Rowe East II





 
December 30, 2023
 
Mountain height:        2330 m
Elevation gain:           680 m
Ascent time:              2:00
Minor diversion time: 1:05
Descent time:            1:20
 
Solo scramble.  
 
Definitive proof I need to revisit some mountains or peaks that at one time I thought to be “not worthy”!
 
I ran up this minor outlier of Mount Rowe after ascending Rowe and another outlier to the northwest, 17 years earlier in 2006. My assessment of the east outlier amounted to, “It really wasn’t that good of an extension.” However, a recent ascent of Rowe reignited my interest in the peak, especially as a potential winter trip.

Initially, the intention was to follow the route Mark and I had used in 2006, but head straight to the Rowe/Rowe East col and then make the easy trek to the summit from that point. However, after gaining some elevation, a new route via the ridge right of the drainage revealed itself and that’s the direction I went. Good (i.e. lucky) decision! The ridge was fantastic, offering much better views than that drainage, the usual fare of amazing Waterton rock, and easy travel.       

The summit view did not disappoint either and was certainly superior to expectations, given my lacklustre 2006 review. Following the ridge to the east seemed like a good idea at this point. The weather was in the process of breaking down, however, I had been fortunate enough to enjoy clear, blue skies on ascent. Crampons and an ice axe were required to get around a couple of rock bands, but otherwise the traverse was straightforward and also very rewarding. When the ridge dropped off, I turned around and went back to the summit.
 
For descent, I had already decided to head towards the Rowe/Rowe East col and then descend snow slopes into the drainage. This worked perfectly, even granting me a decent section of fun glissading.
 
An excellent day out and also a reflection of my changing perceptions of the mountains. The new review for Rowe East is, “A superb and very worthwhile extension of Mount Rowe or a great stand-alone off-season trip. Outstanding!”.   



From nearing the parking lot, Mount Rowe and the Moon are visible



The ascent drainage steepens, but is generally easy to ascend on the right side



Morning light and colours over Mount Crandell, Senator Peak, Buchanan Ridge, and Mount Carthew



First colourful rock encounter of the day, though the Sun's rays are conspicuously absent



The grade mellows after that one steep section



Looking right to the ridge I eventually ended up on



Mount Custer is getting some Sun



The summit block of Rowe



Heading right to gain the ridge. Looks boring but that was soon to change.



The change



Smooth chunk of burgundy argillite



The view on the other side of the valley is front and centre for the entire ascent



Random chunk of burgundy argillite



Other types of colourful rock



That view again, but of course it will be in shade for most of the day at this time of the year



Mount Custer's east face does get some Sun



The lower eastern summit of Akamina Ridge up high and "Little Akamina" down low



Forum Peak



All of the above and more



As the Sun rises, it's Mount Rowe's turn to get some attention



Rowe has become one of my favourite snowshoe ascents in the Rockies



Cameron Lake and Mount Custer



Rowe and a silhouetted tree



Rowe and red argillite (but no Sun on the red rock - boo!)



Looking down the ridge



I think that's Thunderbird Mountain in Glacier National Park - very cool looking peak



Summit of Rowe



The Moon above the Rowe/Rowe East connecting ridge



Both of the above



Back to the easy and scenic terrain on and near the ridge



Closer to the edge of the ridge, but don't get too close when it's corniced



The coolest part of the ascent was this colourful rock band and the dead fork-like tree to the right



Distracted by the view around Cameron Lake



Happy to see this before it gets covered in snow



The Fork



Resuming travel up the colourful ridge



May have serendipitously picked a great time to do the trip, when snow adds to the scenery but doesn't cover all the amazing rock


    
Even the tree bark is red on this ridge!



Enjoying the clear blue sky before it is no longer so



And enjoying the terrific views



Both west and east



Another interesting section of terrain below



Lone, dead-straight tree



Other remains of trees



On the ridge between Rowe and Rowe East



Mount Lineham



The summit is only a few minutes away at the right



All of the above



The view to the west is pretty killer



Looking down on snow-covered Lower Rowe Lake



The lower Upper Rowe Lake is hardly a lake at all at this time of the year and only the corner of the upper one is visible



But "The Peak Of Despair" is clearly visible!



Rowe again. It's east ridge is a short but fun scramble.



Oh, the wonderful distraction of red argillite!



There's the summit



Distracted again, but that's hardly a surprise



Summit of Rowe East



Didn't stay long because the east ridge begged exploration



Easy travel to begin with



More rocky distractions



Couldn't downclimb this, so had to go around



The route around the rock band at the left. It was quite steep and crampons and an ice axe were necessary.



Looking back along the summit ridge



Igneous rock ahead!



Traversing below the ridge to get around the solidified magma



Back on the ridge to find footprints - or more accurately hoofprints



The colourful rock never ends



Lineham and others



Looking back again to the beautiful contours of the ridge and Mount Rowe



View from the highest point of the ridge



I continued on for a short distance beyond the highpoint



Kintla and Kinnerly in GNP



Forum Peak in Waterton and shapely Mount Peabody, just right of centre, in GNP



The ridge drops off here. The end of the line for me.



Heading back. The clouds are coming in now but I'm already fully satiated.



The contours again



The hoofprints go around the deathly exposed north side of the igneous band - I went for the south side!



Going south around the other rock band



Still clear, sunny, and colourful to the east



Approaching the col



Even though there is a depressing lack of snow for late December, some decent sized cornices have developed



Passing a few



Cameron Lake and company still look good, even with the clouds



Another cornice



Close-up



I started descending before reaching the col. Looking up at Rowe's east ridge.



Upper part of the descent route



Glissade track



The proliferation of bent trees point to the avalanche prone nature of the drainage



Looking back. I'd stay in the trees at the right in times of avalanche concerns



Those ones. Descending the same route I ascended would be the safest way down (and up).



Carthew, Carthew Minor-Minor, and Carthew Minor. I love The Carthews!



Blue sky holds on for dear life to the north



There's the ridge I ascended. I predict this route to become as popular for me as the winter Mount Rowe route.



Last look at Rowe East. Two thumbs up!

The End

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