Boot Hill, Tombstone Mountain, and Mount Haig II

Boot Hill, Tombstone Mountain (Castle), and Mount Haig II

August 9, 2010

Mountain heights:
    Boot Hill:                    2498 m
    Tombstone:                 2515 m
    Haig:                           2618 m
Total elevation gain:              approx. 2100 m
Ascent time to Boot Hill:       4:50
Traverse time to Tombstone: 1:25
Traverse time to Haig: 4:35
Descent time:                       2:00

Solo scramble.

A trip that was figuratively and literally “all over the map”

The initial objective of the day was to check out a potential route up Tombstone Mountain, via the Middle Kootenay Mountain/Mount Haig col. If the col could be easily gained, then an attempt at Tombstone would be made. Without going into the gory details, the first part of the route contained almost every bushwhacking evil known to man: thick alders, tightly-knit pines, waist high vegetation, deadfall, and the ever popular awkward side-sloping across the aforementioned terrain. Only the famous B.C. devil’s-club was conspicuously absent from the party (probably because the approach was entirely in Alberta!). Even when the terrain appeared to ease up, there were several tricky drainages to negotiate. Were it not for the appearance of a potential route to avoid the bushwhacking on the way back, I would have turned around within the first 2 hours of the excruciating ordeal.

The reward of persevering to the col was a fine view of Tombstone’s most distinctive form and also that of closer “Boot Hill” (appropriately named by Rick Collier). A long break to recover from the bushwhacking trauma ensued.

Like the recent Pulsatilla ascent, the day was characterized by a more than healthy dose of decision-making, each choice with its own set of pros and/or cons. At the col there were four options:

Tombstone: the original objective, but long, with potential large elevation losses and regains;
Boot Hill: much closer with less, if any, elevation loss;
Haig: the south ridge looked to be an easy ascent and then I could descend easily via Haig Lake. Of course, I’d already visited this summit;
Middle Kootenay Mountain: the north ridge didn’t look too easy from below and there was potential for unseen rock-bands above that would have ended progress. Like Haig, I had already been to the summit (twice), however, the second ascent, to this day, continues to be in my one of my top 3 trips of all-time. Seeing the mountain in summer had great appeal.

Ominous clouds building to the west quickly eliminated the Tombstone option. Common sense dictated that since I hadn’t visited the summit of Boot Hill and its east scree slopes would allow a hasty retreat should the clouds produce a storm, it would be the most sensible decision. And so I went with the Boot!

Though nothing more than a scree slog, the ascent was very pleasant, with improving views towards Middle Kootenay and Haig. It was also longer than I thought it would be and I reached the summit to the surprising realization that Boot Hill appeared to be almost as high as Tombstone and Middle Kootenay- not the insignificant peak I had originally envisioned. The view from the top was excellent. Of course, the vertical north face of Tombstone was the main attraction, but wonderful views could be seen in every direction.

The clouds didn’t produce any precipitation and in fact, the weather was very quite stable. Also, there suddenly appeared a much shorter route to Tombstone that wouldn’t involve a huge elevation loss. Dilemma: it was likely that the summit view from Boot Hill was actually better than that of slightly higher Tombstone, so my motivation to continue the trip to Tombstone would not be view-oriented, as it most often is; it was also highly unlikely that I would return to do Tombstone, so it was now or never; the ascent would place me a fair distance from the car, with the whole bushwhacking issue also to deal with on the way back.

After much self-debate, I decided to go for Tombstone (apparently common sense and I had parted ways somewhere between my sensible decision to ascend Boot Hill and my arrival at that summit). The elevation loss to the Boot/Tombstone col was only 300 metres, at which point I side-sloped over to the south side of the peak. From there the ascent was another easy scree slog, with a few scrambling moves along the way. A large group of mountain goats watching my progress kept me entertained. As predicted the summit view, though excellent, was slightly inferior to that from Boot Hill, since the Boot was blocking much of the highest peak in the area, impressive Mount Haig.

Three dismal realizations now hit me in the face. First, I had to find a way to get back to the car without repeating the bushwhacking ordeal of the ascent. Second, I was running out of water and the heat of day dictated that I find a water source, pronto! Third, I had euphorically consumed my summer, summit soda pop at the top of Boot Hill and didn’t have a second one for Tombstone. I was definitely the most depressed about the third realization!

The logical course of action, at this point, that didn’t involve calling for a helicopter rescue, was to descend to Haig Brook to get water, gain the Haig/Middle Kootenay col, and then either side-slope to the aforementioned alternate descent route or go all the way to the summit of Haig and use the descent route via Haig Lake (as I alluded to at the beginning “all over the map”!) After returning to the southeast side of Tombstone, I spotted a good animal trail running across the side of Boot Hill. It was a godsend, allowing me to stay at a relatively high elevation and also grant fast access back to the valley below the col I was aiming for. I fortuitously found a decent water source along the way; a good thing since the water in Haig Brook looked a little suspect.

At the brook I made another executive decision to ascend Mount Haig to its summit. This would give me the option to descend the east ridge or the much longer, but easier Haig Lake route. I made a conscious effort NOT to check my elevation, at this point, in fear that the knowledge of the necessary gain to the summit might make me cry!

The knowledge didn’t, but the ascent almost did. It was bloody grueling! About halfway up, I looked over to Middle Kootenay and realized I could have ascended the south ridge and then descended to Little Middle Kootenay Peak and out via Middle Kootenay Pass Trail. This route would have entailed approximately the same elevation gain, but would have also been bush-free throughout – perhaps next time!

My watch read 7:25 pm when I dragged my fatigued carcass to the apex of Mount Haig. The weather was not as splendid as our first ascent in 2006, however the panorama was still magnificent; probably even more enjoyable, as I recognized far more peaks. The now familiar forms of mountains in Glacier National Park were especially cool.

Choosing the descent route was an agonizing decision. After switching back and forth several times I chose the most direct path via the east ridge. This would mean a fair stint of bushwhacking, but I was confident that fighting through the bush going downhill would be considerably easier than my uphill battle (at least I tried to convince myself of this).

From a scenery point of view this route was fantastic. The rapidly descending Sun lit up mountains to the southeast in beautiful shades of gold and red and then moved to highlight peaks to the east. Rainy Ridge, Three Lakes Ridge, Mount Gladstone, and Castle Peak were amazing! I soon reached the part of the trip I was dreading. Thankfully, the downhill bushwhacking was considerably easier than uphill – good thing because I was rapidly approaching panic mode, as light gave way to dark. I needed my headlamp only for the last 15 minutes of the descent.

In honour of my Star Trek fixation, I’d like to say I “boldly went where no man has gone before” in executing this route, however “boldly” can often be an optimistic substitute for “blindly”! I am sure that those reading this report will think twice about trying at least the first part of the route. For those who are interested in these peaks, I’d recommend an ascent of Haig via Haig Lake or Gravenstafel Ridge, traverse over to Boot Hill, then to Tombstone. Either return the same way or go to the Haig/Middle Kootenay col, up to Middle Kootenay and then out via Middle Kootenay Pass Trail. This second descent option would make for an extremely rewarding day out (and of course, extremely long and tiring). Tombstone and Boot Hill are also possible from the west side, though a long drive and high clearance, 4WD vehicle are required – see Rick Collier’s report on Bivouac.

A magnificent day with all the magnificent scenery I’ve come to expect in the Castle area. 24 hours after the fact, the bushwhacking nightmare was already a hazy, out of focus memory.

Out of the first section of severe bushwhacking and getting ready for Round 2; aiming for the obvious low col

I thought I was both literally and figuratively out of the woods here, however,
there was still a great deal of challenging terrain to contend with

Tombstone Mountain from the Middle Kootenay Mountain/Mount Haig col

Tombstone and much closer Boot Hill

The easy ascent slopes of Boot Hill

Looking back to the col and Middle Kootenay Mountain

Clean-cut rock

Looking back to Mount Haig (left)

The summit view to the north, from Boot Hill; St Eloi in the centre and Syncline to the right

The vertical north face of Tombstone; the ascent route traverses below the face on
the left side and then goes up easy slope on the south side of the peak

A closer look at the distinctive mountain

Middle Kootenay and lots of unnamed stuff

Looking back to Boot Hill

A cool band of black rock

The watchful goats (except the one on the right - he'll be the one calling Jenny Craig in a few years)

Part of the summit view from Tombstone;
an unnamed peak in the foreground and mountains of GNP behind

The traversing descent route goes above the rockband

Looking back to Tombstone and the pleasant descent route across grassy meadows

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Clouds over Barnaby Ridge

Middle Kootenay Mountain

The northeast side of Boot Hill

Reaching the summit of Haig; Boot Hill and Tombstone to the right and Middle Kootenay to the left

The summit view south and southeast, from Haig

A closer look; Three Lakes Ridge at the left and Scarpe Mountain in the centre;
the foreground peak at the right is the false summit of Middle Kootenay Mountain