THE APOGEE

Date:  December 7, 2023 Location: Hāwea Conservation Park, Haast Highway, Otago, New Zealand Total Trip Distance:  13.5 mi | 21.7 km Total Elevation Gain : 5,900 ft |1,800 m Trip Duration: 7 hours 30 min Team:  Solo Field Notes: Parking can be found at a pullout at Boundary Creek. From here, follow the 4wd track until you reach an elevation of 850 meters. Take the obvious leading ridge up through tussock until the ridge continues north towards Mount White. For most of the way there is a deer trail and / or obvious makings of others who have taken this route. There is no water and the entire route is exposed to the sun. Rating:  1, I Download GPX File Google Maps Location Mount White Route Topo Happy days...

Date: July 1-2, 2023 Location: Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada Total Trip Distance: 13.7 mi / 22 km Total Elevation Gain : 4,800 ft / 1,463 m Trip Duration: 2 days Team: With Alex Catalfamo Field Notes: This trip is easily completed in a day. We wanted to break up the long drive and had a strong desire to camp in the alpine. The tarns we camped at were magical. The ascent is straightforward and helmets are not required. The only difficulty is the steep, loose scree on the final 1,000 ft. The summit view was spectacular and there is plenty of water on route. Rating: Class 2 Download GPX File Google Maps Location Mount James Walker Route Map As summer started to take hold, Alex and I began to explore deeper into the Canadian Rockies. This wound up being one of our favorite trips of summer. The approach was beautiful and took only a few hours to get to camp. Our camp-spot located at the tarns in the alpine valley below the summit remains one of the best camping spots of summer. The climb to the summit the following morning was spectacular. We woke up at sunrise and found ourselves above the clouds. There have been a few memorable Canadian summits from this summer... namely, Mount Daly, Mount Niles, and Mount Nelson. However, this one may have topped the lot for me. The clarity in the sky was perfect, we were above the clouds, and were completely engulfed by jagged peaks. Enjoy the photos below and happy days...

Date: October 4, 2023 Location: Adirondack State Park, New York, USA Total Trip Distance: 8.33 mi / 13.40 km Total Elevation Gain : 2,800 ft / 853 m Trip Duration: 4 hours 45 min Team: John Kellogg Field Notes: Once above treeline, the mile and a half long ridge to the true summit of Jay Mountain has some of the most expansive views in all of the Adirondacks. There is no water en route. Rating: Class 1 Download GPX File Google Maps Location Jay Mountain Route Map Fall in the Adirondacks might be here on paper but it sure as hell didn't feel like it. The forecast was calling for temperatures in the 80's and it was early October. After doing the Dix Range last week combined with John not being as avid a hiker as I, we opted to do a half day trip with Jay Mountain. I first came across Jay after doing a gravel ride around the entire mountain last fall which was spectacular. I made a note to come back and climb to the top of the peak. We arrived at the trailhead around 8:30 in the morning after John had consumed enough caffeine to stop the heart of a lion. It had the opposite effect and we set a quick pace to the summit. I also knew that his wife had made chocolate chip cookies and they were sitting in the back of the car for when we get got back. We reached the first viewpoint in a little over an hour and snapped a few photographs. From here the ridge really opens up and there are views of the entire Great Range. The mountains of New York are interesting. It seems as if 99% of the mountain is treed, except for the occasional lookout along the way, with the summits being bare (if the elevation is high enough). Such a contrast to other mountain ranges of the world where you get a ton of views on the way up. This is what makes this area unique and the summits more rewarding. However, Jay is different. It reminds me a lot of hiking Giant Mountain from Chapel Pond. Views almost the entire way. The fall colors were in effect and it seemed like we were more than halfway to peak foliage. The Great Range from Jay The true summit of Jay was not as spectacular as sections of the ridge, but nonetheless it was nice to be on top with a good mate. John and I have been friends since 4 years old. He's my longest and closest friend...not many can say that and I am indeed fortunate. For the last few years we've made it a point (or I've convinced him) to get up to the 'Daks for a good hike. This one turned out to be a classic. Special moments...the views, the weather, fall foliage, uncrowded trails, sandwiches post hike, and a cold swim at Split Rock. As I sat in the cold water the golden sun streamed through the trees. The waterfall crashed down over the rocks. No one else was around. I got a little misty eyed and savored the moment because you wonder how many more of these moments exist in life... Happy days...

Date: September 27, 2023 Location: Adirondack State Park, High Peaks Region, New York, USA Total Trip Distance: 17.48 mi / 28 km Total Elevation Gain : 5,400 ft / 1,646 m Trip Duration: 10.5 hours Team: Solo Field Notes: The Dix Range is an Adirondack classic. 5 summits, rough terrain, and a long day out. There wasn't any water up on the ridge, but plenty in the valley below. I could see this being hellish in the spring and/or after a rainy period. I started with Macomb first. The parking at Elk Lake only has spots for 20 cars and apparently fills up by 4 am in summer. Rating: Class 1 Download GPX File Google Maps Location Dix Range Route Map The Dix Range is a trip I've wanted to do for quite awhile. I grew up in Albany, New York and the Adirondacks have been fundamental in developing my passion for the outdoors. Most of my early years in the hills were spent hiking in the Daks. Beautiful Adirondacks While I am home visiting family for a few weeks before I fly to New Zealand, my dad let me borrow his truck and I made my way north on a Tuesday. I had a solid weather forecast and fall was knocking on the door. I pulled into the trailhead at Elk Lake Lodge at 8 am and started up. I wasn't feeling 100%. For the last three days I was battling a runny nose and low energy. The four day trip in the Pasayten was just a week ago and in that time I've traveled all the way back from Canada, to Seattle, to New York. I figured I needed to get the blood pumping and this day would surely do the trick. I told myself I wanted to do this day in eight hours (haha) and set a strong all day pace. At just over two hours I was on top of Macomb and had knocked out a little over 2k of vert. I had a homemade breakfast burrito with bacon and eggs and kept moving towards South Dix. As I was going down to the col I remembered how heinous the terrain is in the Adirondacks. Here is my perspective on Adirondack terrain: I've traveled all over the world for the last 10 years. If you look at my interactive map of trips I've been in Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, New Zealand, California, Tasmania, etc. To be fair, this isn't "everywhere", nor is that a goal, but I've been to quite a few places. In my opinion, nowhere in the world has rougher trails than the Adirondacks. I'm not talking about scrambling or mountaineering, just purely trails. It's bloody rough out here. I quickly climbed up South Dix and kept moving towards Grace. There is a one mile stretch between the two peaks and in another twenty five minutes I stood on my third peak. At this point it had been three and a half hours and I had a realization... this was going to be a very long day! I did a quick downward dog and got back into flow, if you could call it that. After retracing my steps back to South Dix I cut right and began the ridge to Hough and Dix. This was my favorite part of the day as the views are unique and open up along the ridge. Just below Hough I met another hiker (only the second the entire day) where I found out the peak is pronounced "Huff." I was now enlightened and scrambled to the top of my fourth peak of the day. I enjoyed a quick snack and kept moving. Of course the trail dropped down another 400 feet and I began the final 1,000 foot climb to the top of Dix. I set a casual pace and went up. At the top of the Beck-horn the views were my favorite of the trip. I could see the entire Great Range, Giant, Rocky Peak Ridge, the Santanoni Range, the Southern Adirondacks, Whiteface, and many more. Holy cripe. And to have it all alone was a treat. At this point it was 6.5 hours on the move. I knew that the way out was going to be a complete slog, so I took a solid rest and refueled. Ahead of me lay a 2,600 foot descent to the valley floor, followed by another 4 miles. This was going to suck, no doubt about it. Fast forward and I was at the valley bottom. It sucked worse than I thought. I took another break as my legs were feeling pretty cooked at this point. I kept walking and ran into the beautiful Lillian Brook. Cold water! I got completely naked and submerged my legs and feet into the icy magic. Feeling recharged I walked the final 4-ish miles back to the car, ending the day just on the stroke of 10.5 hours. This was the longest day I've had in the mountains in a long time. The thing about the Adirondacks is that for many of the peaks, there can be quite a long approach. Definitely a contrast to many of the trips I did in Canada this summer. All in all, a classic day out in the Daks. Happy days...

Date: September 16-19, 2023 Location: Pasayten Wilderness, Washington State, USA Total Trip Distance: 31.42 mi / 50.56 km Total Elevation Gain : 9,814 ft / 2,991 m Trip Duration: 4 Days Team: With Alex Catalfamo Field Notes: An incredible 4-day trip over remote, rugged terrain that includes a 6 mile long alpine ridge connecting two summits with a class 3 scramble. Osceola peak makes a worthy objective as well with absolutely stunning views over the Pasayten Wilderness. Water is abundant (except on the ridge lines) and the camp spots quiet and undisturbed. The Pasayten is a place I hope to revisit in the future. Rating: Class 2 / 3 Download GPX File Google Maps Location Wildcat, Rolo, Osceola, Old Trail Peak Route Map On Friday we left for the open road and left behind a special three month stint in Fernie, British Columbia. This summer had been a classic. I got to live with one of my closest friends, we didn't kill each other, and we went on tons of incredible trips in the Canadian Rockies. All of this was just training in my mind as my ultimate goal is to be back in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. To be honest, it's been hard to be present this summer...even with all the incredible trips. The stronger I felt, the more excited I became to return to New Zealand in October. As we drove back to Seattle to return our rental car we had one final destination: The Pasayten. The Pasayten Wilderness from Mount Rolo The Pasayten Wilderness is a 531,000 acre wilderness zone that has more than 150 peaks above 7,500 feet in elevation. The area is a habitat for deer, moose, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, the gray wolf, and is home to the largest population of lynx in the Lower 48. This is my type of trip. Off the beaten path. Remote. Quiet. We drove up the road to the "famous" Slate Pass and were surprised to see a lot of cars. There were a shit ton of cars actually. We quickly packed up our belongings and got started. It was two in the afternoon and the temperature was in the mid 60's. We had a near perfect weather forecast for the next four days. It felt like we could do no wrong this summer. Alex descending Slate Pass From Slate Pass we descended down to the Middle Fork of the Pasayten River and then headed north up Robinson's Creek. After 5 miles or so, we turned right and made the ascent up to Furguson Lake. When we arrived at the lake, the sun was setting and the temperature was dropping off. I knew it was now or never so I jumped into the lake. Cold magic. We set up our sleeping arrangements for the night, collected firewood, and got a fire going. We hung out by the fire accompanied by the wind, trees, and last light hitting the western slopes of Wildcat Mountain. You could feel it - this was going to be a spectacular trip. By nine I was completely fried and went to go to bed. As I was drifting off I heard pounding on the ground near me and I shot up out of bed... "HOLY SHIT!" I scrambled to get my headlamp and turn it on. I flashed it in all directions while Alex was asking me what the hell was going on. It was a deer. Jesus. The deer scampered off into the woods. Fifteen minutes later the pounding came back and on went the headlamp. The deer again. This scenario repeated itself (and no, I'm not kidding) until three in the morning. This deer would come right into our camp. I'm not sure if this was where it feeds, or sleeps, or both...but it would not leave us alone. Alex was particularly bothered. We woke up to cloudy skies on day two. As we had breakfast I realized it was wildfire smoke. I think we were a bit downcast because we thought we had left that behind in Canada. As we worked up the climbers right ridge of Wildcat and got above treeline, the sky was blanketed in smoke. There was still a view and we made our way to the summit. We both agreed that "it is what it is" and vowed to make the best of it. Alex on the summit of Wildcat Mountain The summit of Wildcat has some amazing views, even though visibility was clearly limited. We looked north in anticipation at the alpine ridge that awaited us. We made our way off of the summit and took on the ridge. Almost immediately we were met by loose, crumbly rock combined with loose terrain. I hoped this wouldn't be the theme for the day. It turned out that the majority of the ridge was nice going. Most of the ridge was nothing more than a class 2 scramble with some sections of class 3 that I will describe later on. An added bonus was that the more time we spent on the ridge, the more the weather cleared. A few hours later we had perfect visibility and could see the glaciers in the Northern Cascades. Just in time for the summit of Rolo. We easily bypassed a tricky section and made our way up the south ridge of Rolo. The summit was spectacular. Just a few hours ago we woke up in wildfire smoke and now we stood alone atop a 7,800 foot peak in perfect conditions. This area was magic and I was drooling just thinking of the backcountry ski potential out here. Mountains surrounded us in all directions. After a nice break on the summit we decided to head down to camp at Lake Doris. The crux of this entire route is coming down the North Ridge of Rolo. There were some very steep and exposed sections where a fall would not be a good idea. This is where the route becomes class 3. However, navigation is easy and we just stayed on the North Ridge. Anytime it got beyond class 3, we simply found easier terrain to bypass it. Six hours on the move with overnight packs on loose rock and scree had me looking forward to getting to camp. Just before we hit the seventh hour, we arrived at the stunning Lake Doris. The larches were starting to turn a golden color, the lake was crystal clear, and there wasn't a soul in sight. You could tell fall was knocking on the door waiting to be let in. We set up camp so we had a view of the surrounding peaks - Osceola, Largo, Blackcap, and the stunning Monument Peak. Alex got to work with the fire and I soaked my legs in the lake. Dinner was a steaming hot red curry with chicken. The fire crackled, the wind blew, and the earth turned. All was well with the world. My body baked in the glory of rest from a day spent working in the hills and my belly was full. There is not much else a man needs. Camp, night two The tarp tent flapped noisily as it was battered by strong winds. At least I had slept for a solid five to six hours. Little did I know Alex hadn't slept a wink. It was 3 am and I willed myself back to sleep for a few hours. Eventually we got up, quickly packed up camp, stashed our gear, and headed for Osceola Peak. From camp, there is a loose trail that sidles along the slopes of Osceola. At the bottom of a forested gully there is a small cairn and a path that leads up towards the peak. Take this as it travels diagonally right up the mountain. Once above treeline travel remains straightforward as we angled directly at the face of the mountain. Incredible morning light Above the forest, the views were nothing short of spectacular. The clouds mixed with the early morning light and blue skies. A photographers dream. The higher we climbed, the more inspiring it became. The view of Lake Doris and Mount Rolo was just freaking awesome. As we crested the ridge, we reached the false summit. Five more minutes had us standing on the true summit with a 360 degree view, all alone. It's hard to describe the feelings and sights of being on a remote peak with such spectacular views, so I'll include a bunch of photos below. But this is one of my favorite summits of summer. The stunning summit of Osceola Peak We stayed on the summit for awhile. If it wasn't for the cold wind I would've built a shelter up there and never left. Coming back down to earth is always the hardest part. Alex led the way down and I soon followed. Travel is fastest by sticking close to the skiers right ridge. Our ascent route up Osceola from Lake Doris At camp we packed up our things and made a warm breakfast. To my dismay, an animal had chewed through my folding cup and put my morning coffee in jeopardy. For those that love coffee, this is a serious problem. However, I found a solution (addicts always get their fix). The morning was really opening up now. The weather was perfect for hiking. We left Lake Doris and made the descent past Freds Lake to the valley bottom until we met Robinson's Creek. We then traveled south back towards Slate Pass. After close to eight hours on the move we set up camp at the Middle Fork of the Pasayten River and enjoyed one last fire. The trip had been a wild success. The night was our coldest yet. After another night of poor sleep, Alex got up and made a fire at 4 am. I was out of my sleeping bag by 5 to sit by the fire and made a quick breakfast. I was sad to go and didn't want to leave the wilderness. It had been a perfect trip. Under the glow of dawn, we worked up towards Slate Pass. We considered bagging Haystack Mountain or Slate Peak, but it was lightly snowing and the views obstructed. I passed on the invitation. As we got near the top of the pass it really opened up and again, the lighting was amazing. At the top I suggested we bag Old Trail Peak. Alex needed no convincing and we left our bags at the car. It took about thirty minutes or so to stand atop the peak. The last thirty feet or so is a class 3 scramble. The views at the top were great and a fitting way to end a sensational trip. Happy days...

Date: September 9-10, 2023 Location: Purcell Mountains, British Columbia, Canada Total Trip Distance: 10.36 mi / 16.67 km Total Elevation Gain : 6,400 ft / 1,951 m Trip Duration: Day 1: 2 hours 17 min | Day 2: 6 hours 55 min Team: With Alex Catalfamo Field Notes: We did this trip with a fast and light bivy about 1,000 meters below the summit. However, most will do this in one long day. This is a very steep mountain. However, if one pays attention to route-finding it is nothing more than class 3 scrambling. If you find yourself on class 4 terrain you're off route. There is plenty of water on the ascent until the actual climb begins on the southwest face. Rating: Class 3 Download GPX File Google Maps Location Mount Nelson Route Map Last Minute Decisions It's funny that one of the best trips of summer almost didn't happen. This was our final weekend in Canada. Alex and I are heading back home to a wedding and then I'm going to move to New Zealand in October. So with one last weekend, we wanted to continue our flow of great trips. We talked about what we wanted to do this weekend and I was in favor of an overnight trip because the weather was perfect. Alex had talked about doing Nelson all summer, but this is really a day trip. I figured we were going to do a traverse of Warrior and Cordonnier in Peter Lougheed National Park, but Alex wanted to go somewhere different. The plan was then to drive up to Glacier National Park and climb Mount Afton. It looks to be a spectacular climb but is also a day trip. When I woke up in the morning I thought, "why the fuck are we driving 5 hours to do a day trip?" There is no right or wrong here - it's all personal preference. Alex and I have different goals and motivations in the mountains. We all do. For me personally, the last thing I want to do is work all week and be gifted a near perfect weather forecast, only to drive five hours to a place to do a day trip when there is so much to do with a significantly shorter drive. This would mean we would spend more time driving than hiking. I figured I would just suck it up and go with it as Alex wanted to go to a place we've never been before leaving Canada. Again - different goals and motivations. Two hours into the drive with three more hours to go I was thinking what a mistake this was going to be and wanted to get out of the car. Then something magical happened. We were nearing Invermere I looked to my left and saw a massive, stunning, beautiful peak. Immediately I thought, "that's Mount Nelson." I checked my GPS and sure enough it was. I looked at Alex and suggested we should climb that instead. About a minute or two of back and forth he made a u-turn. He didn't need convincing anyways. We were going to climb Nelson, I was going to avoid driving another three hours, and Alex was going to summit the peak he desired most. Happy. Days. Beautiful Purcells A Very Steep Approach After our low clearance, 2wd car bottomed out on Delphine Creek Road we reached the trailhead. My energy was back and I was psyched to head up the mountain. I was a bit nervous I'll admit. From the road, Nelson is a beast. I had read a few trip reports and others have made it out to be a "no fall extreme exposure" type of climb. After a quick stretch, we packed up our things and got moving. I was experimenting this weekend with a fast and light approach. I was able to fit all of my gear into a Black Diamond Speed 22 liter pack (and I didn't have to cram anything in). The more and more I am in the mountains, the less I want to carry things around. I have a very minimalist mindset and want to be light on my feet. The beauty of this trip was getting to bring the tarp instead of a tent. Once we left our car, the trail starts by crossing over a creek and then turning immediately to the climbers right. If the trail isn't obvious, there is a cairn and orange flagging tape. From here, the trail is relentlessly up for about 650 meters. I'm not kidding, this is the steepest trail I've ever been on in my life. We did 650 meters in one hour and we were not moving fast by any means. On our way up we passed two different groups - a couple and a solo dude. Neither had summited as both had issues with route finding. Before doing the trip, Alex and I had both looked at the description and reviews of Mount Nelson on the All Trails app. Personally, I try to avoid using that app for beta on climbs / scrambles. The reason is because the majority of the people using that app have very limited experience in the mountains and will provide information that is either not useful or can hinder a trip. Scrambling is not hiking just like alpine climbing is not scrambling. Neither is "superior" but requires a different level of fitness, skills, and experience. All Trails is a hiking app, after all. On one review of Nelson in the All Trails app, a person wrote "fears like I've never experienced." This is written by a person who most likely did their first ever scramble on Nelson (nothing wrong with that). As I'll write later on, this is nothing more than a class 3 scramble. This is not to be judgemental but rather to aid in better trip planning (which is why I don't use All Trails for these types of trips). Better trip planning results in more summits, less headaches, less danger, and less time off route - all of which leads to a better experience. This is something I really value after spending a lot of my early years missing out on summits because of poor trip planning. Again - to each their own. The mountains began to show themselves After the first 650 meters, the trail mellows and finds its way into a basin. We broke out of the trees and got a view of Mount Nelson in the distance. It is indeed a steep mountain. We kept climbing up, following a stream on our right. After climbing 1,000 meters from the valley floor, we eyed the last patch of green in the valley and made camp. Alex breaking treeline. Nelson back right. The night was simply perfect. There was almost no wind, there were no bugs, and the temp really cooled off. We didn't even pitch the tarp and opted to sleep under the stars. We had our first fire of the whole summer in a protected cove of some rocks and watched the stars slowly come out overhead. It was probably the best night of the whole summer and I went to bed thanking God for the gift of being alive. After counting five shooting stars I tried my best to fall asleep. Mount Nelson "Hahahahaha." It was 4 am and I was wondering why Alex was laughing just like he was wondering why I was moving around at 4 am. It was cold. When I walked near his bag he broke out in laughter and said that he hadn't slept all night. Neither had I. We've been cursed this summer with very poor sleep in the hills. Oh well! We were absolutely stoked to go up Nelson. I grabbed the fuel can and made a coffee. I sat in my sleeping bag, laid back against a patch of grass, and drank a delicious hot coffee under a blanket of stars. You wonder in these moments if you're dreaming. Alex then had the idea of the summer and relight the fire from last night. So here we are at 4:30 in the morning under the silence of a looming dawn and a looming Mount Nelson. Perfection. I almost enjoy these moments more than the summits. Once we had enough light to move without headlamps we made our way towards Nelson. As we neared the foot of the southwest face Alex commented, "most mountains get less steep the closer you get, Nelson seems to get steeper the closer you get." This seemed to be the case. At the bottom of the face I thought I had scoped a good line to the summit block. There is an obvious gully / rock ramp that leads through the cliff bands. At the top of the gully it meets a wall. From here, go climbers right to bypass this wall and climb above it. Then sidle back climbers left onto the face where unimpeded travel meets the summit block. From there, we would make a decision on how to reach the top. Our route up the SW Face of Mount Nelson We took this proposed route and began our climb. Indeed it was steep, but never more than class 3 scrambling. I only used my hands for balance, but not for climbing. At the top of the gully, we sidled climbers right and got onto the face. From here it was a straight grind to reach the summit block. The view behind us towards Sultana Peak was amazing. At the top of the face we reached the summit block. There was a big cairn that someone had marked with a piece of flagging tape indicating the route. The route goes up to the climbers left through an obvious gap in the face. I looked at Alex - "take us to the summit bro." You could tell how fired up he was to be here. He had wanted to bag Nelson all summer and here we were just fifty meters from the top! Alex on the summit of Mount Nelson Alex charged up the easy class 3 slopes and yelled down for me to come next. Once past this obstacle, the climb goes up easy ledges to reach the summit ridge. Alex cheered out as he spotted the cross on the summit. I snapped a photo of him alone on the peak and then went to join him. Mount Nelson, 9 am, all alone in the Purcells. Magic. Descent This peak made for my 19th Canadian summit this summer. For Alex, number 20. Before we came out here I didn't think that we would have had so many amazing trips. It seems like everything fell into place. Nelson was just another domino to fall. Perfect weather, perfect camp spot, no issues with route finding, and a good slog. We snapped our final photos and made the decision to walk the 2,000 meters back down to the car. An epic end to summer - the summit of Mount Nelson We practiced good mountain sense by not descending on top of each other for the descent. When coming off the face, one has to take care here. The rockfall danger here is no joke. It seems like the Canadian Rockies are one massive pile of loose rocks. Both of our new shoes are literally falling apart after five or six weeks of scrambling out here. The terrain is super rough. I'll spare the details, but I was relieved to get off the face as its rough going. We got to the bottom and I stripped down to just shorts for the walk out. We rock hopped our way back to camp and threw our things into our bags. The final jaunt back to the car was one thing - steep. My quads were annihilated on the final 650 meter descent to the car. Holy shit! This was so steep - did I say that enough? At the car we had one last objective - a cold plunge. If anyone actually reads this blog besides my mom, you know I love cold water. So we found a pullout and laid down into the frigid Toby Creek, ending an epic final trip of glorious Canadian summer peak bagging. Happy days...

Date: June 28, 2023 Location: Fernie, British Columbia, Canada Total Trip Distance: 7.5 mi / 12.07 km Total Elevation Gain : 2,069 ft / 631 m Trip Duration: 3 hr 15 min Team: Solo Field Notes: This trail felt like it was meant more for biking than hiking. A short and easy hike to a nice viewpoint above the town of Mount Fernie. Rating: Class 1 Download GPX File Google Maps Location Castle Mountain Route Map Authors Note: While there are plenty of great hikes to do in Fernie, the trail up Castle Mountain felt like it was meant more for mountain biking than hiking. Most of the trail is on biking paths. The views from the summit are very nice with nice views of many great trips in the Fernie area: True Mount Fernie, Mount Fernie Ridge, Mount Proctor, Three Sisters, Mount Hosmer, Polar Peak, and more. If you're looking for a more detailed trip report of Castle Mountain, this blog has a nice write up. The view from Castle Mountain

Date: August 27, 2023 Location: Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, Canada Total Trip Distance: 18.34 mi / 29.51 km Total Elevation Gain : 6,127 ft / 1,868 m Trip Duration: 2 days Team: With Alex Catalfamo Field Notes: The Alderson / Carthew Lakes area makes for great camping with a short approach. From there, the mountains above area easily accessible being no more than a simple hike. We carried almost no water as there is plenty of water the entire route. This area is quite unique and the views spectacular. Rating: Class 1 Download GPX File Google Maps Location Mount Alderson Mount Carthew Route Map Approach to Carthew Lakes With only two weekends left before Alex and I call it an end to an epic Canadian summer of peak-bagging, we decided to head down south one last time. Our objective was a set of peaks off of the well-known Carthew Alderson trail. We had been in this area before, having done Forum Peak and Akamina Ridge. However, there was a decent amount of smoke that weekend and we wondered what this zone would be like in clear weather. We arrived at the Cameron Falls trailhead on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. We knew the approach would be relatively quick so we got a late afternoon start. I was pretty surprised by the amount of visitors and tourists in the area. With that said, Waterton is beautiful and we were just another two digits adding to the crowd. As we traveled west towards our camp for the night, I couldn't help but think about how epic it would be to do the Great Divide Trail. A few of the trips we've done this summer have been on sections of the trail. The whole 1,123 kilometers seems to pass through jaw dropping sections of the Canadian Rockies. The trail slowly climbed in elevation and I'm glad we aren't allergic to pollen because it was virtually snowing. The wind was pretty strong and it blew the powdery grains everywhere. It made for a beautiful look as the sun shined down from the peaks above. We climbed higher and the trail weaved through poplar and coniferous forest. At every creek crossing I bent down and drank from natures faucet. It was a beautiful approach. Nearing two hours without a break, we stopped at the campsite for Alderson Lake and ate a snack. We were another 300 meters in elevation to camp. Forty-five windy minutes later and we found ourselves staring at the white capped Carthew Lakes. It was definitely a gem of an area. We made our way down towards the trees at the edge of the lake and found a relatively sheltered camp for the night. Arriving at Carthew Lakes We relaxed as the sun warmed the tent, eventually losing height before dipping below the horizon. This in turn dialed down the wind a few notches and we enjoyed a perfect sunset. We slept without a rain fly and the tent door fully open. I gazed up at the stars until I fell asleep. Sunset at Carthew Lakes Mount Alderson Alex and I haven't slept great this summer in the mountains. I woke up at 1am ready to rock and roll. We had a plan to be up on Alderson for sunrise. With six hours to go, I wrestled myself back to "sleep" - although I wouldn't actually call it that. At 4 am I asked Alex when was sunrise. He said about 6:45 and then I passed out deeply for the next two hours. At six I got up, made a coffee, and we were on our way. Alderson is a quick and easy climb from Carthew Lakes. We went to the western end of the first lake, took a left, and went straight up the face that meets the ridge. There is a trail the entire way. As we made our way up the peak, the sunrise was incredible. There wasn't a soul around and the sky was smoke free. The higher we climbed the better the views became. The early morning sun produced an incredible golden light that light up Buchanan Ridge. About an hour and a half later, we stood alone on Mount Alderson. My favorite view was looking east towards Bertha Lake. I hid behind the summit cairn to block the wind while Alex enjoyed the views. There was a layer between the clouds where the golden light of morning was breaking through. Behind us, the massive peaks of Glacier National Park in Montana towered in the distance. Twenty minutes later we turned our attention to the next objective of the day. Sunrise over Bertha Lake and Mount Richards Mount Carthew We left the summit and took the entire ridge back down to the col between Carthew and Alderson. From the col we made our way up Carthew. This views from here were spectacular. The ridge of Mount Alderson had a reddish color to it, the sky was a mixture of sunlight and dark clouds, and the lakes below added their own unique color to the scene. As the trail worked across the face it finally met the summit ridge. The wind was blowing hard from the West, so once we gained the ridge we got blasted again. Mount Alderson and Carthew Lakes from Mount Carthew A false summit or two later and we were on the top. I tapped the summit with my one remaining hiking pole (the other one had snapped earlier) and made my way a few meters back down the ridge to take shelter from the wind. I sat alone and ate some food while taking in the views to the east. Alex was off scouting out a potential route to Buchanan Ridge. This trip had blown me away. I knew the views would be good - but this was spectacular. There seemed to be so much variety in the mountains, the colors, the sub-alpine from the alpine. Being such a busy trail, we hadn't even seen anyone yet and we were close to four hours into the day. Mount Alderson is stunning from this angle The views from Carthew were our favorite. Unfortunately, one can't live on a summit so we made our way back down to camp. Reversing our steps opened up even more incredible vantage points that we hadn't noticed on the way up. The beautiful Mount Carthew Within an hour or so we were back at camp. Going simple and light on this trip, it took us five minutes to pack up camp. The sun began to finally break through the clouds allowing us to strip down to our base layers. We turned our backs on Carthew Lakes and made the two hour non-stop hike back to the csar and ended a fantastic two day, two peak trip. Happy days... Mount Carthew

Date: August 6, 2023 Location: Akamina-Kishinena Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada Total Trip Distance: 13.84 mi / 22.25 km Total Elevation Gain : 3,961 ft / 1,207 m Trip Duration: 6 hours 45 min Team: With Alex Catalfamo Field Notes: The trail is straightforward and easy to follow for the entire hike except when turning left to bag Forum Peak. No route finding required, just take the easiest path towards the peak on a broad ridge. There are two places for water: a stream before reaching Forum Lake on the approach, and the second stream before reaching Wall Lake on the way out. There is apparently a scramble up Forum Peak which we didn't know about until after our trip was complete. Rating: Class 1 Download GPX File Google Maps Location Forum Peak and Akamina Ridge Route Map Approach Via Forum Lake It was a smokey drive as we made our way east towards Pincher Creek until eventually turning south towards the Waterton Lakes area. We'd never been in this area before and with plenty of smoke in the forecast we went with an option lower on our list of objectives. That being said, this trip didn't disappoint by any means. We started our hike at the Akamina Pass trailhead . The beginning was a gradual incline through some beautiful fireweed - a flower that grows after a wildfire. We passed by a group of bikers that were getting their ass kicked by the incline. It seemed like this was their once-a-year hangout as a friend group and someone had the bright idea of slogging uphill on a bike. Alex and Forum Lake We made a left near the Akamina Creek Campground and climbed higher as the trail went towards Forum Lake. We kept leapfrogging a couple who stopped every five minutes or so for a photo. It became irritating so I eventually just stopped for a long water break. A few minutes later we reached Forum Lake and made our way up the ridge towards Akamina Ridge. Akamina Ridge Forum Peak & Akamina Ridge I didn't realize until after the trip that there is a scramble up the northeast ridge of Forum Peak. So instead we climbed the ridge between Forum and Wall lake on a hiking trail. Then we turned left and made the short walk over to Forum Peak. It seems there are two summits separated by only a few minutes walk so we tagged both as their is a cairn on each. It was still pretty smokey but the views were still great. I would be pretty excited to see this place in clear weather ( and we eventually did ). From the summit of Forum Peak we had some awesome views towards Mount Custer in Montana. We decided to keep moving and retracted our steps back to Akamina Ridge. This was the best part of the day for us - high up on a ridge, all alone, with solid views in all directions. The color of the rock is pretty amazing as well. Patches of red, yellow, brown, orange and even shades of green create a unique color palette. We stopped at the summit of Akamina Ridge for a nice break. We kept imagining what it would be like to look straight into the heart of Glacier National Park in Montana. You can tell there are some big peaks out there. When we felt ready, we continued on. There was a final section of ridge that was just stunning. Alex and Akamina Ridge The trail dipped down to the skiers right before eventually meeting Wall Lake. We filled up our water at a creek, stripped down to our boxers, and went for a swim in Wall Lake. Magical. After a good ten minutes we put on our clothes and decided it was time to go home. It had been a much better day than expected. We were treated to an amazing final section of fireweed. The pictures don't do it justice. The contrast between the purple flower, green grass, and brown trees was mesmerizing. Back at the car there was one last objective. It was time for ice cream. Happy days...

Date: August 27, 2023 Location: Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada Total Trip Distance: 12.31 mi / 19.81 km Total Elevation Gain : 3,939 ft / 1200 m Trip Duration: 8 hours 9 min Team: With Alex Catalfamo Field Notes: This is a great scramble! Although airy and exposed at times, the climb up the ridge is straightforward. Hard sections of the ridge can typically be bypassed on the face. The descent gully down the face is fast and highly recommended. Water can be found when crossing the Elbow River. Rating: Class 3 Download GPX File Google Maps Location Tombstone Mountain South Route Map Approach Via Elbow Lake Alex and I were fired up on the idea of back-to-back scrambles this weekend, rather than doing an overnighter. With clear skies in Fernie, we scrambled up to the true summit of Ghostrider Mountain on Saturday. When Sunday gave us another descent forecast, we made the drive up north to give Tombstone Mountain South an ascent. I had originally come across this peak by way of the Explor8tion blog - which is absolutely fantastic if you're looking for scrambles in the Canadian Rockies. We decided on a later start as I had a feeling this scramble wouldn't take much longer than eight hours round trip. So we loaded up and left Fernie around 8:30 am to make the three hour drive up north. After a quick stretch we left the trailhead around 11:45 am and made our way to Elbow Lake. This area is a gem and Elbow Lake seems like a nice place to camp if you have a family (FYI - I don't think it's a quiet campground by any means as I heard children crying and it seemed very busy). Elpoca Mountain As we passed Elbow Lake, I took the view in of Elpoca Mountain. From my perspective it seemed massive and the summit so far away. Were we really climbing just 100 meters less than that today? Perspective is everything and from a distance the ridge on Tombstone looked very steep. Was it really just class 3 scrambling? As we got closer to our objective, we made a slight left to go directly towards Tombstone. We crossed the Elbow River and tried to follow a rough path that goes towards the base of the climb. We kept losing it, but didn't care much as it was easy terrain to navigate and we were very close anyways. I've written about this before, but Gaia GPS is simply amazing. I wonder - how often do you really need a paper map now? A sign of the times. The bushwack above the Piper Pass trail to meet the ridge We popped out of the woods, met with the Piper Pass trail momentarily, and then began our assault uphill. And the assault did not stop for the next 1,100 meters. Sensing we were going to have a nice march in the sun, Alex had the awareness to take a water break in the last chance for shade before we really started climbing. We made a prediction of reaching the summit in 2 hours. Tombstone Mountain Via the South Ridge As we made our way up the ridge, we ran into our first obstacle that looked like a gendarme - a rock pinnacle blocking our route. As we climbed higher it was easily bypassed on the climbers right. The climb is very straightforward and if one has any descent route finding skills there shouldn't be any major issues. Unreal views of Rae Lake and Mount Rae We worked our way up the ridge, enjoying the consistent cool breeze. Any exposed or tricky parts of the ridge were easily bypassed by simply sidling onto the face. I couldn't help but keep looking back and taking photos of Alex. The scenery was just freaking awesome. I felt super energized and strong and was loving this climb. One thing that surprised me was that this scramble wasn't a total scree bash. There were definitely moments of loose rock and scree, but I found the climb to be quite enjoyable. From here we sidled across the face and went up on the climbers left of the brown / gold rock About 250 meters below the summit the ridge becomes much trickier and exposed. We decided to sidle climbers left onto the face, bypassing this section of ridge, and eventually climbing straight up the face. From here we were just 50 meters or so to the summit. A short and scenic ridge walk, a final move and we found ourselves atop the peak all by ourselves. What a moment. One thing to note is that this is not the main summit of Tombstone Mountain. We were a bit fooled by the maps, but the main summit (Tombstone Mountain North) is actually just north and you can look directly at it. It is a beautiful peak that seems to demand a high level of technical skill. What we climbed today is actually 60 meters or so smaller and is referred to as Tombstone Mountain South. Regardless, it's a great prize for anyone who makes the top. The summit of Tombstone South. Tombstone North is the dominant peak. Descent We enjoyed sandwiches, chocolate and a meat stick while soaking in the views. For sure one of my favorite trips of summer. The views are expansive in all directions. Canada sure has some damn good scrambles. After thirty minutes or so on the peak, we reluctantly decided to head down. As we were coming off the summit, I looked straight down the face. It seemed to be a very fast descent with epic scree-skiing potential. I thought I could see the valley bottom which means it wouldn't cliff out (I didn't know that this is the descent route in the Kane scrambles guide). It took Alex and I about two seconds to say "lets go for it." Scree-skiing down the face of Tombstone South An hour later we were at the valley floor. One hour. The scree-skiing as almost as good as being on skis. Not really, but it was probably the best descent I've ever had off of a mountain without being on skis. One important note about the descent is to traverse skiers right as you near the big waterfall / chasm (so it is on your left for the descent). We emptied our shoes of scree for the last time and met up with the Piper Pass trail. We followed this for a bit until we found the turn off back towards Elbow Lake. Just before meeting up with the main trail we took a cold plunge in the Elbow River. Unreal. As we neared the lake, something magical happened. The golden hour appeared. The mountains were cloaked in that beautiful summer golden glow. Silence fell. No one was on the trails. The temperature dropped. An owl called out in the fading light. Tears filled my eyes. This is why. Only in the nature are things are what they are. And only here can one find the absolute truth. Happy days... Golden Hour at the Elbow River. Simply magic.

Date: August 26, 2023 Location: Fernie, British Columbia, Canada Total Trip Distance: 5.74 mi / 9.23 km Total Elevation Gain : 3,312 ft / 1,009 m Trip Duration: 4 hours 24 min Team: With Alex Catalfamo Field Notes: Maybe the most accessible scramble in the Fernie area as 99% of this trip is on trail. Although the scrambling is only a short section before reaching the true summit, do not be fooled - it's a solid 40 feet / 12 meters of no-fall class 4 scrambling. A fall here would be catastrophic and the climbing at times is vertical. You could argue the crux is easy class 5. There was still a small stream running at 5,800 feet / 1,767 meters in late August on a low snow year. Rating: Class 4 Download GPX File Google Maps Location Ghostrider Mountain Route Map Approach The Ghostrider Mountain scramble is one of the most popular in the Fernie area. With that being said, when most people think of going up Ghostrider, it is typically via the hike that stops at the false summit. The true summit is about 30 meters higher and is a class 4 / class 5 scramble depending on who you ask. The trail is accessed via Hartley Lake Road that is a bit rough for our low clearance 2wd car, but is totally manageable if you go slow. Being that we've been down this road two times before to do Mount Hosmer and Three Sisters we were at the trailhead in no time. We were surprised to see the small lot almost full! The trail up to Ghostrider is extremely efficient and we found ourselves at the false summit in 1 hour and 45 minutes. Once you break treeline the scenery becomes beautiful with expansive views of Mount Proctor, Three Sisters , Mount Bisaro, and more. As we reached the final ridge connecting to the false summit, you get an amazing view of Mount Hosmer (which is an awesome scramble). Ghostrider Scramble Once at the false summit we eyed up our objective. Not going to lie, I was a bit taken back. There was a near vertical crack and exposed climbing that led up for about 12 meters. The two other people at the false summit eyed us as we put on helmets - "you guys are going up that?" At this point I was in the mindset to just go look at it first and make a decision. We climbed up and around a few short but exposed pinnacles before reaching the base of the crack. Alex climbing across the pinnacles Alex and Mount Hosmer behind As we looked up at the crux I said "holy shit." This was way steeper than I was expecting. Not only steep, it was quite a long section. My heart was pounding. I figured I would work up the first 4 meters and see how I felt. From what I saw, I felt confident in the holds that I could spot from ground level and if there was any issue I could down climb. I took a minute or two visualizing the route and moves. For the sake of this post, let's call this class 4. I think it's really easy to say "it's only class 4." But with that said, there is almost no difference between class 4 and easy class 5. The difference is typically subjective and in the mind. Here's the catch - if you fall on class 4 you're either dead or really badly fucked up. I fell from about 6 meters and shattered my heel bone that took 7 years of obsession and dedication to get to the point where I can even write trip reports again. So don't make mental mistakes. I called down to Alex - "you absolutely can not fall on this." That was more of a note to myself than anything. As I climbed above the crux I worked my way right (barely) to a narrow ledge. From there, I waited for Alex to come up. I was super impressed. He was climbing really well. He looked strong and confident. I think climbing Mount Tekarra solo in icy / snowy conditions gave his mountain confidence a bump. As he reached the ledge I climbed up to the summit. Shortly thereafter, Alex arrived. On the summit of Ghostrider We gave a high-five and took in the views. Honestly, I couldn't enjoy it! I was absolutely nervous about the down climb. Like I said, the steepness and length caught me way off guard. I realized my mind was on a mission to produce fear, so I took control of my breath and quickly visualized successfully down climbing the route. I looked at Alex and said " let's get out of here." He was 100% on the same page and started the down climb first. As mentioned earlier, Alex was looking great today and was at the bottom in no time - "Safe!" Now it was my turn. With heart pounding, I locked into the moment. I down climbed the rock leading to the ledge, worked my way left, and made a move to place my left leg on the opposite side of the crack. From there, I worked my way down to the base. Alex and I both breathed a sigh of relief. Now the endorphins surged. From there we climbed back across the pinnacles and sat on the false summit where we could truly enjoy a well-deserved break and food. If one does go up this route, there is a rappel ring right off the summit to avoid the exposed down climb. We enjoyed our lunch, the clear air, and the company of two other hikers on the summit. Happy days...

Date: June 20 & July 5, 2023 Location: Fernie, British Columbia, Canada Total Trip Distance: 5.95 mi / 9.58 km Total Elevation Gain : 3,100 ft / 945 m Trip Duration: 3 hours 30 min Team: With Alex Catalfamo Field Notes: A short and steep hike to a viewpoint on the ridge of Mount Fernie. One could climb higher and explore further along the ridge which turns into a scramble. Makes for a great half-day training hike. Rating: Class 1 Download GPX File Google Maps Location Mount Fernie Ridge Route Map Mount Fernie Ridge Hike Note: This trail is not to be confused with the true summit of Mount Fernie, where a detailed trip report can be found here. On the Fernie tourism website, they have a guide to hiking Mount Fernie where they describe the hike ending at the summit. Once we actually completed this hike, we realized this is indeed not the summit. Rather, the hike just ends at a viewpoint along the ridge. That hike is described below. However, if you are looking to reach the true summit of Mount Fernie (which is a fun scramble), click here. This trail makes for a great half-day training hike, so Alex and I decided to get this one in before we started work around noon. The trailhead is just a convenient two minute drive from our house. The trailhead parking is at the end of a col de sac and starts up a gravel road. We walked for a few minutes until turning left where a big sign indicates the start of the hike. The trail is very efficient and straight up. We've actually done this hike two different times, and the first time caught me by surprise...it's actually quite steep! Like I said, excellent training hike. The trail eventually pops out of the woods after about 2,000 feet and crosses some avalanche chutes before reaching the bench. The views are very nice if you climb either left or right once reaching the ridge. I'd recommend exploring farther along the Mount Fernie Ridge (heading in the direction of Island Lake Lodge) for excellent views of the true Mount Fernie, Mount Proctor, Three Sisters, and the Lizard Range. Happy days...

Date: August 18 - 20, 2023 Location: Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada Total Trip Distance: 26.88 mi / 43.25 km Total Elevation Gain : 7,356 ft / 2,242 m Trip Duration: 3 days Team: With Alex Catalfamo Field Notes: Excelsior Mountain is a straightforward scramble with little exposure and steepness. As indicted in the trip notes below, make sure to take the climbers left ridge to the col between Excelsior and Centre to avoid a horrible boulder field. I bailed 1,000 feet below the summit of Tekarra the following morning as I woke up with flu-like conditions. Rating: Excelsior, Class 2 Download GPX File Google Maps Location Smoke, Rain, and Snow A few weeks ago Alex had come up with the idea of going to Jasper. Personally, I did not want to drive seven hours one-way when we have such fantastic mountains within a three hour radius. However, I was easily convinced by a waitress at a Mexican restaurant one night. Secondly, the Icefield Parkway is apparently a classic drive. Being in Canada for just the summer we had to commit (or really, I had to commit). Alex had come up with this trip and wanted to bag a few peaks off of the Skyline trail. We took three days off of work, woke up early on Friday, and made the seven hour drive north. The forecast wasn't incredibly inspiring. The smoke from the wildfires was particularly bad and the forecast for our hike in was calling for heavy snow and rain. By the time we had driven an hour from Fernie, we were socked in with heavy smoke for the next four hours. We couldn't even see the mountains in front of us. What was once heavy smoke turned into heavy rain. We drove the entire Icefield Parkway in torrential freezing rain. Seven hours later we were in Jasper and the sky looked to be clearing. We started hiking on the Skyline Trail that heads up to Signal Mountain. This is probably the easiest 3,000 feet you could even climb in your life. The grade is so casual I could've done 10,000. As we neared the junction to go towards Tekarra camp, the rain started coming down. Then the rain turned to snow. Then the snow really started coming down. You gotta love the mountains. We arrived at Tekarra camp with only one other person there and a couple inches of snow on the ground. We were pretty cold, camp, and set up camp quickly. I love the feeling of eating a hot meal in your sleeping bad while watching steam fill the tent, blood pushing through your body to get warm. Excelsior Mountain The good thing about the cold weather is we slept like dogs. I think we got about seven hours each so we were thrilled. There was quite a bit of heavy fog / cloud in the valley so we took our time having breakfast, stretched out, and even did some Wim Hof in the tent. By 9 am we decided to make a move. As soon as we departed the skies cleared. We followed the Skyline trail until you reach a patch of trees just before reaching the ridge of Centre Mountain that meets the trail. We took a left here and entered the basin between Excelsior and Centre. From here, it is important to work climbers left and gain the ridge made of alpine scrub / rock rather than the massive boulder field on the climbers right hand side. This should be extremely obvious. At first, we didn't go climbers left hard enough and were messing around on the boulders. I had us drop down a bit and gain the opposite ridge on the climbers left. What a difference! Smooth, easy travel led us to the col between Excelsior and Centre. Our route up Excelsior Mountain From the col, the climbing is never more than class 2 scrambling. We brought helmets and I felt it wasn't really necessary, but to each there own. There is an obvious ledge (as seen in the photo) that we easily bypassed by sidling left underneath it. Once passed this obvious ledge, we climbed straight up to gain the summit ridge. Our only difficulty was the 2 inches of fresh snow on top of loose rocks, so care was to be taken. Soon enough we were standing on the summit with clouds obscuring many of the surrounding peaks. At the col, Centre Mountain behind One could imagine the views would be quite special on a clear day. We hung out for a bit, enjoyed the silence, snapped obligatory summit photos, and made our way back to camp. Coming down off Excelsior Mount Tekarra We arrived back at camp at 2:30 and casually took an hour to pack things up. We had eyed a tarn on the map about 1,500 feet below Tekarra and decided to move camp for an easier summit day. It took about an hour to reach this "high camp" from Tekarra camp. I'm glad we made the move, it was beautiful and very peaceful. As we arrived at camp, I found myself feeling run down and unwell. I figured it was the shitty food I had been eating for the last two days. So what did I do? I ate two packages of some ramen noodle type of thing, stretched out, and went to bed. I fell asleep rather quickly but woke up at 1:30 in the morning with my heart pounding and my body feeling very tired. It felt as if I was coming down with the flu. I attempted to calm my mind, focus on my breathing, and get back to sleep. By 5:30 it was time to get up as we had a mountain to summit and a seven hour drive ahead of us. I felt extremely run down and had no energy. Fuck. It was the first time I was "sick" in three years. I figured I'd still give it a go and see what happened once I started moving. There was no improvement. I felt nauseous, weak, and dizzy. 1,000 feet from the summit and an icy, snow covered scree gully ahead of us and I decided this was my finish line. I was also slowing Alex down and knew he wanted to bag this peak. I told him I'd wait for him in camp. Personally, I have no issue turning around in the mountains. Of course I want the summit, but bad things happen in the mountains when one doesn't pay attention. The mountain gives signs, the body gives signs, and one's intuition gives signs. Today, the mountain conditions were shit for scrambling. Icy, steep, snow covered gully. I watched as Alex climbed and knocked off rocks that screamed down below where I would've been climbing. Safer for him to be solo. My body hurt. It was tired and needed rest. My intuition spoke clearly - this isn't your day. I've made a lot of mistakes in the mountain and have gotten away unscathed (except that one time I shattered my foot falling 20 feet - that fucked me up). Also, I love climbing mountains...but I've learned my happiness doesn't depend on it. I'm at peace with not summiting every mountain I try to climb. Some people are okay with that internally, some are not. There is no right or wrong - only consequences. I made my way back down to camp and went back to bed. It felt nice to layer Alex's bag on top of mine and feel the tent warm up with the rising sun. Unfortunately, wildfire smoke was coming back with a vengeance. Alex said it totally obscured the summit view. By 10 Alex was back at camp. I had a coffee, we quickly packed camp and made the 4 hour non-stop walk out to the car. Not going to lie - I felt like shit. The drive home was not fun and I almost puked. Oddly enough, I woke up the next morning after sleeping ten and a half hours and felt amazing. Life is a complete mystery. Happy days...

Date: June 24, 2023 Location: Fernie, British Columbia, Canada Total Trip Distance: 8.53 mi / 13.73 km Total Elevation Gain : 4,188 ft / 1,277 m Trip Duration: 6 hours Team: With Alex Catalfamo Field Notes: This is one of my favorite off-trail hikes / scrambles in the Fernie area. Accessible from town and a very efficient route to the summit. The only difficulty is the summit ridge, which is straightforward and easy off-trail hiking / scrambling. A helmet is not required. There is no water on route. Rating: Class 2 Download GPX File Google Maps Location Mount Hosmer Route Map Approach Alex and I arrived in town about a week before we did this trip and we were frothing to get up high. I had spent the last six months in Hawaii working with the most incredible healer and friend, Jack Fonderwhite. He was helping to get my body back to climbing mountains after a seven year recovery process from a big injury, but that's a story for another day. Point is - I hadn't been in big mountains in a long time. Probably somewhere close to three years. We did a warm up on Mount Fernie Ridge on Wednesday and decided on Hosmer for the weekend. Hartley Lake Road isn't great but it's manageable with a low clearance, 2wd car. We went slow and found our way around the potholes. About a twenty minute drive from town and we were the only car at the parking lot. With the sun heating up early, we wasted no time and started up. Views towards Mount Proctor and Three Sisters The trail is efficient. We went straight up with views of Proctor and Three Sisters gradually becoming better and better. The higher we climbed, the higher my spirit rose. It felt great to be back in the mountains. At the col just below Ghostrider Mountain the views really open up from a ledge. It was cool to see the accessibility of mountain trips in Fernie. Right from town you have a lot of great day trips and we felt as if we made the right choice for this to be our base camp for summer. Alex reaching the col below Ghostrider Mountain Mount Hosmer From the col below Ghostrider one needs to pay attention to route-finding to make the correct left hand turn for Hosmer. I use the Gaia app for navigation in the mountains and it has never let me down (I also have a Garmin inReach but only use this for emergency). The route map photo at the top of the page is the exact route we took, so look for a very faint herd path to your left by a grassy area. As you follow this rough path, it diverts into the woods. The trail becomes marked by orange flagging tape. The faint trail to the left leads towards Hosmer We followed this trail and the flagging tape until it became harder to follow as we entered the basin. From here, we bushwhacked straight up the basin through the woods and travel was simple. Eventually, we made a left to begin climbing up to meet the summit ridge of Mount Hosmer. The photo below is the ascent route of Mount Hosmer taken from Ghostrider Mountain. Mount Hosmer Ascent Route We took the left turn slightly early and it became pretty steep with loose rocks. Not a big deal, but I'd recommend using the route map photo above which shows the easiest travel to meet the summit ridge (this is what we took on the descent). Travel in the basin until you have a clear view of the climb above and simply pick the easiest route of ascent. Climbing above the basin below Once on the summit ridge, navigation is extremely straightforward. We followed the summit ridge, becoming airy at times, up and over a false summit. This is where it became really fun. The ridge narrows and provides incredible 360 degree views. The ridge is never more than a class 2 scramble - which is off trail, but climbing with your hands. There are steep drop offs on each side which gives it kind of a "lofty" feeling. When we reached the summit, Alex congratulated with me with two simple but powerful words - "welcome back." I thought I'd become very sentimental and emotional to finally stand on a relatively big mountain again, but rather I didn't feel much. It was just good to be back. Finish lines are an illusion and when one reaches any summit, the view is of other summits. It never ends. We signed the summit register, snapped photos, took off our shoes and chilled. It was a perfect day to be in the mountains. When we were ready we made the descent back to the car, taking the same route. Of course, the day ended with a cold soak in the Elk River and plenty of delicious Indian food. Happy days...

Date: August 12, 2023 Location: Fernie, British Columbia, Canada Total Trip Distance: 5.52 mi / 8.88 km Total Elevation Gain : 2,092 ft / 638 m Trip Duration: 2 hours 48 min Team: With Alex Catalfamo Field Notes: A straightforward loop from Island Lake Lodge with beautiful views of the Lizard Range and the northern Ranges. Makes for a great training hike or short day hike. Rating: Class 1 Download GPX File Google Maps Location Mount Baldy Route Map Mount Baldy Loop Alex and I decided to take it easier on Saturday as we wanted to save Sunday for an ascent of the true Mount Fernie . Being that we had never been to Island Lake Lodge, we figured it was a good day to go check it out. We made the twenty or so minute drive from our house in Fernie to the end of the road where the lodge sits. Once at the parking lot, there are hiking trails in all directions. Our route started directly from the parking lot. It was another gorgeous day for hiking, weather in the mid seventies and some clouds to add context to the skies. We set a casual pace and were on the summit in about eighty minutes or so. I thought the views would be blocked by trees, but as you can see from the photos, the views were actually stunning. Pano from the first view point There are two view points on the trail. The first is when you reach the ridge there is a picnic table. You can see the actual summit from here, just another hundred feet higher. We walked up to the summit to check it out, but found the views better from the bench. Either way, not a major difference. I will admit, part of the reason I wanted to head up Baldy was to scope out our potential scramble route up True Mount Fernie for tomorrow... This was a super enjoyable day and the views were better than I had originally thought. Definitely a worthwhile short day hike or a good training day for some vert. Happy days...

Date: August 13, 2023 Location: Fernie, British Columbia, Canada Total Trip Distance: 10.88 mi / 17.5 km Total Elevation Gain : 4,160 ft / 1,268 m Trip Duration: 6 hours 40 min Team: With Alex Catalfamo Field Notes: It seems it is up for debate whether this is the true summit of Mount Fernie. Many maps have the summit on a smaller peak on the ridge, google maps/earth have the summit at the tallest peak on the ridge. This route takes one to the tallest peak and it is a worthy objective with steep, easy class 2 scrambling. There is no water on route. Large parties may want helmets. Rating: Class 2 Download GPX File Google Maps Location True Mount Fernie Route Photo The True Summit of Mount Fernie Whether or not this is the actual summit remains a mystery. After hiking the Mount Fernie Ridge trail multiple times this summer, Alex and I began to talk about where the true summit actually is. The town tourism website of Fernie shares the details of the hike that "leads to the summit," but in fact is only a hike to a viewpoint on a ridge. I remember one instance where we hiked to this viewpoint and met some locals. When we asked them where the true summit was they looked at us as if we were speaking a foreign language. Continuing with our research, the maps indicate the summit is further along the ridge, requiring an additional scramble (as you can see on the route photo above). However, when searching on google earth, the summit is actually located at the highest point on the ridge (typical of summits), which is where we climbed to. We decided that we would climb to the true summit, regardless of what the maps say, and reach the highest point on the ridge. Independent of what is actually the true summit, we didn't care. We found the tallest peak to be beautiful and figured not many make the trip. Approach This is the second day in a row we found ourselves back at Island Lake Lodge having hiked Mount Baldy the day prior. No doubt this is a great zone and one can only imagine the ski potential here in winter. We started down the road for a bit and then turned left onto the Tamarack trail. I always love the wooded approach before going to climb a peak. Even better was that it was old growth forest - simply magical. The trail began to make it's way up out of the valley at a very gradual pace. Before we knew it, we had easily ascended 1,900 feet and were at the top of the ridge. To our left was the Tamarack summit viewpoint (which we would save for the end of the day), while the trail turned into the Heiko / Mountain Lakes trail. We had some water and continued on. Within another fifteen minutes of walking we got a view of our objective for the day. True Mount Fernie is a beautiful peak and we were excited to make the ascent. The forecast for the day was supposed to be hot, but the temperature was quite nice and we appreciated that. We continued on until we reached the scree gully that I had marked as our ascent route for the climb. It took us two hours to reach this point from the parking lot. Ascent of True Mount Fernie We had a quick bite to eat and assessed our route. There was a bit of unknown. The scree gully climbs straight up and then turns to the climbers right, going out of sight. Just a minute before reaching this spot on the trail, another potential ascent route gets cliffed out. I wasn't overly concerned because if we really needed to, we could retrace our steps on the trail and bush bash to meet the summit ridge. We figured we would be okay and made our way straight up the gully. After a couple hundred feet of climbing, the gully wraps the climbers right. I got a view of what lay ahead and we were golden. At this point, there are two options to reach the second, main scree gully that will take you to the summit ridge. Option one is to stay in the gully and keep climbing another fifty feet or so (gets slightly steeper here). Option two is take a hard climbers right into the brush where you will meet the main gully. Option two made for better travel so we did this. Once in the main gully we powered straight up. It's a classic, steep scree gully. Here, larger parties may want a helmet purely because of other climbers kicking rocks down from above. We climbed in the gully until the final two hundred feet or so, where the gully moves ever so slightly to the climbers left. We avoided this and moved climbers right, finding easier travel through the brush. Once at the col leading to the summit ridge, we took a breath and enjoyed the surroundings. There were excellent views in all directions. We high-fived and were fired up to be here. The final four-hundred feet to the summit was straightforward with a short section of ridge climbing. It's a very short section of ridge with big drop offs on either side - a fall here would be very bad. With that said, it's nothing more than a walk. Summit ridge, True Mount Fernie We wondered if there would be a summit register and / or a cairn on top. Believe it or not - there was both. Funny enough there was only one entry in the summit register - signed just two weeks ago! The entry said something to the effect of, "no matter what the maps say, this is it, the highest point." On the summit of True Mount Fernie The views from the summit were simply awesome. Three Sisters, Proctor, Hosmer, the Crowsnest Range, Fisher Peak, The Lizard Range, it was all there. While Alex signed the summit register I ate a PBJ and took in the views. My favorite peaks have always been the obscure ones. I'm not sure why, maybe it's just an extra feeling of adventure or the unknown. I also love scouting out a peak and using my route finding skills to find the best way to the summit. Once we had our fill at the top, we made our way back down using the same route. The scree gully was particularly shitty, but fortunately one makes quick work of it. On our way back to the trailhead we were both feeling great, so we climbed the short two-hundred feet to the Tamarack summit. We watched as a fire unfolded in Sparwood, the smoke traveling over the Lizard Range. The day ended with a burger, fries, and our ritual plunge in the Elk River. Happy days...

Date: August 9, 2023 Location: Fernie, British Columbia, Canada Total Trip Distance: 10.16 mi / 16.35 km Total Elevation Gain : 3,725 ft / 1,135 m Trip Duration: 4 hours 40 min Team: Solo Field Notes: Parking is in the lot right at the base of Fernie Alpine Resort. There are many trails to reach the ridge walk - the simplest being via Summer Road as many of the trails are for mountain bikers. Rating: Class 1 GPX File Google Maps Location Polar Peak Route Map Approach Via Summer Road I was fired up on getting a mid-week hike in as I only did one trip the previous week. British Columbia has been raging with wildfires and experiencing a drought, so I was grateful to wake up to slightly clearer skies. I wanted to go for a solid hike and decided on Polar Peak at Fernie Alpine Resort. The hike is split into two sections. First, the approach via "Summer Road" follows a gravel road. I wish I had my gravel bike! Second, summer road connects with the Polar Peak Ridge Walk trail. This is actually a hiking trail that follows a ridge for close to 2 miles, eventually topping out at the summit. Nice conditions in the morning I made my way up Summer Road, occasionally veering off to go on some of the mountain bike trails. The day I was there I saw zero people. It was actually kind of eerie. Seriously - no one was there. I think I saw two staff the entire day. With that said, the mountain bike trails were downhill trails and they were actually very steep. In hindsight, I think it's better to just stay on Summer Road. If there were bikers I think it'd be quite annoying to stop for a hiker. The day was cooler than normal with rain in the forecast and a slight breeze, which made hiking very pleasant. Soon enough I had reached the end of Summer Road where it meets Lost Boys Cafe. I took the Lost Boys trail where it meets the Polar Peak Ridge Walk. Polar Peak Ridge Walk This is where the actual hiking started and the beauty caught me by surprise. I followed the ridge for nearly two miles with amazing views of the Lizard Range. Storm clouds rolled in, the wind picked up, and rain started coming down. I took a break under a tree, ate a cliff bar, and listened to the silence. The sound of wind coming through the trees is haunting. It's one of those sounds that taps into something very animal, almost spiritual. Something impossible to explain in words. Ridge on Polar Peak I continued to follow the ridge. There isn't much of a trail, instead, rocks have been sprayed red to indicate the way forward. The ridge rolls up and down with the occasional rock hop. At one point, the ridge drops off where one needs to do some light scrambling. The resort actually has cables installed here. This seems overkill, but to each their own. As I reached the final 200 feet to the summit, the rain began to pick up. I hadn't stopped for more than 5 minutes the whole day and was looking forward to taking a break at the summit. However, when I reached the peak the rain really started coming down. I wasn't thrown off in the slightest. We needed rain so bad you could hear the plants just begging for it. I sat down for two minutes in the pouring rain and then decided to head down. I actually didn't bring my hardshell. I usually just take my Patagonia Houdini wind jacket unless there is definite precipitation in the forecast. Today actually had definite precipitation in the forecast, but I still didn't bring my hardshell. You can lead a horse to water but can't make it drink. Oh well. The skies started unloading as I made my way off the summit. Soon I was completely drenched. Either way it made no difference. In two hours time I would be soaking in a hot bath in a warm house. So I made the five mile walk out non-stop back to the car. As I write this the day after, the skies have cleared up dramatically. The rain was much needed. Happy days...

Date: July 8-9, 2023 Location: Bugaboo Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada Total Trip Distance: 12.4 mi / 20 km Total Elevation Gain : 4,810 ft / 1,466 m Trip Duration: 2 days Team: With Alex Catalfamo Field Notes: While not difficult in terms of elevation gain / miles that is spread out over two days, the terrain makes up for it. Eastpost Spire is an easy and straightforward class 3 scramble with one exposed move (some would rate this a class 4 move), but our route to the pass above Cobalt Lake was nothing but rock and boulder hopping mixed in with loose rock. Rating: Class 3 GPX File Google Maps Location Bugaboos Route Map. Approach in light purple. Eastpost Spire in red. Cobalt Lake Pass in dark purple. Road Conditions and Chicken Wire I have long dreamed of going to the Bugaboos. Ever since I saw photos of the incredible glaciated granite spires in the Canadian Wilderness I knew I had to go. The Bugaboos are almost other-worldly. They sit deep in the northern Purcell Range and are vastly different to the surrounding mountains. It's almost as if someone planted a group of glaciated granite spires directly in this wilderness. When we saw them for the first time I couldn't help but yell out. They are bloody inspiring. As with most things these days, when something gets hyped up a lot it seems to not fully meet expectation. Such was the road conditions leading to the trailhead and the chicken wire fence to prevent porcupines from eating your brake lines. This summer, Alex and I rented a low clearance 2wd car. When I read trip reports on getting to Bugaboo Provincial Park, most people said the road was not suitable for a low clearance car. We had no issue. In fact, we actually thought it was good. There is a section in the very beginning that is not great and I would say to go slow. But other than that, it was perfectly fine. Secondly, the chicken wire. There is apparently a history of porcupines eating the brake lines on cars in the Bugaboos. If this is true, that would suck. Big time. I bought into the fear and was a bit anxious but, as I read online, there was plenty of chicken wire that is provided at the trailhead to wrap your car. When we showed up, there was none. Apparently the park service got rid of at all. The majority of the cars didn't have any protection so we said our usual, "fuck it - everything is always fine" and got underway. Approach To Applebee Dome Campground The sun was hot and I was grateful we weren't carrying ice axes, crampons, a full climbing rack, two sixty meter ropes, and seven days of food. This seemed to be the standard of the climbers we saw on our trip. Heavy packs and getting after epic routes. Our plan was the opposite - hike in light, scramble up a peak or two, and call it a mission. The forecast for the upcoming days was calling for rain and we were there for the two sunny days. We bid our brake lines good luck and made our way to Applebee Dome campground, sitting roughly 3,100 feet above the parking lot. The approach was uneventful but beautiful. The trail wasn't shy of going straight up. About 2,200 feet above the valley floor we reached Kain hut and paid for our stay. From there, we reached camp three hours from the car park. We checked out a variety of different spots to pitch the tent and eventually landed on one we were stoked on. I've gotta say, they aren't messing around with this alpine camp. There were boxes to store food and gear, places to hang your things away from rodents, access to glacial fed water... I can understand why climbers lug 7 days worth of food up here. This place is epic. A climbers mecca. I will return here one day for bigger climbs. Camp Alex and I set up camp, cooked dinner, took photographs, and chatted with an Alaskan climber with an eccentric personality. Right above camp sat our objective for tomorrow. I read there was a "4th / 5th class move with a lot of exposure" and I was wondering how it would turn out. Eastpost Spire We woke up early to see the alpenglow hitting the granite spires. A sign of a good day ahead. From camp, there are two obvious access gullies to Eastpost spire. If one goes climbers left, it will become technical. We went climbers right (see route map). Alpenglow on Snowpatch Spire Once you reach this col, the climb begins by ascending the obvious ridge sticking mainly to the climbers left of the ridge. The climb was very straightforward with basic scrambling. At times there is exposure but the rock is excellent with many easy handholds. The route was also heavily cairned which made navigation simple. Just below the summit we reached the crux. Many trip reports will describe this move as class 4, some even low class 5. Personally, I'm not sure nor do I care that much to discern between class 4 or easy class 5. At this point it becomes very subjective and if you fall on either you're in big trouble. I started up the crux and the climbing was very simple. The rock quality is excellent and there are many spots for hands and feet. To be honest, I didn't even know it was the crux until I was standing on the summit just a few minutes later! If you asked my opinion - this was class 3 scrambling because you could down climb the crux facing outward (away from the mountain) and it never became even close to vertical which is typical when you enter class 4 terrain. On the summit of Eastpost Spire I called down to Alex to start up and he made easy work of it. Now we were both on the summit admiring the granite spires. It took us maybe 45-minutes or so to reach the summit from camp. We started our descent going one at a time. The down climb presented no major difficulties and we were past the crux heading back to the col. The summit of Eastpost Spire Cobalt Lake Pass Once we had made it back to the col we decided to drop down off the backside and head towards the pass that overlooks Cobalt Lake. I would argue this section was harder than the Eastpost spire crux. It was extremely steep with very loose rock. A fall here would be very bad. I went first, kicking off huge rocks. I had a brief "oh shit" moment where I was thinking about turning around, but eventually found a way down. Alex came down next, hating it just as much (authors note: I've left this section off of the GPX track and route map. It is not recommended). Once out of this scree gully we made our way down to a basin by sliding and post holing through snow. From here we rock hopped for the next 3-4 hours going to the pass and back under a scorching sun. There isn't too much to report here - the terrain was awful and the view wasn't one to dream about. We made our way back to camp by heading up the col between Eastpost and Crescent Spire (different col - see route map). Here are hard efforts were rewarded - the view was simply spectacular. We had a view right above the glacial fed lakes staring at the incredible Bugaboo and Snowpatch Spire. It is one of the most amazing views I've seen in a long time. Howser Spire towered in the distance like the Lord of the high peaks. Epic Bugaboos This view felt like the moment of the trip. The moment of a long drive, a hot sun, and two days hard days all coming together to give you that drip of reward. The drip that keeps one coming back to the mountains over and over in hopes to quench the thirst. From here, we made our way back to camp. We packed our things and made the walk out, being sure to take an ice cold dip in one of the glacial fed pools just below Conrad Kain Hut. Happy days... Authors note: our car was fine. Everything is always fine.

Date: July 30, 2023 Location: Fernie, British Columbia, Canada Total Trip Distance: 13.29 mi / 21.38 km Total Elevation Gain : 4,700 ft / 1,433 m Trip Duration: 7 hours 11 min Team: With Alex Catalfamo Field Notes: A straightforward hiking loop to one of Fernie's most popular summits. Recommended to go counterclockwise. No water on route until Fairy Creek Falls in valley bottom. Rating: Class 1 Download GPX File Google Map Location Mount Proctor Route Photo Mount Proctor Loop Trail After Alex and I did a 3-day trip in Yoho National Park the previous weekend, I wasn't feeling as inspired to do something big again. I took a rest day on Saturday while Alex scrambled up Crowsnest Mountain. We were both keen to do some hiking, rather than scrambling, so we decided on the Mount Proctor Loop - just a two minute drive from our house. We drove over to the trailhead at Fairy Creek Falls where there is an easy to follow and well maintained trail up Mount Proctor. There are two ways to go up Mount Proctor, either clockwise or counterclockwise. We decided on the later and I'm glad we did. The trail is straightforward. Follow the signs for Mount Proctor the entire way. In the beginning, there is a mix of mountain bike trails as you ascend, but we just simply followed the signs for Mount Proctor. Fairy Creek Falls trailhead The trail switchbacks up through the forest until eventually meeting a ridgeline with a bench. The trail was straight up the entire way, without much of a break. The trail is quite efficient - we climbed 4,500 feet in about 5 miles. Gratefully, it's not a punishing 4,500 feet. It's relatively gradual the entire way as the elevation is spread out over the 5 miles. Once we met the bench, we followed the trail along the ridgeline before it drops down into the forest one last time. From there, we met the summit ridge and climbed the final 1,000 feet to the summit. It took us exactly 3 hours and 9 minutes to reach the summit from the trailhead with only about 5-7 minutes or so of water breaks. Lizard Range, summit Mt Proctor There were solid views from the summit and we met two friendly Japanese women who were stoked to be up there. We had a quick PBJ and didn't hang around too long. There were flies everywhere. We snapped a few quick photos and began our descent. The trail loops and drops down into a basin under the looming Three Sisters. On the map, there is an alpine tarn that I was hoping to take a quick dip in but it was completely dried up. In fact, there is no water on this entire route until you reach Fairy Creek Falls at the end. I wish I had brought a bit more than 2 liters of water. I drink like a camel but it was also very hot with a descent amount of elevation gain. The descent to the valley floor was relentless. Straight down for 4,000 feet in the baking hot sun. I am very glad we did not go this direction because the cold plunge we took in Fairy Creek Falls to end the day was spiritual. Alex and I absolutely love cold water. We take cold showers and plunge into the Elk River daily. Fairy Creek Falls was cold and the feeling was amazing. I'm addicted. Hiking out past Fairy Creek Falls We chugged a liter or two of water (yes, chugged) and walked the final 20 minutes back to our car under an encroaching thunderstorm. All in all - a solid day. This is a very nice loop trail that makes for great training for bigger days. Happy days...

Date: July 16, 2023 Location: Fernie, British Columbia, Canada Total Trip Distance: 15.5 mi / 25 km Total Elevation Gain : 4,590 ft / 1400 m Trip Duration: 8 hours 40 min Team: With Alex Catalfamo Field Notes: We found a pullout to park our low clearance 2wd car just past Hartley Lake. Plenty of water on the approach. Didn't see anyone on the Old Trail (the route we took) so might be a good option if one is looking for solitude. Rating: Class 1 Download GPX File Google Maps Location Three Sisters Route Map Approach Via Old Trail Three Sisters is a striking mountain that looms above the town of Fernie in British Columbia. When Alex and I first arrived in town, we knew it had to be climbed. It stands at 9,150 feet in elevation and dominates the landscape. With Saturday being completely smoked out due to wildfires, we woke up Sunday to clearer skies and decided to have a go for the summit. There are many different routes to this mountain but we decided on going via the Old Trail just past Hartley Lake. This road was a bit rough for our low-clearance 2wd car, but we went slow and made it to the trailhead just fine. We found a small little pullout for parking just past the turnoff to Hartley Lake. The trail started off on a 4wd track for a few miles before eventually turning into trail that ended by a meadow. From there it climbs very steeply up out of the valley to the treeline on the slopes of Three Sisters. At this point we realized it was going to be a long day. The trail was quite rocky and the sun was very strong. The Old Trail - Three Sisters On our map (as you can see in the photo of the route), there seems to be a shortcut to the col between Bisaro S4 and Three Sisters, but we didn't find it. We continued following a rough trail and cairns that linked up with the Mountain Lakes / Heiko trail. This took us to the col. We assessed the straightforward route up Three Sisters, drank some water, ate a quick snack, and began the final 1,600 foot climb to the summit. Mountain Lakes / Heiko trail Three Sisters Summit The climb from the col is vert straightforward. It climbs at a moderate pace and there was only one time where I had to use my hands. It's a hiking trail, not a scramble. There were a few moments where I was feeling quite over it, mostly due to the heat and that my left calf was cramping up. Once on the summit, those feelings vanished. The views from the summit of Three Sisters are magical. There are views in all directions. One is able to see the True Mount Fernie , Mount Proctor , the Crowsnest Range, he Lizard Range, Top Of The World Provincial Park, The Purcell Mountains, and more. Mount Bisaro was the crown jewel of the views - it is massive. With heavy wildfire smoke just 24-hours earlier, we were very grateful to have clearer skies to take in the views. It felt like a rite of passage to climb this peak while living in Fernie for the summer. The Lizard Range, British Columbia We signed the summit register, took a few photos and began the long descent back to the parking lot. We took the exact route the way we came, following the Mountain Lakes / Heiko trail and then making a right back to the Old Trail. It would be one of the hottest days of summer. We felt it so we ended the day with our ritual cold plunge in the Elk River and promptly ordered from our favorite restaurant in town. Happy days...

Date: July 21 - 23, 2023 Location: Yoho National Park, British Columbia, Canada Total Trip Distance: 23.89 mi / 38.44 km Total Elevation Gain : 8,063 ft / 2457 m Trip Duration: 3 Days Team: With Alex Catalfamo Field Notes: This trip can be completed in 2 days, but we opted for 3 to have a slightly less aggressive pace and to spend more time in the mountains. While none of the scrambling is overly difficult, the terrain on Daly is very loose and steep so I would strongly recommend a helmet. There is plenty of water where we camped. There was also water flowing just past the Niles glacier before the ascent up Daly. Rating: Class 3 Download GPX File Google Maps Location Mount Daly and Mount Niles Route Map Niles Meadows via Sherbrooke Lake After tossing around a variety of different ideas for a 3-day weekend, Alex and I finally settled on a trip to Yoho National Park. This was our first time in this park and it did not disappoint. With a perfect forecast, we made the three and a half hour drive from Fernie. We arrived at the trailhead, had a quick PBJ, strapped on our packs and began the 6-7 mile approach to Niles Meadows. The approach is easy with a defined trail the entire way. You steadily climb a few hundred feet on the way to Sherbrooke Lake. From there, the trail continues on the hikers right of the lake. I couldn't resist a quick swim in the beautiful water. From there the trail meanders through meadows, steadily climbing through forest. No need to carry much water as you are never far from it during the entire approach. Approaching Niles Meadows At last we reached Niles Meadows where we were greeted with a beautiful view of Mount Niles. It was wet in the meadows so we decided to expend the extra energy and climb another 500 feet. I'm glad we did. The views were amazing, it made the climbs shorter, there were (slightly) less bugs, and we had water in abundance. Climbing above Niles Meadows to camp We set up camp, cooked an entire box of pasta, and hunkered down for the night. As the sun set, we were treated to an incredible thunderstorm that passed directly overhead. Mount Daly There are some days where the numbers don't tell the full story. While only 7 miles and 3,200 feet from our camp, Daly was a pig. We crawled out of our sleeping bags around 5:30 after sleeping for maybe an hour or two. The sunrise was beautiful and I soaked it in while drinking a hot coffee. By seven we were ascending the ridge above camp. From there, we crossed the basin between Niles and Daly. The terrain here was okay and we made decent time. We decided to avoid the glacier as we didn't have spikes. I don't think there would have been any difference in time savings either. Climbing above camp in the basin below. Mount Ogden behind. After crossing the basin, we climbed up to reach a col between a small cone summit and the slopes of Mount Daly. What took place for the next two hours was endless scree grinding and loose rock hopping. It was some of the worst terrain I've ever been on. Maybe I just haven't spent enough time in the Canadian Rockies. The terrain was quite loose and very steep - I'm glad we wore helmets. In reading route descriptions prior to the trip, there was mention of a "class 4 scrambling crux" when one reaches an obvious rock band after climbing above the small summit cone. The rock band is obvious, but we decided to sidle to the climbers right and found very easy slopes we could simply walk up, although still very steep and loose. Once passed the "crux", we climbed another 800 feet where we reached the false summit. Some maps may mark this as the official summit, however, the summit register is on the other peak a mere fifteen minutes away. To me, it is well worth it to climb the ridge between the two summits. It's airy and has an exposed move or two that adds some flair to the trip. The climbing is easy. In my opinion, this was the "crux," although it's nothing more than exposed scrambling with perfect rock. Alex reaching the false summit of Mount Daly The views from the true summit are spectacular with mountains in all directions. It is definitely a remote peak - there were on average five to six successful summit parties (that signed the register) per year. 2021 only saw four. In 2023, we were the third. We felt extremely lucky to stand on this massive peak. An exposed ridge on Mount Daly with the true summit behind. After snapping some photos and signing the register, we made the climb back down to camp. I found the descent to be quite frustrating. You couldn't trust a single step. It felt like every rock would shift or move under my feet which resulted in a slip or two. Secondly, the sole of my right boot was getting torn off and Alex's shoes were getting holes in them. The Canadian Rockies were eating our footwear alive this summer. This doesn't do it justice - the terrain was steep and loose. Care had to be taken on the descent as rocks would release and create hazard for the climber below. We decided to fan out and take our time. Incredibly, we saw a party of two climbing Daly as we descended. They were quite keen, deciding to do it in a day. Our last difficulty was descending the scree back down to the col between the cone shaped summit and Daly. We did of a combination of down climbing and sliding, roughing our hands in the process. Eventually we made it back down to the basin and and hustled back to camp where we soaked in the ice cold tarn near camp. Mount Niles I was thrilled to get close to six hours of sleep. By four in the morning I was out drinking coffee under the last of the dying stars. The weather was perfect. By 5:30 we had left camp and were headed towards Mount Niles. The route is easy to follow and within fifteen minutes we found ourselves at the base of the climb. Ascending a steep loose scree gully on Mount Niles We ascended the obvious scree gully for about 500 feet and then climbed up to the right to gain a ridge. From here, we ascended steep but easy slopes to the summit. There was a rough path the entire way and navigation was easy. As we ascended, alpenglow baked the mountain tops. Reddish-purple light gradually morphed into golden light and our souls did the same. Is there anything more pure than standing on a summit of a lofty peak with a good mate at sunrise? The views from the summit were spectacular. Climbing Mount Niles at sunrise. Sherbrooke Lake and Mount Victoria behind. The climb from camp was short and steep. We reached the summit in one hour and thirty minutes and the descent took roughly forty-five minutes. Under a barrage of black flies, we quickly packed camp and made the three hour walk out back to the trailhead. Happy days...

Date:  December 10-11, 2023 Location: Lake Hāwea, Hāwea Conservation Park, Otago, New Zealand Total Trip Distance:  13.4 mi / 21.56 km Total Elevation Gain : 5,908 ft / 1800 m Trip Duration: 2 days Team:  Solo Field Notes: Pakituhi Hut is easily reached in about 2-3 hours from the road by way of a beautiful and steep ridgeline. Breast Hill and Breast Peak are easily climbed in about an hour or so from the hut. There is no water en route except for at the hut, which can apparently run dry in the heat of summer. The views from the summits are fantastic. Rating: Hiking, on trail Download GPX File Google Maps Location Breast Hill, Breast Peak, and Pakituhi Hut Route Topo Spring weather has been in full effect in Otago. The last week has been wet and very windy. I monitor the weather daily as I had hopes of trying to climb the West Ridge of Fog Peak before the route goes out of condition for the season, but nature had other plans. On Sunday I finished work quite early and the weather was absolutely perfect. My original plan was to sleep in and do a day mission on Monday, but I couldn't pass up on a perfectly calm and clear afternoon. Do I go for Fog Peak ...? I sat with the idea and decided against it as I had confliciting weather reports. I look at two major sites for weather in the national parks - Metservice and NIWA. I find the latter to be more accurate. Either way, I had wanted to spend a night in Pakituhi hut while I was in Hawea as it's only a five minute drive from my house! I quickly packed up my gear, fit it all into my 22-liter pack and got underway. The DOC sign for Pakituhi hut says four to five hours to reach the hut. That felt absurd for a mere 950 meter / 5 km climb. I was able to reach the hut in two hours flat and the two elderly women I met in the hut (probably in their 60's) took three hours. The climb is absolutely beautiful the whole way. The trail climbs up through switchbacks for the first 350 meters until it gains a spur. From here it climbs steeply up to meet the col between Breast Hill and Breast Peak. The views of the ridgelinges coming off of Breast Hill almost reminded me of something you'd see in Hawaii. When I arrived at the hut I poked my head in two greet the two Kiwi women. I saw both of the women were wearing toe socks and that obviously got me stoked as I love a good pair of toe socks! I was telling them how much I loved my toe spreaders - Yoga Toes . I'm actually wearing them right now as I write this. My little sister used to eat me alive for wearing toe socks, but I'll tell ya...it's a thing ;) As I unpacked I realized I forgot my stove. Classic. The one time I didn't check my gearlist. Thankfully the Kiwi women were more than happy to to let me use their Jetboil. I cooked dinner and talked with a Swiss/American woman who joined the hut soon after me. Pakituhi Hut Spontaneously, I decided to go up Breast Peak for sunset. It was an absolutely perfect night and one I did not want to waste. I grabbed my puffy and made the dash up to the peak. An hour later I sat alone atop the mountain in the dead silence of evening. It was a sensational sunset and Tititea / Mount Aspiring towered above the landscape. What a mountain. The sun dipped below the horizon and I trotted back to the hut for a nights rest. I set my alarm for 5 am to hit Breast Hill for sunrise. By 5:15 I was out the door and following the track through golden tussock. The sun came up out of the east and the wind came up over the north. I continued to follow the ridgeline until I stood atop Breast Hill about an hour since leaving the hut. More stunning views over the Makarora and I could even spot Mount White from just a few days ago. Golden sunrise over Breast Hill To get out of the wind, I hid behind a big rock and snacked on some venison salami, goat cheese, and crackers before wandering back to the hut for breakfast. It had been a good trip and I was looking forward to getting back down to my car early so I could have the entire day to relax. I bid the women farewell and left Pakituhi Hut around 9 am. I made my way down the ridge in a stiff breeze, passing a hiker doing the Te Araroa heading for Stodys Hut. Less than ten minutes from my car I saw a hiker heading up through the switchbacks. "Heyyaa!" he called out from below. Although we weren't close yet, I could feel his energy. He was stoked on life. It immediately drew me in. As he got closer I stepped just off the track to allow him to pass by and have a chat. His name was Brin and he was doing the TA as well. It was nine o clock on a Monday morning and Brin was in the zone. I began to ask him about his experience on the Te Araroa trail which ultimately led to talking about thru-hiking. I shared my experience doing the John Muir Trail when I was around twenty and how it still is possibly the most transformative experience of my life. Brin spoke of things that stirred emotions in my soul - daily life on trail, simplicity, unbridled connection with nature, new relationships, and mainly - the openness, mentally and emotionally, that comes when one sheds that cloak they have been wearing for so long. It was obvious that Brin wasn't chasing anything. He wasn't on the trail to "find himself." He wasn't running from anything. Brin was here and now, open to whatever life presented to him, with no expectations or preferences, and enjoying it all along the way. That is freedom. That short conversation left quite an impact on me. What is crazy (but not crazy as this is how life goes), is that I was thinking about these things on my way down the ridge. Brin was the one to bring it full circle. I'm not even sure Brin was real... was I hallucinating? Over the last few years I have observed myself in a very particular routine. To be clear, I love my life. However, it is so easy to find oneself constantly optimizing for comfort. Comfort is very dangerous. Deep down, I have had a calling to go do certain things, to have a massive shakeup. I have delayed some of these decisions due to limiting beliefs around money, work, and mainly my health. Comfort. This trip was special, but even more special was that encounter with Brin. Because of this, I have aleady set new plans on motion. Happy days...

Date:  July 20 - 21, 2015 Location: Twenty Five Mile Range, Queenstown, Otago, New Zealand Total Trip Distance: 8 mi / 12. 87 km Total Elevation Gain:  5,000 ft / 1,524 m Trip Duration: 2 days Team:  Sam Gallup Field Notes: Park at Paradise Wharf along the Queenstown Glenorchy Road. Climb through a brief section of scrub to gain the grassy slopes heading Southeast to Point 1313. Continue following the broad ridge up towards Point 1845 where it narrows. Care should be taken here. Follow the ridge South to the summit. This is a climb in winter and a simple scramble in summer. Rating:  I, 1 Download GPX File Google Maps Location Mount Crichton Route Topo Authors Note: This is a trip report from 2015. Please note the beta provided is relevant and up to date. Sam climbing along the summit ridge of Mount Crichton It was nearing the end of my visa and only six weeks remained. 2015 had been a pivotal year in my life yet I still had feelings that I didn't climb as much as I would've liked. The majority of my winter was spent drinking beers, partying, and skiing laps on Coronet Peak. It's funny how priorities change as one accumulates more life experience (or they don't). When I look at my trip log for 2024 there are around forty total big trips with zero nights spent in a bar. In 2015 I probably went on under ten trips and with at least two to three nights a week spent out drinking. What one focuses on one receives. Camp on the North West spur of Mount Crichton Sam had recently fallen in love with a beautiful Chilean woman and found it difficult to get away into the hills. I don't blame him, the woman is now his wife! But the forecast was perfect, we had the same days off, and decided upon a simple mission right near town. Mount Crichton is easily climbed in a day, but we needed a night out in the hills to reset our internal rhythms. Off we went, following Danillo Hegg's route up the North West spur. We smashed through a bit of scrub at the onset, then eventually found easily travel up the tussock spur. Higher, around 1100 meters, we found an incredibly scenic campsite for the evening. It's difficult to recall the finer details from that evening ten years ago, but I remembered Sam going out to pee in the middle of the night and waking me up because the stars were unlike anything we'd ever seen. I knew I was always going to come back to these mountains. Sam climbing the North West spur of Mount Crichton We were up before sunrise and continued up the North West spur. There was not a breath of wind and not a cloud in the sky. Suddenly, we walked into a winter wonderland and donned crampons near the summit ridge. The ridge was spectacular, fun, and airy. It gave the feeling that we were deep in the Southern Alps rather than twenty minutes outside of Queenstown. It was a surreal winter day - perfect temperature, bluebird sky, and a snowy alpine ridge. Sam on the summit ridge of Mount Crichton We took care as we sidled obstacles along the ridge, plunging our ice axes deep into the snow. Finally, we stood atop the tallest mountain in the Twenty Five Mile Range at 1,870 meters. Sam congratulated me with his classic, good shit. I think we both knew this was the final climb together. We've been on other adventures since, but this was indeed the last climb together in the Southern Alps. Happy days... Sam on the summit of Mount Crichton