VIRGIL MOUNTAIN 2570m 8432′
Virgil Mountain is on the east side of Blue Grouse Basin and north of Hampshire Mtn. Approach via the Enterprise Creek road.
1. South Ridge. Ascend from Blue Grouse Basin via a prominent gully (snow early in season) to a col in the south ridge at 2330m (7650 feet; 834-198). This is north of Spider Peak (2440m, 8000 feet; 835-195).
The south ridge is a pleasant scramble, 1.5 hours from the col, mostly a walk. (II,3,s).
FA unknown. Descend the same way.
2. West Straight forward Class 3;
Ascended by Howie Ridge in the 1970s. FA?
3. East Ridge. The best access is through the col of Route 1, with an easy descent east into Bear Grass Basin. It appears reasonable, but not simple, from the gendarmes along White Heather
Gendarme #1 2476m 8123′ (on east ridge of Virgil Mtn)
Located at 839-205. This summit looks blockier than #2. From the col between #2 and its western outlier, descend a messy gully on the north- west; continue to a broad col and then over a hogback to the top. No cairn found, but one was built. Class 3.
FA Sacha Kalabis, Kim Kratky, Kyle Ridge, 3/7/2005.
Descent: return to the col to the east, then down a steep, grotty south couloir to Bear Grass Basin. Three hours from the summit back to the car.
Gendarme #2 (“The Crooked Finger”). 2481m 8140 feet (840-205)
Ascend easy terrain to the col between #2 and #3 to reach White Heather Ridge. Scramble easily west to the top. No cairn (but difficult to build one). A cairn was built on a western outlier by the party of 2005. Two and a half hours up from the car park by the party of Gendarme #1, 2005. Class 3.
Gendarme #3. (“Mammary”) 2540m (842-207). Seems to have a cairn, but not visited.
SPIDER PK AND VIRGIL MT by Kim Kratky
map Slocan 82F/14
The club climbing schedule for Sunday, June 16, was changed to Blue Grouse Basin because of road access problems elsewhere.
First, a brief description of access. The road is in good 2WD condition right to the turnoff for Timber Creek, 50 m. from the parking lot. Best not to drive to the lot; there’s ample parking at the turnoff. The trail is in good condition, with only a few blowdowns. It was covered by snow several hundred feet below the basin.
We climbed Spider (GR 835-195) by its southwest face on quite steep snow, reaching the top at 12:00, 3 hrs. 40 min. from the truck.
After a long lunch under sunny skies, we descended rock and steep snow couloirs on the north ridge, continued north on rock and snow of a connecting ridge, and scaled the south ridge of Virgil, again a mix of rock and snow. We summited at 2:45, 1 hr. 45 min. after leaving Spider. After a 30 min. break, we retraced our steps and exited the ridge to Blue Grouse Basin at a prominent rock and snow gulley where the ridge flattens out.
We reached the truck at 5:40, after a 2 hr. 25 min. descent from the summit. Good snow conditions all the way.
Total day: 9 hrs. 20 min. On the trip: Greg Kormany,
Kim Kratky.