tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49379577047214400762024-03-05T13:34:29.190-08:00Dave & Suz's Weekend Romansand then the_doctorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12648947724821535410noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937957704721440076.post-60413103889180309622009-04-01T13:03:00.000-07:002009-10-20T19:39:08.721-07:00K-Country SnowshoeThe avalanche conditions around Xmas were pretty bad leaving us with valley bottoms as the only safe place to play in the snow.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SdPOCwtjhEI/AAAAAAAAArA/mljFNbNVz8o/s1600-h/dave+snowshoe+suz6.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SdPOCwtjhEI/AAAAAAAAArA/mljFNbNVz8o/s320/dave+snowshoe+suz6.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319822131685721154" border="0" /></a> The night before, we were looking at the map and thinking that we might go to the base of Black Prince Cirque but stop there due to avi probability. We didn't go there but that day, the upper slope of Black Prince went class 3. It would have been cool to see it but predicting the danger was reassuring.<br />Instead we parked at the Lower Kananaskis Lake lot and marched north in a pleasant quarter day loop. Sandwiches and a thermos of coffee rounded out the day. Crossing the lake with massive gusts of snowy wind added just enough "I'm lost at the north pole" to make the coffee more enjoyable.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />-Suz sprints up a hill<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SdPOCm2NGPI/AAAAAAAAAq4/DKpwNWnUrgc/s1600-h/dave+snowshoe+IMG_0020.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SdPOCm2NGPI/AAAAAAAAAq4/DKpwNWnUrgc/s320/dave+snowshoe+IMG_0020.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319822129037646066" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Opal range makes a pleasing backdrop<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SdPOC47us9I/AAAAAAAAArI/uEpaD6GDuRg/s1600-h/dave-snowshoe1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 302px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SdPOC47us9I/AAAAAAAAArI/uEpaD6GDuRg/s320/dave-snowshoe1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319822133892658130" border="0" /></a>and then the_doctorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12648947724821535410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937957704721440076.post-6035559769317342422009-03-24T14:07:00.001-07:002009-10-20T19:26:13.551-07:00Mt Allan<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SclUnlXfOZI/AAAAAAAAAqg/7jk7WApqGdI/s1600-h/mtallangoogle3withscale.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 210px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SclUnlXfOZI/AAAAAAAAAqg/7jk7WApqGdI/s320/mtallangoogle3withscale.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316873874109839762" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />At the time of posting, its now technically springtime which means I must finish off trip reports as the climbing season begins anew. The last trip of 08 was a solo trip I did up to Mt Allan in the Kananaskis corridor. At left is my route in google earth along with a ruler made of 14 Bessborough hotels for scale comparison for Saskatoon readers.<br /><br />The trip starts off the #40 at the Ribbon Creek day use area and follows a network of switchbacking ski trails and goat tracks. After negotiating the maze the trail emerges from the trees and starts a pretty steep and relentless pitch following the ridge to Olympic summit.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SclMXbKBqHI/AAAAAAAAAqY/5-246D8UGvo/s1600-h/mt-allan.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 302px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SclMXbKBqHI/AAAAAAAAAqY/5-246D8UGvo/s320/mt-allan.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316864800398092402" border="0" /></a>Taking a breather on the ridge crest looking towards the north.<br /><br /><br /><br />After gaining a thousand meters in elevation, the winds picked up made being exposed on the edge of a knife blade ridge rather unpleasant. I ran into two guys beating a retreat from the summit of Allan who reported wind snow and cloud. And so rather than fight for elevation only to be socked in with no view, I enjoyed the summit of Olympic and left the high traverse to Mt Allan for better weather.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SclaWJacg4I/AAAAAAAAAqo/ChuzYIzd6Y8/s1600-h/mt-allan-view2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SclaWJacg4I/AAAAAAAAAqo/ChuzYIzd6Y8/s320/mt-allan-view2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316880171618042754" border="0" /></a>View from Olympic summit south to Mt Kidd and the ribbon Creek valley.and then the_doctorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12648947724821535410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937957704721440076.post-9955415691601180552009-01-12T14:00:00.001-08:002009-10-20T19:30:01.051-07:00Opal Ridge South<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SWu_wpVa_rI/AAAAAAAAAnE/Pyrulni_bsA/s1600-h/opalridgesouthgoogle.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 210px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SWu_wpVa_rI/AAAAAAAAAnE/Pyrulni_bsA/s320/opalridgesouthgoogle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290533029727108786" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Made this attempt on Opal Ridge back in October 08. Opal ridge is the eastern wall that forms the north half of the Kananaskis valley. Its characteristic razor sharp ridge line makes it easily identifiable. Apart from the view down the Kananaskis corridor, one of the selling points of this trip is you can park your car at the gas station and treat yourself to a hot coffee and an Eatmore if you feel you deserve it.<br /><br />Pic above shows route from gas station following power line and up north side of gully<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SWu93ibXJfI/AAAAAAAAAms/H-00rzFvYwQ/s1600-h/IMG_0021.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SWu93ibXJfI/AAAAAAAAAms/H-00rzFvYwQ/s320/IMG_0021.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290530949108803058" border="0" /></a><br />View looking south from atop first set of shale cliffs. Topography forms huge wind funnel.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SWu_wHDYCDI/AAAAAAAAAm8/HxxsZzN_e-4/s1600-h/IMG_0022.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SWu_wHDYCDI/AAAAAAAAAm8/HxxsZzN_e-4/s320/IMG_0022.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290533020524611634" border="0" /></a>Looking west over highway 40 towards Mt Inflexible. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The wind steadily increased until it reached a force that made stable footing difficult. I shot this short video on a flat terrace where I hid on the lee side of a rock. Without that windbreak I would have easily been blown right off the slope. For those unfamiliar with high alpine trees, they're as stiff as metal and the fact that you can see them moving indicates a hurricane force wind. Video best viewed with sound to appreciate the force of the wind!<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwVo51rx-XahQ4Jc-azayqftl33IYtMFKM2vcEXLc6G0IUlgoY1nx6tcke5TG-JjWob4QxXO7ju1INZAuZhsQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />It became obvious that the wind was not going to allow me to continue safely so I made a retreat, down-climbing short cliff bands in between the huge gusts that made my heart pound pretty fast. Even the drive out of the valley was pretty sketchy with the car getting hammered by cross gusts. This route has some fun climbing and the views at the top that I didn't get to enjoy all conspire to ensure a return trip in 09.and then the_doctorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12648947724821535410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937957704721440076.post-68394994142953646132008-12-19T14:18:00.000-08:002009-10-20T19:30:29.054-07:00Rae Glacier<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SUwft5K8pJI/AAAAAAAAAl8/j2TMbxgogrA/s1600-h/raeglaciergoogle.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 209px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SUwft5K8pJI/AAAAAAAAAl8/j2TMbxgogrA/s320/raeglaciergoogle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281631336300061842" border="0" /></a><br /><br />From the Kananaskis valley, the Elbow valley always beckons us. Guarded by the raw and imposing Mt El Pocca and Mt Arethusa this valley has always been a brief glimps on the way by to somewhere else. At left I've drawn our route from the hiway to the glacier.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SUwftrlhSQI/AAAAAAAAAl0/DwQH97_2FgM/s1600-h/mt-kidd-oct-16-o8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 194px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SUwftrlhSQI/AAAAAAAAAl0/DwQH97_2FgM/s320/mt-kidd-oct-16-o8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281631332653418754" border="0" /></a>As we drove through Kananaskis valley, the clouds and fog were lifting as a new system blasted in. But for an hour, the mountains were half bathed in fog making some super views.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />On this particular snowy day in October, we parked at the Elbow day use parking lot 6400ft and<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SUwfuQ0530I/AAAAAAAAAmE/50RVdz6_G_c/s1600-h/suz-rae-glacier-mt-rae.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 273px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SUwfuQ0530I/AAAAAAAAAmE/50RVdz6_G_c/s320/suz-rae-glacier-mt-rae.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281631342650056514" border="0" /></a> hiked in to Elbow lake. On the shore of the lake we met a couple backcountry skiers who had been tele-skiing on the glacier that morning. After getting the ski report we braved the increasing winds and snow as we hiked up the river to Rae Glacier which feeds the Elbow River and is the source of Calgary's water. At left, Suz pauses in the glacial deathscape, a desolate environment made more harsh by the 60km/hr wind stripping us of our comfort. But undeterred, we plodded through the snow to the glacier's toe before retreating to the valley.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SUwj5yhoyzI/AAAAAAAAAmU/00-jIgU_tW8/s1600-h/rae+glac_0011.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SUwj5yhoyzI/AAAAAAAAAmU/00-jIgU_tW8/s320/rae+glac_0011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281635938721123122" border="0" /></a>As cold and miserable as it was, this was a good advertisement for the Elbow Valley. In the two pictures below, it is pretty easy to imagine a beautiful summer day following the river round the next turn and scrambling up the lofty peaks that rise above the valley. We'll definitely return here either as a multi-day trip through Pipestone Pass directly behind me in the pic, or to scramble part of Mt. El Pocca.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SUwj5rMojmI/AAAAAAAAAmM/6bzQCL7gK38/s1600-h/suz-elbow-valley.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 170px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SUwj5rMojmI/AAAAAAAAAmM/6bzQCL7gK38/s320/suz-elbow-valley.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281635936753978978" border="0" /></a>and then the_doctorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12648947724821535410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937957704721440076.post-23595025520492116692008-12-19T13:20:00.000-08:002009-10-20T19:31:00.937-07:00Yamnuska<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVWzSS_dwlt8YH_0mTitIuHepcPuzox0S_RntlLMzYZYuv4j9-nCcC2dtiF98B91k7U_9tc-0XtpTHeKNNVRhX9PgXHtQB2mo2Wp3x6vuhguq5XbEbhHtm_Gt6pzq6G3rPU2Zdn7XdnQ/s1600-h/yamgoogle.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 210px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVWzSS_dwlt8YH_0mTitIuHepcPuzox0S_RntlLMzYZYuv4j9-nCcC2dtiF98B91k7U_9tc-0XtpTHeKNNVRhX9PgXHtQB2mo2Wp3x6vuhguq5XbEbhHtm_Gt6pzq6G3rPU2Zdn7XdnQ/s320/yamgoogle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281614648091379682" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv1O07cfGJRKXzig-xcsTCiPh5sIKqaeT6wkvL-sZPjU6uEEL_XQLpYi5FtwA2_kPaiXHEQYTpbjyawUhWcZSzv1as1RplVB_VVDPBt7XZz3D-HBbHM6BT3IkkrwDjzCTS8VqG7yIrluA/s1600-h/yam+view32.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv1O07cfGJRKXzig-xcsTCiPh5sIKqaeT6wkvL-sZPjU6uEEL_XQLpYi5FtwA2_kPaiXHEQYTpbjyawUhWcZSzv1as1RplVB_VVDPBt7XZz3D-HBbHM6BT3IkkrwDjzCTS8VqG7yIrluA/s320/yam+view32.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281619588624861378" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I'm glad I've been lazy in recording our previous trips as these pictures are warming me up from the -40 its been lately.<br />On this Sunday afternoon in October, we thought we'd amble up Mt Laurie otherwise locally known as Yamnuska (translates to "wall of stone") For interest I proposed we tackle the south side rather than the normal approach from the northeast.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SUwS5rsVUWI/AAAAAAAAAlU/RDA-v3v-SDM/s1600-h/yam+ledge018.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SUwS5rsVUWI/AAAAAAAAAlU/RDA-v3v-SDM/s320/yam+ledge018.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281617245189263714" border="0" /></a>Here Suz stops to drink in a hard earned view of the Bow valley. Due to the loose condition of the rock, it was prudent to climb parallel routes. I recall having a similar sensation when I'm standing in line at the grocery store. "Is she on a better line than me? Should I snake in over there?" In the picture below, Suz is thinking about her next move.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVaIjhIYnGx0-hU4NB6tBBHabvjWkdwzjUB2n145qQ8YCHptuyKKO_PRhjRnuGGc3zin1H5JQQj6skIPZ2EI3-pcbFF4ECzjejICSgqgRRWhzghEN72nxJRSBBQ4lQhaNC0-J4KsqTk94/s1600-h/suz-yam-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 186px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVaIjhIYnGx0-hU4NB6tBBHabvjWkdwzjUB2n145qQ8YCHptuyKKO_PRhjRnuGGc3zin1H5JQQj6skIPZ2EI3-pcbFF4ECzjejICSgqgRRWhzghEN72nxJRSBBQ4lQhaNC0-J4KsqTk94/s320/suz-yam-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281614654882487730" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipGt2n0frEglsg-37hHZjOJnaWSpzNaiE4KY4nERGQZ0NVuupBAJ25OMcbVxVdVHmOPLpJpOEA7IRdsGij7XYnNNxdMGzuhWR4wtyWfd1VaoLMLeif1BzcGWjiNTYfoqbw714vpAo5GIE/s1600-h/yam-suz-vista2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 149px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipGt2n0frEglsg-37hHZjOJnaWSpzNaiE4KY4nERGQZ0NVuupBAJ25OMcbVxVdVHmOPLpJpOEA7IRdsGij7XYnNNxdMGzuhWR4wtyWfd1VaoLMLeif1BzcGWjiNTYfoqbw714vpAo5GIE/s320/yam-suz-vista2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281619586206178162" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />eventually, the slabs turned into very loose scree. When loose scree is steep, climbing it can be like slogging on a stationary treadmill. I quickly realized why nobody goes this way! After a brief conference, we decided that swimming in this ankle-busting pitch was not enjoyable, we made our way down back into the trees where we promptly got misplaced. The emotions that accompany being lost are directly related to the weather, and this being a wonderfull day, we just enjoyed bushwacking through the trees. as we stumbled along, I caught some movement out of the corner of my eye and quickly directed Suz to some deadfall with a fisher on it! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_7h50FGs-YaM8k7uxT_X1XP9ilJKxr1Ylw4suXj04VzOfR7uFhuYWK_5TWtwVVb12UPi4moo5vDOQbO6JEcC-lL4_FHUmz9ey5sAgAosavVM0v0uWHh2ZSX_vf1ZJrz-wiCpgbyuDWA/s1600-h/yam+fisher1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 318px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_7h50FGs-YaM8k7uxT_X1XP9ilJKxr1Ylw4suXj04VzOfR7uFhuYWK_5TWtwVVb12UPi4moo5vDOQbO6JEcC-lL4_FHUmz9ey5sAgAosavVM0v0uWHh2ZSX_vf1ZJrz-wiCpgbyuDWA/s320/yam+fisher1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281619583330138306" border="0" /></a> They're quite rare and you have to spend a long time in the bush to be lucky enough to see one. This one regarded us like a tom cat would sitting on a front porch, not really paying attention to us, but not exactly ignoring us either. We walked slowly to it as it half bounced and half slithered away in a very feline way. A vicious member of the weasel/wolverine bloodline, its one of the only animals that kills porcupines.<br />With all the time I spend in the bush, I've only ever seen one from afar and felt lucky at that. Our boneheaded route made us turn around and get slightly lost in the valley and ultimately rewarded us with this rare sight. Another endorsement of the path less travelled!and then the_doctorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12648947724821535410noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937957704721440076.post-23576058681428888302008-11-26T13:29:00.000-08:002008-11-26T14:11:10.089-08:00Buller Pass/Ribbon Lakeelevation gain 3000ft roundtrip 20km<br />Trip dates: Oct 2(snowline@ pass) and Oct 13/14(snowline @ hi-way)<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWOhYhumP9vE6_K0uEWWXvZC9CXqT-DCGtVPFyufYFDsJTkawAm6RZkCZMbGZwd4_z0CTiEDAeKY1GaXahqgAI6zZalOERuZCGnFP4BP2J0bhAKvVfgvJLAIRBcZh5DIERrOZM4tTinBI/s1600-h/bullergoogle-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 210px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWOhYhumP9vE6_K0uEWWXvZC9CXqT-DCGtVPFyufYFDsJTkawAm6RZkCZMbGZwd4_z0CTiEDAeKY1GaXahqgAI6zZalOERuZCGnFP4BP2J0bhAKvVfgvJLAIRBcZh5DIERrOZM4tTinBI/s320/bullergoogle-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273082224454010466" border="0" /></a><br />I first hiked up to this pass in the first week of October to recon it for a longer backpack trip later that month. The trip begins like so many others at the shore of Spray Lake and climbs up between Mt Buller and Mt Engandine. You are quickly launched into the alpine zone and at this time of year, treated to a buffet of golden larches.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />a river of <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Rhh25_hmHvw1hdrGXGWCVscUMlnoihCJ8f1-gZYVxwAaTU9HINCvtIskdV2VIsYa-n7EkUuYuC2pOidQoYSiU8jZdCOsI3PkruqEV5-J8wAW9dqIlWENBvzioYJ1JnIWHYxFbH4pCUE/s1600-h/IMG_0003.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Rhh25_hmHvw1hdrGXGWCVscUMlnoihCJ8f1-gZYVxwAaTU9HINCvtIskdV2VIsYa-n7EkUuYuC2pOidQoYSiU8jZdCOsI3PkruqEV5-J8wAW9dqIlWENBvzioYJ1JnIWHYxFbH4pCUE/s320/IMG_0003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273083164983975250" border="0" /></a>larches draw you up to the valley<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Looking back down the valley through the apocalyptic scenery. The bowl here is massive , creating a disorienting visual field. As I plodded through here, point release avalanches were shedding rocks so vigorously that it sounded like a bowling alley with a constant overlapping echoing of tumbling rock. Yet with all this activity, the walls were so deceivingly far that I couldn't see any falling rock.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SS3BND85p2I/AAAAAAAAAj8/UsifYWWa5Pc/s1600-h/buller-creek-pano2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 158px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SS3BND85p2I/AAAAAAAAAj8/UsifYWWa5Pc/s320/buller-creek-pano2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273083168863922018" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />click on this picture for a better sense of scale<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />Two weeks and much snowfall later, my friend Jim and I climbed up Buller and down into the Ribbon Lake valley system. I was quite glad I poked around this valley before the snow fell so I had a bit of a clue of the topography. It was amazing to see how a blanket of snow changes the mood of the mountains. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJftC20VdzlUK6-bHbkfbOAhE9NbFhjp9U_-inWqTskCemvJADcP0YhgNSdFwZsHXfh_ouze0vko8XIke5tS0L2M61vKsWRcAt6VErjuZKcyxRrBhIbc-tICLtG-nSDQh691S-zdWex7Y/s1600-h/IMG_0024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJftC20VdzlUK6-bHbkfbOAhE9NbFhjp9U_-inWqTskCemvJADcP0YhgNSdFwZsHXfh_ouze0vko8XIke5tS0L2M61vKsWRcAt6VErjuZKcyxRrBhIbc-tICLtG-nSDQh691S-zdWex7Y/s320/IMG_0024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273085750923382514" border="0" /></a> Certainly the day I first went it was a cold fall day but with a couple feet of snow and without the comfort of seeing scrubby grass or other signs of life, this landscape went from austere to misanthropic. When the sun is shining and you're standing at the top, its easy to enjoy the surroundings. But when the clouds roll in and the snow begins to blow, one can easily anthropomorphize the weather's intentions.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SS3DjW3k0lI/AAAAAAAAAkE/Z0I0dB0QL3Y/s1600-h/IMG_0010.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SS3DjW3k0lI/AAAAAAAAAkE/Z0I0dB0QL3Y/s320/IMG_0010.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273085750922236498" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SS3DjRVKYsI/AAAAAAAAAkM/eiLoFpPrNFk/s1600-h/IMG_0011.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SS3DjRVKYsI/AAAAAAAAAkM/eiLoFpPrNFk/s320/IMG_0011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273085749435720386" border="0" /></a>This is a great day trip to the pass and back but camping on the other side opens up routes to hike out Ribbon valley or Guin pass back to hiway 40 for a great multiday hike.and then the_doctorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12648947724821535410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937957704721440076.post-77281669680713925642008-10-02T15:12:00.000-07:002009-10-20T19:31:24.979-07:00Pocaterra!trailhead 7239 ft 1st mountain 8758 ft total 9.3km<br /><br />Pocaterra ridge is the finest hike we've ever done. The trail meanders past golden larches into sculpted cirques, through meadows, to lofty vistas. This has it all including a fitness test of a mountain to ascend before carrying on tip-toes across a knife-blade ridge that finally cured my vertigo.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SOVKk-A7TQI/AAAAAAAAAVY/gVVFxpFktw0/s1600-h/backside+poca096.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SOVKk-A7TQI/AAAAAAAAAVY/gVVFxpFktw0/s320/backside+poca096.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252686539380182274" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />We chose to do this as a car shuttle with Nolah and Carrie parking one car at the foot of Gap Peak and the other car at Highwood pass where we started. At left is the west half of Pocaterra ridge including a rather hair-raising traverse below the crest of the mountain at center.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Here Suz and Nolah throw their backs into the first big ascent. We shared this slope with a few mountain sheep that were pretty casual about us. I enjoy the view of Gap Peak and El Poca seen behind me.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SOVKKflpPjI/AAAAAAAAAUo/baRQEMsklOk/s1600-h/suz+big+stride005.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SOVKKflpPjI/AAAAAAAAAUo/baRQEMsklOk/s320/suz+big+stride005.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252686084536090162" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizBqWtSi7C8Ob4Fcpp146wLgjKcfZ-D84zkeuWVMupqBPX1VrGZkQqfhurUhBEKy8YKrPJ3lr8vc1m4VA__PKohmFgePbH6BgW_10KPfcjF9EKsA1RLv2rhmSNMe7yTMtWBcvXXL-XRSg/s1600-h/dave-pocaterra.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizBqWtSi7C8Ob4Fcpp146wLgjKcfZ-D84zkeuWVMupqBPX1VrGZkQqfhurUhBEKy8YKrPJ3lr8vc1m4VA__PKohmFgePbH6BgW_10KPfcjF9EKsA1RLv2rhmSNMe7yTMtWBcvXXL-XRSg/s320/dave-pocaterra.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252686539199257746" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Below is the view from the north peak. We scrambled atop the crest of this ridge trying not to look down either side too much.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrUdn94qqYWgJqlkxZr4d-h1m_r1un2HU4aul6zxFApdZVmUbQsGhgsH_TV1YgCo-Fj02bFxdmKJIVyeEdeTHv4RQN-niiLrHIGYXSBHQimLqMRiHh7A1MCtw4lYg0_TNWMBN-xf1B5Yo/s1600-h/pocaterra-ridge.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrUdn94qqYWgJqlkxZr4d-h1m_r1un2HU4aul6zxFApdZVmUbQsGhgsH_TV1YgCo-Fj02bFxdmKJIVyeEdeTHv4RQN-niiLrHIGYXSBHQimLqMRiHh7A1MCtw4lYg0_TNWMBN-xf1B5Yo/s320/pocaterra-ridge.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252686088357302194" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Here, Suz reacts to her position in the world. This spot may be my favorite square foot to stand on in Canada. Nolah carefully negotiates a downclimb below the summit. This was a pretty intimidating spot owing to its position a thousand feet above the valley floor. As with many things in the mountains though, they look much scarier from afar and when you're right there, the way is more straightforward. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SOVKKW5anBI/AAAAAAAAAUw/NhCGhURCXoA/s1600-h/suz+poca+ridge008.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SOVKKW5anBI/AAAAAAAAAUw/NhCGhURCXoA/s320/suz+poca+ridge008.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252686082203098130" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I'm still amazed at the ease that her dog Sophie made it through here!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SOVKkozziwI/AAAAAAAAAVI/eXrn_PsbLAU/s1600-h/nolah+scramble007.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SOVKkozziwI/AAAAAAAAAVI/eXrn_PsbLAU/s320/nolah+scramble007.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252686533688003330" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />In this picture I've drawn our route in light blue, it probably needs to be clicked on to see the detail. Going at a fairly casual pace, it took us 6 and a half hours for the complete traverse. We give this trip our highest rating possible owing to its spectacular scenery and proud sense of accomplishment. We were constantly looking back where we had just come from and being very impressed with ourselves. Though not difficult, being perched atop very narrow sections and knifing along very high cliff faces does test the nerves.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9lg5HHyiRZX5BxXRMoaxfIbQHSwy1zEfeqOe2M3BGPqf9sSZHOUZ5OMt7nJ5rfDC9p-PCijVMtPSpsFeAQBbATyO9yPQimyx8Y3n1fj8JSr3SCpySJgnlVvjZcCFK82iqXACeWt09P4/s1600-h/poca-ridge+route.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9lg5HHyiRZX5BxXRMoaxfIbQHSwy1zEfeqOe2M3BGPqf9sSZHOUZ5OMt7nJ5rfDC9p-PCijVMtPSpsFeAQBbATyO9yPQimyx8Y3n1fj8JSr3SCpySJgnlVvjZcCFK82iqXACeWt09P4/s320/poca-ridge+route.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252686086748685186" border="0" /></a>and then the_doctorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12648947724821535410noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937957704721440076.post-49254555381657427212008-09-28T20:17:00.000-07:002009-10-20T19:31:43.440-07:00Mt Cory / Cory Pass<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-1FaMKcJRo-3TWSgmYeEA8r2RYchojcSgkRjUflER0SCKrqcLtpAT5py1lLQlK9W9kgikC-ujGYcNEJtADNYX-_jvFcxcgnUW6_akgsHucLm7M31QqqtMIoVc-YuW29R5ryVktXakr6E/s1600-h/Walkabout0025+Mt+Cory.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-1FaMKcJRo-3TWSgmYeEA8r2RYchojcSgkRjUflER0SCKrqcLtpAT5py1lLQlK9W9kgikC-ujGYcNEJtADNYX-_jvFcxcgnUW6_akgsHucLm7M31QqqtMIoVc-YuW29R5ryVktXakr6E/s200/Walkabout0025+Mt+Cory.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251282211117517186" border="0" /></a><br />Mt Cory, seen on the left has always been on my list. It has 3 big ribs that are rather interesting, the leftest (east) being the ascent route. Technically, its considered easy peak.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The first bit of this climb is usually referred to as "shaley cliffs." I would rather call it "ball bearing like marbles miraculously hovering over slippery cliff bands." Anyway, by myself, it seemed foolhardy to be clinging and slipping over this stuff so I morosely came back down and headed up the col that connects Mt Cory to Mt Edith.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SOBN1eqalzI/AAAAAAAAATk/i4kpcIQ-FzU/s1600-h/mt+cory20.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SOBN1eqalzI/AAAAAAAAATk/i4kpcIQ-FzU/s200/mt+cory20.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251282746673370930" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SOBN1TigtzI/AAAAAAAAATc/LGQ1957WOTY/s1600-h/mt+cory12.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SOBN1TigtzI/AAAAAAAAATc/LGQ1957WOTY/s200/mt+cory12.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251282743687427890" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />A picture of me making up my mind about the slippery cliffs and a view from Mt Cory of Mt Rundle,<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The path to the pass is wonderful at lower elevations as it passes through open meadows and<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SOBQHgUS50I/AAAAAAAAATs/9h3M-KwW6c0/s1600-h/IMG_0031.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SOBQHgUS50I/AAAAAAAAATs/9h3M-KwW6c0/s320/IMG_0031.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251285255378364226" border="0" /></a> groves of aspen sprinkled with ancient douglas fir. It looks like a scene from a cowboy movie though I didn't run into anyone whose name may have been Hoss.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />As the trail climbs out of the meadows, it rises at a steep and unrelenting pace with rewarding views of the valley below. As a second prize trip that day, it was fantastic. In fall, the first half hour of Cory Pass is a must do for its almost cliched pastoral beauty.<br /><br /><br />click on this panorama of the valley for a better sense of the view from just halfway up.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SOBQIP7sduI/AAAAAAAAAT0/7KexIaEi2vE/s1600-h/mt+bow-valley-from-cory-pass.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SOBQIP7sduI/AAAAAAAAAT0/7KexIaEi2vE/s320/mt+bow-valley-from-cory-pass.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251285268160083682" border="0" /></a>and then the_doctorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12648947724821535410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937957704721440076.post-39384438351257242542008-09-25T21:27:00.000-07:002009-10-20T19:32:08.798-07:00West Wind Passtrailhead 5600 ft pass 6888 ft elevation gain 1290 ft round trip 6km<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNxrGAEy3oI/AAAAAAAAASQ/xMiH83SEkjY/s1600-h/west-wind-route.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNxrGAEy3oI/AAAAAAAAASQ/xMiH83SEkjY/s320/west-wind-route.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250189016450653826" border="0" /></a>Have you ever opened up the fridge and looked at that can of ice creme sauce, you know the chocolate syrup in the yellow can, and just taken a big spoon and gulped a massive dollop?<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />That's kind of what the West Wind Pass is like. In one hour you go from standing around the tranquil shore of Spray Lake to the chocolaty delicious heights of the Windtower overlooking both the Spray valley and Bow valley. In terms of hiking effort, this is the easy desert lurking in the fridge.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNxrGQ3dfPI/AAAAAAAAASo/_kh5bJTPhtA/s1600-h/west+wind+dave6.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNxrGQ3dfPI/AAAAAAAAASo/_kh5bJTPhtA/s320/west+wind+dave6.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250189020958129394" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Spray Lake and Mt Engadine behind me.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNxrGOPnX_I/AAAAAAAAASY/FH5M9Si_IRA/s1600-h/west+wind0003.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNxrGOPnX_I/AAAAAAAAASY/FH5M9Si_IRA/s320/west+wind0003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250189020254134258" border="0" /></a>West Wind was not named by the same people that named Greenland and in this picture. my hair looks like its in a wind tunnel! We found a spot just under the overhang behind me to have lunch and eyeball the route to Pigeon mountain, a future trip.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNxrGH-jIWI/AAAAAAAAASg/HkDGRbYb1AI/s1600-h/west+wind+suz09.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNxrGH-jIWI/AAAAAAAAASg/HkDGRbYb1AI/s320/west+wind+suz09.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250189018571940194" border="0" /></a>After a brief lunch, we scrambled up the shoulder of The Windtower for a better view of Spray Lake. After this short reconnoiter, this peak has made it on next years list of peaks to climb.<br /><br /><br />It seems like our favorite hike is always the last one we do! Certainly for a late start, short drive, and quick catapult into the sub alpine, this hike has lots to offer. Our rating: 8.5 dollops of chocolate syrup out of 10and then the_doctorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12648947724821535410noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937957704721440076.post-89138468713129015352008-09-22T14:20:00.000-07:002009-10-20T19:32:30.378-07:00Mt Bourgeautrailhead 4596 ft Harvey pass 8025 ft round trip 19.2km elevation gain 3431 ft<br /><br /><br />When a couple of Suz's friends from England passed through our neck of the woods, Suz offered to take them out on a hike in Banff. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNgMiLWQuoI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/Ay_j-9p0Tlo/s1600-h/bourgeau-route.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNgMiLWQuoI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/Ay_j-9p0Tlo/s320/bourgeau-route.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248959147001559682" border="0" /></a>Mt Bourgeau is just a few kilometers west of Banff so off we went to check it out. If we hadn't been visiting, we probably would have become impatient with the longish trudge through the trees.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />This chore done with though, the trail opens up to the sub alpine where waterfalls are switchbacked and cliffs soar above. Bourgeau Lake is typically pristine as most mountain lakes tend to be. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjffIsipDCk2-_pr93oy_Lr8c2K-aSAH55pg5FRsoCkBAxZv7mJuGZZ95flPVOaCcdU9Cz4M1EAo-CQwxZgmozVG3x5PZgJBuz0o-oXS9lUMqfNfaVwDNkCAX44PZcRiPU-QTEt6En467Y/s1600-h/Bourgeau1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjffIsipDCk2-_pr93oy_Lr8c2K-aSAH55pg5FRsoCkBAxZv7mJuGZZ95flPVOaCcdU9Cz4M1EAo-CQwxZgmozVG3x5PZgJBuz0o-oXS9lUMqfNfaVwDNkCAX44PZcRiPU-QTEt6En467Y/s320/Bourgeau1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248959148455036770" border="0" /></a>Upon gaining the upper bowl, you are treated to grassy ledges, trickling creeks and rocky, rolling decorations. These alpine meadows always make me feel like a dog suddenly off leash trying to run in three directions at the same time.<br /><br />With a little more effort, we wandered up further to reach Harvey pass. The picture below is looking north from the pass. Somehow the rest of our pictures got erased while we were in Newfoundland (I blame the time change.)<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC8Qm3eRIaCHDX6QGg_fCmFqrAQNajG1ah_Po84iNYYg8loO3iW_DSOKx9RvC5o95f84bXqduQ1kTtA7EO6FZUqcsZXgWizpbn9ohyphenhyphenD_k52MDH1qQoX6XANYX4Isu5potbqpvIxZuDjtI/s1600-h/Bourgeau2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC8Qm3eRIaCHDX6QGg_fCmFqrAQNajG1ah_Po84iNYYg8loO3iW_DSOKx9RvC5o95f84bXqduQ1kTtA7EO6FZUqcsZXgWizpbn9ohyphenhyphenD_k52MDH1qQoX6XANYX4Isu5potbqpvIxZuDjtI/s320/Bourgeau2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248959153274409282" border="0" /></a>Harvey pass is the start of the climb up Mt Bourgeau. At this point we turned around as we had a very leisurely coffee in Banff to start the day. Next Year I guess. On descent, our blue skies quickly turned afoul and a cold rain pounded us for hours as we retreated. I had played raincoat roulette that day and left my raincoat in the car. Not thinking it was a big deal since we were on an easy trail, I paid the price and got well deserved ribbing from Suz.and then the_doctorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12648947724821535410noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937957704721440076.post-89500234132493052812008-09-22T13:59:00.000-07:002009-10-20T19:32:55.524-07:00Middle Sistertrailhead 4380 ft summit 9085 ft roundtrip 20.4km elevation gain 4704 ft<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNgHiWedwNI/AAAAAAAAAQs/byv0qLZd3mo/s1600-h/middle-sister-route.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNgHiWedwNI/AAAAAAAAAQs/byv0qLZd3mo/s320/middle-sister-route.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248953652430618834" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNgHiHRq1sI/AAAAAAAAAQk/nHX-zR_to8U/s1600-h/middle+sister+05.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNgHiHRq1sI/AAAAAAAAAQk/nHX-zR_to8U/s320/middle+sister+05.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248953648350418626" border="0" /></a><br />Since Middle Sister is part of the canon of Bow valley summits I would be remiss without an attempt. Left to right in the picture below:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Little Sister is a rock <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNgHimThCcI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/VTLKvWQCqLA/s1600-h/Three_sisters_r.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNgHimThCcI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/VTLKvWQCqLA/s320/Three_sisters_r.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248953656679664066" border="0" /></a>climbing pitch, Middle Sister is a scramble and Big Sister is an alpine climb. The route, shown above is a long trudge up Stewart creek starting on the outskirts of the Canmore Golf Course. Stewart creek eventually becomes a rocky, dry bed of boulders and dry waterfalls that emerge several kms later in a bowl connecting the Three Sisters to the Rimwall. Great views of the cliffs and the Bow valley greet you as you make your way up. On this particular trip, I packed it in at the Col connecting Middle Sister from Big Sister or the right-hand saddle in the photo. I was really too tired to be in the mountains even though I was tantalizingly close to the summit, but I will certainly come back here to finish this one off.and then the_doctorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12648947724821535410noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937957704721440076.post-83308544037508547962008-09-18T19:46:00.002-07:002009-10-20T19:33:38.897-07:00Sparrowhawk Tarnstrailhead 5642 ft. upper tarns 7872 ft. total elevation gain 2230 ft 10 km return<br /><br />Our tried and true hiking bible proclaimed that "surely there are Orcs hiding in the rocks here" and we can testify that this valley is the most Tolkeinesque we've seen. The trail begins on the Smith-Dorien road on the shore of Spray Lake and climbs between Mt Bogart and Mt Sparrowhawk which I attempted last fall. The trail follows a babbling brook then disappears into a huge rockslide. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNMiYk75xzI/AAAAAAAAAQM/LpbZLYC7VeU/s1600-h/marmot++2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNMiYk75xzI/AAAAAAAAAQM/LpbZLYC7VeU/s320/marmot++2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247575796443891506" border="0" /></a>One navigates through boulders ranging from house to car to appliance sized all under the eaves of heavily castelleated cliffs that look almost like eroded palaces.<br /><br /><br />In the upper bowl, a colony of marmots sunned themselves and pawed at the rubble looking for grubs and other yummies. They pay little attention to us and so we got within a fluffy tail length of them.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />At the top of the cirque above the trees, at Mt Bogart's side are the glacial fed tarns or small lakes. Each one the size of a large swimming pool, and all on different grassy terraces flowing into one another as though we were in the back yard of a wealthy giant. Lichen covered rocks split the scenery up into flowing rooms that are wonderful to roam through allowing a different tableau at every turn. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNMmHyj4ZpI/AAAAAAAAAQU/3StTVsure_w/s1600-h/sparrowhawk+tarns+suz+rockfield23.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNMmHyj4ZpI/AAAAAAAAAQU/3StTVsure_w/s320/sparrowhawk+tarns+suz+rockfield23.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247579906089969298" border="0" /></a><br />In the picture, Suz makes her way through the rockslide with Spray Lake in the background<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNMmgJu4eaI/AAAAAAAAAQc/DWlsqYUacdY/s1600-h/sparrowhawk+tarns+dave1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNMmgJu4eaI/AAAAAAAAAQc/DWlsqYUacdY/s320/sparrowhawk+tarns+dave1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247580324626987426" border="0" /></a>. I'm pausing with part of Mt Sparrowhawk rising behind me to the right. Having it loom over us all day made me want to return to have a successful summit there to make up for last years retreat.<br /><br />All told we loved this hike and give our highest rating to date: 9 out of 10and then the_doctorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12648947724821535410noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937957704721440076.post-34332525451085143082008-09-18T19:46:00.001-07:002009-10-20T19:33:54.898-07:00Mt Grotto<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNMXQAh_9xI/AAAAAAAAAPs/rY7MfkbVXa4/s1600-h/mt+grotto+rainbow.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNMXQAh_9xI/AAAAAAAAAPs/rY7MfkbVXa4/s320/mt+grotto+rainbow.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247563554604709650" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNMXRUDeTsI/AAAAAAAAAQE/Y78iXujDWAY/s1600-h/1515_GrottoTmb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNMXRUDeTsI/AAAAAAAAAQE/Y78iXujDWAY/s320/1515_GrottoTmb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247563577025253058" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />After finishing work for the summer, I wanted to hit the slopes while I still had my bush legs so while Suz was hard at work I climbed Mt Grotto via the ACC direct route (the yellow line in the photo.) I made the 8881 foot summit in 2 hours and 30 minutes, a time that I will not likely ever break. The weather just cleared in time to present me with a rainbow over the Bow river, but the wind was howling so hard I had<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNMXRIaw8HI/AAAAAAAAAP8/uxU9dJkfFtc/s1600-h/grotto+summit2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNMXRIaw8HI/AAAAAAAAAP8/uxU9dJkfFtc/s320/grotto+summit2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247563573901717618" border="0" /></a> to stuff kleenex in my ears to keep my head from pounding. In the pictures below left,the town of Canmore and on the right is the front ranges marching southwards. This trip is more of an accomplishment than a pleasant journey but it was a good welcome back to the mountains of home. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNMXQuudpzI/AAAAAAAAAP0/nzwBGU-NNw0/s1600-h/mt+grotto+summit+2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNMXQuudpzI/AAAAAAAAAP0/nzwBGU-NNw0/s320/mt+grotto+summit+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247563567005017906" border="0" /></a>and then the_doctorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12648947724821535410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937957704721440076.post-58471323473780439012008-09-18T19:46:00.000-07:002009-10-20T19:43:57.929-07:00A rare weekend roam while at workDuring the summer Suz came out to visit me in Kananaskis while I was at work. I did some lighter duty work so she could walk around with me all day which was pretty fun. We looked at some clearcuts and some reforestation. Here's Suz delivering her "stump speech" take note hopeful MPs, this is how you do on-the-job- photo-ops!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdw9FKS07Cw4D5FECBkaUldriTnOhMeZrfooCMWGo_GurQ5dwIBkdtporV0rlKk2TYNbvAsUTYzCgSZE9QsndPtrL_5x1DM4HqufMnVJ13zTd-zy3T-E0us6Rs8C81m4OcE24V8pCUU8/s1600-h/stump+speech267.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdw9FKS07Cw4D5FECBkaUldriTnOhMeZrfooCMWGo_GurQ5dwIBkdtporV0rlKk2TYNbvAsUTYzCgSZE9QsndPtrL_5x1DM4HqufMnVJ13zTd-zy3T-E0us6Rs8C81m4OcE24V8pCUU8/s320/stump+speech267.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247559230391404578" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This last picture is from my helicopter, its a shot of the Martin Hills at sunset. The leaves are all green but they were reflecting scorching red as the sun set. Part of a circular rainbow can also be seen, one of the rare joys of flying around all day.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3LeS-tzXb5KpmN6SkwXYrCginh1Bpc0PIw9Zst64BYpFlT132sreJR77XJlWCFdyaPzvrjzA7czyf2zMbe8OKL6CbsWBSQj8i-n1WirFFwpF5TS9Ep5M3b_p9fJDBnHgKXgaLkztbY5w/s1600-h/alberta+sunset+heli.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3LeS-tzXb5KpmN6SkwXYrCginh1Bpc0PIw9Zst64BYpFlT132sreJR77XJlWCFdyaPzvrjzA7czyf2zMbe8OKL6CbsWBSQj8i-n1WirFFwpF5TS9Ep5M3b_p9fJDBnHgKXgaLkztbY5w/s320/alberta+sunset+heli.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247560507252903250" border="0" /></a>and then the_doctorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12648947724821535410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937957704721440076.post-68119871706104194162008-09-17T20:05:00.000-07:002008-09-17T21:41:47.109-07:00Feb winter activities<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqV4mQ3LrQTIbM7cmeyUh8LqOkrXSwYtzFWl0nc-mGGm-1VAStMvrgwa2urctjYAGKiYdwwSiAS6hWJBti5zAz4LeiTs3VerRQ8IAyhh2pxuPLIoxPTRM4Qzug9AEScKrA-pt8U3QlWOM/s1600-h/spray+river+xc+ski10.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqV4mQ3LrQTIbM7cmeyUh8LqOkrXSwYtzFWl0nc-mGGm-1VAStMvrgwa2urctjYAGKiYdwwSiAS6hWJBti5zAz4LeiTs3VerRQ8IAyhh2pxuPLIoxPTRM4Qzug9AEScKrA-pt8U3QlWOM/s200/spray+river+xc+ski10.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247200978327784690" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPUNusWLNOtCzG9i1CvXL2KfK4G-5cc3NE6zqtMIMOxwb0dBnM2GRY568o4nCx9_4ksZDjYg8BYiPZni9AYeVv8IzdqCJjaY9wUx4kS1HRCpSiGSE8nDxqKx4Zfc3GiK6bpGU7M7gFM6Q/s1600-h/spray+river+xc4.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPUNusWLNOtCzG9i1CvXL2KfK4G-5cc3NE6zqtMIMOxwb0dBnM2GRY568o4nCx9_4ksZDjYg8BYiPZni9AYeVv8IzdqCJjaY9wUx4kS1HRCpSiGSE8nDxqKx4Zfc3GiK6bpGU7M7gFM6Q/s200/spray+river+xc4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247200978912735986" border="0" /></a><br />Got lazy with updates. Must get last winter's stuff on here before it snows! Too late, it snowed in Canmore already. Anyway here comes a torrent of updates:<br /><br /><br />We XC 'd the spray River trail starting from the Historic Banff Springs Hotel and meandering down the valley towards Spray Lakes. It was a triffle warm but any time you can get a sunburn in the winter is a good day methinks. Its an easy trail with some long glides and great scenery a mere double pole from downtown.<br />____________________________________________________________________<br /><br />Johnson Canyon is swell trip made better if you can go when there are no tourists. Winter we thought might be just such a time. So we donned the <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNHPYs3RPtI/AAAAAAAAAOs/33sFjkfbtbE/s1600-h/johnson+canyon033.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNHPYs3RPtI/AAAAAAAAAOs/33sFjkfbtbE/s320/johnson+canyon033.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247203064130125522" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8BCiSd05F_H-6hAV_t4nya_vRsoOwU_gWDL2x1UUnEkk6H15aboui6Tthl1DwZVtiPguVBJX19aoCPAEp9FHiZWYYdvYEk6dEdRnz_J-EQ2UAFQMFweynsqoR6BiDDQZqJwZPwkdnT8U/s1600-h/johnson+ice+climbers0043.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8BCiSd05F_H-6hAV_t4nya_vRsoOwU_gWDL2x1UUnEkk6H15aboui6Tthl1DwZVtiPguVBJX19aoCPAEp9FHiZWYYdvYEk6dEdRnz_J-EQ2UAFQMFweynsqoR6BiDDQZqJwZPwkdnT8U/s320/johnson+ice+climbers0043.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247203065612402962" border="0" /></a>spikes and headed up the canyon. Its a wonderland in the winter with massive curtains of icicles and the frozen river makes access to nooks and crannies much easier.<br /><br />In the pics, Suz walks right up to the frozen torrent that normally one sees from high above behind a railing. At the upper falls a team of ice climbers studies a route.<br /><br />____________________________________________________________________<br /><br /><br />Another crowded spot that winter emptied for us was Lake Minnewanka, on Banff's outskirts at the eastern flank of Cascade mountain. There we found some curious ice formations, pressure fractures piling up against the rocky shoreline.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitgFChW_e4Anh893GgyLD-9j6H58Aai2oiwhU1thuwunepfYF9YUJAL1KmBwYeEnSh-7K7GunmKhtOt0v69OdzfqXamSKd5r2msPfE8j6jgmAHsBn1wgVzlViQa3PsUjpqbDvC6kJORcE/s1600-h/lake+minnie15.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitgFChW_e4Anh893GgyLD-9j6H58Aai2oiwhU1thuwunepfYF9YUJAL1KmBwYeEnSh-7K7GunmKhtOt0v69OdzfqXamSKd5r2msPfE8j6jgmAHsBn1wgVzlViQa3PsUjpqbDvC6kJORcE/s320/lake+minnie15.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247207135031067186" border="0" /></a><br />Along with our friend Jim, we moseyed along the lake down to Stewart creek which we followed for several kms. The snow depth finally turned us back<br /><br />As beautiful as this lake is, it has seen its share of grizzly events. There's been a few cougar attacks here and Aylmer pass leading out the north side is often closed because of heavy bear density. This lake is a popular trail to cycle around in the summer but winter is a great time to visit the places usually crowded in the summer.<br /><br /><br />____________________________________________________________________<br /><br />For minimal effort and a great reward, Stony Squaw Mountain is an easy outing. The trail starts at Mt Norquay and rumbles up a several hundred feet to the top yielding a great view of the Bow corridor and Banff. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNHVm3Wo8yI/AAAAAAAAAPE/fnnQLn7pUgc/s1600-h/stoney+squaw+mt7.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNHVm3Wo8yI/AAAAAAAAAPE/fnnQLn7pUgc/s320/stoney+squaw+mt7.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247209904533992226" border="0" /></a> Again, I can only assume that this trail is crawling with people in the summer, but then again, the summer crowds seem to be pretty predictable in their reluctance to get off too far from the pavement. Not much snow had fallen recently and we didn't even need snowshoes to get to the top.<br /><br />We did a few other ski trips that muddle now in my mind 8 months later! Had some great powder days alpine skiing though pictures would mostly be white!<br /><br />In this pic, snow piles up in the Louise backcountry<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNHZvxRJdcI/AAAAAAAAAPU/xVNAw9ML03U/s1600-h/mineshaft-feb-8.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNHZvxRJdcI/AAAAAAAAAPU/xVNAw9ML03U/s320/mineshaft-feb-8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247214455565678018" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNHZvnQDXfI/AAAAAAAAAPM/WKTmZGvWB4A/s1600-h/jan+31+going+down.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/SNHZvnQDXfI/AAAAAAAAAPM/WKTmZGvWB4A/s320/jan+31+going+down.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247214452876729842" border="0" /></a><br />I had one very trying experience traversing Louise's back bowl in a total whiteout. The snow was deep and fluffy enough, and visibility was so bad that I honestly could not tell if I was moving or not. A strange sensory deprivation. The picture above was one of those perfect days. I had this pitch to myself for the day.and then the_doctorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12648947724821535410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937957704721440076.post-76737286880175476962007-12-17T16:10:00.000-08:002009-10-20T19:34:34.371-07:00Avalanche TrainingAvalanche Skills Level 1<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcbPBeT_fyDJJv4mqbISIW47BGKmt-DmVNIYbLlXWH1hcVUAOVKHUy45HTOid3zaMmGuAqxDjnBp3_TeXBSpY90sh24g-29oFkEUsPUOMsU4Yf3UpIH2pCQDXuffJY6NxoP11zc2I0yLI/s1600-h/avalanche-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcbPBeT_fyDJJv4mqbISIW47BGKmt-DmVNIYbLlXWH1hcVUAOVKHUy45HTOid3zaMmGuAqxDjnBp3_TeXBSpY90sh24g-29oFkEUsPUOMsU4Yf3UpIH2pCQDXuffJY6NxoP11zc2I0yLI/s320/avalanche-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145100435074957426" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/R2cRmvZZwII/AAAAAAAAALc/2eMjcWMIH48/s1600-h/avalanche-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/R2cRmvZZwII/AAAAAAAAALc/2eMjcWMIH48/s320/avalanche-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145100456549793922" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/R2cRm_ZZwJI/AAAAAAAAALk/mOwifSZCGRw/s1600-h/s+IMG_0024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/R2cRm_ZZwJI/AAAAAAAAALk/mOwifSZCGRw/s320/s+IMG_0024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145100460844761234" border="0" /></a><br />We first did an uneventful day of classroom training at the University of Calgary. Later in the day we picked up some gear we rented from the outdoor club and headed out passing by the Olympic ice oval. I hadn't seen it before so we poked our head in and who was the first person we saw but Catriona Le May Doan, the fastest skater in the world!<br />The field class was at Bow Summit, north of Lake Louise on the Icefields Parkway. The hike on snowshoes from the highway up through the trees onto the summit pitch was really gorgeous. Along the way we learned some terrain recognition, how to make snow pits to assess the snow pack and of course avalanche rescue. Its a delicate art using the beacons quickly in waist deep snow.<br />As you can see from the pictures, there was lots of snow making me wish I was skiing rather than schoolin! In the first picture of the two of us, you can just make out the frozen Peyto Lake. In winter it sleeps off a summer of millions of tourists gawking at its milky green colour. On the way home we stopped in Banff for coffee with friends while we let the ski hill crowd cluster the highway back to Calgary. All in all, a fun weekend in spite of the serious and sometimes scary subject mater.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/R2cUr_ZZwKI/AAAAAAAAALs/ZYL5iVXe_Ig/s1600-h/cert+dave+IMG_0025.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/R2cUr_ZZwKI/AAAAAAAAALs/ZYL5iVXe_Ig/s320/cert+dave+IMG_0025.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145103845278990498" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6oFVZBW6Lkqj6RRMw6zMLyFukytcC22dtgdB33kZNKBIQ8utycr7wN_jCHkPoj6hXXJK1ITKNymaqOMN86Dxf7EfbmBQKmGL49p4Wf24M02krsTtqFfjNsYZx-GQaLxLNePIE2C1h8uo/s1600-h/cert+suz+IMG_0026.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6oFVZBW6Lkqj6RRMw6zMLyFukytcC22dtgdB33kZNKBIQ8utycr7wN_jCHkPoj6hXXJK1ITKNymaqOMN86Dxf7EfbmBQKmGL49p4Wf24M02krsTtqFfjNsYZx-GQaLxLNePIE2C1h8uo/s320/cert+suz+IMG_0026.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145103888228663474" border="0" /></a>and then the_doctorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12648947724821535410noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937957704721440076.post-66455947101924017052007-12-09T19:36:00.000-08:002009-10-20T19:35:33.088-07:00Snow Bunnies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_o1S9Or8PACr04iKIbZ-X2nqZC7iEJxAcJaq8Uqzhm8ns7at1GEC3-FDMt_BUmATrUOSNpQFYMYUuoZr8XwFp1dkHWohO2I6aOjAEPq61mU_Qj8G2k4rlmHE9hqDI103MLBU7PDnXHtM/s1600-h/Great+Divide+ski.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_o1S9Or8PACr04iKIbZ-X2nqZC7iEJxAcJaq8Uqzhm8ns7at1GEC3-FDMt_BUmATrUOSNpQFYMYUuoZr8XwFp1dkHWohO2I6aOjAEPq61mU_Qj8G2k4rlmHE9hqDI103MLBU7PDnXHtM/s320/Great+Divide+ski.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5142183356173238578" border="0" /></a><br />Winter is officially here, at least in our minds. Calendars be damned. Sure, we've been out at Lake Louise and Suzanne has worn her winter boots on more than one occasion around town, but it always felt like it wasn't quite winter; it was still shoulder season. No, this isn't a reference to Dave or his physiotherapy. Shoulder season is when those who like to roam around are suddenly stuck in the city, paralyzed by indecision. Do we muck about in our hiking boots and gaiters? Do we pull out the skis? How warm is it? How cold? Isn't it better just to stay in the city limits and drink coffee and read the paper?<br />That time has passed. Dave has been to the Lake a few times already (most of them while Suzanne toils away in the coal mines). But today was her turn. Together, we travelled out to Lake Louise for an afternoon of skiing. Alone, we skiied. Dave braved the masses for a few hours on Louise, while Suzanne travelled towards the Chateau to find some cross country trails. Despite being the end of the weekend, Dave found some great snow off Larch that hadn't yet been sullied by tourists. For her first solo ski of the year, Suzanne found the Great Divide, a rolling logging road trail that offered clear direction and nice tracks. And dogsleds shared the trail. After deciding to let the thousands of Calgarians jet down the highway home, we stopped in Banff for a Mex-inspired meal at the Magpie & Stump. We highly recommend it for its cheese soup, large portions and lovely margaritas.<br />Next week, we take our avalanche safety course. The backcountry awaits.Suzannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01392549454126991122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937957704721440076.post-32600754882705313572007-10-21T13:58:00.000-07:002009-10-20T19:35:03.815-07:00Read's Tower/Mt Sparrowhawk<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxvI0xI2mII/AAAAAAAAALM/KVl8pq9tRPo/s1600-h/sparrowhawk-morning.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxvI0xI2mII/AAAAAAAAALM/KVl8pq9tRPo/s320/sparrowhawk-morning.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123909809933293698" border="0" /></a><br />trailhead 5642ft 10,239ft summit vert gain 4597ft<br /><br />My first attempt at a 10,000 footer<br /><br />The picture at left was the last picture my camera took before the batteries ran out! Its 5:56am and I'm taking one last look at the maps before I set out. I guess I'll blame forgetting extra batteries on the early hour but the route was long and I needed every ounce of daylight for this solo trip.<br /><br />With Suz out in Tofino learning how to surf, I thought I'd try a solo trip to Read's Tower and up if conditions allowed to the summit of Mt Sparrowhawk. Both are on the east side of Spray Lakes.<br /><br />In lieu of my own pics, I'm relying on pics I found on the net of the route. This led to an amazing coincidence...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_9GWyynByYM3bbMj07tKIqjmyde3FZXqt3PAZgPU6YpbxaAw_3Fh6cwXnSYGfVpbFai6TyD52MvtFlQBrBbdp4GCJqVBnhLPfQ73X3aps-EISdlB3EhQnyf2nkyAFqZnTQ6Qvx1NCdk/s1600-h/mt+sparrowhawk+from+spray+lake.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_9GWyynByYM3bbMj07tKIqjmyde3FZXqt3PAZgPU6YpbxaAw_3Fh6cwXnSYGfVpbFai6TyD52MvtFlQBrBbdp4GCJqVBnhLPfQ73X3aps-EISdlB3EhQnyf2nkyAFqZnTQ6Qvx1NCdk/s320/mt+sparrowhawk+from+spray+lake.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123899433292306498" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />this is Mt Sparrowhawk as seen from Spray Lake, I was surprised to discover its just as orange as shown on my map.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/Rxu_ZRI2mGI/AAAAAAAAAK8/Dymn7kaH2ik/s1600-h/view+from+read%27s+tower+col.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/Rxu_ZRI2mGI/AAAAAAAAAK8/Dymn7kaH2ik/s320/view+from+read%27s+tower+col.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123899441882241122" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Here is a nice view of Spray Lake on the way up to Read's Tower.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/Rxu_ZhI2mHI/AAAAAAAAALE/TT1m3-Aq8Fc/s1600-h/william+Marler%27s+footprints.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/Rxu_ZhI2mHI/AAAAAAAAALE/TT1m3-Aq8Fc/s320/william+Marler%27s+footprints.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123899446177208434" border="0" /></a><br />At about 9000 ft on Mt Sparrowhawk, I found myself on the final pitch to the summit. The snow however was substantial and wind polished to a marble finish that was really too dangerous to try by myself without an ice axe. The really weird thing is that through the snow pack were two sets of footprints set like concrete. That's not so weird but when I went online looking for pictures to show where I had been, I found this one on the left <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">dated 3 days before my trip! </span>The footprints in this picture are the very ones I was following! The internet is pretty cool. So as it turned out I was following William Marler's footprints. I don't know him but it blows my mind that I found out who's footprints those were. Sherlock Holmes himself would be impressed.<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> </span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/Rxu_ZRI2mFI/AAAAAAAAAK0/uBGSiTmB1Cg/s1600-h/sparrowhawk-aerial.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/Rxu_ZRI2mFI/AAAAAAAAAK0/uBGSiTmB1Cg/s320/sparrowhawk-aerial.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123899441882241106" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />And so I enjoyed the view of the surrounding peaks including a great vantage of Mt Galatea 10km to the south. It was pretty cold to stay more than 10 minutes before making my way back down.<br /><br />A funny thing happened in the cirque. The cirque has a very narrow opening before it drops straight down to the watershed. In the doorway that I was forced to go through, I thought I could see a brown animal sitting a prominent rock. It was 50ft away from me and I was joking to myself that that rock looks like it has a cougar on it. What a perfect spot to hunt in this bottleneck. Then I saw the brown shape move and I realised that there <span style="font-weight: bold;">was </span>an animal on it! I did a quick scan and realized I had no where to go and no way to avoid this spot. I gave a low yell and started throwing rocks into the ground beside me. Before I could get properly terrified though, it jumped off its perch to reveal itself- a mountain goat. I laughed with relief but was puzzled it was perching like a hunching cat on this promontory.<br />Scare and all, I'll definitely go back here when there is less snow. I'll make sure I have camera batteries too.and then the_doctorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12648947724821535410noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937957704721440076.post-71342159885393120582007-10-21T12:52:00.001-07:002009-10-20T19:35:59.704-07:00Mt Indefatigable7.6km 5658ft trailhead 8150 summit vert gain:2508ft<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxuuMRI2l9I/AAAAAAAAAJ0/ZK--Ps0hEoM/s1600-h/route+mt-fatty-aerial1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxuuMRI2l9I/AAAAAAAAAJ0/ZK--Ps0hEoM/s320/route+mt-fatty-aerial1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123880526846269394" border="0" /></a><br />This was our season finale trip, our first attempt of Mt Indefatigable or Mt Fatty as its called locally. At left is an aerial shot (not mine) that I've drawn the route on though the summit is out of frame. Suz's friend Karen and her dog Rocky joined us on this trip.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxuvtBI2l-I/AAAAAAAAAJ8/FzQvk8mPSC4/s1600-h/1+fatty-lakeview2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxuvtBI2l-I/AAAAAAAAAJ8/FzQvk8mPSC4/s320/1+fatty-lakeview2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123882188998612962" border="0" /></a> The view from the lower hog's back of Upper Kananaskis Lake is stunning. Behind Suz is Mt Surrail whose buttress we climbed on our Rawson Lake trip. I'm always in awe how beautiful this area is and how few people there are here.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxuxChI2mAI/AAAAAAAAAKM/8PpEW2fTaQQ/s1600-h/3+mt+fatty+-+17.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxuxChI2mAI/AAAAAAAAAKM/8PpEW2fTaQQ/s320/3+mt+fatty+-+17.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123883657877428226" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />left: The last push to the summit was one of those optical illusions that made it seem like it was only a hundred more feet to the top. Karen puts her back into the final push to the top. In the background, the Opal range stands on its hind legs. The route follows a brutal drop off most of the way, the girls didn't seem to mind walking right along its edge which of course gives me the willies. Rocky also had no problem peering down into the void, enjoying the sure footedness of four legs.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxuylRI2mBI/AAAAAAAAAKU/yVxoaZWrJAg/s1600-h/+4+mt+fatty+-+31.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxuylRI2mBI/AAAAAAAAAKU/yVxoaZWrJAg/s320/+4+mt+fatty+-+31.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123885354389510162" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ADgTjhyONaVUVe3bOvikM8UTekoJOCHu2eyAQpp4RBb4xALdIEUS8-x8WoU-Emh7DhJrOVLySngFwQl7gjSyPwYgnZfVbrnyp1OFZpweJXncugDRn_nIigl2L9x9q3qr1_hDFgBcajY/s1600-h/5+mt+fatty+-+20.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ADgTjhyONaVUVe3bOvikM8UTekoJOCHu2eyAQpp4RBb4xALdIEUS8-x8WoU-Emh7DhJrOVLySngFwQl7gjSyPwYgnZfVbrnyp1OFZpweJXncugDRn_nIigl2L9x9q3qr1_hDFgBcajY/s320/5+mt+fatty+-+20.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123886483965909026" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Suz rewards herself with some kibbles at the top of Mt Indefatigable. The summit is bounded on three sides by knee- weakening death drops. I was dying to crawl on my belly to the edge behind Suz and gaze straight down to the valley but I just couldn't manage.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />left: This is the picture I'm going to send my surgeon. I was pretty pleased.<br /><br /><br />Like many season finales, this one didn't disappoint. Once off the summit block, Karen and Suz used a plastic bag as a sled and rocketed down the snow-filled cirque. Their laughs were punctuated with screams as they covered a couple hundred feet in a minute. A perfect end to a great day!<br /><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TSFQXrCa3RA"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TSFQXrCa3RA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed>here's a short vid I made of the summit panorama. Its not the best quality, but it gives an impression.<br /></object>and then the_doctorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12648947724821535410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937957704721440076.post-35374446970508692102007-10-21T12:32:00.001-07:002009-10-20T19:36:34.106-07:00Mt Yamnuska5km 4511ft trailhead 5905ft end vert gain:1500ft<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxupdRI2l6I/AAAAAAAAAJc/L4bfNLU3L1M/s1600-h/1+ascent+YAM.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxupdRI2l6I/AAAAAAAAAJc/L4bfNLU3L1M/s320/1+ascent+YAM.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123875321345906594" border="0" /></a><br />I felt so guilty when this gorgeous fall day called me out to the mountains while Suz was at work. When she got home looking quite tired, I actually chickened out telling her right away knowing what a nice day it had been to be working inside!<br /><br />That being said, I've often been curious about Yamnuska, the closest true mountain to Calgary. The south face is a rock climbing hot spot due to its rock quality and verticality as the picture shows. The route I chose traverses to the east and approaches the summit block from the north.<br /><br /><br />left:hiking up to the summit block<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxuqwxI2l7I/AAAAAAAAAJk/AR8ashpoqGw/s1600-h/2+bow-valley-yamanuska.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxuqwxI2l7I/AAAAAAAAAJk/AR8ashpoqGw/s320/2+bow-valley-yamanuska.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123876755864983474" border="0" /></a>The best feature of this trip is that you're really perched on the edge of the prairies<br /><br /><br />left:Bow River leaves the Rockies on its way to Hudson Bay<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxuryRI2l8I/AAAAAAAAAJs/YOFNtZbvgq0/s1600-h/2-yam-view-of-cmc-valley.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxuryRI2l8I/AAAAAAAAAJs/YOFNtZbvgq0/s320/2-yam-view-of-cmc-valley.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123877881146415042" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />left: on Yamnuska looking north into CMC valley.<br /><br />I was very intrigued to finally see north of the trans Canada and the bow valley! There's no roads north of Canmore so its sort of a Shangri-La to me to finally see what was on the other side. As it turns out, CMC valley is a Shangri-La, and I'll certainly drag Suz here for a longer amble through here.and then the_doctorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12648947724821535410noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937957704721440076.post-62516845022779622522007-10-21T11:45:00.000-07:002009-10-20T19:36:59.672-07:00Guinn winter ascent/Lillian Lake18km 5084ft trailhead 8000ft col vert gain:3000ft<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9l_RwBl8SwNObvDkTTVPuV507A_J9ZYa5sTSn4I92EldwVKf2Iiz82R5PBQsanWnz4CjM4mN9fI6lz6F8ZVed4AOOkkcEa_SE_K4kaXT7WNRIOG5S49428BwHhVn1mUGf57_kejLJhwI/s1600-h/guinn+w+jim+-+05.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9l_RwBl8SwNObvDkTTVPuV507A_J9ZYa5sTSn4I92EldwVKf2Iiz82R5PBQsanWnz4CjM4mN9fI6lz6F8ZVed4AOOkkcEa_SE_K4kaXT7WNRIOG5S49428BwHhVn1mUGf57_kejLJhwI/s320/guinn+w+jim+-+05.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123863819423487810" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIjafA1pjlFoB-NBOBGzry8JhaRySuAxMkZUk-oTvlcKtVbSpypwanunDxFkfB8kBREfNMElhx_-X3kSY9Jqu9uFF-mrQL4A4SmBAJ8Bt5HCiaUYdSe7Kgjdeu_ZKt6-y30aWQlMsnTes/s1600-h/guinn+w+jim+-+04.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIjafA1pjlFoB-NBOBGzry8JhaRySuAxMkZUk-oTvlcKtVbSpypwanunDxFkfB8kBREfNMElhx_-X3kSY9Jqu9uFF-mrQL4A4SmBAJ8Bt5HCiaUYdSe7Kgjdeu_ZKt6-y30aWQlMsnTes/s320/guinn+w+jim+-+04.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123863840898324306" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxugrRI2l2I/AAAAAAAAAI8/LUQ6ey6v2Yc/s1600-h/guinn+w+jim+-+07.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxugrRI2l2I/AAAAAAAAAI8/LUQ6ey6v2Yc/s200/guinn+w+jim+-+07.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123865666259425122" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />For Thanksgiving weekend, my friend Jim came out for a backpacking trip. Its been a long time since I carried around a big pack. When I'm working in the bush, I usually have helicopters and quads to carry my life around so I was paranoid about weight. Above, Jim proudly sips a take-out coffee that lasted from Calgary.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxugsBI2l3I/AAAAAAAAAJE/NhcfUPDNyOM/s1600-h/guinn+w+jim+-+08.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxugsBI2l3I/AAAAAAAAAJE/NhcfUPDNyOM/s200/guinn+w+jim+-+08.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123865679144327026" border="0" /></a><br />After gaining around two thousand feet, the crux of the trip faced us. A very steep gully for a thousand feet taking us over a pass and then down the next valley to our proposed camp.<br /><br />Here we are taking a break, fuelling up with chocolate for the big push. The snow though had drifted and in places was knee deep. Climbing<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxuiTxI2l4I/AAAAAAAAAJM/dRg36rP66Z8/s1600-h/guinn+w+jim+-+09.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxuiTxI2l4I/AAAAAAAAAJM/dRg36rP66Z8/s320/guinn+w+jim+-+09.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123867461555754882" border="0" /></a> a 45 degree slope through deep snow is very hard. Couple this with altitude and we would take 10-20 steps and rest for 10 seconds. We didn't talk much and I kept thinking that I'd try and go a bit further but was doubting whether we'd make it up.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxuiUBI2l5I/AAAAAAAAAJU/Jz5PQM1iQ_w/s1600-h/guinn+w+jim+-+11.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxuiUBI2l5I/AAAAAAAAAJU/Jz5PQM1iQ_w/s320/guinn+w+jim+-+11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123867465850722194" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The pictures above are above the treeline. At this point, the temperature has dropped to around minus five and the wind is blowing very hard. There was nothing enjoyable about this part of the trip. It was really a test of will in a binary world of up/down, quit/go on. And so, at 4pm we crested the summit and stared down into the valley we were going to camp in and had a quick assessment of conditions. We thought that the snow was very deep on the other side and perhaps we might not be able to climb out if we went in. This was complicated by the fact that our backcountry permit technically only allows us to camp in that valley. Of course when its -15 with windchill and you're standing at 8000 feet surrounding by nothing but the overwhelming, the park bureaucracy seems pretty meaningless.<br />Prudence prevailed though and we ended up hiking back down the way we came and over to Lillian Lake where we pitched our tent as dusk enveloped us. We were proud of the ascent but we sort of felt as though this campsite was our second place. Amazingly, there was two other groups camping in the snow and they had a passable fire going already. When they asked us where we had come from, we filled with pride when their mouths dropped as we pointed up at the mountain we had just retreated from. With hot coffee brewing we looked up at the route and answered their questions. Success is relative. The next day we packed up the tent and hiked back to the roadand then the_doctorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12648947724821535410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937957704721440076.post-35376613658447570172007-10-20T15:01:00.000-07:002009-10-20T19:37:25.589-07:00Wasootch11km 4700ft <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">trailhead</span> 6986ft summit ridge <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">vert</span> gain 2200ft<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxuJ9hI2luI/AAAAAAAAAH8/rGz6Un4LXnU/s1600-h/wasooth-chinook-composite.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxuJ9hI2luI/AAAAAAAAAH8/rGz6Un4LXnU/s320/wasooth-chinook-composite.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123840691024598754" border="0" /></a><br />The day began with a first hand look at a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">chinook</span> formation. I've seen a few "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">chinook</span> arches" from the east looking west but this was the first time I've been right underneath it. This picture is a 6 picture composite <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5htOBxA-P0mgBiSChLGoqd_EpcQHsmiuxp2J7_JUX-z2brsU1JtSbsihchX2ybdMbM-lowFyfQQ507aw9-PQqVXzB0idh1m_g38qZTf9fM7xMRdZQMPOfkPQ2OLb3YbXQK-8PVyh46OY/s1600-h/1+wasootch-route---33.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5htOBxA-P0mgBiSChLGoqd_EpcQHsmiuxp2J7_JUX-z2brsU1JtSbsihchX2ybdMbM-lowFyfQQ507aw9-PQqVXzB0idh1m_g38qZTf9fM7xMRdZQMPOfkPQ2OLb3YbXQK-8PVyh46OY/s400/1+wasootch-route---33.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123848181447562994" border="0" /></a>I made to get a 180 degree view and it really deserves to be clicked to get a close-up look. The wind pummeled us with gusts I can only guess were close to 90km/hr.<br /><br />The route (I've drawn it in red) starts off the highway on the east side of Barrier Lake (Lac <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">d'obstruction</span> as we like to call it) and quickly launches you above the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Kananaskis</span> valley. The photo here shows the first half of the route tracing its way along the top of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Wasootch</span> ridge giving you constant 360 views.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxuRxBI2lwI/AAAAAAAAAIM/IqdQoRHB_yg/s1600-h/3wasootch%21+-+15.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxuRxBI2lwI/AAAAAAAAAIM/IqdQoRHB_yg/s320/3wasootch%21+-+15.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123849272369256194" border="0" /></a>The snow wasn't much of an impediment and really only served to make the vistas more dramatic. At the left <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Suz</span> pauses with the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Wasootch</span> creek winding its way far below.<br /><br />Its a testament to the area that in spite of the wind punishment, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Suz</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxuTVxI2lxI/AAAAAAAAAIU/ortjhWy_vUQ/s1600-h/3wasootch%21+-+17.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxuTVxI2lxI/AAAAAAAAAIU/ortjhWy_vUQ/s320/3wasootch%21+-+17.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123851003241076498" border="0" /></a> still has a smile!<br /><br />Here's a typical example of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">ridgeline</span>. For the most part its wide enough to navigate while still gawking around. In places however, it narrows down. One six foot long section is only two boots wide and a couple thousand feet down on either side. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Suz</span> pranced across this like a mountain goat but I found myself with both hands down crabbing across not liking things at all.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxuVIhI2lyI/AAAAAAAAAIc/5Z4Zu4N8aKc/s1600-h/1wasootch%21+-+34.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RxuVIhI2lyI/AAAAAAAAAIc/5Z4Zu4N8aKc/s320/1wasootch%21+-+34.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123852974631065378" border="0" /></a>Here's one of the reasons I wanted to do this route, the rare Limber pines, <span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Pinus</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Flexis</span></span> (sometimes <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">latin</span> sounds made up) They only grow at high altitudes and especially on ridge crests. I've only seen a few and these certainly were astounding. Twisted into bonsai shapes over hundreds of years, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">ridgeline</span> is littered with them. This species is very draught tolerant and nearly impervious to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">winterburn</span> allowing it to grow in perfectly <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">inhospitable</span> environments.<br /><br /><br />click on this pic to get a closeup of this ancient survivor.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">couldn't</span> resist trying to dangle my legs over the abyss on this rock ledge that was cambered slightly back from the ledge. I could only force myself to get my feet over the edge which I counted as a small victory over my acrophobia.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQlnRoNCnTQfwEb_G38YRI3aoniaIsmztJibTfbeHQX9xMnSbiVYSV3BcFk5_ddvRa8U8SpIcCxS974ykAw3xuMxuCXWmIEemcy4ZT848Cym2z8an3lXIBsv_qiwz7r-8d4IkVFaa7_0/s1600-h/5-wasootch-edge.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQlnRoNCnTQfwEb_G38YRI3aoniaIsmztJibTfbeHQX9xMnSbiVYSV3BcFk5_ddvRa8U8SpIcCxS974ykAw3xuMxuCXWmIEemcy4ZT848Cym2z8an3lXIBsv_qiwz7r-8d4IkVFaa7_0/s320/5-wasootch-edge.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123856943180846898" border="0" /></a><br />Even though we were wind whipped we loved this trip. The terrain was the perfect challenge to our ability level and the view was superb. Added to that was the thrilling overtones provided by the chinook though I occasionally worried about being blown right off the ridge. It wasn't likely to happen but I worried about it anyway.<br /><br />Suz wants to return here on a nicer day and perhaps we'll scramble up the peak connected to the ridge.and then the_doctorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12648947724821535410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937957704721440076.post-57311187265166484282007-10-03T20:41:00.001-07:002009-10-20T19:37:53.077-07:00Ptarmigan Cirque4.5km 7239ft trailhead 7938ft cirque vert gain: 700ft<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSWvLqEZx1Acl1fxwOlAzLlVoPk0l2ZHIHYOJSYGe9soMtRplxzwV26cRGDRx3tKZ3hje_IXfwBAbkxtSYQsYiHkk4V28PbDBvUavAGaeBAdJpYt0xU79ktuNDbmz-oa36-5d2t1C_yTM/s1600-h/1+Ptarmigan+Cirque+-+01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSWvLqEZx1Acl1fxwOlAzLlVoPk0l2ZHIHYOJSYGe9soMtRplxzwV26cRGDRx3tKZ3hje_IXfwBAbkxtSYQsYiHkk4V28PbDBvUavAGaeBAdJpYt0xU79ktuNDbmz-oa36-5d2t1C_yTM/s400/1+Ptarmigan+Cirque+-+01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117321952871487042" border="0" /></a><br />Our trip to Ptarmigan Cirque began with a snowstorm which isn't too surprising at Highwood pass as its the highest public road in Canada. The trailhead begins where the pocaterra cirque trip begins (trip # 3 in the blog) and we were anxious to get a view of that previous route on this trip. In this snowy picture of Suz, you can just make out the unnamed peak we climbed to get the view of the valley (see pic #4 of Grizzly Peak/Col entry)<br /><br />I was a little nervous as well owing to Suz's parents being with us and I didn't want to drag them up a mountain in a snowstorm!<br /><br />After a half hour the snow let up and the sun came out long enough to enjoy the larch trees turning their famous hu<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUkooXVA5vtskHirdOdwE4lIS39H0_-2_2_DxNVum67eBZH2uhA0xUY1zF9v7kqDwlJwkZSb7m-B9MdjOSk-SoqdGiMUPeHJa3r7t5YceIAsCoGqEswKfzENSdqTm1LmNVQDB0klQqmjk/s1600-h/3+Ptarmigan+Cirque+-+14.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUkooXVA5vtskHirdOdwE4lIS39H0_-2_2_DxNVum67eBZH2uhA0xUY1zF9v7kqDwlJwkZSb7m-B9MdjOSk-SoqdGiMUPeHJa3r7t5YceIAsCoGqEswKfzENSdqTm1LmNVQDB0klQqmjk/s400/3+Ptarmigan+Cirque+-+14.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117324791844869714" border="0" /></a>e of orange.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Up in the cirque we found this purple flower making a go of things at around 7500 feet. From this photo you can see that spring and summer have winter breathing down its neck. Summer real<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMk_dSXzMEoAht0jTkwScN-fbrw3HldqLhT9yfqviZ_pO8wRkDx_atcR2gvCb2NDTAcvU9H0WCihvWQ-AJ3V7bwjIDqxG6H6cl9v5t5_ow5ULwylyD_IukiCz0U_LH_CE81ttqLsyc0VQ/s1600-h/2+Ptarmigan+Cirque+-+13.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMk_dSXzMEoAht0jTkwScN-fbrw3HldqLhT9yfqviZ_pO8wRkDx_atcR2gvCb2NDTAcvU9H0WCihvWQ-AJ3V7bwjIDqxG6H6cl9v5t5_ow5ULwylyD_IukiCz0U_LH_CE81ttqLsyc0VQ/s400/2+Ptarmigan+Cirque+-+13.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117325736737674850" border="0" /></a>ly only lasts a couple weeks at this altitude.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Sun is finally out giving us the view we came for. Grizzly col (the second part of trip 3) is the saddle between the two middle peaks. The water in the creek behind me was some of the best I've had. I bottled some and took it home.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RwRnlxI2loI/AAAAAAAAAG8/cFCO_3SxAdI/s1600-h/Ptarmigan+Cirque+-+15.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RwRnlxI2loI/AAAAAAAAAG8/cFCO_3SxAdI/s320/Ptarmigan+Cirque+-+15.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117328975143016066" border="0" /></a>Suz pauses in front of Mt Arethusa beside a larch in full bloom. For a short trip this was pretty satisfying. Suz's parents enjoyed it which pleased me. The weather was perfect right down to the snowstorm which put the finishing touch so to speak on the surroundings. For a two hour hike this trip has got to one of the most underrated as it launches you right into a high alpine ecosystem without having to climb several thousand feet of vertical. For us it was pretty cool to stare across the valley at our route from the previous trip.and then the_doctorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12648947724821535410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937957704721440076.post-85701050271565511422007-10-01T18:59:00.000-07:002009-10-20T19:38:20.472-07:00Guinn Pass16km 5084ft trailhead 7940ft Guinn pass vert gain: 2900ft <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RwGmnhI2ldI/AAAAAAAAAFo/JvixTznzUNE/s1600-h/1+galatea:guinn+pass+-+20.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RwGmnhI2ldI/AAAAAAAAAFo/JvixTznzUNE/s200/1+galatea:guinn+pass+-+20.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116553849510204882" border="0" /></a><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Guinn</span> Pass was a fantastic trip starting at the foot of Mt Kidd, a K-country landmark. The trail crosses <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Kananaskis</span> river and hops back and forth across <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">galatea</span> creek. Before reaching Galatea lake the trail veers straight up to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Guinn</span> pass which is actually a southern extension of the Mt Kidd outlier. We were pleased to time ourselves at 1 hour/ thousand vertical feet.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Suz</span> negotiates a short rock band<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RwGnlhI2lfI/AAAAAAAAAF0/So6psNe0cy8/s1600-h/3+galatea:guinn+pass+-+14.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RwGnlhI2lfI/AAAAAAAAAF0/So6psNe0cy8/s200/3+galatea:guinn+pass+-+14.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116554914662094322" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />view of Mt Galatea as trail climbs up to the sub alpine zone<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYg3uVN8s66aCKroqBTdrV6eLXB0nrKypsmmaAO_DaJI7qXXmSAf8LP_LnKVvGlBifcf8eu-yWkTWOe_gjXufEu13_YvJXIuGgNFj_tW1hw8cluexicK9dDHoNd1LHLuxvTAISxycQ7g/s1600-h/5+galatea:guinn+pass+-+04.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYg3uVN8s66aCKroqBTdrV6eLXB0nrKypsmmaAO_DaJI7qXXmSAf8LP_LnKVvGlBifcf8eu-yWkTWOe_gjXufEu13_YvJXIuGgNFj_tW1hw8cluexicK9dDHoNd1LHLuxvTAISxycQ7g/s200/5+galatea:guinn+pass+-+04.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116556070008296962" border="0" /></a><br />at around 6500 feet we attracted some curious mountain sheep who to a sheep wore an expression of "what are They doing here?"<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RwGpZBI2lhI/AAAAAAAAAGE/P_RO_72mRmg/s1600-h/2+galatea:guinn+pass+-+09.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RwGpZBI2lhI/AAAAAAAAAGE/P_RO_72mRmg/s320/2+galatea:guinn+pass+-+09.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116556898936985106" border="0" /></a>Here we are at the saddle between Mt Kidd and the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">unnamed</span> summit in the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">foreground</span>. From this <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RwGqahI2liI/AAAAAAAAAGM/UZWsynjCZX4/s1600-h/4+galatea:guinn+pass+-+05.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RwGqahI2liI/AAAAAAAAAGM/UZWsynjCZX4/s320/4+galatea:guinn+pass+-+05.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116558024218416674" border="0" /></a>picture you can easily see the steep pitch we climbed to get up here and why we were so tired at the top!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">drinking</span> in the view from around 8000 feet<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RwGrAhI2ljI/AAAAAAAAAGU/A5cRd-sAbcQ/s1600-h/6+guinn-vista.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RwGrAhI2ljI/AAAAAAAAAGU/A5cRd-sAbcQ/s400/6+guinn-vista.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116558677053445682" border="0" /></a>had to splice three pics to get this 180 degree view. Overall this was our favorite hike of the year. The approach trail was very interesting with many fine vistas, waterfalls, outcroppings and varied forest. The ascent wall was a bit harder than required due to my zeal for fresh drinking water, I traversed across to a waterfall to drink and then sort of missed a traverse. We ended up scaling a pretty hairy section only to intersect the traverse higher up and continue on a more calming pitch. On the way down we had a pretty good chuckles seeing how much easier the traverse was.<br />At the top one is treated to 360 panorama with the Opal range( my favorite) spread out like a turkey dinner. Our highest score for this trail:9 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Hoagies</span> out of 10and then the_doctorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12648947724821535410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4937957704721440076.post-17584374822671586472007-09-18T21:06:00.000-07:002009-10-20T19:38:43.726-07:00Rawson Lakes11.3km 5658ft trailhead 7806ft Sarrail ridge vert gain: 2200ft<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Tk_E_iVleYnqJB9uiXukk052HnCk3cE0qwhlJN1X6BiJHp8Vn8Cn_MwIAqK3TJmC6EkQqYJF7GApUk4CIsxfPxcildahyxPJ0334UnTrsWGa9pg-Gr_lmW48vQjYA0ueNRp6JcuMIUA/s1600-h/Rawson+Lake+7-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Tk_E_iVleYnqJB9uiXukk052HnCk3cE0qwhlJN1X6BiJHp8Vn8Cn_MwIAqK3TJmC6EkQqYJF7GApUk4CIsxfPxcildahyxPJ0334UnTrsWGa9pg-Gr_lmW48vQjYA0ueNRp6JcuMIUA/s400/Rawson+Lake+7-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5111769734882494450" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RvCgoJVDh8I/AAAAAAAAAE0/0igG5zA0YV4/s1600-h/Rawson+Suz+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RvCgoJVDh8I/AAAAAAAAAE0/0igG5zA0YV4/s320/Rawson+Suz+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5111762188624955330" border="0" /></a>Next trip was to Rawson Lake, a small tarn above Upper Kananaskis Lake. Really impressed with Kananaskis Lake pictures behind Suz at left. Stunning crystal clear lake with Mt Indefatigable (Mt Fatty as the locals shorten it) proudly guarding the far shore. Strangely, there was no-one around even though you can drive right to this magnificent lake.<br />In an effort to lessen the load of my pack and give my shoulder a break I chose to leave the trail guide in the car. Thus setting in motion the following short drama:<br /><br />Dave: I absolutely will not carry that book around today! (<span style="font-style: italic;">expression denotes total confidence</span>) I stared at the map and totally know where were going.<br />Suz: ( <span style="font-style: italic;">expression of </span>stiffled<span style="font-style: italic;"> scepticism</span> ) Hmm.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">3 hours later</span><br />Dave: Okay maybe this isnt the Surail Ridge but lets just climb up here 'cause I'm positive it flattens out and plus ....<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RvCkOpVDh9I/AAAAAAAAAE8/mpALC7YTBI0/s1600-h/Rawson+Dave+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RvCkOpVDh9I/AAAAAAAAAE8/mpALC7YTBI0/s320/Rawson+Dave+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5111766148584802258" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RvCkPJVDh-I/AAAAAAAAAFE/l0j1FH9mGX8/s1600-h/Rawson+Us+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_axU4FoYiz_U/RvCkPJVDh-I/AAAAAAAAAFE/l0j1FH9mGX8/s320/Rawson+Us+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5111766157174736866" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Anyway, we eventually ended up where we intended. And though they say that the winners write history here I am recording the events. Therefore I will boldly suggest that trudging around, backtracking and climbing blind dead ends added to the adventure of the trip. At least until Suz figures out how to hack this article. The view on top of Surail Ridge was dizzyingly great. All told this trip was 12km round trip with elevation gain of 1200 feet.and then the_doctorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12648947724821535410noreply@blogger.com0