Forging the Horseshoe: Prelude to The Rexford-Slesse Traverse
- Greg Luesink
- Aug 25, 2025
- 14 min read
From August 19-24, 2025, my friend Ben and I set out for a 5-day traverse over 25 peaks. We completed it, but only after 3+ years of scouting, planning, trying, failing, and re-planning. This post delves into all the details that made this trip possible.
The entire 3-year process felt very similar to "redpointing" a climb at a crag. If you are unfamiliar with this climbing jargon, it is when a someone encounters a difficult route that requires more than just one attempt (which would be called an onsight or flash, depending). Upon realizing the challenging nature of the route, the climber spends time scoping out all of the hardest sections, linking them together, and finally making attempts from the start. Eventually, after much perseverance, and often after failing along the way, the climber is ready to "Redpoint" the route: climbing it all in one go with no falls.
When I talk about working on a project, the table below is a good display of how much time I've spent in the area: learning all the cruxes, linking some together, and finally putting it all into one continuous traverse. This list does not include the several other times that I have summited Rexford, Slesse, or any of the other spires that were not intentionally for scouting the route. Specifically, I did Slesse in 2022, 2023, 2024, and then 3x in 2025 [Slesse Massif, drop bag, Horseshoe], while I did South Nesakwatch in 2023 [Dairyland], and Rexford in 2022, 2024 [first attempt at Horseshoe], and then in 2025 prior to the trip, but not all those were explicitly to explore or scout the traverse, so I did not include those extra outings in the list of total time/vert/distance.
Time (hrs) | Vert (m) | Distance (km) | |
15 | 2200 | 20 | |
17 | 1800 | 17 | |
15.5 | 1700 | 23 | |
17.5 | 3300 | 30 | |
8 | 1800 | 21 | |
7 | 1400 | 13 | |
40 go time (62 total) | 3200 | 41 | |
Drop bag rescue from Labour Day... 2024 | 8 | 1800 | 21 |
25 go time (33 total) | 4700 | 44 | |
31 go time (44 total) | 2700 | 36 | |
Drop Bag 1 - Rexford 2025 | 9 | 1600 | 16 |
Drog Bag 2 - Labour Day 2025 | 9.5 | 1600 | 22 |
Drop Bag 3 - Slesse 2025 | 13.5 | 2200 | 20 |
Total Stats (prior to trip) | 216 (260) hrs (~11 full 24 hr days) | 30,000 m (+/-) | 324 km (+/-) |
Rexford-Slesse Horseshoe 2025 | 75 go time (118 total) | 8500 (+/-) | 85 (+/-) |
Total Stats (including Horseshoe) | 291 (377) hrs (~16 full 24 hr days) | 38,500 m (+/-) | 409 km (+/-) |
How it All Began
The summer of 2022 was really my "break-out" year for scrambling and alpine climbing. Part of the equation was finding the right partners, and my friend Ben is exactly that - the right partner. We met in 2021 and quickly found a groove together, climbing multi-pitches like the Goat in Marble Canyon, and then venturing into larger objectives in 2022 like the Cheam Range Traverse, during which we scrambled up 11 summits over 2.5 days. Around that time, we climbed Slesse Peak for my first time (Ben's 2nd), which further piqued my interest for alpine climbing in the Chilliwack River Valley. Shortly after, Ben and I did the Nesakwatch Enchainment across from Slesse, linking North and South Nesakwatch Spires into Rexford for a wild 17-hour adventure. While Slesse did have a pitch or two of climbing, the Nesakwatch Enchainment was my true introduction to alpine climbing: scaling vertical walls high in the sky. I was rightfully inspired to continue on that path, finding that every aspect was alluring: hiking in, watching the sun rise and strike neighbouring peaks, finding a path through cracks and granite blocks, and finally standing precariously on the summit, soaking all the views in. There is seriously nothing like it. A week later, by then early October of 2022, Ben and I returned to climb Labour Day Peak via the North Buttress, and had another exhilarating experience.
It was there, standing on Labour Day, that Ben and I first began studying the route that our friend Nich had mentioned to us - a captivating "Horseshoe" of 25 peaks, which no one had yet linked together.
Ben and Nich had already done the Nesakwatch Enchainment together (Ben's second time doing it was with me), as well as the Slesse to Pierce Traverse in 2021 (with the latter being an overnight involving scrambling in the rain to MacFarlane on the second day). Inspired to scout more sections of the Horseshoe, I recruited my friend Brennan for a single-day strike mission of the Slesse to Pierce Traverse, hammering it out in 17 hours car-to-car. It felt pretty exciting to explore a new part of the ridgeline, and boosted my confidence enough to ask Nich and Ben if they wanted to give the full Horseshoe an attempt in 2024. Of course, both were super stoked to try. Even though more than half the route was un-scouted, it felt more like an adventure to onsight (i.e., do first try) much of the route as we encountered new cruxes.
As winter turned into Spring, our stoke was rekindled and we ramped up our training, hiking with water jugs in our packs and climbing trad routes at the crag. Things were going well, and we even invited another friend, Joseph, into the mix to make it a really fun group. We booked time off work at the end of June into the early July for the traverse.
About a month out, Ben and I were climbing a trad multipitch near Hope. On the second pitch, Ben took a fall and badly sprained his ankle. After getting it checked out, the physio said it'd be at least 6 weeks before he could hike again. I was devastated, we'd been training for this project for so long and it started to fall apart. The second blow was when Nich found out he needed unexpected surgery, removing him from the group as well. Lastly, Joseph was on a time-crunch to finish renovations before his first child was born. In a matter of a week, all three of my partners vanished. The trip was basically off at that point.
To top it all off, at the end of May, we found out about the deaths of three mountain friends from an avalanche. I wrote an entire blog post that goes more in depth (Obsession Interrupted), but this obviously shook us up. It made me feel very mortal. In the end, it was an important reset mentally, helping us to realize that the mountains are not the only important thing in life. I had been so obsessed with chasing summits that I had often overlooked simpler joys in life and spending time with family. Basically, the shock of their deaths made me recalibrate what mattered most to me in life. Namely, that I needn't pursue big mountains if it meant risking my own life.
Despite the mental change, I still wanted to make the trip happen somehow. I recalled that my friend Mike was finishing up the teaching program. I texted him, and he said he could make it work if I bumped the trip to beginning of July.
All the sudden, the trip was back on!
I hiked a drop bag to just behind Labour Day, and then Jas accompanied me up to Rexford Basin for the other drop bag the following day. About a week later, Mike and I set off for our adventure. His mom dropped us off at 5am at the toe of the 1300m climb up to Delusion Peak. You can read all about our attempt in a separate blog post (The Rexford Ridgeline Traverse). In the end, we were way behind schedule, so, standing on Rexford at 6 pm on Day 2, we made the decision to bail. Our slow progress was due to several factors, including realizing that we would run out of food if we continued. Also, we were carrying too much gear (50L bag = 50L of heavy gear), which resulted in higher fatigue after a massive 16 hour push on Day 1 to reach the Rexford Drop Bag. Another major factor, being early July and a higher snow year, was too much snow on the route in the Nesakwatch Enchainment, which forced us to climb steeper and harder pitches, further delaying us. Finally, my mental game was very off the whole trip. I was burdened by feelings of mortality, thinking about the three that died in the avalanche 5 weeks prior, which caused timidness to override my stoke. I missed Jas and felt wrong for putting myself at risk, which ultimately resulted in Mike leading most of the pitches that trip.
You can read more about our attempt in a separate blog post (The Rexford Ridgeline Traverse).
After the first attempt, I realized just how complex the full Horseshoe was, and how much planning would be required to pull it off. I shifted my mindset to "Projecting Mode," much like I would for when I encountered a rock climb that was harder than I expected (i.e., I couldn't climb it without falling). I needed to scout more of the cruxes before trying the whole thing again.
In September of 2024, Ben's ankle was "heeled" up, and we decided to scout the bottom half of the U / Horseshoe. A perfect weather window allowed us to embark on a 1.5-day blitz mission of what we dubbed the "Silesia Traverse." You can read more about the full trip, but this was one of the most invigorating trips. It felt like a Redemption Traverse in many ways. I was once again firing on all cylinders (present and content mentally/emotionally, fit physically), and Ben was back. Also, we thoroughly relished in the challenge of exploring many kilometres of novel ridgeline and applying the lessons we learned from trips past. I used a smaller pack (28L Firecrest) to travel fast & light, which helped us successfully navigate through unknown scrambling terrain quickly and efficiently.
The Silesia Traverse was a huge boost in confidence and morale, causing Ben and I to seriously consider a re-attempt in 2025.
Prepping for the 2025 Attempt
At the beginning of 2025, Ben had inquired about a backpack guiding opportunity in New Mexico, which ended up going through. He would be gone for 12 weeks from May until early August, meaning we would have to try the Horseshoe in mid-August.
This attempt would be different. I was determined to change my approach to training. I would be more intentional with balance, making sure to spend time with family and not just climbing and hiking. I wasn't willing to let obsession take over my life again.
With that declaration from the start, I tried my best to prepare myself mentally and physically. I didn't get out trad climbing quite as often, so I got more creative with my training. Slesse Creek was a limestone climbing crag 15 minutes from my house, so I did most of my sessions there. If you want to practice a no-fall scenario, climbing limestone with trad gear is... effective.
I got out hiking and running, but didn't force it. While I needed to be as fit as possible to do this traverse, I figure it is possible to get 90% as fit with 80% of the time input. While this isn't exactly a scientifically-backed statement, I do believe that part of achieving the goal is making sure to live a well-balanced lifestyle leading while preparing and training. This keeps the stoke alive: if I'm not dedicating all my time to climbing, it leaves me "chomping at the bit" to get out there. So, when I finally go on those adventures, I am happy to be there. As opposed to spending too much time away from my wife and constantly wishing I was back home with her while on the adventures. I have experienced both sides and much prefer to go on a few less trips, which makes me enjoy the rest of them even more. Something like "quality over quantity" or some old adage like that.
As you'll see in the other blog posts, I got out with Jas on some excellent excursions, and enjoyed a few other ones with friends, such as attempting the Cheam Range in a Day with Brennan and Lukas. By late July, Ben and I were texting and catching up. We decided were getting excited about the August attempt on the Horseshoe, but looming in our minds was the untouched Slesse Massif Traverse, by far the most intimidating section of the trip. With only a guidebook entry in the new edition of Alpine Select (which is mostly, but not totally accurate, turns out) and a trip report of Nick Elson and Julian Stoddart Completing the First Ascent in 2017. Assumably, Nick and Julian gave all their beta to Kevin McLane for his alpine guide, and I'm curious if some info fell through the gaps. Or, more likely, Kevin filled in some gaps where Nick and Julian scrambled instead of roping up!
Since Ben was away and couldn't scout the Slesse Massif with me, I reached out to Mike to see if he was free and interested. Free and stoked as a bird, Mike was game for another adventure. In late July, Mike drove out to Jas' and my place, where we quickly went over gear and hopped in two cars to drop one on the West side before Jas drove us to Slesse Memorial to start in the evening. This trip turned into a complete epic, and it really pushed our tactical, technical, and physical limits. If you want to read the full post about the Slesse Massif Traverse click here. It also filled in the blanks on undoubtedly the hardest section of the Horseshoe, which was a great relief. Firstly, I knew it was possible, and secondly, I could plan drop bags of supplies more precisely. With no stone unturned (almost... Pocket Peak was the only Peak untouched) for water sources, route lines, and camp options, the only thing holding me back was whether the trip was worth the risk.
If you read "Obsession Interrupted," you may recall that some mountain friends died in an avalanche in 2024. This significantly shifted our perception of risk (i.e., feeling very mortal, and not invincible). My mindset was totally shaken during the 2024 attempt, so much so that Mike led 13/16 pitches for what became the Rexford Ridgeline Traverse. While my mental game had recovered by 2025, I still had lingering doubts about a trip of this magnitude. Undeniably, scrambling for 5 days over rugged ridgeline entails a great number of chances for missteps, and a fall would almost certainly result in serious injury or death. After 5 days in the mountains with accumulated fatigued - would I be in a good enough state to tackle the Slesse Massif again? After mulling it over, I knew that we at least needed to try - otherwise I would be left with "what if" for the rest of my life. I called Ben and we talked it out, establishing that the worst case scenario (within our control) was that we could decide to bail at either Rexford or at Labour Day. With that, we agreed to proceed.
Now with all systems online (physical, mental, emotional), I poured all of the information I had collected in my brain onto paper. Before the trip, I drew a very rudimentary version of the route topo, but I felt inspired to render a more artistic version after we completed the traverse, which you can see below.
The Horseshoe Route Topo
Although I didn't know it while standing on Labour Day in 2022, with perfect hindsight, I can say that the Horseshoe can be broken up into 4 distinct sections: 1) the Rexford Ridgeline Traverse / Grand Ensawkwatch Enchainment (Delusion to Rexford), 2) the Silesia Traverse (Rexford to Labour Day), 3) the Slesse Massif Traverse (Labour Day to Slesse), and 4) the Slesse to Pierce Traverse.
Several blog posts could be found that discussed portions of the route, including Kobus Barnard's 1993 traverse through the Illusions and Nesakwatch Spires to Rexford, even tagging the Pillar of Pi, South Rexford, and Batholith. More recent trips include Jessie McAuley and Nick Elson's 2023 single-day link of the Illusions to Rexford, and their subsequent return trip in 2025 connected Rexford all the way to Mt Lindeman, as Kobus Barnard had originally intended (minus MacDonald and Webb and exit via Radium Lake Trail).
As for the bottom portion of the Horseshoe-U, I interrogated Chilliwack's local encyclopedia, Drew Brayshaw, about all he knew of the area. As I'd discover, Drew had tried what Ben and I later dubbed "The Silesia Traverse," but he attempted it solo twice and was turned around by an aggressive bear and complex terrain. Another resource I used was my friend Andy Jackson, who tipped me off about a walk-off south-bound from Rexford's West Ridge. Both of these gents helped fill in some gaps for a less-traveled area.
Undeniably the most audacious section of the route is the Slesse Massif, a jagged ridge including six summits from Labour Day to Slesse. Atop Labour Day, it seemed hard to imagine navigating through the imposing terrain. Later, I was to discover that the massif was likely first attempted in 2006 by Don Surl and Rob Nugent, but resulted in a bail due to illness. A decade after, Nick Elson and Julian Stoddart did the first complete traverse of the Slesse Massif in an astounding 15-hour day in 2017. Unless you have ventured into this kind of terrain, it is hard to comprehend how incredibly fast they moved through such exposed scrambling and climbing.
The last section of the traverse, from Slesse to Pierce, Ben and Nich had done in 2021. Since they'd already done it, I decided to give this section a try with my friend Brennan in 2023, which we ended up completing in a 17-hour day.
After releasing all my pent up beta onto paper, I was finally able to visualize the route and plan food and water accordingly. Jas and I sat down and meticulously planned out food for each day, accounting for our estimated caloric needs and aiming to limit how much food we had to carry for the hardest climbing. With all of the beta laid out, it was easy to see that a third drop bag would be crucial to our success compared to 2024's attempt. Traveling as light as possible through the Slesse Massif would be the make-or-break factor, so I planned for another drop bag below Slesse Peak. The other two locations remained the same from 2024, with one at Rexford Basin, and another just south of Labour Day. Since Ben hadn't returned home quite yet, I recruited my friends Sam, Nate, David (Ben's brother), and Nils to help me haul the supplies over the weekend of August 8-10. Aside from them being excited to go hiking, I incentivized them with going up new-to-them peaks, tagging North Nesakwatch Spire with Sam, then "Canada-Day Bump" (self-named hill behind Labour Day Horn) with Nate and David, and finally Slesse Peak with Sam and Nils. Not a bad way to spend a weekend, clocking over 5,000m of elevation gain... but it left me quite tuckered out.
Of note, Drop Bag 1 at Rexford had 6L of water along with the largest cache of food for 2 full days. Drop Bag 2 at Labour Day had no water (with the plan being to fill up our reservoirs to 8L each at Pocket Glacier) and 1 day of food to travel as light as possible through the Slesse Massif. Drop Bag 3 at Slesse would have 8L of water and 1 day of food to make it out to MacFarlane on the final day.
Finally, Ben returned to Chilliwack from his road-trip back from New Mexico. I was relieved to see rain in the forecast to delay our departure so that I could recover from the drop bag excursions. While I was glad to rest, I was hopeful that the weather would be good enough for the Sunday (17th) departure, so my friend Nic Thielman (Rangework) could film from drone footage on Rexford. Sadly, it was raining too much on the weekend, so we shifted plans. Finally, after resting some more and waiting for the rain to clear, Ben and I spotted a weather window. Our time off from work was a little tight, as we had to get back to work by Monday the 25th, so we last-minute decided to get a head start on Tuesday evening, August 19th...
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