Click to hear me sing
The Fist
Elevation:
Height Gain:
Location:
 8,629 ft (2630M)
2,526 ft (770M)
Spray Lakes
Note for 23 Jun 01: We were actually trying for Smuts, but we went to the wrong col, so we did the Fist instead. Partly cloudy day with a strong wind and a high temperature around 20°C. The gully going up the Fist was full of snow, but that actually made it easier.

Note for 06 Aug 05: I went with Vern Dewit and Blair Piggot. We did this peak after bagging Mt. Smuts first. Great conditions. Click here for a more detailed report.
  Date Ascent Time Complete Time
1st Time 24 Jun 01 3:45 2:45
2nd Time 06 Aug 05 3:30 from
Smuts Summit		 2:10
to car
For Vern's perspective on the same trip, check out his page: http://www.fresh-oxygen.com/vern/scrambles/fist/fist.php


This is The Fist, as seen from Commonwealth Peak. After first bagging Mt. Smuts, we traversed the slopes from Smuts Pass to the Fist/Smuts col. On a hot day, this was horrible. It took us three hours to get from the summit of Mt. Smuts to the summit of The Fist. Not only was it a slog, but my ankles are now permanently bent.

This is The Fist as seen from Mt. Smuts. We went up the left gully just to the right of the main ridge.

Here we are cutting across the slopes below Mt. Smuts. Blair and Vern took a more direct line, while I got tired of sidesloping and decided to head straight up, then down the ridge. This allowed me to get 100 extra feet of height gain.

This is Vern and Blair approaching the gully.

I was so tired, that I forgot to take pictures in the gully. I guess I was too busy dodging all of the rocks that Vern and Blair threw at me. Anyway, from the summit, this is Tryst Lake.

Here we see Blair standing at the summit.

Blair, being the explorer that he is, decided to go screw around on a little detour. That's Mt. Smuts in the background.

Now it's time to go back into the gully and head on down. This is Blair and Vern carefully getting into the gully. I think this is the crux of the climb.