Junction Mountain

Junction Mountain – August 22, 2006

Mountain height: 2701 m
Elevation gain:     1100 m
Ascent time:        4:45
Descent time:      4:10

Scrambling with Kevin.

Though the summit of Junction Mountain can be reached from the west, via Junction Creek, the north ridge appeared to offer a little more interest, in that you would be able to gain elevation quickly and at least get some decent views while negotiating the long ridge to the summit. After fording both the Sheep River and Junction Creek (very easy fords at this time of the year), we gained the first highpoint up lightly forested slopes.

A lengthy, but very easy ridgewalk followed. Eventually we arrived at a much more serious rock band that straddled the ridge and from a distance, appeared to prevent access to the summit ridge. Up close, however, several potential routes were revealed. Kevin and I went separate ways at this point. I took the high road, in the form of an ascending scree ledge, in the hopes I could regain the ridge just past the rockband. Kevin took a route lower on the mountain, where it appeared he could gain a col east of the summit ridge and then ascend to the ridge.

My route started well, but soon the ledge narrowed to the point where the exposure on one side was a serious concern. I backed up a little and then headed directly to the ridge up steeper, but more solid terrain. This worked well, and very soon I was on the ridge. Kevin’s route didn’t turn out so well. The scree on steep slabs was not conducive to a fun ascent and he decided to turn around and check out the other side of the rockband. Meanwhile, I continued along a very enjoyable ridge of hiking intermixed with moderate scrambling to the summit.

Kevin did manage to find a route around the rockband, but it was more circuitous and thus he arrived at the summit much later. Fortunately, by that time, the thick haze and clouds had time to dissipate a little and we enjoyed a pretty decent summit view, highlighted by many of the distinctive, but unnamed peaks of the Highwood Range .

Returning the same way we came would have been relatively straightforward, however, I really wanted to see the waterfalls just off Junction Creek, as described in Daffern’s second volume of her Kananaskis Country Trail Guide. This involved descending southwest into a beautiful cirque below Junction Mountain and then making our way to Junction Creek, following a dried-up drainage. We then hiked alongside scenic Junction Creek, eventually running into a well-used horse trail on the west side of the creek.

We accidentally passed the turn-off to the falls, but when we realized our mistake, I went back a short distance to see them. Not surprisingly, they were absolutely beautiful and well-worth the added time and distance. The remaining 7 km hike back to the car was long, but easy. Overall, the trip was a pleasant combination of hiking, ridgewalking, and scrambling, and boasted a wonderful variety of scenery and terrain.