From here you begin the long snow slog up the avalanche prone slope that in 1982 claimed the life of John Laughlan, one of Canada's preeminent ice climbers. He was attempting the first solo of the climb. This is at least a 350-meter hike and can take as much as 1.5 hours, depending on the state and amount of snow. You move up the slope trending right and making running belays through the scrub trees.

At the top of the slope you traverse left across the saddle, down a long slope, up another gradual snow covered incline - eventually finding your way to the start of the 1st Tier. This is a picture of Dave on a rock in the middle of the saddle with the tiers and the upper flow in the background. There is still a long way to go and it's already 10:30AM!