Kent Ridge North II




    




 
April 14, 2025
 
Mountain height: 2914 m
Elevation gain:    approximately 1200 m
Ascent time:        4:35
Descent time:      2:25
 
Solo snowshoe, with a little mountaineering.
 
20 years and 4 months after ascending this wonderful peak with Mark and Kevin, I was back for Round 2.
 
It was not my original objective, however. I drove down Highway 93 South hoping to do find something in the Haffner Creek area; maybe a second ascent of Haffner Senior. Unfortunately, slightly hazy skies prevailed in that area of the Rockies, and I had just come from completely clear conditions farther east. I turned around and drove all the way back to Highway 40, looking for something to do. That something turned into the outlier west of Kent Ridge North, with the faint hope of reaching the higher summit, if time and energy levels permitted. And so after leaving Calgary at 6 am, I started this trip at the depressingly late time of 10:25 am!
 
Working in my favour was a well-trodden trail in the snow. I put snowshoes on right away and made my way up to treeline within an hour. What followed was a tour de force of jaw-dropping cornice scenery and exponentially improving views. I shouldn’t have been surprised, having seen this ridge several times in winter but I was!
 
I didn’t stop at the summit of the outlier, already super inspired to continue on to try Kent North. Although getting down the col was the technical crux of the day, requiring crampons and an ice axe, the slog up to the summit turned out to be the mental and physical crux. The foreshortened slog, with about 450 m of elevation gain, exacted every ounce of energy I could muster up and over 1.5 hours of my life! However, the effort was so worth it. At a substantial height of 2914 m, the highest point of the Kent massif offers an outstanding 360-degree panorama. Especially eye-catching was the view to Mount Inflexible and the huge cornice overhanging the east face.          
 
I couldn’t have asked for a more mercifully easy descent, perhaps matching that of the previous day on Rummel Ridge: summit to the col – 30 minutes compared to 90 on ascent; summit of the outlier to the parking lot – 75 minutes compared to 145 on ascent.
 
A strenuous but absolutely magical return to an outstanding mountain.



Close-up of the outlier from the parking lot



Looking over to distinctive Mount Smith-Dorrien



55 minutes later the views finally start to emerge



The outlier at the left and Kent Ridge North just right of centre



Mount Murray, CEFNS, Birdwood, Commonwealth, and Smuts are featured throughout the ascent



Small cornices on the lower section of the outlier's east side



There's a decent trail left of the ridge, but staying near the edge provides the best views



Mounts Black Prince and Warspite lie to the southwest



Kent North at the left with some of the massive length of Kent Ridge running south. The official summit lies near the south end and is significantly lower than Kent North, but is an awesome scramble.



Cool exposed rocks and the two summits



With some lichen



Same as above



Mount Smuts



Mount Birdwood and Pig's Tail (Shark's Tooth)



The outlier just right of centre looks like it could be a good objective and may lead to another significant highpoint along Kent Ridge



Back to the obsession with the outlier and Kent North



Cornice size is increasing



As are the views to the west



Big chunk of snow that looks like it's ready to fall



Close-up



Yikes! It did, during the 20 seconds I was moving away from it to get a better angle.



The cornices get even more impressive from here







So does the view looking back



Same as above



The best cornice on the outlier



Close-up



The next best one


More cornice scenery and other stuff


















Correction - this was the best cornice on the outlier!




























The summit of the outlier is finally close



Same as above


Panos from the summit of the outlier






















To the north sit Mount Chesmill, the South Peak of Headwall, and Mount Chester to the left



Mount James Walker



Close-up of the South Peak of Headwall (centre) and Chesmill (the bump on the left). Headwall Peak at the right.



Black Prince



French, Prairie Lookout, and Murray



Birdwood and company again. Commonwealth Ridge near the right.



First part of the descent to the col



Looking back at the path I took. It's more serious than appearances dictate and I wouldn't have descended this part without crampons and an ice axe. 



The cornice at the summit of the outlier is always a beaut



Same as above



At the col, looking back to the outlier



The slope up to Kent North, looking super easy and not very long - wrong on both counts!



Taking a breather to admire some orange lichen on a rock



45 minutes up and the summit seems no closer



Mount Joffre



70 minutes up



Finally hit the summit around the 90 minute mark



The James Walker Lake valley


Summit panos


















The long ridge of Kent is now visible to the south



The magnificent Opal Range to the east



Wintour in the foreground (left), Elpoca in the distant centre, and Rae at the right



Mount Denny (right), Rocky Peak (foreground left), and Fisher Peak behind Rocky



Mount Sir Douglas peaks over Prairie Lookout



Assiniboine and company join the Birdwood group



The incredible cornice overhanging the east side



Another look south, specifically at the nearby cornice



Close-up



Close-up in the other direction



Not so close-up



Same as above, with Inflexible at the right and some of the challenging terrain between Kent North and Inflexible



Everything to the north and northeast



Better look at Assiniboine, with Eon Mountain at the left



Mount Galatea


Headwall Peak


The narrow summit ridge of Mount James Walker



Mary Barclay's Mountain (left) manages to hold onto some snow



Back to the Opal Range - close-up of Denny



Mount Evan-Thomas



Mount Packenham


Mount King George



Pocaterra, Tyrwhitt, and other peaks of the Elk Range



Heading down



Let gravity do the work!



A few interesting clouds form



Back at the col



Rocky sections were few and far between



The South Peak of Headwall was eye-catching throughout



Nice to see some yellow lichen



Glancing back to the summit of the outlier


Had to photo the same cornices on descent too!






























A little more exposed rock, due to melting during the day







Last look before descending into the forest



Back at the parking lot, after the wonderful trip

The End

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