Mount Galwey V



May 1, 2021
 
Mountain height: 2348 m
Elevation gain:    960 m
Round-trip time:  7:45
 
Scrambling and a little mountaineering with Mark.
 
Given that most of the trips I do these days are repeat ascents, many are accompanied with a fair degree of nostalgia. But perhaps none as much as this one. It had been 17 years since Mark and I had scrambled up Mount Galwey (Mark’s first Waterton ascent and my fourth) and although I had visited Galwey’s summit on three separate occasions since 2004, none were with the old bro’ and none were half as nostalgic as this one.  
 
Mark chose Galwey as the day’s objective for a few reasons:

1. He had just bought an ebike and wanted to test it out on the Red Rock Canyon road before it opened, usually in mid-May.
2. The decent weather was forecast to breakdown by midday and so a shorter, front range trip would be preferrable.
3. Simply for the nostalgia factor.
 
Arriving at the locked gate near the entrance to Red Rock Canyon road, we started (e)biking around 6 am and arrived at the Coppermine Creek parking lot about 20 minutes later – 8 km of super enjoyable biking, made so much more enjoyable (and easier) by the pedal-assisted power of the ebikes.
 
A little concerned about snow on the route upper section of the mountain, we did bring some mountaineering gear with us, including ice axes, crampons, a rope and harnesses. The lower section was completely snow-free, allowing easy travel up the well-worn trail. We did leave the path at one point, continuing up the ridge when the trail veered off to the left. I knew from a previous ascent that traversing back to the Alan Kane ascent route was feasible from this ridge. Gaining elevation, we soon encountered a little snow, but more importantly a fair amount of verglass on the southwest side of the mountain, making a few sections more challenging than usual.
 
Thankfully, such was not the case for the crux – a short, but exposed traverse across narrow ledges to a very cool window in the rock on the other side. After re-enacting a questionably humorous scene at the window we geared up for the final push to the summit. This short section was not snow- and ice-free and using all the equipment we had seemed prudent. We were both certainly glad for the crampons and ice axe up the snow-choked, shallow chimney feature that leads to the “mushroom” (a distinctive, mushroom-shaped rock formation) and then easily to the summit. En route, another nostalgic photo op was re-staged atop the “mushroom”.
 
After taking in the wonderful summit view, we both had a short Facetime session with friends and family. Strange to think that on our 2004 trip Mark and I didn’t even own cellphones and Facetiming someone from the summit of these mountains was a more of a Star Trek fantasy than reality!
 
Having already decided to forgo the loop route we started down, following our uptrack. About halfway down I spotted a vehicle on the Red Rock road and conjectured it must be park staff. Then another appeared and another and another. To our utter surprise, we realized that the road had opened to the public (sometime after 6 am obviously!), several weeks ahead of the usual May long-weekend opening. Great! Mark was able to call his family, who could then meet us at Red Rock Canyon. Again, this was something that we couldn't have even dreamed possible in 2004. Back then, we were incommunicado (cheesy video, but awesome Marilion song!) from the the time we left our respective houses in Calgary until the time we walked back through their doors.    

Back at our bikes, we cycled the remaining 8 km of the 16 km road, met up with the family, and checked out Red Rock Canyon for a few minutes.
 
Getting back to the start was a blast. Mark gave his bike to his son Rogan (now 10 years old), and he and I hit the road, while the remainder of the family rode in their vehicle. And you didn’t need an ebike to make the return trip easier. 16 km of exhilarating downhill on a smooth road – heaven!! Rogan performed magnificently, keeping up with (and threatening to pass) me throughout. It took exactly 24 minutes to complete the 16 km, an average speed of 40 km/h. What an awesome end to an awesome day!
  
So, what had changed in the 17 years between our ascents of this Waterton gem?
1. Firstly, and obviously, we were 17 years older and therefore 17 years slower (whatever that means!)
2. Technology: we now both had phones that were able to take excellent photos, pinpoint our exact location on a topo map displayed on the phone (even without a cell phone signal), and allow Facetime conservations from the summit. In 2004, I had a push-button landline and no cell phone of any kind. And of course, the dramatically improved technology of electric bikes!
3. Perception: In 2004, I wrote, " The crux was not at all what we were expecting and was easily traversed on relatively large ledges”. In 2021, it would read more like, “Make sure your last will and testament is in order before you traverse these tiny ledges that would put of fear of God into a slender hamster.”
4. The small picture: In 2004, big views and big scenery were the focus of most trips. They still are, but in 2021, we both have a far greater appreciation for the small stuff – rocks, flowers, the tiny details of ice and snow, etc.
 
We’ve already planned a return trip for 2038, though we'll probably need jetpacks instead of backpacks for that ascent! 

And speaking of nostalgia and being incommunicado:

    Sometimes it seems like I've been here before
    When I hear opportunity kicking in my door
    Call it synchronicity call it deja vu
    I just put my faith in destiny - it's the way that I choose

(excerpt from Incommunicado by Marilion, lyrics by Fish, 1987)

Pretty excited to ebike the Red Rock Canyon road



Approaching Bellevue Hill. Many memorable ascents of the Hill including the most recent, up the smaller, dark gully near the right side.



The beginning of the Galwey trail



Great views of Mount Blakiston and Ruby Ridge are going to dominate the day



Red argillite will also dominate, but not until the Sun is shinning upon the rock.....



.....didn't have to wait too long for that!



Lots of other types of rock besides argillite



Easy and rewarding travel up Galwey's south ridge



And improving views behind



Still enjoying the easy ridgewalking. Note the trail in the scree that veers off to the left - that's the "normal" route up



And still enjoying the views behind



The advantage of staying on the ridge is a proliferation of terrific rock scenery



The ridge is interrupted by several rock bands that must be circumvented



And some twisted dead trees



The snow on this side of the mountain didn't require an ice axe



Looking back at the gentle ridge



Resting at a rock band to enjoy the view (and catch our breath)



Another steep rock band that we circumvented on the right side



Heading back up to the ridge

Sometimes it seems like I've been here before
When I hear opportunity kicking in my door
Call it synchronicity call it deja vu
I just put my faith in destiny - it's the way that I choose

A few super interesting examples of rock bending in the foreground



And also a big chunk of white marble



The staircase-like layering of southern Alberta rock is always a redeeming feature of the entire area



Another impressive rock feature



Almost at the start of the traverse back to the Kane route



Traversing



Mark follows



The reason why ascents directly up the south ridge of Galwey present a significant climbing challenge



Almost around to the southwest side of the mountain



Mark rounds the corner



The southwest side, where the Kane route goes up



More inconsequential snow



Passing another distinctive feature of the route



Aim for the "mushroom" - the small rock feature near the right



Now on the southwest side, views to the west and northwest improve dramatically



But Blakiston still dominates the horizon



The "normal" route was covered in verglass so we took a slightly different route



Looking over to the connecting ridge and Mount Dungarvan behind



Verglass - looks nice but makes for treacherous travel



Preparing to negotiate the crux



Halfway across



  Mark on the other side of the traverse



He's getting ready.....



And off he goes. Clearly a slip here would be very bad!



Arriving at The Window



Looking through the cool feature


  
Re-enactment #1 - The Cadaver.
Somebody bulked up in all the wrong ways in 17 years!!!







One of the views, while decomposing in The Window



View over the other side



Mark's turn. In 2021, you can text your family from inside The Window.



Checking out the remainder of the ascent



All geared up and heading for the summit. We left our packs at The Window.



The rope was unnecessary, but is there such a thing as "unnecessary ropework"??



Mark leads the final push to the summit



But not before re-enactment #2, atop The Mushroom


  
Definitely managed to get a cooler pose (right photo) when I was young!







Carefully downclimbing The Mushroom



Summit photos



Looking south to Bellevue Hill and Sofa Mountain at the far right



Too many peaks to the west to mention



But Kintla and Kinnerly, in Glacier National Park, always get some attention



Five awesome peaks beyond Crandell Lake, that have all experienced my now heavier footprints in the last 10 months: Alderson, Buchanan Northeast, Buchanan The Middle Child, Buchanan Ridge, and Carthew



Another summit shot of Mark and some of the gems north, northwest, and west of Galwey, including Rogan, Dungarvan, Dundy, Cloudy, Cloudy Junior, Glendowan, and Anderson.



Mount Crandell has received a decent amount of attention from us in recent years



Back near The Mushroom (I'm getting hungry!)



Resting in the chimney section




One last nostalgic visit to The Window



Looking up at the fantastic rock around the summit block



Mark waits at The Window, while I complete the traverse back to saner terrain



Going back across the ledge is slightly easier



We stuck to the scree trail on return



Back to awesome ridgewalking, on easy terrain, with awesome rock



Some of the awesome rock



Close-up



My usual intimate moment with rock



We are both going to be mesmerized by the red argillite for the next section



























Last of the argillite and the vehicle-littered road is in sight



Red Rock Canyon



Rogan in the canyon



The whole Nugara gang at Red Rock



The namesake of "Rogan Peak" at the end of our awesome 16 km bike ride back to the start

The End

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