourful streamers attached, sweet! traversing right to the base of the dihedral to do the last 2 rappels  
  finishing the quick rappels down the west face all the rappel bolts had colourful streamers attached, sweet! traversing right to the base of the dihedral to do the last 2 rappels

  last view of Sir Donald as we go back down in the afternoon  
  last view of Sir Donald as we go back down in the afternoon

Previous Page