Mt. Wilcox is certainly one of the most scenic routes in the Canadian Rockies.
Mount Wilcox, a standard class 3 route leads to the top.
Feeling being in the right place at the right time..
The BC forest fire smoke was a big concern to us, but for that particular day, the smoke lifted as if Mt. Wilcox welcomed us for only that one day. Next day smoke moved back in and visibility dropped so that even Athabasca could not be seen.
Instead of expected class 3, we accidentally went off the standard route, and sure got steeper terrain to deal with..which added more fun. 8)
This is steep, but the steepest part (and a rockfall) is still ahead.
Mt. Blakiston became our 12th National Parks Highest Point.
1 Mount Rainier United States Washington
2 Mount Whitney United States California
3 Mount Scott United States Oregon
4 Telescope Peak United States California
5 Guadalupe Peak United States Texas
6 Quail Mountain United States California
7 Elephant Butte United States Utah
8 Rainbow Point United States Utah
9 Pilot Rock United States Arizona
10 Yushan Taiwan
11 Fuji-san Japan Shizuoka-ken/Yamanashi-ken
12 Mount Blakiston Canada Alberta
The guide book said "keep right", the GPS said "keep left", so we kept wiggling in the middle.
PHOTO: On the ascent slope of Mt. Blakiston, with Mt. Lineham at the back, which we will climb this same day (total 25km loop, 2,850m elevation gain).
Entering "the crux". Vera decided to climb right side and I climbed the line on the "left". We kept our radios on.
View from the top
Mount Blakiston (L) and Lineham (M) from the slopes of Mt. Hawkins. According to the said guide book, Blakiston is one of the most popular peaks in entire Waterton Lakes National Park, despite that we didn't see anybody - not even single car parked at the trailheads! Instead, we saw a helicopter flying over us three times and lots of very fresh grizzly bear scat. Soon we will know what was going on..8)
Alan Kane的《Scrambles in the Canadian Rockies》新版第29页,罗列了Waterton Lakes的10座攀缘的山,其中2630m的Carthew我们在2015.7.2 登过,2378m的Crandell也尝试过(未能登顶)。而Blakiston是公园的最高峰,时隔两年,它自然成了我们这次的首要目标。Alan在首段里的一句话吸引了我:“ Energetic parties can undertake an enjoyable traverse to include Mounts Hawkins and Lineham." 一日三峰,超有吸引力啊,赶快再翻第30页的示意图,哦,原来这三座山形成了一个三角形,它们都在Akamina Parkway的同一侧,Hawkins在最里面。如果走一个loop的话(trail不封口的环线),从Lineham Falls的TH进去,出口则是Rowe Lakes的TH,这两个登山口相距仅1.3km, 哎呀,多好的deal啊!(哪里像我们的HSCT 的两头隔得那么远,需要两部车才行呢!) 在台湾,充分享受到loop乐趣的我,立马兴奋地向博士汇报,博士倒是很慎重:“让我们看一看,到Blakiston是几点,然后才决定。” 他说得有道理,这又不是徒步,我们也没来过,谁知道路上会碰到什么情况呢?我不吱声,只是心里卯足了劲,嗯,关键时刻我可不要掉链子,咱们明天看,我要努力让这个环线走成!
We mostly like no-return routes - traverses and loops, this way we get to see more things, albeit only once. Vera picked this traverse even though it slightly exceeds our comfort level - 25km total distance with 2,850m elevation gain.
Sunrise at the Upper Waterton Lake in the morning with blue clear skies.
Mt. Hawkins seen from Mt. Blakiston
Despite perfect weather we have not seen any single soul entire day. After Taiwan's crowded and quoted outdoors this was quite a difference.
Mt. Blakiston (L) and Mt. Lineham (M) seen from Mt. Hawkins
Lineham Lakes is a very popular camping place. Now empty.
Despite fantastic clear day, our Crandell attempt was aborted in merely an hour into the mountain after reaching a red tape with the sign "All backcountry is closed due to high forest fire danger, up to $25,000 fine". Now we knew why Blakiston-Hawkins-Lineham area was deserted on the previous day. "Only lake trails are currently available" - we were told at the visitor's centre. Our only (lawful) option seemed to be to start packing..which we did - Glacier National Park in Montana was just across the U.S. border. 8)
好了,这一次应该可以了吧,我也长进了呀。22号,天气还是大好,博士决定带着我二探Crandell,我当然巴不得(就像Wilcox一样),快速准备好,催着博士出发。我们准备得很充分,包括one level up 的绳子等都带了,简直是信心满满。这次博士打算走southeast slopes这个通常的descend路线来上山,因为他想了解这条路线到底是怎样的,我们便还是把车停在了公园Warden's Office对面湖边的停车场,然后步行穿过马路,沿着meadow旁的小路上山。
一段上坡后,左侧有一小径,这就开始进山了。这短短的一段路,我们走了很久,因为景色太好,不停不行。进山后,林子里了,自然就快了起来,可是没多久,又是一条横着的警戒线挡住了去路:此路不通!CLOSED!!我心里那个沮丧,马上就被博士看出来了。“这么好的天,我们还是去吧。” 不行!“这个封路的原因不是因为fire吗?我们又没有和它有关的东西,应该没事吧?不去太可惜了!” 我还在磨着博士。不行!难道我们没有别的地方可以去了吗?非要在这里break the law? 这样冒险值得吗?什么事都有个度,不要总想着cross the boundary!我们离开! (博士严肃起来的样子可是极威严的,何况我也知道他是有理的一方,怎么办?回头是岸。)