Alpine Soft: July 2023

Monday, July 31, 2023

“Unnamed 2866m” - Scramble

Three summits east of Elbow Lake.

After determining the weather forecast didn’t allow a long enough window for another attempt at the long and complicated Opal Range summits we were hoping for, we turned out attention to a group of summits near Elbow Lake. The recent David Jones guidebook (2020) "Rockies South. The Climber's Guide to the Rocky Mountains of Canada: Volume 1" provides a route description for the three summits immediately east of Elbow Lake. This guide provides routes for these three peaks, identified by the elevation of the summits; 2835, 2866 and 2847. Our plan for Saturday July 29 was to reach all three summits. First up, tackle route 3 on peak 2847, then back track to Elbow Lake, then up route 2 on peak 2866, then hopefully directly link on the ridge line to summit 2835, and probably return to the valley by route 1.

Overall route photo for 2835, 2866 and 2847.
From the David Jones guidebook.

Page from the David Jones guidebook for these three peaks.

Map of the Elbow Lake area, including the 3 summits.
Red line, David Jones descriptions, green lines, our approach.
Blue lines, our scramble on 2866 and 2847.

Blue lines approximate route on 2866 and 2847.

Standard plod up to Elbow Lake, early start so the trail was quiet and the sky was clear, enjoyed the beauty of the day and impressive scenery.

The always impressive Elpoca Tower.

Elpoca Mountain behind the tower.
Main summit is right most point along summit ridge.

Cat's Ears (south summit) above Piper Pass
(right of the tower).
Mount Jerram visible left of Cat's Ears.

Hiked to tight cirque north of the summit of Mt. Rae, south and south west of the summit of 2847, tried to find the described route, no luck. We tried to ascend several sections that would lead to easier ground, but couldn’t find an easy line. We did 3 serious attempts to climb the south or south west aspect of 2847, but our lines ended in sections of loose and dangerous 5^th class climbing, and we didn’t bring a rope. After a few hours of attempting different lines on this peak, we bailed back to Elbow Lake.

Typical terrain, we couldn't find an easy line.

We tried to scramble up this, but it was too loose and steep.

Once back at Elbow Lake, we hiked about a kilometre north from the lake, on the big old Elbow River trail, until directly below the West Ridge of 2866. Picked a line through the trees to the big open slopes west of 2866. We slogged up easy scree to the low point on the ridge immediately north of the summit block of 2866. Once on the ridge, we took the North West Ridge directly to the summit, will a few minor diversions on the right to avoid some steep blank sections, overall moderate to difficult scramble.

Hiking up west slopes.

More slogging up to the North West Ridge low point.

Great views.

Scott happy to be at the ridge low point.

View up North West Ridge.

View down final section of ridge.

Scott at the summit cairn.

OSWB at the summit, got to leave a new summit register.

Cool summit views. Big cairn on the top, but no register. I happened to have a couple of books, pencils and ABS tubing containers. Had the honour of leaving a new register. Looking to the south east, there was a nearby highpoint that could have been higher, so we hiked over there as well. Seemed to be the same height as the cairned peak we were first on. Headed back down the same way we came up, back to the low point on the North West Ridge.

OSWB on the summit of 2866.
Photo by Scott B.

Hiking to the SE highpoint.

From the summit of 2866 looking north to the summit of 2835.
Tombstone Mountain beyond.

Back at the low point, looking up to the summit of 2866.

From the low point on the North West Ridge we headed north on the ridge direct. Easy travel for a bit, then some fun moderate scrambling over the first ridge bump, then easy travel to the final difficulties. I did a difficult scramble, on mostly excellent rock, to the summit of a pointy highpoint just south of 2835m. Scott was too tired to follow and we retreated back to the valley and hiked out with some beautiful views. Fantastic day with impeccable company.

Some easy hiking northward.

View as near the summit of 2835.
I made the top of the pointed highpoint left of the main summit.

View to the point I reached.
Cat's Ear (South) and Mt. Jerram behind.

The closest I got to 2835. Summit not visible here.

2866 getting some cloud build up.

Opal range attempts: Cat’s Ears, The Blade, Mt Barham. Rest/rainy days on South Lawson Peak and Pocaterra Ridge

Cat's Ears
North summit (l), South summit (r)
View from the west.

I was super excited and stoked for this week. The initial plan was to summit most of my remaining Opal Range peaks on my Opal 35 Project. Specifically, we were hoping to reach the top of Cat’s Ears, both south and north summits, Mt. Barham, and The Blade. Also, for fun, a traverse of Mt. Blane from The Blade, I have climbed Blane twice before. 5 summits with 7 full days, should be no problem right? Trip started with setting up a basecamp at the Elkwood Campground in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. We pitched our tent and cooled our beer on Sunday July 23. The recent David Jones guidebook (2020) "Rockies South. The Climber's Guide to the Rocky Mountains of Canada: Volume 1" was the primary source of route descriptions for this adventure.

GR 385179 ('Cat's Ears - south') and GR 382180 ('Cat's Ears - north') attempt – July 24

Basically we went right too early. The description in the 2020 Rockies South book is about 550 metres of rock climbing with about one sentence of route vagueness. We basically reached the col between Cat's Ears South and Mt. Schlee. After pouring over photos, I know where to go next time.

Turning tails, retreating from our highpoint on South Cat's Ear.
'Mt. Schlee' left of Scott's shoulder, Elpoca Mtn. pointy summit to the left.

Rest day – July 25

Slept in, checked weather conditions, drank some beer.

GR 363205 ('Mt. Barham') attempt – July 26

Looking up to "Mt. Barham" on the long approach slope.

A very long and complicated approach, and we didn't even get to the col between The Blade and Mt. Barham. To where we got out the rope, from the parking lot at King Creek, took us about 6 hours.

I am fairly sure the red line indicating the location of the climbing route shown in the photo in David Jones guidebook (2020) "Rockies South..." is incorrect. Either the line is drawn in the wrong spot, or the YDS grade provided is incorrect.

Photo from David Jones guidebook (2020)
"Rockies South. The Climber's Guide to the Rocky Mountains of Canada: Volume 1"

Approaching the big slab.

Photo from David Jones guidebook (2020)
"Rockies South. The Climber's Guide to the Rocky Mountains of Canada: Volume 1"

The red line shows where I ascended.

Approaching the base of the route.

Photo from David Jones guidebook (2020)
"Rockies South. The Climber's Guide to the Rocky Mountains of Canada: Volume 1"

The David Jones guidebook (2020) "Rockies South..." indicates a grade of 5.7. It is not 5.7 climbing where the red line is drawn in the photo. When we reached the base of the big slab, we do go way right. I was able to scramble up a gully to the access the slab higher up. From this point, I followed a line up towards an overhang. All in about 25 metres of climbing above the gully. At first likely 5.8, then steepening to 5.9. I was able to get passive gear low down, but only pitons where the climb got steep. I did have two bomber pitons in places as I approached the overhang, but man, the overhang had no chance of protection and was a strenuous 5.10 to make progress. Since I couldn’t see chance of protection above, I chickened out. Not 5.7 climbing and I was exactly where red line was on the photo. I have a theory of why the red line is drawn where it is, but I won’t get into that here.

Eventually, I was lowered off my top piton. I tried a line way right of the first attempt, and I did a pitch of about 50 metres of 5.6, but above was nothing but overhanging huge roofs, so I rapped down. By this time it was late in the day, and we headed down hill, tails between our legs. Got dark before we reached the valley. Long day, but gained some great beta for next time.

View up the pitch I climbed.
Bailed at an overhang, lower section was 5.8 ish, then
steepening to 5.9+ and the overhang was likely 5.10+ to surmount.

Side view to the slab from further up.

Red line is section that I climbed. Bailed at the overhang.
Does this look like 5.7?

Last view up the big beautiful slab.
Very cool slab feature.

Moon and sunset colours.
View to the summit of Mt. Wintour.

Rest day, South (Little) Lawson Peak – July 27

Very chillaxing day. Threatened to rain all day, cool and cloudy, not a day to bivy high or traverse serious terrain. Hike up Little Lawson and went to Kananaskis Village for dinner. Great views back to our intended objectives in the Opals.

Elpoca Mountain.
Scott and I climbed a new route on the north side of Elpoca
back in June 2017.

Opal beauties.

Mt. Blane on the left, 'Mt. Barham' on right.
Our original plan had us bivying at the col between these this night.

'Rocky Peak' on the left, sharp pointy summit.
FRA to Laurie Kimber and I on that summit in 2014.
'Mt. Denny' double summit on the right.

Scott on the summit of little, Little Lawson.

Rest day, Pocaterra Ridge – July 28

Another chillaxing day. Threatened to rain until noon, then rained a lot in the late afternoon and evening. Hiked up Pocaterra Ridge to get a partial view back to Elbow Lake the summits to the east, our intended objectives for Saturday.