 Crowsnest
Mountain - Canadian Rockies
Crowsnest
Mountain from the south
Telephoto of Crowsnest
Mountain from the south
Crowsnest
Mountain and the Seven Sisters from near the SR 940 |
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I had some time to
kill on my day off after scrambling up
Turtle
Mountain, so I went to the Frank Slide interpretive
center. After that I drove off to the IGA to get some salads etc.
and after a bite drove to Coleman.
Still more time to kill so I thought about a treat and went into
the Union Hotel for a draft beer. This was my first beer in a month
and when they asked me if I wanted another I said no and received a
puzzled expression.
Then I was off to Crowsnest Mountain.
From the
Highway I was immediately impressed with the appearance of the
mountain, a singular uplift seemingly un-scramblable from this side.
I drove up Allison Creek road to the base of
the mountain where I found a nice streamside camp at the trailhead.
Three fellows from Edmonton were enjoying a discussion about their
day on the mountain.
I had a nice sleep
only waking occasionally to view Mars, and then later in the night,
the Moon. The night was warm and I used no fly on the tent.
In the morning, the
usual prep, goop up, eat some grub, pack, cane, crooked hat and go.
I caught up with the
family that had left before I got under way, passed them and by the
time I was into the first rock band they were just getting to the
talus slope.
Once I was up through
the second kick-ass rock band (chain), I followed trails, and some
how made my way to the east ridge. It seemed like I could continue
on the ridge, but being alone I thought it best to carefully down
climb and find the trail again.
The summit was all
mine and I could feel the steepness around me. Crowsnest is a cool
mountain. I will go back some day!
On the way down I caught
up to the family just as they were getting back to the parking area.
One of the older boys said "we would have made it, but dad is
getting old" within earshot of said dad. I think dad would have
done better had his giant belly been a bit leaner. After all, he had
been up to the top four times by his recollection.
Chin up dad.
I've read the various
accounts on websites of Edward Whymper and his exploits in the
Canadian Rockies and have decided to post this small section on my
site in respect to Edward.
Unlike other websites, I have decided to refrain from judging
Edward's alcoholism harshly.After all, he was
just another human eh?
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Edward
Whymper (Courtesy Whyte Archives V14 ACOOP-251) |
In retrospect it may
seem to some a courageous act to go up a mountain like Crowsnest
Mountain alone.
Looking back on it,
at the time, it was a new level of commitment for me. (It's really
not that bad though)
Early in the summer I
had found a new friend and in helping her to scramble safely I had
kind of helped myself too. So I really didn't feel like I was alone
on this adventure.
CANADIAN MOUNTAIN PANORAMAS
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12.Crowsnest
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 hou hast a voice, great Mountain,
to repeal. Large codes of fraud and woe; not understood by all,
but which the wise, and great, and good interpret, or make felt,
or deeply feel.
Percy
Bysshe Shelley
1792-1822, British Poet
©
CanadasMountains.com + Tim L. Helmer
Friday February 08, 2008 11:19 AM
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