We leisurely started hiking up the 4km trail (with 950m elevation gain) at around 6pm. The trail is steep but extremely well built and maintained, and we were at the campsite below the col 2.5 hours later. Setting up the tent and eating our sandwiches, we were quickly in bed with an alarm set for 5am.

The morning was cold, but we quickly warmed up hiking up to the Uto-Sir Donald col. From there we soloed the first part of the ridge and then simulclimbed the rest, clipping the numerous fixed stations for protection. We were in no rush and wanted to enjoy the experience! Even though the ridge is not technically difficult anywhere, it is plenty exhilirating. We made it to the summit in a leisurely 3.5 hours where we basked in the sun and enjoyed the views for a while. Note that while it is only rated 5.4, this is a serious route and not a place one would want to be in if the weather moves in.

From the summit, we did the new rappel descent route which is the fastest way to get off. Downclimbing the ridge proper would also be a pleasant (but longer) option. After downclimbing and doing all the rappels down the west face, we enjoyed two beers we had stashed in camp. After packing up, we quickly headed down to meet up with Courtney and Deon who were waiting for us at the trailhead. We made it there just before 5pm, and headed to Lake Louise for bison burgers! Dow's altimeter showed 7800' accumulative gain (2400m)... doing this in less than 24 hours total, we were a little tired to say the least!

	the beautiful approach trail	BC is green!

		fat lazy marmot	Sir Donald

	Sir Donald (NW ridge is left skyline)	about to go to bed	mandatory self-portrait with next day's objective

	Sir Donald as the sun is setting	slogging up to the col in the morning	morning views

	the start of the ridge from the col	scrambling up the start of the ridge	simulclimbing

	dow on one of the cruxy sections	me leading out, photo by dow	me on the ridge, photo by dow

	amazing that i still have some of those snacks left	dow climbing on the ridge crest

			dow enjoying the exposure

	dow enjoying the exposure	me thinking "it doesn't get more pleasant than this"	posing

			climbing another step

	somewhere on the ridge, photo by dow	the leader of another party that we passed	Sir Donald's summit block

		Dow climbing up another steep section	posing on the ridge crest

		dow posing	me on the ridge, photo by dow

	me on the ridge, photo by dow		approaching the summit

		views from near the summit	two happy climbers on the summit

	standing on the tip of the mountain with a sandwich in hand	wow

			views of mountains far away

	amazing view		me about to throw the rope on one of the rappels, photo by dow

	finishing the quick rappels down the west face	all the rappel bolts had colourful streamers attached, sweet!	traversing right to the base of the dihedral to do the last 2 rappels

	last view of Sir Donald as we go back down in the afternoon