Brachiopod Mountain

Elevation: 2667 m
Elevation Gain: 900 m from Skoki parking area - 410 m from Baker Lake.
Brachiopod Mountain’s slopes are littered with fossils including the brachiopods of the Devonian Period for which it was named in 1911. Brachiopods are hard-shelled marine invertabrates.
My Ascents:
August 4, 2012
Trailhead: Baker Lake Backcountry Campground

We awoke to clear bright blue skies on the fifth day of our Skoki trip. At last it appeared that we were in for an extended period of spectacular weather! Knowing full well that we this was our last full day in the area, we (OK, maybe I) quickly concocted the idea of a two’fer involving nearby "easy scrambles" Brachiopod and Anthozoan Mountains.

Brianne fording the outlet of Baker Lake.

Funky flower in the pristine meadows surrounding Baker Lake.

Braving bear-infested meadows with Fossil Mountain and Baker Lake behind. We saw diggings everywhere, with a disturbing concentration not all that far from the back-country campground!

The scree/slab slog ahead on Brachiopod Mountain.

The Boss taking in the view before the slog begins in earnest. From left to right: Heather Ridge, Ptarmigan Peak, the Wall of Jericho, Deception Pass and Fossil Mountain. Click to see larger.

Looks fun, no? :)

Brachipods?

Where the f*ck do we go?! The slab up top does provide a nice change of pace as Kane claims but its ascent is reasonably challenging. The scramble could quickly become difficult without good route-finding skills. I think a "moderate" rating would be much more appropropriate for this peak. The top is certainly not "hands in pocket walking!"

Who wears short shorts? Goat works her way up a crack in some very steep slab just below the summit.

On top! Brachiopod summit panorama. Click to see larger.

Beautiful views of Ptarmigan Lake, Ptarmigan Peak and the Wall of Jericho.

My fiance and I posing in front of Fossil Mountain, the site of our engagement the previous day.

Keeping an eye on the tent from high above (ours is the blue one nearest to the lake).

Goat glamour shot.

Looking south to the massive peaks of the continental divide.

Divide panorama - from left to right: Mount Bident, Mount Quadra, Mount Fay, Mount Babel, Mount Bowlen, Mount Little, Mount Tonsa, Mount Perren, Mount Allen, Mount Tuzo, the Deltaform, Mount Temple, the Goodsirs, Mount Hungabee and Ringrose Peak. Click to see larger.

Bident and Quadra.

Deltaform and Temple.

Enjoying the view from my narrow perch on the summit. Once again, no summit register! 0/3 on this trip so far!

Beautiful lakes at the base of Mount St. Bride.

Looking north towards 11,000er Mount Willingdon (far right).

We've only just begun...the Boss checking out our intended traverse from the true summit of Brachiopod to the south summit of Brachiopod to the north summit of Anthozoan to the distant true summit of Anthozoan at the far end of the ridge.

Although the summit was nice enough to justify staying on it for hours, we had another peak to bag! Here Brianne starts the descent of the steep slab so that we can make our way over to Anthozoan Mountain and complete our two'fer!

Does this slab look like "easy scrambling" to you?

Great views of the distant Stanley Glacier.

Posing in front of previous conquests: Brachiopod and Fossil Mountains.

The long Anthozoan traverse. Lots of scree and ridge between us and the true summit in the distance.

Screeing down the gully on north Brachiopod (aka: the shooting gallery)...Now onto Anthozoan Mountain!