Buchanan Northeast Outlier

Buchanan Northeast Outlier

July 27, 2025

Mountain height: 2246 m
Elevation gain:    approximately 1200 m
Ascent time:        3:40
Descent time:      3:05

Solo scramble.

With clear skies forecast for the morning and cloudy ones for the afternoon, I decided to take the opportunity to follow through on a trip that “went awry” three weeks earlier. This time I was committed to sticking to SOISTHEMAN’s route up to the ridge between Buchanan Northeast and The Senator and then make my way over to a minor outlier just off the main ridge. I thought the outlier may provide decent views over to the Waterton townsite and of course a big splash of red rock along the ridge provided the ultimate motivation!

Short hike to Cameron Creek, cross the waterway, up the lower slopes, and before I knew it, I was back at the section of the valley that had blown me away earlier in the month. Naturally, with perfect weather, I was going to revisit this area. And also naturally, it blew me away even more!

I then resumed travel, paralleling the enormous walls of stunning rock above me. This section too proved to be engaging and surprisingly scenic, featuring a blanket of bright green, vegetated slopes, contrasting with the fine red argillite scree. And if that wasn’t enough, a completely unexpected run-in with a super cool snow cave definitely put this part of the trip over the top.

The snow cave was followed by bit of a slog to the ridge. Throughout that slog, I couldn’t help but think that of the numerous routes up the west side of the Buchanan massif I’ve taken over the years, this is easily the most rewarding one – thank you SO!

A short break was needed once I reached the ridge. Also some decision-making. During the latter part of the ascent, I had been staring at the steep slopes leading to The Senator, but more importantly the shoulder I had used to access Lake Dormaar, earlier in the year. From some angles the slopes looked doable and from others too steep. However, the idea of checking them out was now seeded in my brain and an attempt would be inevitable.

But first – the beautiful red ridge and the outlier. Both provided easy travel and awe-inspiring views. However, that view of Waterton I was looking for appeared to be in jeopardy. The area was blanketed in low-lying clouds, providing very cool, atmospheric scenery. By the time I reached the summit of the outlier, the clouds had thoroughly consumed the townsite. No complaints here, however – with sunny, clear skies to the west and socked-in conditions to the east, views from the top were surreal.

Although I had toyed with the idea of returning to the main ridge, then going up to Buchanan Northeast, the forecast cloudy conditions were coming to fruition; although I was surprised that the wall of approaching cloud was streaming in from the east. A better plan would be to head west and check out that potential route up towards The Senator.

After an easy and fun ridgewalk back, I started up the steep slopes, hoping to stay close to the ridge. That didn’t happen. Almost immediately I was forced away from the ridge, steep rock bands blocking the route. A little zigging and some zagging later and I was able to get to a cool viewpoint on the ridge, but this would be the end of the line. The terrain above was increasingly steep, and I became concerned about downclimbing that terrain should I get to the top. Once back down to safer terrain, I took a more direct route down the mountain, enjoying some new scenery once again.

An absolutely fantastic day on a route that I’m highly likely to repeat.

The Senator from near the start. The route I want to take goes up the drainage and then over to the left side.

Mount Lineham and that cool rock I saw previously, from the other side of Cameron Creek

Some of the lower part of the drainage

Lineham gets lots of love near the bottom of this route

So does Monkey Flower (Mimulus lewisii)

Cool butterfly

The second section of the trip is a cool hike up towards the rock walls above

Not sure what that is but I like it!

I like this too

The chunk of red argillite had me swooning 3 weeks earlier

And I'm still swooning

Still

The ridge I should be going towards, but am not

Excited to revisit this amazing area of stunning rock

The stunning rock...

Not rock, but interesting, with cool rock behind

Could it be windy here?!

The red argillite band that prompted me to ascend The Senator several weeks earlier

Some of the biggies of Waterton

Again, looking to where I eventually want to go

Back on the side of the ridge that leads to the col

And the stunning rock continues

Finally ready to head towards the ridge

Sheep sighting

They didn't seem to concerned about my presence but gave me some space

This guy didn't even budge as I inadvertently hiked right passed without noticing

Typical terrain on the traverse

Typical pollinators doing their thing

The entire face is red argillite

The Galweys

Approaching the snow cave

There is it. Still intact in late July - impressive!

The Cave

Open end at the other side

Heading up to see the opening at the top

Too band the Sun doesn't reach this area (although the snow cave wouldn't exist if it did)

Looking down the opening at the top

Tight squeeze to get by here

The east end of Ruby Ridge through the gap

Leaving the cave

The route to the ridge is straightforward

The first signs of weather instability over the Galweys to the east

But still clear to the west and north

Pretty yellow flowers to compliment the red rock

The slope I would later try to ascend. It's much steeper than it looks.

One of those views that just keeps on giving

More pretty things

On the ridge, looking west to a false summit of The Senator

The view to the east is far less dramatic

The objective at the right

Obligatory pano

Same as above

Three curses at my poor photographic skills, cutting the top of the mountain off!

The red argillite that was my primary motivation for doing this route

View to the south. I crossed the forest in front during my third attempt at getting to Lake Dormaar

The Galweys are gone

Easy, fun, and rewarding ridgewalking

The objective in the centre

Mount Alderson at the left

The best route to the outlier goes to a highpoint along the ridge first

Clouds now forming around Mount Blakiston

Long Knife Peak makes an appearance

Pano from the highpoint

Same as above

Buchanan Northeast, just left of centre

The other Buchanans: Buchanan Ridge and The Senator

The weather is definitely changing

Clouds have now formed over the Waterton townsite

Close-up of the ridge to The Senator (right side)

Close-up of the second highest summit of the Buchanan Ridge massif. The highest summit is Mount Carthew.

At the summit of Buchanan Northeast Outlier

View to the west

Mount Carthew (left) and Buchanan Peak (not seen here and much lower than the others) are the only official summits of the entire Buchanan Ridge massif

Blakiston looks like he's smoking!

Buchanan Northeast

The clouds continue to build to the east

There's the townsite

The clouds are really coming in now

Total whiteout

But the tops of Vimy Peak and Sofa Mountain are still visible

So is the cockscomb section of Mount Crandell

Still surprisingly clear skies over The Senator and Lineham

Blakiston stopped smoking but is now on fire!

Mount Chapman in GNP

Summit panos

Interesting cloud over the east side of Blakiston

Time to leave before I'm in a whiteout

Smoking AND on fire

Close-up of Crandell's cockscomb

It would have been possible to side-slope here to avoid going to the highpoint again...

...but the views from the highpoint are worth seeing, AGAIN!

Much better view of Long Knife Peak

Last of the low-lying cloud views

Now we have some higher clouds forming

Heading back across the ridge

Same as above

Back at the col and ready to see if I can get up to the shoulder below The Senator

Up we go

Approaching the first significant rock band that will force me to go to the right

Around the rock band, but the terrain is getting increasingly steep

Followed this ledge to get a view over the edge

The view from the ledge looking up is cool but not encouraging

A good representation of the grade of the slope (and why I chickened out!)

View from the edge of the ledge

Bigger view

Back down on much easier terrain and ready to descend

New route down the mountain

Looking back up some of the route

Same as above

Back to the drainage

Same as above and now the clouds have moved in

Back to the Monkey Flower

The first and last waterfall of the day

Rewarding look back at the route

The End

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