The first time I climbed this mountain I was a novice scrambler. When we climbed up the steep slopes of the basin I loosed a rock that struck Melanie in the head. None of us was wearing a helmet nor did I take any precautions to keep the group together.

I sent Dan back to seek help while I attended to Melanie. She had received a deep cut from a glancing blow from a rock the size of a football. After about an hour of resting she was well enough to walk. Meanwhile, after driving down the highway, Dan stopped a warden and brought him up the trail where we ran into them. The warden asked if I wanted a helicopter or an ambulance. I declined the helicopter but requested an ambulance. He radio for a ambulance to meet us at the trailhead.

We met the ambulance at the trailhead and the medical attendants checked Melanie. They said she needed stitches. We declined their offer for a ride (at $10 per km!). Oddly there was no charge for having them drive to the trailhead and check the injury. We drove to the Canmore hospital where Melanie received stitches and was released.

When I returned a few years later, you can be sure we all wore helmets and stuck together! We bagged the peak without incident.

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