From
Craigellachie, locate Lybarger Road on the north side of the highway. After 500 meters, turn right on the
Craigellachie-Ansteg FSR (Gorge FSR) and stay on the main road. Just passed the 36-kilometer marker,
take a right on Second Creek Road, 708680. Drive up the drainage to
a spur road, 760659, and veer left. After
700 meters, keep right at a junction, 759666; another kilometer leads
to a switchback, the landing is just beyond that, 757674.
Hike the overgrown road to its end, then climb the cutblock before
heading in a north-easterly direction through dense undergrowth; the
goal is to reach the boulder fields' south-west margin, 765673. Follow
the boulder fields along the mountainside to the basin, 769674. Go to
the west-facing talus slopes at the back of the basin and ascend to the
saddle, 780672. From there, aim for the black rockband and climb along
its base; the upper slopes lead to the summit with no difficulty.
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A radio is recommended on active logging roads.
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Once at the landing, hiking begins beyond this pile of wood. |
Scramble:
RT 6.0; 3.5 up. The
Anstey Range is delightful; it boasts views of the Interior
Plateau and the glaciated peaks of the Cat Group to
the east. Information on the internet regarding the Anstey peaks is
lacking; hence my fascination and dedication to
visit the main summits and describe my routes. An extensive network of
forestry roads surrounds the Anstey Range; some are active,
while others are deactivated. I was hoping my planned route would
grant decent access. The secondary service roads are in good shape; I
drove within a kilometer of the landing. It is possible to continue
there, but I chose to park at a junction as I was unsure of the road
conditions ahead. The outing is worthwhile; however, an unpleasant
bushwhack
through an old cutblock, and a trudge in dense undergrowth is required
to gain the alpine meadows of Anstey Peak's western basin. It took me
about an hour to get there and 45 minutes to go down. Once I got to the
boulder fields along the mountainside, the arduous bushwhacking ended,
and I reached a beautiful
tarn shortly after. A bit further, a larger tarn sits at the base of
the bowl in the meadows. At that point, you can decide whether to
ascend Anstey Peak via the
straightforward west-facing talus slopes or execute a loop that starts
from the ridge to the south; the latter includes climbing a sub-peak
(Anstey SW1) and advanced scrambling to connect to the saddle between
the two summits. The nice-looking sub-peak and its scramble added some
challenge and interest. With an early start allowing some spare time, I
opted to try the loop. I climbed grassy slopes to gain the south ridge
of the
sub-peak. As I gained height on the ridge, the true summit unraveled to
the north-east. The ridge to the sub-peak offered a mix of rocky
terrain and trees; the slope steepened as I neared the top, but
scrambling remained straightforward. I was
glad to gain the additional summit and carry on with the loop, but I
was nervous
about what was yet to come; I had to find a way to the saddle
connecting to the true summit. From below, the north ridge of the
sub-peak
looks jagged; I suspected difficult scrambling. My concern
was making it to the saddle safely and without backtracking. The broken
ridgeline proved too problematic to
negotiate, so I dropped off onto the east side. I travelled on ledges;
some sections required stiff class 3 scrambling. As I proceeded, it
dawned on me that backtracking to the sub-peak would be incredibly
challenging; route-finding skills come in handy for this segment.
Following some unnerving moments, I
stepped on the saddle; instant relief was upon me.
The rest of the hike to the summit was easy. I took a rest and enjoyed
the view from the top; I could see Pious Peak, but Probity Peak was
hiding behind
it. My return was much simpler; I descended the talus slopes from the
saddle. Once in the meadows below, I backtracked to the boulder fields.
I followed the open terrain as far as possible
before re-entering the dense forest; my GPS was a useful navigational
tool. Anstey Peak grants a good challenge and great views;
unfortunately, there's a price of admission, which is the bushwhack!
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The overgrown road precedes unpleasant bushwhacking.
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The dense undergrowth in the forest forces me to hike in the drainage.
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The boulder fields along the mountainside offer relief from bushwhacking.
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The basin west of Anstey Peak hosts a couple of lovely tarns.
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Ahead, Anstey SW1 offers an additional challenge.
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Climbing the grassy slopes to gain Anstey SW1's south ridge.
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Looking back.
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On the ridge.
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Typical terrain higher up on the ridge.
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Anstey Peak and its connecting ridge.
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From the top of Anstey SW1, the whole approach is visible with the cutblock (left) and boulder fields.
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Looking back up while descending Anstey SW1's north-east ridge.
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Weaving my way to the saddle.
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At the saddle, easy hiking from here.
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Handrailing the black rockband.
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Upper slopes to the summit.
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To the north-east, Cougar and Schrund Peaks loom behind the summit cairn.
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North of me, Pious Peak conceals the tallest of the Anstey Range, Probity Peak.
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Southern view.
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The Interior Plateau unfolds to the west.
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Anstey SW1's complex descent requires route-finding skills.
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Heading back down.
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At the saddle, I opted to go down easy talus slopes to the meadows.
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Back at the tarn.
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Rambling along the boulder fields as far as I can.
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Backtracking in the forest's dense undergrowth.
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Unpleasant descent in the overgrown cutblock.
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Landing ahead.
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