TRAVERSE MULVEY BASIN to DRINNON LAKES

This high-level traverse served as the access to Drinnon/Gwillim lakes before the trail to Drinnon up Hoder Creek was developed in 1987.
When the coin was flipped from 1980 to 1988 and Bannock Burn FSR was closed so there was no easy access to Mulvey Basin, this route again enjoyed some popularity as a result of necessity. Besides a helicopter, it was the only easy way to get to Mulvey.
Parks decided to remove the cairns in the mid-1990s for safety reasons (I don’t quite understand that logic). Apparently some inexperienced souls had some problems on the traverse that entails going over 3 ridges.
 
Route:
• Start at the Gimli Ridge/Mulvey Basin trail. Ascend the trail to the saddle below the south ridge of Gimli and access the Nisselhiem/Midgard col in either of two ways 1. Go to the ridge between Gimli and Nisselheim, descend down the steep snow/ice and work your way west to the Niselheim/Midgard col or 2. Start on the trail that goes to the ridge, drop off the trail and work around the south base of Niselhiem.
• Contour to the west under Midgard and the East, Centre and West summits of Mount Prestley. This is a pleasant ramble on nice rock. Continue under Unnamed 2730, the last significant peak of the Prestley Group on the ridge line.
• Pass through the col to the west of UN2730 and descend due north directly to Vahalla Lake. Camp.
• From Valhalla Lake contour west under the north face of Drinnon Peak ascending to cross the NW ridge of Drinnon Peak. From the ridge, descend SW to Drinnon Lake and the trail out to Hoder Creek.