Cloudowan Northeast 

    
 
August 5, 2023
 
Mountain height: 2585 m
Elevation gain:    approximately 1300 m
Round-trip time:  8:45
 
Solo scramble. 
 
I had been eyeing up this route for some time. Though not a particularly adventurous-looking line, I have learned you can never underestimate the scenic potential of any route in Waterton/The Castle. The objective, the distinctive northeast summit of Cloudowan Peak, could more than likely be attained easily from Cloudy Ridge, but an attempt from the northeast via a subsidiary drainage of Yarrow Creek was beckonening – might as well “get 'er done!”      
 
The day started with a somewhat tedious bike ride up and over the cutline down to the Yarrow Creek gas road. For the two-wheel approach, this trail can vary from decent to downright nasty, due to boggy sections and terrain chewed up by livestock – I got a mixture of the two. I then biked easily to a gas well right by the ascent drainage, memories of two bushwhacking epics on Cloudy Ridge Junior nipping annoyingly at my brain!
 
Luckily, the bushwhacking to get into the drainage, though hideous, was short-lived. The drainage itself started off with some bushy sections, but soon graduated to an awesome scrambly ramble on step-like rock. One section of upclimbing near the beginning was at the high end of my scrambling ability and I took note to try to find a different route on return.
 
Eventually I reached the base of the summit block and lo and behold the lower half appeared to be comprised mostly of red argillite, covered in yellow lichen. I have two addictions in life: chocolate is one and the yellow painted red rock is the other! Though my initial plan was to tackle traverse around the north side of the block, in hopes of ascending a weakness I spotted from Glendowan, the south side was unexpectedly bathing in Sun. No way was I going to be denied at least a good look.  
 
Good choice – it turned out to be a wild ride of incredible rock scenery. A weakness was also revealed on this side, however, after scrambling up to the base, I decided against an attempt, unsure if I might hit an impasse higher up. Decision time again; continue traversing around the east side to the Cloudy Ridge/Cloudowan NE col and attempt the summit from there or return and try the west side. I chose the latter and it worked perfectly. The weakness on that side involved only a few moves of moderate scrambling and then an easy trek to the summit. Sadly, the predicted weather conditions took hold at this point – overcast and smoky – yuk!
 
I descended almost exactly the same way, with the exception of the aforementioned tricky section in the drainage. I circumvented that section by going into the forest and enduring possibly the worst stint of bushwhacking I’ve ever encountered. Getting back into the drainage was sheer relief. The remainder of the descent went without a hitch, and the last section of the bike ride was tolerable.
 
Overall, an excellent day of exploration. Would I ever repeat this route? Yes, but only with the promise of free chocolate for life!  

The east side of some of The Castle. Cloudowan NE is second from the left.



Biking the cutline; Mount Dungarvan (left) and Cloudy Ridge Junior



Cloudy Ridge Jr., Cloudowan NE, and Glendowan



The objective. The ascent line goes between the two ridges.



Glendowan



Mount Yarrow



Cloudowan NE from the end of the bike approach. The heinous bushwhacking lies to the right.



Out of the heavy bush and into the lightly bushy drainage



Less bushy



Approaching the crux of the drainage



Easier terrain above the crux



Some sort of berries



  Alittle preview of what's to come upon reaching the upper plateau



The lengthy and amazing Spionkop Ridge



The summit block appears at the left



It's impressive even from afar



So are the blocks, topped with red argillite







Yellow lichen on red argillite - a sign of things to come



With Glendowan



Decision time: right (north side) or left (south side) around the summit block?



The left looks great



So does the right



Straight ahead looks impossible!



Heading around the left side



Already this is a great decision


Yellow lichen and red argillite rock scenery on the left side



























Going straight up at this point is obviously out of the question



So I kept traversing



Looks like a few potential routes up here



Heading up



There was a route up here but I backed down because I couldn't see the entire route. Later in the trip I would see that the route would have worked.



Another potential route but this one was severely exposed and very steep



Admiring the rock before I turn around



Same as above



Traversing back to the east end



Now on the right (north) side looking up one potential gully



Took the second gully and it provided easy access to the summit ridge



Back to gawping at Glendowan



The far east end of Cloudown NE at the left and the two Cloudys at the right



Once I had a dream of attempting Glendowan from the east (seen here), but after a (too) interesting day on Newman Senior in 2022, and some epic bushwhacking on Cloudy Ridge Junior from this valley, I've decided against it!



I did make an attempt to get to the far east end of the ridge but it was quite exposed and not worth the risk



Cloudy Ridge





Summit pano



The remains of a park boundary marker



Blakiston in the centre



The ridge to Cloudowan Peak. Had the weather not been breaking down I may have tried to traverse there.



Last summit pano



Cloudy Ridge



Cloudy Ridge Junior



The pointy peaks are Mount Galwey (right) and Galwey North



The Cloudys again



Back down beneath the summit block



Parting look at Mount Roche (left) and Yarrow (right of Roche)



Parting look at the objective

The End

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