Southfork East


Southfork Mountain III  


 
September 11, 2022
 
Mountain heights:        2305 m, 2345 m
Total elevation gain:    approximately 1100 m
Round-trip time:           6:40
 
Solo scramble.
 
I needed an excuse to return to the scenic Southfork Lakes and a trip report by Bob Spirko gave me just that. Bob and company had attempted an eastern outlier of Southfork Mountain but had been turned around by gale-force winds. The objective of the day became to reach that summit and see if the true summit of Southfork could also be reached via a high-level traverse. 
 
The first highlight of the trip occurred very early when faced with the crossing of the sometimes waist-deep West Castle River. Since my last visit, Alberta Parks had installed a beautiful bridge over the waterway, taking all the drowning potential out of the crossing – two thumbs up for Alberta Parks! As well, the trail to Barnaby and the Southfork Lakes had been resigned and improved. Though still a relentlessly steep trail, it’s a straightforward affair getting to the lakes.   

Upon arriving at the Southfork Lakes and crossing the land barrier between the two, I hiked around the second lake and started up the scree slope leading to the col between the outlier (Southfork East) and pinnacled ridge between the true summit and the outlier. In retrospect, I should taken the route Bob’s party took, that would have gained the ridge northwest of the summit and then followed that ridge easily to the top. My route was quite the foreshortened and steep slog.
 
Reaching the col, I turned northeast and, with a little route-finding to avoid the steepest sections, scrambled up to the summit. The weather was far from stellar, but good enough to allow an enjoyable break and the respectable view.
 
From the summit of East Southfork, the traverse to the true summit looked daunting at best and downright impossible at worst. Staying on the ridge throughout was not going to be an option and so after scrambling back down to the col, I started traversing below the ridge on its right side. Although I expected to reach an impasse at some point, such was not the case and eventually an easy route back to the ridge revealed itself. A repeat ascent of “The Amoeba” was on the agenda (provided I made it that far), but overcast skies made me rethink that plan and I simply settled for the summit of Southfork Mountain.
 
For descent I traversed the ridge north to the highpoint at the end (simply for exploration purposes) and then made my way back to the Southfork Lakes and out.
 
Besides the disappointingly gray skies towards the end of the day, an excellent day of revisiting old and exploring new terrain.  


The north end of Southfork Mountain is visible from the new approach trail, which starts at the Syncline Brook trailhead



The Sun rises on Mount Haig, Gravenstafel Ridge, and St. Eloi Mountain




And Syncline Mountain



Peaks of the Crowsnest area in the distance. The peak in the centre is the second highest peak in Crowsnest (smaller only than Ptolemy)  and is unnamed. Much smaller Mount McGladrey at the far left.



Getting closer to the north end of Southfork Mountain. Unfortunately, a direct route appears to be improbable.



The lowest but closest of Syncline's three summits



The two highpoints at the left are the northern end of Southfork East and Southfork East



Barnaby Lake



Another potential route to Southfork East would be try to gain the far north end, above Barnaby Lake and then hike/scramble to the summit



Looking back at Barnaby



The second Southfork Lake. Southfork East at the left, Southfork Mountain at the right, and the scary, pinnacled ridge between them.



Bob's party went up the scree slope left of the line of trees. Probably a better route that the one I took.



Nice reflections in Southfork Lake



I went to the end of the lake then up the scree slope from right to left to the low col



The three lakes are still in shade as I slowly ascend the foreshortened slope to the col



It's already quite obvious that the ridge connecting Southfork East to Southfork Mountain is not a scramble



At the col looking west



Castle Peak and Windsor Mountain are distant, but always stand out on the horizon



Looking east to Southfork East



The next highpoint to the south is The Amoeba, with a lower outlier of The Amoeba to the left



The lichen-covered rock definitely caught my attention



So did this geometrically-pleasing rock in the foreground



View to the northwest



View to the west



Approaching the summit of Southfork East. I went around the left side here.



Field of larch trees on the east ridge of Southfork East



Approaching the summit cairn



Summit view to the north. The ridge in front would have made for a very easy ascent route.



A more comprehensive view to the north

 

I wandered down the north ridge for a short distance to check out the terrain there



Another more comprehensive view



Would have liked to go to the end of the ridge but the traverse attempt to the true summit of Southfork was calling



Mount Darrah (just right of centre) is usually the most striking and prominent peak in the view to the distant northwest



More clear evidence that the connecting ridge is not going to go as a scramble


Mount Syncline pokes over the end of Southfork Mountain



The Southfork and Barnaby lakes are finally escaping the shadow of the mountain



A little exploring on the left side of the ridge before I switch to the right



Not surprisingly, there's lots of colourful rock to check out



Looking back at Southfork East



And again



The second pinnacle on the connecting ridge is massive



And it's connected to others



Back at the col and looking in the wrong direction



Heading over to the right side



A string of pinnacles to bypass



Looking back at the first of terrain I traversed



Cool rock face



The three lakes are quite photogenic



More traversing



The objective at this point was to gain the ridge at the far left. Southfork at the right.



I thought about checking out this cave, but opted not to on the premise the cave may be inhabited by someone big with claws!



More good views of the lakes and Southfork East



Southfork East



On the ridge and looking back to the pinnacles and Southfork East



Same view with the lakes and Southfork



The Amoeba - love the unofficial name for this peak!



Mount Haig (right) and part of the Castle Mountain Ski Resort



Looking back at the pinnacles and part of the traverse route



The summit of Southfork Mountain (left) is somewhat unremarkable



The ski resort and some ski runs



The Southfork Lakes



Summit of Southfork Mountain



Summit pano #1



Summit pano #2



Close-up of the north ridge I would explore next



Unusual is to see the larches this degree of yellow on September 11 of any year



There is some very interesting terrain at the north end of Southfork



The bulk of the Castle Mountain Ski Resort resides on Gravenstafel Ridge



A fissure and the summit of Southfork



As stated, there is no direct route down the north ridge and back to the main trail by Barnaby Lake (unless you jump or have wings!)



Cutting back to see the larches and Southfork Lakes



The larches



The northern lake



The southern lake



Both



Reflections in the northern lake



Crossing the land barrier between the lakes again, to check out the northeast side of the northern lake



Looking down on Barnaby Lake



Back at Barnaby



The route I would probably try, were I to repeat Southfork East



The rail of the new bridge and the West Castle River. Hard to believe the river can be waist-high as certain times of the year.

The End

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