Drizzle followed us from the very beginning to the very end of the hike as we set out at 8:50 from the Rainbow Lake parking lot. With high freezing levels the past week, the trail to the pumphouse turned into a muddy creek. From there on, the snow on the Rainbow Lake trail was well-compacted but with no fresh tracks except for those of two skiing parties of two, who started at a similar time. We lost the trail several times before reaching the "4.5km to the lake" mark; having a map and a GPS helped greatly with the route-finding along the way.

From there and prior to the log bridge, we started up the steep slope in SW direction, breaking our own trail and encountering skin tracks on occasion. The snow there was compact in most places, but soft and deep enough to sink waist-deep, in others. It was a relentlessly steep climb up with never-ending drizzle, which I was hoping would turn to snow. Be careful what you wish for though, and while we were out in the alpine, the rain changed to freezing rain and the wind became very strong, sharp particles pounding angrily against your face. The visibility deteriorated fast, and we could no longer see our destination from the col. It was 12:45, and defeated by the elements, with 200m of elevation still to gain, we decided there was no point in proceeding.

Back in the trees, it was the usual drizzle; fun bum-sliding through the forest reduced our descent time, and we were back in the parking lot by 3pm, half-soaked. The trip was still very enjoyable though, thanks to a good workout and superb company.