Hiking to Chester Lake
The Fortress
and Gusty Peak
October 9, 2004
We climbed The Fortress and Gusty Peak in one shot. The ascent up The Fortress is worthwhile and straightforward but Gusty Peak shouldn't be on anyone's priority list: from the basin it's 540 m of miserable scree. Our ascent up Gusty Peak was made worse by a snow storm. On both ascents, views were obscured and summit panoramas weren't possible. Climbing The Fortress allowed me to study the ascent up Gusty Peak. I have heard of parties not making it up Gusty so I was carefully to study Gusty's ascent route when we climbed The Fortress. It was especially helpful since after summiting The Fortress visibility was reduced to a few dozen metres. It took nearly two hours to climb from the basin to the summit of Gusty Peak; snow-covered rocks and blowing snow slowed our progress. |
Hiking to Chester Lake
Leaving Chester Lake behind
I stop and wait for Dinah in the valley. On the way back, it would be under
snow (mouse over).
Ascending the Chester-Fortress
col
It's just a hike from the col to the The Fortress
summit block.
Metres away from the top.
I tried going straight up but scrambling right was
easier.
On the summit of The Fortress
Visibility was extremely poor
as we started up Gusty so I was counting on
my earlier observation of the ascent route.
Slogging up the endless scree on Gusty
Peak
Almost on the summit of Gusty Peak.
Coming down from Gusty Peak
After reaching the basin
from Gusty Peak, there's a lot of scree ahead.
Heading back down the valley
82 J/14 Spray Lakes
