Alpine Scramble - Goat Island Mountain

With an 8am start from the Summerland trailhead, we did the counterclockwise loop.  From the Wonderland, we found the unmarked boot track that took us on the ENE facing ridge.  The boot track was visible most of the way up.  The first 1,000 feet are the steepest and we only managed a 900 foot elevation gain in the first hour.  Below 5,000 feet, the steepness subsides somewhat and we were able to pick up the pace with a 1,300 foot gain in the second hour.  We come up to the east ridge around 6,200 feet.  We mistakenly thought we could ridge run over the 6,7000 feet, but about 200 feet up, we turned around and descended 200 feet down the north side of the ridge across wet rocks and heather.   We then found the gully to take us back onto the ridge, but it was filled with snow.  Fortunately the snow was soft so we with ice axes out, we ascended the gully.  We hit the ridge and continued on to the high Goat Island Mountain peak at 7,281.  We took a short break because there was light rain falling.  We continued SW across the ridge and there was still a fair bit of snow at the ridge.  A few sparse wildflowers were emerging.  We then traveled to the other Goat Island peak at 7,211 feet and then started our descent on the other southwest ridge.  We found our way to the infamous creek crossing.  We found a good place to cross without needing sandals or water shoes.  We continued descending the route but got off course and to follow a creek below the Wonderland trail until we could see some people on the Wonderland trail above who were kind enough to show us a way back to the trail.  We saw a couple of marmots in the area.  We then continued back on the Wonderland trail the final 4 miles back to the car.

4 hours 15 minutes up, 20 minute break for lunch, 5 hours down due to going off course.  Had a group of 7.  2 scramble students finished their third peak.  Group was strong and a lot of fun.  The lack of views were a disappointment, but we had a successful summit.