See Peak
(east end of Kishinena Ridge)



    




 
June 17, 2025
 
Mountain height:       2692 m
Total elevation gain:  approximately 1700 m
Ascent time:              7:05
Descent time:            5:40
 
Bike-bashing, bushwhacking, and scrambling with Ephraim and Doug.
 
“The See was angry that day my friends, like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli”.
 
See Peak was not, in fact, angry on June 17, 2025. The mountain welcomed us with open arms – the approach did not!
    
 
 
Having drooled over this beautiful, but remote peak from several vantage points, I was elated to receive a surprise message from Ephraim Roberts expressing a desire to make an attempt. The only information on unofficial See Peak (the east end of Kishinena Ridge and not so be mistaken with Kishinena Peak further north) can be found on Bivouac. Rick Collier, Mardy Roberts, and Paul Roberts ascended the mountain from Starvation Lake in 2001. The trio approached via a Forest Service Road from the west. Our trio – we were lucky enough to have the excellent company of Doug Robson along for the ride – would be starting in Waterton and biking up and over Akamina Pass. Ephraim had mapped out a potential route up See that would avoid the 5.4 climbing Collier and company had encountered.   
 
The stage was set and so just before 6 am we set off towards Akamina Pass, all riding ebikes. The ride to the pass went with “electric” ease, at which point we expected an even easier 10-12 km coast down the other side on a wide, open, old fire road. Not so!! My only experience hiking this road was on return from Festubert Mountain in 2006. I erroneously assumed the road would not have changed, but it changed, “oh, how you have changed!” New growth and old growth have over-run the road, reducing it to a narrow single track, with copious amounts of deadfall overlying the track. And our journey would have ended not 10 minutes from the pass were it not for the heroic efforts of Steven Noel, Cyrus Pischke, and Xander Wilkie. The trio had spent two full days in May, cutting a path through the deadfall. The numbers of trees they had to saw through was epic – I would say at least 500-700, if not more. Huge shout-out and thank-you to the lads!           
 
To add to the challenge of the descent were numerous sections of the trail that were essentially streams, and others that were a marshy/boggy mess. Riding through these was not an option and progress slowed considerably. Approximately 10 km from the pass, we arrived at an open area near Akamina Creek, where we could leave the bikes and take a shortcut over to the Grizzly Gulch trail. The trip so far had taken 1 hour, 25 minutes – considerably longer than predicted.
 
An immediate crossing of Akamina Creek was required. Ephraim had wisely brought approach shoes and simply walked through the water. Doug and I used a couple of trees spanning the waterway to keep our feet dry. We should have just walked through too, as several unbridged creek crossings would be in our near future.
 
We eventually found the Grizzly Gulch trail and once again started to gain elevation. At this point we were 100 vertical metres below our starting point and 300 m lower than Akamina Pass. Elevation gain to the summit would be about 1100 m from here.


 
The Gulch trail did not start off well – lots of deadfall to climb over and crawl under – but eventually changed to surprisingly wonderful. Like the descent from Akamina Pass, the hike up Grizzly Gulch was “The Opposite” of our expectations.
 
We were all delighted to be making good progress up the valley and hoped our luck would continue. It did for a while, but sooner or later we were going to have to “bite the bullet” and dive into the trail-less bush. Just passed the turn-off to Ashman Lake we did just that. Ephraim led the way, and though teeming with deadfall and other unpleasantries, the Man of the Hour weaved an excellent path through and up to easier terrain.
 
Once above the deadfall and dense vegetation, the ascent graduated to “jaw-dropping” status! Outstanding views became more so, familiar mountains, but from totally different vantages points, popping up with every 100 metres of elevation gained. Hues of bright green vegetation and trees contrasted beautifully with surrounding mountains; purple, yellow, and white wildflowers littered the slopes; and of course, the entire upper section of See is sweet, bright red argillite – what a way to finish an already remarkable ascent!
 
Our summit stay was long and as gratifying as gratifying gets. “In your face” views of King Edward, Starvation, and Long Knife peaks were cause for many gasps of amazement and an equal amount of photo attention. With much of Waterton, The Castle, and the northwest section of Glacier National Park stretched out around us, we had plenty-a-peak to pick out. While I quickly ran over to the nearby highpoint to get a look at Starvation Lake, Ephraim and Doug built a new cairn and Ephraim placed one of his classic summit registers.
 
About an hour after arriving, we reluctantly had to leave. Given the necessary 300 m of elevation gain and some challenging terrain that would be slow to descend, we expected the return trip to take approximately three quarters of the ascent time. More or less following our ascent line, the descent went very well. Although all three of us were not terribly excited about the bike ride back up to Akamina Pass, several hours down we wanted nothing except to be off our sore feet. Arriving back at the bikes was a big relief.
 
And the third sincere thank-you of the day goes to our ebikes! (perhaps more so, the person who brought electric motors into our world – Michael Faraday). The return ride was far less exhausting and traumatizing than expected, courtesy of those wonderful inventions. In fact, the primarily uphill ride took only a few minutes more than its mainly downhill counterpart on the way in.
 
We arrived back at the start almost 14 hours after leaving, physically spent but still mentally buzzing from the high of the ascent. “Always prepared Doug” had chairs and chilled non-alcoholic beers waiting for us. We drank and laughed, reliving some of numerous highlights of the trip.
 
What an incredible day! Huge shout-out to Ephraim for planning the route and to both Ephraim and Doug for their terrific company. This day will resonate with me for a very long time and I’m sure the same can be said for my awesome companions. Yet another of the "Best trips I've ever done"!

See Peak (left) and Ephraim's planned ascent route, as seen from Mount Ashman (GR073337) (photo by Ephraim)



The end of the easy riding. The trail from here to the bottom is not the wide, smooth road we were expecting.



Walking our bikes through one of the stream sections of the trail



Overgrown! (photo by Doug)



Off the bikes and heading over to cross Akamina Creek



These logs would help to keep our feet dry in the meantime, but all in vain in the long-run (photo by Ephraim)



No logs here. We all just walked through this creek and several more en route to See.



The nasty part of the Grizzly Gulch trail (photo by Doug)



First view of Mount Ashman (photo by Ephraim)



Close-up of Ashman's vertical northwest face



More minor creek crossings. Our boots were completely water-logged at this point anyway.



The trail gets overgrown at times, but it's still quite easy to follow (photo by Ephraim)



Ashman towering above us (photo by Ephraim)



Pleasant creek scenery (photo by Ephraim)
                     


Back to using logs to get across creeks, in the hopes of drier feet. Ephraim had changed into dry footwear.



Into the bush



Dense vegetation and deadfall on steep slopes would be the only item on the menu for the next 45-60 minutes



Same as above



First wildflower of the day



Ashman's impressive face is going to get tons of attention (photo by Ephraim)



At least the vegetation was a beautiful shade of bright green (photo by Ephraim)



Ashman and the green (photo by Ephraim)



Excellent photography by Ephraim



My attempt at photographing bear grass is much less refined. At least Ephraim's colourful attire salvages the effort!



Ashman and those greens again (and my annoying cranium at the lower left) (photo by Ephraim)



More of the same. The colours were amazing and we hadn't even got into the red argillite yet! (photo by Ephraim)



The vegetation gives way to rockier terrain


Atop the first and steepest section of the ascent
 


The route ahead. The treed area in the centre is the key to Ephraim's route. It gives easy access to the upper slopes (photo by Ephraim).



Continuing up through light bush (photo by Ephraim)



Part of the very cool northeast right of See. Looking at the topo map, this could have also been a potential line of ascent...more to come (photo by Ephraim).



Doug leads the way up the first significant band of red argillite (photo by Ephraim)



The boys atop the band



The east face of See and terrific views into Glacier National Park (photo by Doug)



Two of the three prongs of Long Knife Peak make an auspicious appearance



Larches and red rock. The mid slopes were home to numerous mature larches (photo by Ephraim).



Same as above



Ashman won't be denied (photo by Ephraim)



A few scrambling moves ahead, but all easy and on solid, blocky rock



Atop the first step (photo by Doug)



Ashman Lake can be seen behind me (photo by Doug)



More blocky rock and the appropriate red/green Christmas version of Doug



Mounts Kinnerly and Kintla through the gap



The mountains of GNP are really starting to put on a show (photo by Ephraim)



Above treeline and nothing but sweet, argillite ahead (photo by Ephraim)



Doug takes in the incredible view (photo by Ephraim)


    
Ephraim leads the way (as he did throughout) and I model my boring blue get-up (photos by Doug)



All the colours on the mountain are starting to emerge (photo by Ephraim)



So are more wildflowers



All three prongs of Long Knife and a field of wildflowers



Gentle slopes of red rock lead to the summit block



Ephraim out front, skirting the last of the remaining snow on the mountain



Nice shot of the red argillite and the green in the valley, with the stragglers at the lower left (photo by Ephraim)



Ephraim is just about to crest the ridge, where the final push to the summit will finally be visible



I decided to take the snow route to reach the ridge



Almost there



The northeast ridge of See again. Good thing we didn't take that route - the drop-off at the end is severe.



There's the summit, just right of centre



The hike from this point to the summit was one of the most gratifying experiences I've ever had in the mountains - the colours, the contours, the views were utterly breath-taking



Wildflowers and the summit block



Love this photo by Doug. Lots of unnamed but cool ridges and peaks.



Doug and Ephraim side-sloped over to the ridge, while I went to a nearby hump first



The hump at the right



The summit block from the hump



The view from the hump, includes Thomson Lake in the centre



Close-up of Thomson



D and E are ready for the final push to the top



E's viewpoint (photo by Ephraim)



D's (photo by Doug)



A's



Now on a beautiful red argillite ridge, of course I'm going to go overboard with the photos!



Another terrific photo by Doug. I have been reduced to a little speck on the ridge at the left.



And another, minus the speck (photo by Doug)



D and E are up there somewhere



The ridge in front looked extremely tempting, however there's a huge notch that would probably end progress and given the length of the trip, neither Doug, nor Ephraim, nor I had the energy



Not far now



My view



Such a satisfying scene. D and A are both specks now (photo by Ephraim).



Slogging my way up (photo by Doug)



Best view of Long Knife Peak (photo by Ephraim)



Ephraim is steps away from the summit



Doug on the ridge



Another tribute to red and green (photo by Ephraim)



I'm closing in on the summit



  Ephraim is already there and taking out Rick Collier's summit register from 2001 (photo by Ephraim)



Finally caught up to Ephraim



Ephraim has brought one of his summit register containers



Two-thirds of the elated and very colourful summit team.



King Edward Peak (left) and Starvation Peak sit at the west end of Kishinena Ridge (photo by Ephraim)



A 360 degree panoramic photo by Ephraim. Click HERE to see a larger version.



View to the east (photo by Ephraim)



View to the west (photo by Doug)



E and A discussing the price of Canola oil (photo by Doug)



Ephraim makes a new register to replace the old, soggy one. He was able to dry out Rick's entry during our summit stay (photo by Doug).



  Ephraim's entry (photo by Ephraim)



Kinnerly (left) and Kintla



Mount Cleveland in the background. Akamina Ridge at the centre left and Akamina Minor in the centre



Mount Carter (left) and Rainbow Peak (right) - both in GNP



Mounts Blakiston and Lineham



Close-up of Blakiston



Close-up of Lineham, with The Peak of Despair in front



View into The Castle. Most of the usual suspects are visible.



A very famous free standing formation of rock called Nunatak at the bottom. It has been climbed.



Three of my favourite Waterton peaks: Buchanan Ridge, Mount Carthew, and Mount Alderson



The minor highpoint I'm going over to visit at the left



Looking back to the summit



Back to being a speck at the right, but what a cool capture of Long Knife's imposing
west ridge (photo by Doug)



King Edward and Starvation from the highpoint




Same as above, but from the summit, and with the newly construction cairn (photo by Ephraim)


Views from the highpoint


















The west ridge of the highpoint. Collier and his party ascended this way, reporting it to have some 5.4 sections.



The other side is equally daunting



Starvation Lake



A much bigger lake, but unnamed lake below King Edward Peak



The notch along that ridge is visible, and Mount Ashman is looking more foreboding without the Sun



Heading back to reunite with the troops



Same as above



Rock colour explosion!



D and E are waiting patiently - maybe discussing the price of turpentine



Reunited



The new cairn again (photo by Doug)



The new register container fits nicely in the sarcophagus-like new cairn



Yet another awesome photo by Ephraim of Kinnerly, Kintla and part of Long Knife



Time to go?



Yep..the first steps of the long return route



The next few



The scenery was equally rewarding on return



Doug and that other ridge



Nothing like a lake to spruce up the view



Wildflowers and The Castle (photo by Ephraim)



Just the other ridge and lots of shapely peaks



All three of us side-sloped this time



Last look at Long Knife (photo by Ephraim)



Same as above with Doug



This ladybug was huge! (photo by Doug)



'copter



Another round of awe-inspiring Ashman (photo by Ephraim)



With Ephraim


    
More descent photos by Doug



We took a slightly different route down but Doug led the way in fine fashion



No point in getting our feet wet just yet



Sometime later recrossing Akamina Creek



Doug does the same. The logs we used to cross about 11 hours earlier are at the upper right. 



Ready to be off our aching feet, but not excited to have to gain 300 vertical metres



Stuck in the mud (photo by Doug)



The new growth is beautiful, but it does add challenge to the ride (photo by Ephraim)



Very relieved to be back near Akamina Pass



Ephraim coasts the last kilometre of the trip



The last few metres of one of the best trips I've ever done. Thank-you Ephraim and Doug!

The End

LOG