The Defendant and The Witness

June 20-21, 2026

1884m

Golden Ears Provincial Park, BC

The Defendant is tucked behind and somewhat overshadowed by Mt. Judge Howay but itself boasts over 800 m prominence above Defendant/Judge Howay saddle, and has some very esthetic and rugged looking profiles. This is a rarely known objective and in fact, there were only three documented ascents – the FA (1991 John Clarke et al.), the Michaels (2022) and the Gulkas (2023), all by different approaches but all climbed via the NW Ridge. The Witness is less challenging but presents its own obstacles. For those approaching from the Stave River valley The Witness can be tagged as an “add-on” without too much trouble.