A granite massif looms before throughout, only showing its potential once engulfed in the drainage.
Nestled deep within this oft overlooked wonderland lies a luscious couloir. The moonscaped boulders and small pristine lakes that litter the way there are worth the trek alone.
You may feel like you've just had some kind of mushroom and your mind is definitely moving low. Just remember what the dormouse said...
Follow the lengthy and arduous Thunder Lake Trail until it forks with the Lion Lake Trail and take this path out to Lion Lake #1. Ascend upwards and around Thunder Falls until you reach the bench.
From the southern end of the lake break off on the North Saint Vrain Creek, which may well be snow-covered but nonetheless descript enough to follow upwards into the basin.
Now that you've broken treeline you'll have a great look at the massive bulk of pyramidal granite. Continue up the drainage to the north of peak past the moonrock-esque boulder field. But don't bother gaining any ridges as you come into this basin though, instead stay low and keep trucking up this trough until you're just about to hit the big bowl that makes up the low point between Alice and the unnamed peak just to the north. Continue your climb up the snowfields and onto a landing where you'll finally be able to see your destination.
The couloir itself won't come into view until you're nearly all the way to the far snowfield, but you'll know it once you see it! The couloir's apron extends down into this bowl, but really starts looking like a couloir around 12,360'. You'll want to make sure you're far enough up the basin before you start your ascent, which means going as far south as possible while still having the option to cut onto the steep northern face.
the climb
There's a large rock outcrop that has patches of snow on either side of it that you'll want to head towards, and you can opt to go right around it and work through some rotted out snow; or go left and climb a short class four rock pitch to get up into the base of it. Either way, once you're around this rock the full shebang will become instantly visible. Once inside the couloir, it will begin to curve to your right, and then goes up to what appears to be the summit of Alice.
This is just an illusion though, as you'll see when you crest the ridge. Don't despair though, the couloir will keep heading up and you should follow it. It leads to the ridge which drops down onto the opposing east face. Watch out as you approach this point though, as there might just be a cornice built up here which you should avoid at all costs- the seemingly gentle couloir ends in a very massive drop...
From the connection of these two snowfields, you can head for the summit by getting on the rocks and traversing up and to your right (west). It's manageable scree from here on out, and you'll soon come to a saddle that leads to either summit. Keep going west to hit the true one, and you'll find the summit log beneath a large pile of rock.
descent
the climb
There's a large rock outcrop that has patches of snow on either side of it that you'll want to head towards, and you can opt to go right around it and work through some rotted out snow; or go left and climb a short class four rock pitch to get up into the base of it. Either way, once you're around this rock the full shebang will become instantly visible. Once inside the couloir, it will begin to curve to your right, and then goes up to what appears to be the summit of Alice.
This is just an illusion though, as you'll see when you crest the ridge. Don't despair though, the couloir will keep heading up and you should follow it. It leads to the ridge which drops down onto the opposing east face. Watch out as you approach this point though, as there might just be a cornice built up here which you should avoid at all costs- the seemingly gentle couloir ends in a very massive drop...
From the connection of these two snowfields, you can head for the summit by getting on the rocks and traversing up and to your right (west). It's manageable scree from here on out, and you'll soon come to a saddle that leads to either summit. Keep going west to hit the true one, and you'll find the summit log beneath a large pile of rock.
