Mt. Athabasca!

It's about time I climbed the Mtn in the photos on our living room wall, from about 8-9 years ago! Mt. Athabasca, the peak on the LHS of the Columbia icefield. We don't much like the word epic, so I won't use it What a great way to round out the summer. Summit views bit smokey, but just gobsmacked by the glaciation that surrounded us.

Of course, we scramblers go up the backside.

From Tom Amaral's trip report a few years back: 'Ten years ago the AA glacier probably spanned the whole valley but its shrinkage (and that of other glaciers in the area) now allows intrepid scramblers to sneak up beside the icefall and sidehill in tedious scree to the summit, no glacier travel required.'

Very happy campers

Vaughan on Silverhorn

Snowdome in the background, (3,451 m) is North America’s only triple continental divide. Snow and ice from its summit can melt into any one of the 3 oceans surrounding our continent (Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic).

Mount Columbia (3,747 m), the highest peak in Alberta and second highest in the Canadian Rockies.

Ready for the summit

Saskatchewan glacier

The 3 summits of Mt. Bryce to the right and below that is Mt. Castleguard.

Crazy icefall coming off of Mt. Andromeda.

Chillin' on the summit

Looking down on Athabasca's north glacier. Icefields visitor center below, Mt. Wilcox on the RHS.

Found the minecraft ducky on the way up, along with a pair of prescription glasses. Wonder if that person found their way down....

Athabasca/Andromeda glacier

Vaughan pointing to.....

The snowcoach bus and the tourists on the Athabasca glacier/Columbia icefields.

AA glacier and Mt. Andromeda.

Home free on the snowcoach road after a 12 hour day.
 

Summer Scrambles

All of these peaks are repeats for me, except Vimy and Crypt Lake hike.  Redoing some of the classics this summer.

On Mt. Buller in Kananaskis.

The register that I placed way back when was still there!!!

Mt. Galwey in Waterton.  Recreating the cover photo of the 3rd edition of the Scramblers Guidebook.

Mt. Sarbach, near Saskatchewan River Crossing.

The crux....right at the summit.

Looking south towards mt Chephren

Mt. Carvarvon and Hamilton lake in Yoho.

Vaughan...gobsmacked by the stunning beauty of our backyard.

Mt. Wapta in Yoho

Didn't make it to the summit of Wapta because of this.  Even though I did it 22 years ago!  Blame everything on old age now😆

The summit block we chose not to go up and live another day....

Looking towards Carnarvon

Vimy Peak in Waterton.  I hadn't been up this peak yet.

Lovely pastel shades

Summit of Vimy, looking into Montana.

Sofa mt on the left, Vimy on the right

Eagle over Waterton lake

The tunnel to Crypt Lake.

Tons of high bush blueberries!

Biking the road up to Temple Lodge, on the way to Pika peak

Hidden Lake

Ran into Oleg from the Calgary Roadrunners club.  He did the triple crown of Ptarmigan, Pika and Richardson in 7 hours!  Did I mention he is only 56?

I want my mommy!

Yvan on Pika with Richardson in the background.  Took us 1:15 to go down Pika to the col and up Richardson.  Took Oleg 35 mins!

Yvan's 100th summit!!!!!!

Another re-creation....this time the cover of editions 1 and 2 of the Scramblers guide.  On Pike with Hector/snoopy in the background. 

Funny little remnant of snow.

Old Mr. Marmot

Galwey

Another crux butt shot on Sarbach

Ditched the ice axe for a couple of canes....I mean poles

A swim in Yoho Lake

At the end of the lake, you actually cross into Montana.