Spike Recovery

Sat. 28 December:  Spike Recovery:  Return to Mesa Butte

My trusty MICROspikes recovered from Mesa Butte summit

A snowy cold front raced down from the North overnight, dropping temperatures down to around minus 20C.  But equally quickly it sped eastwards towards Saskatchewan, leaving only an inch or two of new snow behind it.

So I took the opportunity to return to Mesa Butte to recover my MICROspikes from the ridge top where I left them the day before.  It was a bright, crisp day with fresh snow covering the hillsides and trees.  As I parked at the upper wellsite I could see that nobody had been on the trail since yesterday, so I was confident that the spikes would still be there.

As I climbed up the hillside from the car, I was breaking trail through a wintry wonderland.  I continued up through the woods and onto the open ridge.  Although the snow now covered the summit, I found my spikes easily enough, lying under the snow where I had dropped them the day before.  I also remembered to stop at the lone pine tree to dig out the tube from under its hiding place, and to sign the log.  It made fascinating reading, with some voluminous entries of various exploits, including recent midnight hikes.

The air was crisp, and although it was around minus 15C it really did not feel cold.  There was no breeze, although ice crystals were floating past, glinting in the sunshine.  The mountains were draped in mist.

I raced back down to the car and carefully drove back eastwards on the slippery roads.  A few years ago, I managed to lose my snowshoes on Junction Hill.  They slipped off the back of my backpack as I walked through a section of trees.  It took two attempts, requiring me to climb up and down those steep hillsides from the Highwood road, before I found the ‘shoes.  This time I was much luckier. 

Now what is it about my hiking gear, that it seems to want to prolong its stay in the outdoors?!   

Statistics:

Total Distance:   2.8 km (‘shoe)

Height Gain:          670 ft.

Max. Elev.:         5,520 ft.

Time on Trail:     1hr. 17 mins.

Dep. car:            12.17 pm

Top:                    12.53 pm

Ret. to car:           1.34 pm

Temp:               Minus 15 C

Weather:           Sun, cloud, ice crystals.  Hardly a breeze.  Two inches of new snow.

New snowfall last night and much cooler temperatures

Breaking trail to the summit

The "other" Mesa Butte (Deaths Head) in middle background

Front Ranges draped in mist

Foothills and prairie from Mesa Butte summit - winter storm disappearing eastwards

On Mesa Butte on a cold day (minus 15 degrees C)

The summit logbook canister - some voluminous entries!

Ideal snowshoe trail back down through the woods

Compare this with yesterday's picture - new snow overnight