Morrowmount

Morrowmount (unnamed at GR280668) – May 12, 2007

Mountain height: 2541 m
Elevation gain:   1100 m
Ascent time:         3:45
Descent time:       3:10

Solo scramble.

I’ve always enjoyed looking at Bob Spirko’s photos of this mountain, from an ascent he and Dinah completed in April of 2004. The beautiful contrast of orange-brown shale with gray limestone is striking feature of the ascent. Certainly the prospect and seeing that firsthand was motivation enough to endure yet another slog up Jura Creek. I previously attempted this ascent in December of 2004, but failed to reach the summit, due to a number of route-finding blunders.

This trip starts well and ends well, but can be extremely tedious in between. Along its 9 km length Jura Creek has a stunning water-worn canyon at the beginning, an interesting false fault about 3 km in, and a whole lot of nothing between those points and beyond. It took me almost 2.5 hours to reach the point where I had taken a wrong turn last time. At this point there were options to gain the ridge as soon as possible up shale slopes or follow the drainage alongside the slabby terrain of the west face. Craving a good view, I chose the former, though in retrospect the latter may have provided a more interesting and challenging ascent (one of the many downers of being a card-carrying member of the “instant gratification” club).

The ascent up the shale slopes was as equally tedious as Jura Creek, but as least the view started to improve. Mount Fable and Hassel Castle were the first to appear, followed by Lougheed, Nestor, Old Goat, Big Sister and many others. Once on the ridge, the remainder of the ascent was easy and not as long as expected. The summit view was very pleasant, although a little hazy for some reason. After a short stay, I continued north to the slightly higher summit about 10 minutes away. Views of Wendell Mountain, Yamnuska, and an array of peaks in the Ghost area, were very satisfying.

For descent, I chose the other route down the drainage I was thinking of doing. This was not a good route for descent, although I think it would a fine ascent route – lots of low-angled slabs and interesting scenery. The hike back down Jura Creek was mind-numbing. A visually rewarding trip, but for anyone giving it a go in the future, make sure you are mentally prepared for the long approach.