Bellevue Hill X
July 4, 2023
Mountain height: 2116 m
Elevation gain: 900 m
Round-trip time: 4 hours
Solo scramble.
After Bellevue
IX, ascending one of two drainages on the south side of the mountain, X, going up the other, was
inevitable. The ascent started well but quickly degraded,
as foliage in the drainage made travel challenging. There were several sections
of amazing rock on both sides of the drainage, but very few cascades – one of
the primary features of IX.
Higher up, a
huge band of red argillite made up for the shortcomings of the lower half. The
weather was not great throughout but that’s what I was expecting. My summit stay was
less than a minute. Checking out a descent route via the next ridge over to the
west was the last order of business for this trip and I was keen to get there.
The route worked
very well, offering easy travel and impressive scenery. As well, it emptied out
on the road only a 100 or so metres from my vehicle.
It’s a “one and
done” for this route, but I’m very happy to have completed it.
View of the route from the road
Things looked promising early on
Super cool rock in the drainage
But minimal water
More bushy than I would have liked
There is no shortage of cool rock, but much of it a hidden by the foliage
That one isn't
Clouds over Crandell
Out of the bush for now
Another rare run-in with water
Classic alternating layers of red and green argillite
Throw in a few layers of beige dolostone
All of the above
And again
Back to the bushy terrain
Great rock but it was too much work to get over to the other side of the drainage to take a closer look
The brush is finally thinning out
These layers are tilted to almost vertical
Those clouds really like Crandell!
First sign of a huge band of red argillite
Silky Lupine - 22 years of mountain trips and this is the first time I have actually correctly identified the name of a flower!
Go to the end of this report to find out why.
Same as above
No idea what this is - baby steps I guess!
Same as above
...and again
Past that first red rock sighting
And onto this one
The upper slopes are all glorious red rock
....and a bird
Back to being clueless
The clouds over Crandell have finally lifted
Summit at the right; clouds cover Galwey and Rogan
You always find something interesting on the final approach to the top
Looking down Bellevue's northeast route
Summit
Big cairn
Northeast ridge again, to the left
The clouds are not going to lift off Blakiston
Clouds have left Galwey, but the mountain looks very ominous
Less so now
The alternate descent route is also going to feature lots of red rock
The east side of Galwey. I tried to find a scramble route up here 13 years earlier but failed.
Galwey is definitely one of the most photogenic mountains in Waterton
Rogan or Dunwey or The Horn or Dungarvan SE2 - a peak with many names!
Galwey only has one name
Is that Cow Parsnip in front?
View to the southeast
At the start of the descent ridge
Looking back to the summit
Heading down
Galwey and a tree
A rare turquoise lichen sighting. It's so out of place, I always think its paint!
More typical rock
Same as above
Looking back
Getting up close with the cool rock on the east side of the ridge
Same as above
Same as above
Same as above
Love the contrast of the red rock and green grass - it's always Christmas in Waterton!
Same as above
The road and river below
Ruby Ridge is cloud-free but no dice for Blakiston
Not hard to spot my lumbering footprints in the fine red scree
Looks like a nasty section of dead trees but it was easy to dodge them
More run-ins with great rock and views
Same as above
Some sort of buttterfly pollinating some sort of flower - that naming victory was short-lived
Dead trees and Galwey
Silky Lupine again
Sticky Geranium - am I making a comeback?
Overview of the mountain
Back on the road, looking up the route
There it is! The hidden secret to my new found knowledge!
The viewpoint and flower information sign is not hidden at all and sits only a few metres from the road
Pleasant view over Blakiston Creek from the viewpoint to end the trip
The End
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