The Senator II



    

May 11, 2024
 
Mountain height: 2440 m
Elevation gain:    896 m
Ascent time:        3:00
Descent time:      1:55
 
Scrambling with Dave. 
 
Day 3 of a three-day Southern Alberta excursion and I needed something relatively short, not only because I had to back in Calgary that evening, but also because I was still battling fatigue from the Anderson Peak ascent two days earlier, and Pincher Ridge the day before. Dave suggested the middle peak of Buchanan Ridge and I was all in. My first trip up “The Senator” was relatively easy and full of wonderful surprises. At that time, I called the peak, “Buchanan, The Middle Child”, in reference to its location between the true summit of Buchanan Ridge and Buchanan Northeast. However, Dave’s suggestion of “The Senator”, as a tribute to Alberta senator William Buchanan was far more fitting.
 
The ascent enfolded in similar fashion to my first ascent, except there was less snow and that snow was less reliable. While I had managed to ascent the major gully on snowshoes for my first trip, that method of travel was not going to be an option for us (not only because we didn’t bring snowshoes!). In light of the less than perfect snow conditions, we chose to gain the snowless ridge to our left and follow it towards the summit. This turned out to be a fantastic route, with much better views than those from the gully. The terrain did steepen quite a bit nearing the summit. Dave ended up taking a bold line on exposed, blocky rock. I opted for an easier, less aesthetic route.
 
The perfect weather ensured our summit stay would be long and very gratifying. For a much lower outlier of Buchanan Ridge, the view still packs quite a punch.

Descending the aforementioned snow gully was our route of choice for getting down. Though the snow wasn’t great for going up, it did offer good plunging-stepping and even a little glissading on descent.   
 
Yet again, one of the highlights of the day occurred late in the trip and low on the mountain, in the form of colourful rock bands, cascades, and small waterfalls. With less snow the scenery was even better than my previous trip.
 
Fantastic return to a significant and worthwhile peak that’s sees very little human traffic.

Click HERE to see Dave's terrific report.



No sense of urgency here - I guess that what happens when we pave their habitat! (photo by Dave)



The objective (left) from the start of the trip. Buchanan Ridge at the right.



Fording Cameron Creek (photo by Dave)



Dave's turn



Easy hiking through the burned remains of the 2017 Kenow fire (photo by Dave)



Dave leads us towards the drainage at the left



Views behind us are already opening up (photo by Dave)



The snowy drainage we will soon be in, just left of centre



Rowe, Lineham, Blakiston, and Ruby Ridge



Dave (right) chose to stay on the ridge for a little while longer



Dave's view of the ascent drainage from the ridge above (photo by Dave)



His view of me in the drainage (photo by Dave)



My view of him



Now we are both in the drainage and ready for some elevation gain (photo by Dave)



Cool curve of snow



The ridge above and Buchanan



The north view will be a highlight throughout the day (photo by Dave)



The drainage curves to the left up ahead, but is unseen here



North again



Dave graciously breaks trail up the main drainage. It's quite foreshortened here.



Heading to the ridge to the left, having abandoned the drainage



Cool, white rock



Cool tree remains



The dead trees are thinning out



One of the coolest dead trees we encountered (photo by Dave)



Have I fallen? (photo by Dave)



No, just framing Mount Lineham within the hole in the dead tree



Close-up



The route ahead. Again, it's still a fair distance to the summit (photo by Dave).

The view behind is increasing in scope (photo by Dave)



Obligatory close-ups: Long Knife Peak



Kintla and Kinnerly



Akamina Ridge



Dave is my Sunshine...... my only Sunshine



My Sunshine and the daunting route to Buchanan Peak (not a scramble)



Still slogging, but the terrain underfoot is quite manageable (photo by Dave)



A steep boulder field makes for more challenging travel (photo by Dave)



Dave and the boulders



Good choice on Dave's part to choose the snow here



The Follower (photo by Dave)



Back into the shade for a short section



The red of Ruby Ridge always adds to a scene (photo by Dave)



Dave approaches an obstacle



Going around the right side of it worked



Looking down the route we just came up



Dave takes a challenging line to the summit ridge



Looks easy, but I was nervous for Dave as he went up this. There were a couple of big moves near the top.



The summit is not too far away, once up that tricky step (photo by Dave)



Dave is probably thankful for the easy terrain to finish the ascent



View to the northeast



I'm definitely thankful for the easy terrain! (photo by Dave)



Dave takes the final few steps to the top



The summit (photo by Dave)



View to the east (photo by Dave)



Southwest (photo by Dave)



West (photo by Dave)



North (photo by Dave)



The Akamina area (photo by Dave)



Long Knife (photo by Dave)



Mount Rowe and Rowe East (photo by Dave)



Lineham (photo by Dave)



Part of the Hawkins Horseshoe route (photo by Dave)



  Piinaquiium / Ahkoinimahstakoo (Mount Blakiston) (photo by Dave)



Glendowan (photo by Dave)



Cloudowan Peak (photo by Dave)



Cloudowan Northeast (just left of centre) and Cloudy Ridge (photo by Dave)



Cloudy Ridge and Cloudy Ridge Junior (photo by Dave)



Dungarvan (photo by Dave)



Rogan Peak (photo by Dave)



Galwey (photo by Dave)



The north peak of Lakeview Ridge (photo by Dave)



Buchanan Northeast - I want another run at the traverse route, this time with perfect weather and a vehicle waiting at the other end! (photo by Dave)



The Middle Waterton Lake (photo by Dave)



Bertha Peak and Bertha Minor in the background (photo by Dave)



Mount Cleveland (photo by Dave)



Buchanan Peak (photo by Dave)



 Mount Carthew peaks over the ridge (photo by Dave - who has taken a ton of summit photos before I have even arrived!)



Pano 1 (photo by Dave)



Pano 2 (photo by Dave)



Pano 3 (photo by Dave)



Look who finally showed up to the party! (photo by Dave)



Mount Alderson above Alderson Lake (photo by Dave)



Sofa Mountain (background), Vimy Peak and Vimy Ridge (midground) (photo by Dave)



Tarn on the south side of the mountain



Summit glory with The Man



Same as above



Heading down (photo by Dave)



Same as above



The cornice on the southeast side of the ridge deserved lots of respect



Leaving the ridge and heading for the snow gully (photo by Dave)



Typical terrain en route to the gully (photo by Dave)



Looking up the first section. I'm way behind again and not even visible (photo by Dave).



There I am (photo by Dave)



Dave set a fierce pace down the gully



But he always waited for me - classy guy (photo by Dave)



Looking up our descent route. The upper section is deceivingly steep.



Glissading (photo by Dave)



Close-up (photo by Dave)



It was the only mode of travel that allowed me to get down faster than Dave! (photo by Dave)



Here comes that great view of the northern peaks again



My turn to wait, but it was for less than 30 seconds!



Passing that curve of snow



Ruby Ridge joins the view again



The first signs that the end of the trip is going to be a hootenanny!



The remarkable colours of Waterton (photo by Dave)



The drainage was under of deep layer of snow on my first ascent, so seeing it without snow was a real treat



Atop a cool waterfall (photo by Dave)



Leaving it (photo by Dave)



Dave is just visible near the right, working his way through a small section of light bush



As stated, Dave is wonderfully patient person and always indulges my timing-stopping red argillite, any colourful rock, waterfall, cascades, etc. diversions! (photo by Dave)



There's a diversion











Another great waterfall. Hard to believe there was enough snow to snowshoe right up the middle of this in 2021 (photo by Dave)



Gawking at something (photo by Dave)



Probably this




Or this



The amazing views of the drainage and Buchanan Ridge never end (photo by Dave)







 I'm finally catching up (photo by Dave)



Until the next distraction!




Patient Dave



Final look at the ascent route (photo by Dave)



Recrossing Cameron Creek (photo by Dave)



Back at the start

The End

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