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Thanks for the great trip report and amazing pictures! I've done Nigel Pass as a day hike, but now I want to get back there for a multi-day trip.
I have a few questions:
- Do you think this area would be a good first trip to bring someone with no scrambling, routefinding or wild camping experience (they have done backcountry camping trips on more established trails and campgrounds)? Or would it be too challenging?
The route up to and over Cataract Pass is definitely more difficult than the average hike, but should be feasible if one of you has the necessary experience. There is a well-beaten trail most of the way. The two rockslides are probably the most challenging obstacles, requiring short bouts of easy scrambling. It's especially important to be equipped for bad weather, as the route from Nigel Pass is almost entirely above treeline. I would allow at least 6 hours from the Nigel trailhead to the nearest camp on the White Goat side of the pass.
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- Is it possible to ridgewalk / scramble from the Valley of the Lakes lookout up Mt Willis? What about in the other direction (SW from the col)?
I haven't done Willis, but there is another option worth considering. The valley east of the east fork of Cataract Creek is well worth visiting, and offers a scramble to the prominent peak on the southeast flank of the lookout. I've sketched the route on a photo from the previous page,
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- Is there a way to get into Valley of the Lakes? (If yes - can you exit the valley on the other side towards MacDonald creek?)
I've attached a quick photo of the White Goat map that shows routes into Valley of the Lakes and connections with McDonald Creek. It seems to me the easiest, but by no means easy, exit is westward around the north side of Afternoon Peak, back to Brazeau River.
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