Pasque Mountain

Fri. 29 June:  Pasque Mountain Horseshoe

Porridge!  The secret to hiking success!  I can’t prove it, but I have discovered over the years that a large bowl of oatmeal before a long trek in the hills can sustain you all day long.  So it proved today.  But only just.  For this was one tough hike, full of challenges. The greatest challenges today were route-finding, snow drifts, and endurance.

I had hiked Pasque Mountain before – almost exactly twenty years ago, with RH.  That day proved to be particularly arduous as we strayed off the trail and had to create our own unique, steep route to the summit and back.  This time I was determined to find the right path.  Also today, I planned to make a huge circuit, starting at the trailhead beside the forestry trunk road, and eventually ending up at Wilkinson summit, some four kilometres further south.  This required a bike to be left in the trees right opposite the Plateau Mountain access road.

The secret to Pasque Mountain is an old access road which winds its way all the way to the north summit ridge.  But this elusive road is separated from the trailhead by an elaborate series of meadows and creeks.  After the recent rains, my feet were immediately wet from plodding through damp boggy ground and trails running with water.  Two creek crossings and about two kilometres later, I lucked out and found the access road – which over the years has been gradually returning to nature.  This road climbs steeply onto a lower forested ridge, which allowed my first views of the long summit ridge high above.  There’s a lovely section where the route keeps high above a forested valley, climbing towards the ridge above. 

Then I hit the snow.  There had been record snowfalls last winter, and even today, at the end of June, the road was choked in snow.  Luckily it had melted enough so that I could sneak along the edges, until I found myself out of the trees and up onto the open mountainside.  The road zig-zagged steeply up to the north end of the ridge.

Here were spectacular views of the Front Range mountains to the west.  My route would take me southwards, along the length of the Pasque Mountain ridge, to the north peak, and then along the narrow high ridgeline to the summit at 8,343 ft.  Snow was still drifted, often spectacularly, along the eastern side of the ridge.

The north summit has a sturdy cairn with a wooden stick poking up from it, like a lightning rod - a reminder of the dangers of hanging around here on stormy days.  From the north summit to the peak itself, one follows a narrow, but easily walkable ridge.  That is, apart from one “step”, where for a minute I found myself bridging a deep hole in the rocks, my hands on one side and my feet on the other.  With one heave, I swung myself across to safety.

Pasque Mountain peak itself is not spectacular.  There is no cairn, just an Ordnance Survey marker.  But just a little to the side was a wooden post marking the grave (I suppose) of Belle, the dearly loved friend of some fairly recent visitor to this lonely peak.  I assume it was someone’s dog, but there is no reference I could find on the internet.

Here I stood at the furthest extremity of my hike, a very long way from anywhere.  My route would then turn east, to follow the “central” part of the horseshoe, across several undulating hills.  But it wasn’t that simple.  After a long descent off the summit to the first col, and a climb up the first of these hills, I found another rocky ridge, whose eastern side was choked by snowdrifts.  To reach the next col and the hill beyond, I had to negotiate my way off the ridge, and down through the trees.  In places, the snow was still several feet deep and drifted in among the trees.  I made it across, more by luck than judgment, as there were enough areas where the snow had melted that I could navigate around the deepest drifts.  After my third hill, I came to the summit of what I thought was the eastern arm of the horseshoe.  I was wrong.

Far below me was a bare col, with the eastern arm of the mountain soaring upwards to the east.  From my vantage point on this third summit, I had grand views down into Upper Wilkinson Creek.  Here I was standing on the line where spectacular drifts still lined the ridge.  It was not too difficult to drop steeply down to the col.

Luckily there is an escape route here.  I chose to take it.  The map shows a trail leading from this point down into Wilkinson Creek below, and swinging right, around the hillsides, all the way to Wilkinson summit on the forestry road, a distance of 6.8 kilometres.  It seemed a lot longer. 

But here was my greatest slice of luck.  There is a clear path running diagonally down the steep bare hillsides off the col towards the valley below.  I crossed two gigantic avalanche paths along the way, still filled with snow and broken fir trees.  At this point the trail suddenly vanished.  So I continued down to the creek and followed some wet meadows for a while.  Crossing the creek, I figured the trail was somewhere in the trees to the right.  By complete good fortune I found it.  It was a random discovery, and I can imagine that less than one out of ten people would ever find it.  Without the trail, I would have been destined to a terrible bushwhack down through endless thick forests and perhaps even potential failure.  With the trail, I was safe, as long as I was patient.  For it seemed a very long way down off that mountainside, in thick forest.  This looked to be a newly cut trail of recently felled trees, and some fresh blazing on the tree trunks.

After what seemed to be an eternity, I came to a vague junction in the trees.  I decided to turn left down the steep hillsides, and finally I was rewarded by coming out into a meadow, on the far side of which ran the old forestry road.  A short step through the forest brought me out onto the forestry road itself, just south of Wilkinson summit.  There had been a couple of short, light showers, but now the clouds were thinning out to reveal blue skies.

I pulled my bike out of the woods and enjoyed a fast four kilometre descent of the north side of Wilkinson Pass, back to the car.  Being the start of the long weekend, there were quite a few vehicles on the gravel road, most of them pulling trailers, and kicking up dust. 

I had made it safely.  Way up on the summit I had felt some cramp in my legs, and lower down the trail I was starting to run out of energy.  But thanks to my hearty morning bowl of porridge, I had pulled off yet another magnificent success.  Writing these notes two days later, my legs are still stiff, and I had come perhaps too close to my limits for comfort.  Perhaps next time I will need to use a larger bowl at breakfast-time?

Statistics
Pasque Mountain
Fri. 29 June
Total Dist.	16.6 km (hike) +   4.0 km (bike) = 20.6 km
Height Gain	3,070 ft.
Max. Elev.	8,343 ft.
Time	9 hrs. 4 mins.

Other Stats.
Start hike:      9.23 am Ridge:          11.43 am N. summit:   12.38 pm Peak:             1.06 pm Saddle:          3.04 pm Hwy (bike):     5.51 pm Ret. to car:     6.27 pm	Temp: + 13C to + 16C.  Much colder on ridge. Cloud, some wind, warm, a few isolated sunny breaks.

Moving

While the Passionate Hiker was not able to get out to the mountains this weekend for one reason or another, one being the incessant rain, he is declaring today's workout equivalent to a good hike in the foothills with a heavy pack.   Today he helped M move out of her apartment, which somehow in less than two years seemed to have accumulated four times the amount she started with.

So plenty of EXERCISE but a rare weekend spent in the city.

Measuring Up

Sat. 16 June:  Surveyor’s Ridge, Mt. Ware Circuit

Of all the hiking routes in the Alberta Foothills, this long circuit might be among the very finest.  And on the summit of Surveyor’s Ridge, there was even a welcoming committee! 

This is quite a long, arduous circuit of about nineteen kilometres across a sweep of forested and open-ridged foothills.  The guidebook indicates that it would also need some route-finding skills in the remoter sections.  But thanks to the horse-back riders who have traveled this route, there was never any serious doubt about the right path. 

It was obvious why horse riders come this way.  The views are stunning, and the route is always changing and interesting, but never impossible for riders.  For the hiker, the added enjoyment comes from climbing to the summits of Surveyor’s Ridge and Mt. Ware – which are bypassed by the horse trail.

I would recommend this circuit be done in an anti-clockwise direction, my chosen direction.  The climb to Surveyor’s Ridge, while anything but direct, is easy enough, once you have labored up to the high point on Volcano Ridge Trail.  Just a few hundred metres from the Volcano Ridge Trail, I was treated to the first of several spectacular mountain views, with the vista framed by rugged pines.

Luckily, in the forested sections, the snow had now melted, and only remained along the eastern edges of the high ridges.  Of course, there was still plenty of snow on the mountains framing the western horizon.  Looking east, the skyscrapers of Calgary were visible beyond the low foothills.  The eastern horizon stretched flat as an ocean.  

The summit of Surveyor’s Ridge is at the northern end, and so as I reached the top, I was confronted by a large stone cairn, on which sat a welcoming gopher.  He allowed a few photos before retreating into his hole in the rocks.  The open, grassy ridge spread southwards in front of me, with the distinctive peak of Mt. Ware off to the southeast.  Behind was a wall of snowy peaks.

The only potentially tricky section was the high forested link between Surveyor’s Ridge and Mt. Ware.  But the horse trail was clear as it wound through the trees, out onto open mountainsides, then dropping down steeply to the connecting ridge below.  This was a grand trail, always changing in character.  Higher up it provided great views across to Mt. Ware.  Lower down, it opened up into green grassy meadow ringed by peaks.  It then climbed back up to the open flanks of Mt. Ware, and the final scramble up its steep rocky northern side to the narrow, wind-swept peak.

Mt. Ware has a narrow, short ridge-top with a small cairn.  It always seems to be windy up here.  It sits alone, surrounded by the Front Ranges.  To the north I could see my route up, and along, Surveyor’s Ridge.  You have to be very careful coming down off the very steep slopes of Mt. Ware, as it’s made up of loose rock.  Once down off the peak, it’s an easy stroll down the grassy upper hillsides, through the trees, before the long, steep, forested descent to Gorge Creek far below.

I could not find any decent trail down through the forest, but luckily the trees were not too tightly spaced. Lower down I picked up a trail, and before long I was safely back down on the valley floor.  There is no sign marking the junction, except for a number of sawed-off branches on a tree.  Here in the valley, the grass was green and there were lots of bright yellow dandelions.  The trees all had new leaves on them, blowing in the breeze.

The stroll back down Gorge Creek was a delight.  The path follows the bubbling creek, sometimes climbing high above it on the steep valley sides, and then dropping right down to the stream.  This was a good place to relax by the water’s edge.  By now it had warmed up since the cool start earlier in the morning.  The sun was starting to break out.

I had not seen a person all day.  Only a few yards from the car park, I came upon two groups of hikers starting down the trail.  The car park was full of vehicles, so there were lots of people out there somewhere.

It’s a long trip, but standing on the remote, 7,080 ft. summit of Surveyor’s Ridge, it certainly measured up to expectations.  

Statistics
Surveyor’s Ridge/Mt. Ware
Sat. 16 June
Total Dist.	19.0 km (hike)
Height Gain	2,530 ft.
Max. Elev.	7,080 ft.
Time	6 hrs. 46 mins.

Other Stats.
Start hike:     7.11 am Surv. Ridge:   9.47 am Mt. Ware:     11.19 am Ret. to car:     1.57 pm	Temp:   + 5C to + 18C Cloud, some wind, warm, clearing gradually

Bonus Hike

Sat. 9 June:  Bonus hike: Tunnel Mountain

I had almost written off the day today.  Banff was being deluged by heavy rain, which this morning turned to snow.  Soon there were a few inches of very wet snow on the trees and the RVs in Tunnel Mountain campsite.  The mountains had disappeared last night under the curtain of rain.

So this morning I settled down in my cosy trailer to catch up on some work and to enjoy the snowy scene outside.  Suddenly in mid-afternoon the sky grew brighter and it stopped snowing.  There was a break in the weather.  I was quick to take advantage of this.  Soon I was driving the short distance around Tunnel  Mountain to the start of the Tunnel Mountain hiking trail – one of the original trails in Banff Park. 

The path was covered in puddles, slush, and, higher up, wet snow.  At first, there were no views as the mist was low.  But as I stood on the summit, it began to clear up quickly.  Small patched of blue sky appeared, and there were enticing glimpses of snowy peaks as well as of Banff town-site below me. 

It would be a rare day to have the summit to oneself.  But for a good fifteen or twenty minutes I was alone up there on the most popular of Banff trails.   Then three German guys arrived on the summit, followed by a young couple.  Not exactly a crowd.  The snow was falling off the trees in wet clumps and the pathway was very soggy.

It doesn’t take very long to do this trip, but it has a magic all of its own which much longer hikes often don’t have.  And it was certainly an unexpected bonus on a day of wintry June weather.

Statistics
Tunnel Mountain
Sat. 9 June
Total Dist.	3.8 km (hike)
Height Gain	700 ft.
Max. Elev.	5,544 ft.
Time	1 hr. 20 mins.

Other Stats.
Start hike:      4.04 pm Summit:         4.31 pm Ret. to car:     5.24 pm	Temp:   + 4C Clouds clearing away as I stand on summit.  Wet snow underfoot.

Sulphur Mountain - by foot!

Fri. 8 June:  Sulphur Mountain – by foot

There is an easier way of getting to the top of Sulphur Mountain, but not if you want to do it for free.

The gondola is one of Banff’s biggest attractions, depositing thousands of tourists (mostly Japanese and Brits today) on the summit for a spectacular view of the Canadian Rockies.  On the other hand, even at a fast pace, it’s a good hour and twenty minutes and  twenty eight switchbacks, by the hiking trail.  But it does give you bragging rights at the top.  On the summit, an elderly couple asked if I wanted my photo taken, which I gratefully accepted.  Several Japanese families were also taking photos of each other, accompanied by a loud “Hi, Hi”, which obviously must get better photos for the family album.

The trail was almost entirely snow free, which was a little surprising, although I stepped through a large drift as I reached the summit.

I didn’t stay long at the top, although it wasn’t particularly busy.  After a short stroll along the magnificent boardwalk, I turned off onto the Cosmic Ray Observatory access road, which drops to the Sundance valley far below in three long switchbacks, the third one being several kilometres in length.  The higher sections of this road had large discolored snowdrifts but I was soon below the snowline.  As I dropped down the wide trail, I was treated to fine views of the Bow Valley ringed by snowy mountains half hidden in cloud.  A little chipmunk stopped to give me a perfect opportunity to take his photo.  Lower down, a deer tried unsuccessfully to hide behind a tree.

Down in the valley, I turned right on the Sundance Canyon access road (long since closed to cars) and enjoyed a leisurely walk beside the Bow River.  It was brown and muddy and was flowing swiftly along, thanks to recent rains.  In Banff the water was racing almost menacingly under the bridge, and sandbags had been added to the concrete barriers upstream.

The whole area around the Cave and Basin hot springs was closed due to major construction.  It will be a grand opening (next year I think).

A steady pace up the road past the Banff Springs Hotel - a hive of activity as always - brought me to the final half hour of uphill trails through the forest on a nicely graded route.  Just as I passed below the towering walls of the Rimrock Hotel, the light rain began to fall.  I scurried up to the car park and dived into the car just as the pace of the rain started to increase.  A shower was sweeping across the valley, and this turned into a steady downpour for the rest of the day.  I had timed my hike almost to perfection.

As the day drew on, I watched the mountains disappear and the puddles in the campsite grow.  But this was my first outing in my new trailer, and so I watched this from the luxury of my warm, comfy home.

It promised to rain all weekend.  But once again, Banff National Park had not disappointed.

Statistics
Sulphur Mountain
Fri. 8 June
Total Dist.	18.5 km (hike)
Height Gain	2,820 ft.
Max. Elev.	7,415 ft.
Time	4 hrs. 48 mins.

Other Stats.
Start hike:      8.41 am Summit:       10.11 am S’dance Jn:  11.42 am Banff Spr H:   1.02 pm Ret. to car:     1.29 pm	Start Temp:   + 7C Finish Temp: + 16 C Colder on summit Mostly cloudy, some sunny spells. Starts to rain at end.

Random Ascent

Sun. 3 June:  Moose Mountain

When I left the house this morning, I had no idea where I was going. I ended up on the summit of Moose Mountain!

For some reason I just could not figure out where to hike today, so I headed west along Hwy 22 hoping for an inspiration.  It looked bright and sunny both to the north and south, with a large cover of black clouds over Moose Mountain.  The forecast had told me that it would be mainly sunny until about 11 a.m. after which it would be a wet afternoon in the mountains.  My car led me into the Elbow Valley and then up the Moose Mountain road.  And there I was, at the start of this most popular, but none the less strenuous, route to the top of this bare rocky mountain, with its fire lookout perched on the narrow summit.

I was first in the car park and I had the mountain to myself until I was halfway back down.  After that, I passed a steady stream of hikers, runners and bikers heading up the trail.  There was one large group of kids with their teachers making good progress along the path.

There were quite a few areas of snow along the way, with an occasional well-trodden drift across the trail.  On one steep snowy section I put on my MICROspikes for better traction.  On the final section of mountainside I negotiated a steeper snow-covered mountainside.  But overall it was an easy hike to the summit.  Nobody came out to greet me so I did not stay long – just enough time to sign the visitors book and to enjoy the sweeping view of snowy peaks and unsettled skies.

It was an enjoyable outing with good visibility to the prairie below and the mountains to the west, despite the thickening clouds.  I had completed my journey – including that long uphill section near the end – in just under four hours.  As I drove down the steep hillside back to the Elbow Valley, a procession of vehicles was making its way up the hill – mostly mountain bikers out for some Sunday fun.

My random start to the day ended up being a good workout and another satisfying day on one of Calgary’s favorite mountains.

Statistics
Moose Mountain
Sun. 3 June
Total Dist.	15.0 km (hike)
Height Gain	2,000 ft.
Max. Elev.	7,995 ft.
Time	3 hrs. 58 mins.

Other Stats.
Start hike:     7.26 am Summit:         9.28 am Ret. to car:   11.24 am	Start Temp: just above 0 C Finish Temp: + 5 C Clear over prairie, cloudy over mtns.  Broken cloud, some sun above.  No wind.