Bertha Peak III
(Akiiohtaikiistakoo)
     



 
September 5, 2020
 
Mountain height: 2440 m      
Elevation gain:    1264 m
Roundtrip time:   10 hours
 
Scrambling with Mark, Josh, Matt, and Dave.
 
For Mark’s birthday scramble we decided to check out an unknown route up Bertha Peak. Mark and I had spotted the route earlier in the summer during what continues to be one of my favourite trips ever – Mount Alderson II. As good fortune would have it, Mark’s brothers-in-law, Josh and Matt Blacker, and the scrambling phenom Dave McMurray were able to join us for the trip.
 
After hiking the Alderson Lake Trail for a few kilometres, we turned up a slightly overgrown, dry drainage on the northeast side of Bertha. The first part of the new route was generally easy to ascend, alternating sections of fun scrambling in the drainage, with steep hiking outside it. Route-finding was engaging throughout and kept us “on our toes” (it would suck to climb a mountain using your heels only!).
 
We eventually reached the ridge, where the fun stepped up to a whole new level. Here the scrambling became more serious (and enjoyable), and route decisions more critical. There were several big steps along the way that would have to be circumvented. We were able to find routes around the obstacles, though on increasingly steep and exposed terrain. Josh and Matt held their own throughout, ascending challenging rock bands on a route where reaching an impasse was always a possibility.
 
The summit of Bertha was eventually achieved, speedy Dave arriving well in advance of the rest of us. Unfortunately, in addition to the several hours of thoroughly engaging and enjoyable scrambling, the other consistent feature of the trip was the thick haze of forest fire smoke. A real shame, as the views along the ridge and from the summit of Bertha would have been spectacular. Nevertheless, the five of us were overjoyed at completing the route. We took an extended summit break to relax and relive some of the more entertaining moments.
 
 
The logical descent route was via Alan Kane’s ascent route. Mark and I were familiar with the route and making a loop out of the whole day had  great appeal. And it was fantastic! Once down to the main headwall, we followed a route close to a stream. In addition to the stream scenery this route boasted a ton of beautiful wildflowers, along with a few pollinators willing to pose for us! Hiking the easy Bertha Lake Trail was a very relaxing way to end a super exciting loop up and around Bertha Peak.
    
 
Happy Birthday to Mark, hats off to Josh and Matt for being willing participants in a totally experimental route, and thank you to Dave for navigating the group up some tricky and challenging terrain. A magnificent day with the finest of fellows!

Click HERE to see Dave's fantastic report!

On the well-established Alderson Lake Trail. Josh Blacker gives a mischievous backwards glance. For those who like the fantastic Amazon Prime Video show Reacher, Josh masterfully plays Lt. Hortense Fields in Season 2 (photo by Dave).



Interesting colours, looking back to the Waterton Lakes and Vimy Peak, unfortunately brought on by the thick smoke (photo by Dave)



The start of the drainage is a little overgrown (photo by Dave)



...but it quickly thins out (photo by Dave)



Already we have gained some good elevation (photo by Mark)


Hortense (I mean, Josh) scrambles up some small ledges (photo by Dave).
Watch Episode 7 of Reacher (20:55 on) if you want to hear Josh say the "f" word!


Mark leads us around a steeper section of the drainage (photo by Dave)



A prominent outlier of Buchanan Ridge, that I call Buchanan Northeast (photo by Dave)



The scrambling fun continues (photo by Dave)



Same as above (photo by Dave)



Out of the drainage and heading for the ridge at the left (photo by Dave)



A casualty of the 2017 Kenow Fire, although some of it appears to have survived (photo by Dave)



Buchanan Peak and Ridge and Mount Lineham at the distant right



There's the first part of the northeast ridge we will have to negotiate



Mount Crandell (right) joins Buchanan Northeast



All three Buchanans are now visible. I call the middle one (second from the left), "Buchanan, The Middle Child", although a far more appropriate unofficial name is "Senator Peak", after Senator William Buchanan, as suggested by Dave.



What a unique view this would be on a clear day.



This would be better if I didn't cut the top of Bertha off!



Dave and I approach the first steep section on the ridge (photo by Mark)



Dave takes it on



My turn (photo by Dave)



Another unique view of Bertha Lake and Mount Richards. We ascended that for Mark's 40th birthday.



Dave tackles another challenging step



Close-up of Bertha Lake



Mark and the view to the north



Dave atop another rock step



Another killer view marred by the smoke



Matt is enjoying the hands-on stuff here (photo by Mark)



From here, it's a long way to the top (if you wanna rock n' roll!)



Dave is way ahead at the point, as I'm just the dot on a highpoint! (photo by Dave)



At least I'm ahead of those three!



Now Dave is just a dot - if I'm a dot to you, you must be a dot to me!



Great but hazy view behind us (photo by Mark)



Josh is loving the hands-on too (photo by Mark)



Cool view of the ridge and parts of the Waterton Lakes. Note the area to the right that was ravaged by the 2017 fire (photo by Dave).



Awesome section of ridgewalking coming up (photo by Mark)



Easy does it here



That view again



The Blackers on the ridge



There are a few downs to go with all the ups (photo by Dave)



Here's an up (photo by Mark)



Here's a down



The terrain ahead looks intriguing (photo by Dave)



Coming down again (photo by Dave)



Dave and the ridge ahead



More fun Blacker scrambling (photo by Mark)



A very random splotch of colour. Shouldn't be at all surprising given Bertha Peak II.



Small step to scramble up (photo by Mark)



This would make a good movie poster.  It's a movie about three troubled, middle-aged men illegally smuggling stuffed animals across the border.



Dave looks for a route around the left side of the ridge


    
The rest of us went right (photos by Mark)


    
Dave is almost up the left side (photos by Mark)



My turn to lead but I ain't gettin' up that! (photo by Dave)



I looked for a route around the left side (photo by Dave)



...but only found this



Instead, we found a route up the right side



Josh and a larch. Surprising to see it this yellow in early September (photo by Mark).



Steep, but the scrambling was straightforward (photo by Dave)



Hug that rock, big fella'! (photo by Mark)



Definitely some exposure here that deserved respect (photo by Mark)



Matt climbs up a shallow gully that breaks through the rock band



Dave and I are up and angling back to the ridge (photo by Mark)



Back on the ridge. I'm tackling the next rock band (photo by Dave).



  Close-up (photo by Dave)



Upward progress stopped here and I ended up going around the left side (photo by Dave)



Meanwhile, the others pick a line up the right side (photo by Dave)



The summit finally makes its grand appearance (photo by Dave)



Great spot to have a little rest and check out the upcoming challenges
 


Just Dave and Mark (photo by Josh)



Maybe It's a Long Way to the Top because we keep going down instead of up! (mandatory to acknowledge the awesome original here - hard rock and bagpipes - that's badass!!)



Mark's view of what's to come (photo by Mark)



Easy travel for a bit, but the summit block looks as though it might offer some resistance (photo by Dave)



Looking back at a big section of ridge we have ascended



Not getting up that without a rope and some skill. I have a rope at home - I'll take the 5th on the skill!



  Dave's view of me looking at what I cannot ascend (photo by Dave)



Mark and Crandell (sounds like a drink)



While Mark, Matt, and Josh went around the right side of the obstacle, Dave wanted to try the left and started up this section (photo by Dave)



Mark and the Blackers watch Dave take this daring line



Spot the McMurray - Dave's head is visible. Eventually he angled to the right and arrived at the top, very near the summit. I followed.



Dave pops up on the ridge, steps away from the summit cairn (photo by Dave)



Summit view to the southwest and west (photo by Dave)



I'm fixated on this deep burgundy rock for now



Summit view to the east (photo by Dave)



Now I'm fixated on the view behind



On the ridge and looking for the rest of the troops



Mount Alderson (photo by Dave)



Mount Carthew (photo by Dave)



Carthew, Buchanan Peak (lower foreground), and Buchanan Ridge



Wonderful view to the north. I descended here to make sure the gang weren't downing birthday Jagerbombs while our backs were turned!



Dave gets relegated to "dot" status again, as he waits patiently at the summit



I'm enjoying the view while waiting for the lushes



Here they come and they look relatively sober



Mark reaches the ridge



Four slightly bigger dots coming up to join Dave at the top (photo by Dave)



Getting bigger (photo by Mark)



Huge dot!



The ridge we came up at the right, and much of the summit view towards the lakes (photo by Mark)



Happy summit team and Happy Birthday to The Ancient One in red (photo by Dave)



We've switched Josh for Dave - I'd make a comment about swingers, but that would be highly creepy and inappropriate! (photo by Josh)



Dave descended the ridge to a fine viewpoint (probably to get away from my previous caption), while we recovered from the lengthy and strenuous ascent



Dave and Richards (another drink?)



We've started descending the ridge (photo by Dave)



Same as above



Dave waited for us at the viewpoint



Josh - also one of the "not so nice guys" (trying to be diplomatic) in Elysium, with Matt Damon - "My pleasure boss...my pleasure".



Matt takes to time to pose along the way (photo by Mark)



The east face of Bertha is remarkably colourful and remarkably steep



Thankfully the ridge down is not at all steep, but it is colourful (photo by Dave)



It's also a very curvaceous and aesthetic ridge (photo by Mark)



Same as above (photo by Mark)



We've always been intrigued with the highpoint at the left that connects to Bertha Peak. Found out in 2022 it's one of the best trips anywhere!



Super cool rock (photo by Dave)



Great views from the ridge (photo by Mark)



More of the vertiginous east face



Not sure what Josh is saying to Dave, but I hope it's not, "My pleasure boss...my pleasure".



A small sample of the amazing layers of rock (photo by Dave)



No matter how times I see this bright turquoise lichen in the mountains, I always think it's paint!



The alternating layers of red and green argillite are a terrific feature of this part of the mountain



Looking down to Bertha Lake



Great example of those alternating layers (photo by Dave)



Same as above



And again, with a few more rock layers and several dabs of yellow lichen



Mark and I explored this area during our Bertha II trip - it's amazing! (photo by Mark)



Mark works his way down the blocky terrain



Heading towards the scree slopes at the right (photo by Mark)



In addition to argillite, this mountain is littered with shale,slate, dolostone, limestone and much more



The scree slope between the blocky terrain and the wildflower/stream section



First wildflower sighting



The stream is low-flowing at this time of the year, but enough to render the descent alongside it an exquisite one (photo by Dave)



We were all mesmerized by the beauty here (not mine) of water, rock, greenery, wildflowers and their pollinators. Dave is busy photographing the spectacle (photo by Mark).



Wicked slab of green argillite (photo by Dave)



The smoky skies could not put a damper on this section of the trip



Great rock....



...and great flower scenery. Spot the bee (photo by Dave).



Mark checks out the stream. We refilled our water bottles here.



Two butterflies and a bee here



It's like a scene from The Sound of Music, starring Josh Blacker as Baronin Maria von Trapp (Julie Andrews) and Matt Blacker as Baron von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) (photo by Mark)



Dave with Bertha Lake far below (photo by Mark)



Just cool rock



One butterfly only



Matt and Josh examine the rest of the route down. It's quite steep in places (photo by Dave).



The stream



The Blackers descend one of the steep sections (photo by Dave)



Bertha Lake is a real beaut!



Another steep section of rocky terrain



...that eventually leads to easier, grassy slopes



But the wonderful stream scenery continues (photo by Dave)



Another random slab of the green rock



On the trail that circles Bertha Lake (photo by Dave)



Bertha Lake and Mount Richards. Took three ascents of Richards but the last route I took up with Dave is probably the best one for most scramblers.



Josh and Matt cross the lake outlet. The descent route is behind, near the left side (photo by Dave).



Close-up of some of the ridge we ascended (the left side)



The Bertha Lake Trail is wonderful at the end of a longish day (photo by Dave)



Looking up at a few victims of the Kenow fire (photo by Dave)



Mount Boswell at the right



You can see the ups and downs of the ridge from this angle. We went from right to left (photo by Dave).



Boswell and Mount Cleveland (right)



The popular viewpoint of the Upper Waterton Lake and surrounding mountains



The even more popular and iconic Prince Of Wales Hotel (photo by Dave)



A fitting end to the day - Baron von Trapp is shredding Happy Birthday on his hiking pole, while the rest of us provide some Pentatonix harmonies (apparently at Covid distances!) (photo by Josh)

The End

LOG