Mount Glendowan June 20, 2020 Waterton Lakes National Park Alberta

Today we headed up to the Red Rock Canyon area of Waterton, this area has been closed to the public since the fall of 2017 (to vehicle traffic).  So since the road opened up we decided to head on up for a great little scramble up Glendowan.  We biked the first bit and then ditched the bikes and headed up the ridge like Carter and I had done 4 years ago.  The bush wacking this time was non existent because the fire took care of that.  The hike was pretty straight forward and for the 2nd time in a row the top was windy and cold.  The clouds blew in half way through the day and we had a little drizzle of rain from time to time.  I remember the down being easier or maybe I'm just getting older.  Anyways a great day and glad to be back in the Red Rock area for hiking...it has been too long. 

Usually the trees blocked the view but had a great look at Anderson early on

You can see all the burned trees in the distance

The flowers were coming up

The fire burned most of the way up this valley heading to snowshoe cabin, from here you can see the trees in the middle that were spared...all the way up to twin lakes

This high point has always perplexed me.  It is an un-named summit the lies between Glendowan and Newman and yet is higher than Newman and is still not named??? Pretty waterfall in middle

Still snow in a few places, the north slopes of Blakiston are completely burned

Summit block in view

Big snow drift thwarted our final approach and we had to circumnavigate because it was too soft to walk on

This jagged ridge (between Glendowan and Cloudy) has been something I've wanted to climb for years...it will have to wait

Wide angle GoPro picture on Summit

Cold Summit Picture

Some areas were definitely chard more than others, at this spot even the under brush hasn't grown back

Track of Hike

Photo Sphere on Summit

Summit Video

5th Sister June 10, 2020 Crowsnest Pass Alberta

Today we planned on going and trying Window mountain, but once we got view of the approach and how much snow there was we decided that was not possible, so we figured we'd try on of the 7 Sisters behind Crowsnest Mountain and we went for the 5th Sister.  I had seen these what I though were little piles of rock behind Crowsnest mountain before but until you get to them you don't realize just how big they are.  Supposedly the 2nd Sister is the only one that has no known ascent.  The others are all technical climbs except for the 5th sister which is not technical but still quite steep and not for the faint of heart.  The approach is the same as Crowsnest mountain except you go straight up instead of turning to the right at one point.  There was a fair amount of route finding along the way and the rock is really crumbly and the meandering through the various rock piles and towers is quite neat to do. Eventually you make your way to the north side of the 5th Sister and climb a craggy steep cliff to the top.  The view from the top over to Crowsnest mountain is spectacular and worth the entire trip.  Return the same way you came and watch for rock falling on the people below you.

Where we left the Crowsnest Mountain trail and headed straight up, at the snow in the middle we went right along the black cliff band till we found the open gully to the summit ridge

View looking towards the ridge between the Sisters and Crowsnest Mountain

Heading along the Black Cliff band heading south toward the open gully

End of the Black Cliff band and coming up the gully

Finding our way up the gully in and out of crumbly rocks and towers

Looking down the gully we came up

Crazy cliffs and crumbling towers

On the summit ridge looking east towards the Livingston Range

Sisters 2, 3, can't really see 4 and 5 from R-L

Sister #2 you can see why nobody has climbed this

Coming up the North side of Sister 5 looking back down

Top of Sister #5, we rebuild the cairn

The awesome view of Crosnest Mountain with Sisters 1-4 below us as well

Heading down the north side of Sister 5

Another view on our way down Sister 5

One last look back at the Sisters

Heading back on the summit ridge towards the gully we would descend

Crowsnest Mountain still had a fair amount of snow on it and would have been tricky to do this early before the snow melted more

At the end looking back at the Sisters

Track of Hike

Summit Video

Video on the way down

Photo Sphere at Summit Cairn

Photo Sphere at South end of 5th Sister

Mount Alderson June 3, 2020 Waterton Lakes National Park

So another year another season of hiking on Wednesday's.  Today Alderson was chosen and if conditions were right maybe an attempt at the ABC of Waterton (Alderson, Buchanan, Carthew).  Well the conditions were too snowy and ABC from Cameron falls is a huge day.  Maybe wait and do the ABC once Cameron Lake road opens up.  Anyways we had a big group and made pretty good time.  We ran into a few obstacles along the way (mostly snow related) but eventually got on top.  There is something special about snow covered vistas.  Also looking down on lakes that were still partially frozen was just spectacular.  It has been almost 9 years since I did Alderson and it definitely did't disappoint.  The skies were clear the only downside of the day was the wind which wasn't terrible but annoying and made it a little cool.  

First Obstacle of the day

At times we were walking on at least 4-6 feet of compacted snow

The Alderson Lake Campsite turn off sign completely covered in snow

Heading up some snow above Alderson Lake

This waterfall was larger than mid summer

Probably our biggest and steepest snow climb of the day, on the way down we got to test out our ice axes and practice self arresting

I think this was a closed trail sign from before the Kenow Fire...not to many people up here since then

Middle Carthew Lake almost completely frozen still

A longer but less steep snow pack above middle Carthew Lake

Looking down on Middle Carthew Lake and Buchanan Ridge and Peak in the background

Carter on top of Alderson looking down on the valley below.  Carter just received his LDS mission call to Canada Toronto Mission to leave in September...he's excited

Summit Photo

This nasty hat has been on many hikes and he said he will probably retire it after this day

Bertha Lake still partially frozen down below as well

Found a windless spot and took this picture of the rest of the ABC hike peaks, Carthew on left and Buchanan Ridge int he middle and Buchanan peak on right

One last view of Alderson Lake on our way down

Photo Sphere on top

Summit Video on Top

Track of Hike