Third Mother Mountain

10 ½ hours total time, including bike ride. Left cars at 6am, 1 hour bike ride to Ipsut Creek Camp ground. Short walk up wonderland trail, decided to leave trail a couple hundred yards before the traditional creek crossing, staying on North side of creek. (Recent trip reports encountered cliff bands on the south side of creek, which were challenging to find a route over). North side worked well, contour lines not as steep, found ramp through cliff band at 3600'. Minor spots of devils club and slide alder below 3600'.  Stayed within earshot of creek. 

Snow started at 3700’ would have been great to have snow shoes. By 4200’ in open slopes breaking trail through knee deep snow to saddle at 5400', staying in trees and on previous avy debris reduced post holing. Worked our way to SE side of saddle avoiding moat along rock and cornice. Crampons and Ice axes up first treed gulley brought us to the summit by 12:15. Mostly cloudy, with occasional views of 2^nd mother, surrounding peaks, and the Carbon glacier. 

Crossed lower debris from a small loose wet avalanche on our return at 4000’ that occurred after  our morning crossing of that area. Left a 25’x50’ debris field, originated from 400’ above  and slid on crust 1” below surface. Stayed closer to creek on return though forest. Back to the trail at 3:30 p.m. and a quick bike ride (downhill slope) back to the car by 4:30.