Redwood Peak IV
Drywood Southwest IV
Little Bo-Peak III

 
 
June 14, 2024
 
Mountain heights:     2340 m, 2482 m, 2340 m
Total elevation gain:  approximately 1300 m
Round-trip time:        7:00
Solo scramble.
 
Not the day I was expecting at all, but a fine one nonetheless!
 
I had to bail on an attempt of Alderson Peak with Brad and Lance, due to having a very unpleasant and energy-zapping cold. Instead of leaving Calgary at 4:30 am, I didn’t leave until 6:30 am. I decided to see how I felt once I arrived in the Waterton area. A 3-hour drive and a dose of acetaminophen later and I found myself at the Bovin Lake trailhead.
 
In 2009, as part of a wonderful day with Amber, Janina, and Scott, I had traversed from the highpoint above Bovin Lake (Little Bo-Peak) to the summit of Victoria Ridge. That part of day had been plagued with volatile weather that detracted from the experience. I had always wanted to return with completely clear skies and that’s how they appeared as I geared up at the trailhead. My intention was to ebike to Bovin Lake, ascend Little Bo-Peak, and then tackle the traverse to Victoria Ridge.
 
Unfortunately, three factors conspired to ensure the traverse would not come to fruition on this day:
1.    A build-up of clouds to the west – as stated, completely clear skies were a mandatory condition for the route.
2.    A severe increase in headwind speed – even with the added power of an ebike, riding into the wind was increasingly difficult, especially on the uphill sections.
3.    I had not charged the battery on my bike, and it reached a critically low level, several kilometres up the Bovin Lake Trail – even though most of the return trip would be downhill, I wanted a little power for the few uphill sections.
 
About 2.5 kilometres away from Bovin Lake, I abandoned the intended route and had to think of an alternate plan. Fortuitously, I just happened to stop where a gap between two rock walls on the south side of Drywood Mountain appeared to potentially offer a route to the ridge above. After ascending a dried-up drainage to the west rock wall, I traversed below it to find an easy route up between it and the east wall. And not only was the route easy but featured a beautiful stream running down the middle. Of course, that meant long exposure photo time – a relatively new addiction that is giving my red argillite one a run for its money!
 
I eventually reached the wonderful hanging valley I had salivated over a couple of times while traversing from Drywood’s true summit to its southwest summit. It was also at this point that I started to wonder if this was route Brad, Dave and Lance had competed in 2018 – the same one I had failed to find in 2021.
 
From the hanging valley, the middle peak of Drywood (we are calling it Redwood Peak) was relatively close and so I first clawed my way up to the summit. The wind en route was insane, threatening to knock me off my feet or clean off the mountain – luckily the ascent was devoid of any exposed terrain.
 
I didn’t stay at the Redwood summit, having already decided to continue to Drywood Southwest and then down to Bovin Lake. The build-up of clouds to the west seemed to have reached its maximum and the wind died down enough to allow easier travel. Plus, I wanted a good look at Bovin Lake.
 
Not surprisingly (these days), I forgot that the lake is not visible from the Southwest summit and by the time you have descended its southwest ridge enough to get a look, you are so close to Little Bo-Peak that an ascent of that little gem is pretty much mandatory. I also forgot that the short section from the Southwest/Bo-Peak col to the summit of Bo-Peak is probably the most scenic and interesting part of the trip, courtesy of some amazing red argillite scenery and terrific views of Bovin Lake and Loaf Mountain.
 
After another very brief summit stay, I returned to the col, descended to Bovin Lake, took a bunch of photos of the cool ice still remaining on the lake, hiked the Bovin Lake trail to my bike, then cruised back to the start.
 
Awesome route that I would very likely repeat.

At the trailhead



Passing by a different route I once took up Redwood



The new route goes between these rock walls



A rocky drainage made easy work of getting up to the base of the west wall



The green of the valley was eye-catching throughout



The gap between the walls



But first I wanted to get right up to the base



At the base, looking up at the water-streaked black rock



Traversing east along the base required a few minor elevation losses



Still traversing



Things are looking good for a weakness between the walls



The impressive southeast side of the west wall



Eureka! A weakness AND a cool drainage!



Everyone knows what time it is now!







There are easy and more challenging routes up through the gap. I chose a route that kept me close to the running water.


    
....for obvious reasons!






    








The west side



The east side



Straight up the middle



Good scrambling on solid rock here



Looking back to Pastry Peak



Lots of wandering back and forth






    












After zig-zagging all over the place the hanging valley is finally reached



Redwood Peak on the right side of the valley



Random boulders strewn across the landscape (just needed an excuse to use the word "strewn'!)



Gaining elevation on the right (east) side



The false summit of the Southwest summit is on the left side



Eventually a super colourful rock band is encountered



The weakness through the band



But first, some more zig-zagging is required to see the rock band







Interesting pinnacle near the left











Approaching the pinnacle











Past the pinnacle



Close-up



A little lichen to add to the already terrific scenery



Above the band lies nothing but red argillite scree slopes



I stand corrected!



The true summit of Loaf Mountain



Now there's nothing but scree!



Loaf Mountain almost in its entirety (The Muffin and The Croissant are missing). Left to right: Ciabatta, Bakery Peak, Icing On The Loaf Peak, The Breadsticks, Pastry Peak, Loaf Mountain. I'm sure Dave and I can find a few more tasty highpoints on the massif!



First good look at the true summit of Drywood Mountain



Same as above



Add Pincher Ridge (mind-blowing recent trip) and Victoria Peak to the view



Everything from Drywood Southwest (left) to Pincher Ridge



Close-up of Pincher Ridge



Victoria Peak will always be the mountain that started my love affair with The Castle, back in 2004



Windsor Mountain and Castle Peak



Mount Glendowan (left of centre) and Mount Blakiston (right of centre)



Looking southwest to the Southwest summit



Losing elevation to the Redwood/Southwest col is one of the highlights of the trip because of the amazing colours



The hanging valley is far below now



Can't forget the things nearby



Approaching the col



This is where Redwood Peak really earns its unofficial name!



There too



20 years ago this view of the east end of Loaf Mountain would have been unremarkable to me. Now that I see Bakery, Icing, Ciabatta, The Breadsticks, and Pastry in that view, it's incredible!



You really need to walk backwards for this part of the trip!



Almost at the summit of Southwest and still walking backwards



Metres away from the top



Summit view to the west. According to every topo map I could find Drywood Southwest is depicted to be about 30 metres higher than the true summit at the northeast end. I recorded values of 2490 m (Southwest) and 2475 m (true) back in 2005. I would only say that it is highly likely the Southwest summit is the highest point on the massif.



Leaving the summit right away because I can't see Bovin Lake



Victoria Ridge at the right. I'll be back to repeat that traverse another day.



Pleasant run-in with some greenery



More greenery and a different view of Loaf's awesome length



Bovin Lake - finally!



Little Bo-Peak at the left



Easy and enjoyable travel towards Little Bo



Bovin Lake and Loaf Mountain will be the center of attention for the rest of the ascent



So will the odd, cool rock balanced atop other cool rocks



The near vertical east side of Victoria Ridge offers nothing in the way of scrambling (unless you are Alex Honnold)



The ascent of Little Bo is short and wonderfully scenic



Primarily because the peak is all red argillite



Looking back



Little Bo-Peak's sister peak Little Bo-Blue Peak at the right















Still some ice of the lake, which makes a lakeshore visit even more appealing



Little Bo-Peak could also be named Redwood Junior



The pinnacle at the left is one of the coolest features of the ascent



At the summit



Bovin Lake is not entirely visible from the top, but that can be remedied by traversing over to Little Bo-Blue



View to Victoria Ridge. I've been aching to repeat one of the best ridge-scrambles in the Rockies that goes from Victoria Peak to Victoria Ridge, but  access is more challenging now. Someday...



Close-up



More summit views



Same as above



Sweet rock



Back at the pinnacle



Descending towards the lake



Looking back up the descent route



Getting closer



Almost there



At the lakeshore



The ice



Not quite the awesome experience I had at Wall Lake in 2021, but satisfying nonetheless







A small tarn east of Bovin Lake



The hike out is easy and colourful (sounds familiar!)



Loaf Mountain also boasts some of the best red argillite scenery in the southern Rockies



Back to where I left my bike and the view of the first part of the route up

The End

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