Mount Carthew from Mount Alderson
Mount Carthew
June 8, 2008
Waterton is notorious for it's high winds and we were unfortunate to experience them on this trip. We were buffeted by strong head winds as we descended from the summit. Despite running downhill on good scree, wind gusts hit us with such force that we were stopped in mid-stride and then forced step by step backward uphill! It was like hitting a wall while running at full speed! Other than our experience with the wind our ascent was mostly a hike but the shortcut to the southwest ridge that's described in the book added interest. MOVIE (1:18) |
Mount Carthew from Mount Alderson
Taking the shortcut. Look for a grass corridor that extends down the trail
just
before a cliff band, about 10 minutes from Summit Lake.
Within minutes the rock stacks come into view.
Rock stacks
From the rocks we start climbing but are forced to contour left because of
cliff bands.
Looking back at rock outcropping that we were forced to go around.
Regaining the ridge. False summit appears ahead.
Still on the shortcut, heading to the false summit.
True summit comes into view.
Leaving the summit
View from the top. Mount Alderson is on the far right.