Paget Peak II and the North Ridge
Field
August 13, 2011

When Dinah and I climbed Paget Peak nine years ago, we hadn't bothered going to the next high point. Now that time has dimmed our memory of the mountain, and that we were curious of the views past Paget, we returned to follow Mike Potter's trip in Ridgewalks. His route encompasses both Paget Peak and the ridge running north, all the way to a perch overlooking Bath Glacier.

The trip begins with the trail to Paget Peak. Actually, we followed the trail to the false summit south of Paget Peak, and we wondered how many hikers reach this point before turning back. The true summit is only a few minutes away. It lacks a discernible trail but it has the summit register.

From Paget we continued north along the ridge, losing 50 m before ascending the next high point. Then we pushed on to our final destination. After losing 70 m, we climbed the longest and steepest stretch of the trip to reach an unnamed high point, a point with far-ranging vistas that are hidden from view from Paget Peak.

When we turned back, we considered dropping down the west slopes to Sherbrooke Lake Trail, as Potter suggests, but it was such a fine day it would be a shame to leave the alpine views so soon. But neither were we enticed to retrace our steps back along the undulating ridge.

During our ascent, I had studied a bench on the west slope. It appeared to be a fine way to return, and it was. After dropping down from the high point on the north ridge, we hiked up the ridge a bit and then worked our way south, but well below the crest. Save for a couple of spots where we encountered a tumble of talus, we traveled on flat or gentle terrain. The bench was fast, fun and easy. An hour after leaving the high point on the north ridge, we were back on the trail 200 m below Paget Peak. It was a pleasant hike back to our car.

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