Heading down Rutherford FSR it didn’t take long to hit snow and ice, from around the 4km mark we were in compact snow. Something weird about this road, it seems to be made up entirely of bumps in most places. Had to go quite slow 15 kmh or so otherwise you were in danger of hitting your head on the roof. Difficult to pick up speed for the hills, we got stuck on one at the 17km mark and decided to turn around and park at the flat area. I pulled of the compact snow a little too far and sunk into the ditch. After trying to dig the wheels out and rocking back and forth etc, the other vehicle had to pull me out. Luckily I had some rope with me.
Up the road another km or so to the turn off, the road forks down to the left and a couple of hundred meters later you see a large yellow sign for the Trail. Patchy snow on the road a couple of big hills and 2km or so your at the cabin.
Shortly after the cabin the trail opens out and you make your way along the creek. We follow the snowmobile tracks up to the lake. I had trail crampons on from the car but took them off crossing the lake as they kept balling up with snow and I got tired of having to knock it off with my pole.
A few snow bridges to cross and we were at the glacier, kept on the tracks up the left hand side of the glacier until steepness levelled out a bit.Soon we got a view of our original objective, Appa Peak, however with the delays earlier in the day it was 1.30pm by the time we were on top of Appa glacier. Some of our group decided to stop here.With 2 hours or so to our turn around time there was no chance of achieving the peak so we decided to to the ridge south of Appa SW2. Distances on the glacier are hard to judge, it takes a good while to cross or get anywhere.
Put snowshoes on from here, I was sinking in to just above the ankle. A steep climb and I’m the first one on the ridge. Kwtamts Peak looked invitingly close but with a too heavy pack slowing me down and little daylight left this was the end of the road, it was probably further than it looked. A quick lunch and back down, crusty snow meant no butt sliding.
Same trail back to the cars only 15 mins or so after the group that stayed on the glacier. Wasn’t looking forward to the drive back, I was a little worried about getting up some of the steeper hills with the sun soften snow. I post holed several tile on the road back from the hut, so the snow was obviously wasn’t as firm.
Start to head off and find that now the other Jeep is stuck in the snow, so out with the rope and were soon under way. A long drive to the highway a little slippy in places but we didn’t get stuck along the way.

 

Brian Musk wrote.