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Mount Afton's east
ridge (left skyline) and its easier north-west ridge (indicated). |
| Scramble: RT 11.5 (including
Mount Abbott); 1.25 up from Mount Abbott. This scramble does not
disappoint; the traverse via the east ridge is exciting and
the sights from this viewpoint are breathtaking. Coming down from Mount
Abbott requires a bit of route finding to avoid cliffs. Once at the
col, it is best to stay close to the ridge crest. Several lines of
ascent are likely possible but we mainly climbed near the ridge
proper. About midway, Fab followed a short section of very
faint trail climber's left of us. I was exceeding my comfort level but
still managed to enjoy scrambling on solid, big
blocks. Although much shorter and more difficult, the route
reminded me of Mount Begbie's summit ridge. I was motivated to make it
up the mountain to do the loop, doubting I could come back down this
way safely...
After a tough section, I was relieved to see the slope angle ease. We
continued towards the summit in good spirits; I think we were all happy
to have the crux behind us. We stayed at the top for an
hour, not wanting to leave... The weather was wonderful; there was no
wind, it was warm and sunny. With a promise of another break at the
tarn below, we left at a leisurely pace. The north-west ridge
is straightforward but far from a scree run! The terrain
is blocky and requires careful travel. It is possible to
reach the tarn from a high traverse or from lower in the bowl, which is
faster. It is worth stopping by the lovely tarn before climbing back to
Abbott Ridge. Once on the ridge, we resumed our trip with fun
hiking to the main trail. Before rounding Abbott's north end, we paused
again to take advantage of the last sunrays. By 6:45 PM, we scooted
over the shady side of Abbott
Ridge and continued down with no more stops. This outing was fantastic;
great company, excellent weather and an exciting scramble made it
memorable. If you happen to be in Rogers Pass, I highly recommend
this loop! |
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Some difficult
scrambling on the east ridge. |
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Leaving the top of
Mount Abbott. |
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Abbott/Afton Col,
it's best to stay close to the ridge crest. |
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Good scrambling on
solid terrain. |
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The first half of
the ascent is steep! |
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Picking our way up
the big blocks. |
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Traversing to easier
rock. |
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Reefing myself over
a
boulder. |
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The grade lessens on
the upper mountain. |
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Yui and I nearing
the summit. |
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Abbott Ridge and
the tarn below. |
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Last steps before
the top. |
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Right on, right on! |
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Awesome pose with
Yui, Val and Fab next to Mount Sir Donald. |
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Leaving the top via
the blocky north-west ridge. |
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Mount Dawson and
Feuz Peak (center). |
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Fab peers over the
edge... |
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More blocky terrain. |
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Dipping in the bowl
and traversing high. |
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Fab went lower in
the bowl, climbed a short grassy slope and arrived at the lake faster;
he's barely visible at the far end. |
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Another nice break
at the brilliant tarn. |
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Back on Abbott
Ridge. |
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With the sun's
reflection, the tarn looks like an eye. |
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More fun hiking. |
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Last glimpse towards
Mounts Abbott and Afton. |
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The weather is very
nice and the view is phenomenal. |
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Another break,
enjoying the last sunrays of the day. |
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On the shady side of
the mountain. |
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