I Took The Path Less Traveled By: February 2016

February 15, 2016

Lakeview Peak February 15, 2016

This was a father son hike and my first summit for 2016. It was an interesting weather day. I think we saw about every aspect of weather. We saw rain, snow, hail, sunshine, blizzard blowing snow, wind and no wind. But at least we had a clear view on the top of the peak which was a spectacular view of Waterton and the prairie to the east. We started just as the sun was rising and finished at about 3:30 pm. We had started with intentions of only climbing the Lakeview Peak, but decided to do the Horseshoe Loop trail as well, it was only about 4-5 km more. So the descent around the parks north east corner was different. It would have probably been more pretty in the summer when there was vegetation. The trail was also pretty slippery and covered in snow on the descent down from the Lakeview saddle ridge. Well worth the day and had a lot of fun. There is sure something to say about the beauty of snow covered peaks!

Sun rising as we started on Sofa and Vimy

First view of Rogan or Dungarven SE2 Peak through the snow storm

Galwey appearing on the left and the sun cutting through the clouds

Better view of Galwey and Rogan

Looking back on Bellevue Hill

Almost up on the saddle of Horseshoe Basin Loop where we took the ridge to the top of Lakeview

Looking back on Rogan

Looking down on the valley we came up, Bellevue is the center peak

View from on top of Rogan and Dungarvan

Dungarvan on left and Cloudy Peak in middle with more peaks on the right that are outside the park

Looking north toward Pincher Creek area and the trail we would eventually take

Looking down the ridge of Lakeview towards Waterton Park. You can see Chief Mountain on far left, then Sofa and Vimy and Bellevue on the right

My boy on the Summit with Rogan and Dungarvan behind

Me on the summit with Dungarvan and Cloudy over my shoulders

This is where I almost slipped down the mountain, the snow was covering a good sheet of ice on the trail and so we stayed a little higher on this drifting snow on the trail. Had to kick foot holes in as we went.

Looking back at where we were, Lakeview peak in center of picture

More kicking to make the path safer on the drifting snow on the trails. This north facing side of the ridge was pretty bad for trail slipping, I slipped and fell a few times!

Almost down looking over the prairie

This is the opposite of the picture above looking up a col of Rogan Peak

Looking back at the snowy drifty trail covered ridge we had to come down!

From mountains to prairie, Waterton is truly unique. Looking back on where we came, the saddle we came over is on the far left of picture and the peak on the right is Dungarvan.

Horseshoe basin is a trail that follows the park boundary fence all the way back to where we started. I bet it is prettier in the summer as it lacked all the vegetation on the trees as you can see.

This is my son standing in the most Northeast corner of the park on the Horseshoe Basin Trail.

Sofa and Vimy as we approached the end

We saw a few hundred of these signs along the fence, so we figured we'd get a picture of one of them.

At the end of our journey!

Video on top of Summit

Google Sphere Photo on Summit

Panorama on Summit

Google Sphere Photo near the end of hike

Google Track of Hike

Google Track Stats of Hike:

Total distance: 22.25 km (13.8 mi)

Total time: 6:47:46

Moving time: 6:43:37

Average speed: 3.27 km/h (2.0 mi/h)

Average moving speed: 3.31 km/h (2.1 mi/h)

Max speed: 11.38 km/h (7.1 mi/h)

Average pace: 18:20 min/km (29:30 min/mi)

Average moving pace: 18:08 min/km (29:12 min/mi)

Fastest pace: 5:16 min/km (8:29 min/mi)

Max elevation: 1929 m (6330 ft)

Min elevation: 1337 m (4387 ft)

Elevation gain: 952 m (3124 ft)

Max grade: 39 %

Min grade: -43 %

Recorded: 2/15/2016 8:31 AM

Mapmyhike Track of Hike

February 14, 2016

Winter Scout Camp February 12-13, 2016

Our winter camp this year was a good one, and the weather was great. We headed up to the Community Pasture just south of Mountain View and loaded up our packs (full gear) and hiked about 5 km to the Pole Have Ski Cabin. This Cabin was built in 1939 and was quite nice for our purposes. We stayed the night there and the boys had a great time. We actually were probably too warm in the cabin as I maybe overdid the stove for the night with too much wood. The next morning I wanted to get up and watch the sun rise. So I got up and hiked to the ridge above the cabin and got a great view of the prairie below. The mountains west were not visible through the trees but I did get a stunning view of chief mountain to the south. I came back to camp and the boys were busy sliding down the sides that snowmobiles had made going up the side of the hill in front of the cabin. We messed around there for a few hours and then hiked home.

As a side note I've recently found out that Google is terminating the Tracks app I have used for years, so I'm trying to find a replacement. I tried mapmyhike this camp and I'll try and get the same tracks up of the hikes but I'm just figuring it out.

This little thicket of trees was a humbling site. This is where my daughter almost two years ago had a snowmobile accident

My son holding a piece of the yellow snowmobile that my daughter crashed. We found quite a few pieces of the snowmobile which we took home to show my daughter

This is the site where the snowmobile was laying on my daughter

This was the damage the snowmobile did on the tree when the snowmobile hit it

Chief towering over us to the south

Sun setting on us (this is looking west to the prairies)

The Pole Haven Ski Cabin

My son with the sign saying what year it was built

The stars at night were amazing, this was my feeble attempt at a star shot, I had to doctor the picture a bunch to have the stars show up

This was the flames coming out of the chimney, it was pretty hot in that stove!

Sun rise

This was an edited photo, but it was a beautiful morning!

Sun rising on Chief Mountain

From the top of the ridge looking down on the cabin

Another shot of chief

Coming down from the ridge with a neat shot through the trees

This was where the boys were sliding down hill (Since it had been so warm it was pretty icy and there was no need for a sled)

Inside the Cabin looking north

Inside the cabin looking south

On our way out

Panorama from Pole Haven Ridge where I watched Sunrise

Panorama of Chief Mountain Sunrise

Google Sphere Photo of Chief Mountain Sunrise

These are the Google Track Hikes:

Hike up to the Cabin (Feb 12)

Stats for hike up to Cabin:

Total distance: 4.56 km (2.8 mi)

Total time: 1:44:13

Moving time: 1:31:39

Average speed: 2.62 km/h (1.6 mi/h)

Average moving speed: 2.98 km/h (1.9 mi/h)

Max speed: 9.00 km/h (5.6 mi/h)

Average pace: 22:53 min/km (36:49 min/mi)

Average moving pace: 20:07 min/km (32:23 min/mi)

Fastest pace: 6:40 min/km (10:44 min/mi)

Max elevation: 1610 m (5283 ft)

Min elevation: 1413 m (4635 ft)

Elevation gain: 218 m (714 ft)

Max grade: 16 %

Min grade: -16 %

Recorded: 2/12/2016 3:59 PM

Hike down from Cabin (Feb 13)

Stats for hike back from Cabin:

Total distance: 4.52 km (2.8 mi)

Total time: 1:25:29

Moving time: 1:19:07

Average speed: 3.18 km/h (2.0 mi/h)

Average moving speed: 3.43 km/h (2.1 mi/h)

Max speed: 17.10 km/h (10.6 mi/h)

Average pace: 18:54 min/km (30:25 min/mi)

Average moving pace: 17:29 min/km (28:09 min/mi)

Fastest pace: 3:31 min/km (5:39 min/mi)

Max elevation: 1617 m (5305 ft)

Min elevation: 1409 m (4623 ft)

Elevation gain: 59 m (192 ft)

Max grade: 20 %

Min grade: -30 %

Recorded: 2/13/2016 12:58 PM

Descent from Ridge where I watched the sun rise Feb 13

Stats for hike back from the sunrise:

Total distance: 1.23 km (0.8 mi)

Total time: 43:35

Moving time: 38:29

Average speed: 1.70 km/h (1.1 mi/h)

Average moving speed: 1.92 km/h (1.2 mi/h)

Max speed: 9.00 km/h (5.6 mi/h)

Average pace: 35:23 min/km (56:56 min/mi)

Average moving pace: 31:14 min/km (50:16 min/mi)

Fastest pace: 6:40 min/km (10:44 min/mi)

Max elevation: 1753 m (5752 ft)

Min elevation: 1608 m (5276 ft)

Elevation gain: 7 m (22 ft)

Max grade: 9 %

Min grade: -32 %

Recorded: 2/13/2016 7:37 AM

These Links are of the mapmyhike Tracks:

Hike up to Pole Haven Cabin (Feb 12)

Hike Up to Pole Haven Ridge (Feb 13)

Hike Back from Pole Haven Cabin (Feb 13)

Grad 6 Ski Trip with my Daughter February 9, 2016

I'm not much of a skier. But this was my 4th time skiing. Our Elementary School has had a tradition of taking the Grad 6's on a ski trip for years. When I was in Grad 6 that was my first time skiing. I have since accompanied my two oldest kids skiing on this trip so this was my third Grad 6 ski trip. The other time I went down hill skiing was in Grade 7. So I'm not the most experienced skier. Anyways this was a beautiful day the weather was in the positive temperatures and there was only a little wind. I had a blast with my daughter and we had a good day together, even though at the end she tried a few more difficult runs and wiped out a few times. She said she was never going skiing again! We'll see!