Kootenai Brown Peak III



Lost Mountain V

  
 
May 20, 2023
 
Mountain heights: 2470 m, 2509 m
Elevation gain:      1319 m
Round-trip time:    8:24
 
Scrambling with Dave.
 
A long overdue trip with my Southern Alberta Homie! I am usually lucky enough to do a trip with Dave at least once a month and often multiple times during the summer months. Unfortunately, busy schedules prevented us from getting together for most of January, and all of February, March, and April. However, the usually rainy and miserable May long weekend looked to provide sunny skies and so the stage was finally set.
 
This was, however, far from a “normal” May. Inundated with an alarming number of forest fires, Alberta was a smoky mess, with extremely poor air quality. As such, we decided to pick an objective en route. The skies were a little hazy as we approached Waterton, but far better than expected. A substantial objective with a decent amount of elevation gain would be on the plate. In fact, with forecast high temperature in the high 20’s, oppressive heat was far more a concern than forest fire smoke.
 
We eventually settled on Lost Mountain, with the option to tag Kootenai Brown Peak. I had done both a few times, but more than welcomed another opportunity to hike/scramble in the magnificent area around Blakiston Creek. And as everyone who has completed many trips in Waterton and The Castle knows, each peak, almost without exception, has a variety of different routes to the top.
 
I was hardly surprised (but very happy) when, after hiking several kilometres of the Blakiston Creek trail, a new potential route up one of the two peaks revealed itself. This route would hopefully lead us to a hanging valley between Lost and Kootenai, where we could decide which peak to ascend first.  We could see the infamous and often imposing limestone rock band impeding progress at one point, but also spotted several weaknesses that would probably grant us access to the hanging valley.
 
And that is exactly how things unfolded – with one glaring exception (more of a pleasant surprise). Once some elevation was gained, Dave led us over to what sounded like a significant stream coming down the mountain. The stream not only gave us a chance to refill our water packs, but also provided outstanding scenery, especially above the limestone band. I didn't expect the long-exposure feature of my phone to get much of a workout on this trip, but it was huffing and puffing as much as I was by the time we could see the valley above.
 
We eventually gained the hanging valley and started to scope out possible routes up to Kootenai’s south ridge. Going to Lost first would have been much easier, but the Kootenai route looked way more interesting – very steep, but interesting!
 
And the steep part turned out to be an illusion. Dave expertly led us up the face, encountering only one or two moves of moderate scrambling. We were then able to follow the beautiful ridge easily to the summit. Well, Dave ascended with ease; I was sucking wind throughout!  
 
We took an extended break at the summit of Kootenai (I needed it!), before embarking on my favourite section of the entire Anderson/Lost/Kootenai/Bauerman traverse – the magnificent terrain between Kootenai and Lost. Replete with colourful, lichen-covered rock, vertiginous views down the north side of the ridge, and easy but fun terrain to negotiate, this section never ceases to enthrall me. The slog up to Lost sucked the life out of me for the second time that day, but comfort was taken in the fact that the reminder of the day would all be downhill.
 
Many options existed for descent. After a little discussion we both agreed that descending the southwest side of Lost and then making our way back to our ascent route would be the fastest route and some of it new to us both. Except for some tedious rubble near the top, the route worked remarkably well, and we were back on the trail in no time. The 6 km hike back to the parking lot would have been easy were it not for the oppressive heat. I sucked wind throughout that part too!
 
Except for my less than impressive physical performance, this was a wonderful day, exploring new routes on familiar mountains, with a top notch human being – thanks Dave, as always, for your adventurous spirit, your amazing scrambling and route-finding prowess, and your thoughtful and engaging conversation – sorry I couldn’t respond promptly – I was out of breath!!

Click HERE and HERE to see Dave's riveting reports!

Anderson Peak is always a beautiful sight from the parking lot (photo by Dave)



Passing the cool red argillite section in Blakiston Creek (photo by Dave)



Looking up the best scramble route up Anderson Peak. Surprisingly, the route hasn't seemed to gain popularity.



There are several beautiful cascades to see along the way



Passing by the more popular but less aesthetic route up Anderson (photo by Dave)



The south face route up Lost Mountain is easy but, again, not terribly aesthetic (photo by Dave)



Leaving the trail and heading towards the valley between Kootenai (left) and Lost (right) (photo by Dave)



We followed a drainage for a while, but soon switched to more open slopes



Dave approaches a lone big boulder



And then finds a way to stand atop it



Dave leads us towards the stream



Open slopes and Lone Mountain - were I to repeat that ascent I would bike the Snowshoe Trail, hike to Twin Lakes, then to Lone Lake, and ascend the south ridge of the objective. The Blakiston Creek route is shorter but none of it can be biked (photo by Dave).



Approaching the stream and the first of many waterfalls



The limestone band



The stream and a weird tree at the left



Great water source (photo by Dave)



Dave searches for a weakness through the limestone band



He's found one



The second waterfall



The third was the coolest


  
The fourth held its own



First "cool rock" encounter



Entering the hanging valley



The stream scenery continues (photo by Dave)



The snow made travel easier here (photo by Dave)



Last of the waterfalls



Not hard to see why The Castle, Waterton, and Glacier National Park are some of the most colourful parks on the continent



Dave leads us into the heart of the hanging valley



And then scopes out potential routes up to Kootenai's south ridge



He's on the move and heading up to what appeared to be an unscramblable rock band



Dave finds the weakness



I'm distracted by lichen on argillite



Dave is ready to lead us to freedom!



I follow. Only one of two moves of scrambling here (photo by Dave).



Looking over to Kootenai's summit (photo by Dave)



Gaining the south ridge. Mighty Piinaquiium (Mount Blakiston) behind (photo by Dave)..



Dave is making great progress up the ridge, while I question if aliens removed one of my lungs while I slept!



Some cool sandstone-like rock and Lost Mountain



Kootenai (left) and Lost (right)



Dave enjoying some easy but fun scrambling up the ridge



Looking down the steep east side of the ridge



My slow pace gives Dave a chance to photograph the great views to the south (photo by Dave)



Looking over to Anderson Peak (centre) and Lost (right)



Dave has found my favourite combination of scenery: red argillite, snow, and blue sky (photo by Dave)



The only remaining snow on mountain was in the form of a couple of huge cornices along the ridge (photo by Dave)



My turn to enjoy the argillite



Ripple rock - yes, at one time in history that rock was at the bottom of a sea



Big snow! (photo by Dave)



More argillite



Lagging behind again (photo by Dave)



Dave steers well clear of the edge of the cornice



Dave reaches a major highpoint on the ridge



Dave's view to the east includes the summit of Kootenai, Anderson, Anderson's east peak, and Lost (photo by Dave)



And Mount Bauerman to the west (photo by Dave)



Dave is a very patient man and graciously waited for me at the highpoint (photo by Dave)



Sage Senior - a peak that deserves way more love than it presently receives (photo by Dave)



Almost there



Dave leads the way to the summit at the left



Kishinena Peak behind Bauerman (photo by Dave)



Easy travel to the summit



I chose the snow (photo by Dave)



Dave hits the summit



Anderson, it's east peak, and Lost



Finally caught up (photo by Dave)



Dave at the summit



Piinaquiium (Mount Blakiston) (photo by Dave)



Mount Kinnerly in GNP (photo by Dave)



King Edward and Starvation peaks (photo by Dave)



Miskwasini and Kenow (photo by Dave)



Mount Glendowan (photo by Dave)



Newman Senior - the sight of that peak will, for a while, give me shivers, courtesy of a kinda' scary ascent in 2022 (photo by Dave)



Loaf Mountain - no shivers for that one! (photo by Dave)



View to the southwest (photo by Dave)



Castle Peak and Windsor Mountain (photo by Dave)



Pano of the ridge taken up (right) and the ridge we will take down (left)



Leaving for Lost (photo by Dave)



The colours of Waterton and The Castle



The only reason I'm ahead of Dave at this point is because he had a rock in his boot



Great view of Lost and the easy route up (photo by Dave)



A little route-finding is required here but increased traffic has made the path obvious (photo by Dave)



Below the major rock band and traversing back to the ridge



Some of the very cool rock that makes this the best part of the traverse



Same as above



And again



Newman Senior and Mount Glendowan make another appearance - there's a terrific ridgewalk/scramble between the two



Dave is not immune to the lure of yellow lichen on red argillite! (photo by Dave)



I'm almost camouflaged amid the colourful rock! (photo by Dave)



Looking back at the interesting section (photo by Dave)



And forward to Lost



Anderson and Lost



The precipitous north face of Lost (photo by Dave)



There is one interesting obstacle en route to Lost. It can be circumvented on the right side, but Dave chose to go right up the gap (photo by Dave)




There he is



I follow (photo by Dave)



Summit is close (photo by Dave)



Taking the final few steps (photo by Dave)



Summit pano to from west to east, via the north. In math we would call this Quadrants II and I on the Cartesian coordinate plane! (photo by Dave)



Kootenai Brown looking glorious




Risky Business (great soundtrack by Tangerine Dream) at the summit - sitting down on the rock during tick season! (photo by Dave)



Dave makes the right decision!



Heading down (photo by Dave)



  Benefitting from very surfable scree (photo by Dave)



Dave looks down a steep rock band barring the way. Fortunately there was a easy route down a few metres away (photo by Dave).



Taking advantage of the little remaining snow (photo by Dave)



Nostalgic look at the ascent route we took up Kootenai



  Results of the Kenow fire are striking (photo by Dave)




Down the crux (photo by Dave)



Down the steep grassy slopes (photo by Dave)



Back on the main trail. It's a long hike back to the start, especially in the unusually oppressive heat for May (photo by Dave)
 


Back at the best section of the Blakiston Creek hike ....



...where red argillite abounds



On the homestretch of an awesome trip! (photo by Dave)

The End

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