Scrambles & Rambles

Linda’s Scrambles & Rambles

Mt. Gladstone III ~ Oct 8, 2005

CASTLE CROWN AREA, ALBERTA

Summit: 2,458 m (8,063') Elevation gain: 1000 m Total distance: 16.8 km Total time: 8:30

Quick rambles:

· A perfect day.

· The creek was extra high this trip.

· Two falcons greeted us on Gladstone.

· We encountered hunters within the Castle Special Management boundaries...just a little unnerving.

I admit...I was pretty nervous about this trip. The route I had scouted for Gladstone was easy for sure, but this was going to be my third attempt to summit. Unexpected circumstances had prevented me both previous times (see Gladstone and Gladstone II for more info). I was starting to believe the mountain had it in for me, and would exact another price for trying to stand atop its highest point. Of course, all that worrying didn’t stop me from trying….

Accompanied by Castle Crown enthusiasts Bob Spirko, Dinah Kruze, and Andrew Nugara, I started down the now familiar trail to the creek. It wasn’t long before our biggest problem of the day made itself known. The creek, which was a trickle last year, was a raging current, both deep and wide. We hadn’t anticipated it being so large. This was a problem because the ATV trail I followed up the Mill Creek valley crosses the creek at several points.

At the first crossing we were lucky, for there was a large tree spanning the width of the flow. Though very icy in the cool morning air, we were able to cross by straddling the trunk and bum shuffling along. Not that easy to do on bark, I discovered.

We attained the trail and followed it to the next major crossing. Unfortunately there was nothing here the bridge the distance, and we were forced to bushwhack most of the remaining distance. It was in the tangle of nasty branches and steep eroded slopes that my favourite hat and Bob’s pole disappeared, both silently yanked right out of the packs. The first price had been paid.

Close to the easy ascent route Andrew and I had attempted last year, Bob spied a rocky ridge and suggested it as an alternative to the scree slopes of the gully. This turned out to be an interesting route that led directly through a forest of windswept and bleached dead pines. Well, that was for three of us...Andrew decided to find a challenging scramble route within the steep walls of the gully below the summit.

As we climbed the relentlessly steep slope, I began to wonder if Drew was already at the summit, waiting for us. Probably, I thought. Then I heard Dinah talking to someone. It turned out to be Andrew. Confused, I climbed higher to see him for myself. He wasn’t exactly on the ridge…still in the steep rocks of the gully, I noticed him scrambling a high and exposed piece of rock. Within a few minutes he joined us on the ridge top, explaining the route had grown increasingly difficult. I guess he had found the most excitement of all of us.

I did manage to find small rock bands and outcrops to scramble, but they weren’t that common on this part of the mountain. After the dead trees we arrived at the live trees (isn’t that sort of backwards?), and quite a bit of snow. What appeared to be the summit was now visible. We all agreed, it was probably a false summit.

It was here that I looked up and pointed out two gleaming white birds hovering over the mountain. Suddenly one of the birds dived straight down and a cloud of tiny twittering birds scattered from its impact point. I thought at first these white birds were owls, but as I slogged up through the snow, now separated from my companions, one made a close pass above me. To my surprise, I realized it was a falcon, the white I saw was the underside of it caught by the low angle of the sun. It was the same kind that had accompanied me on Gap Peak earlier this year. That was a pleasant surprise indeed. I have had little chance to research the variety yet, but it appears to have some of the markings and coloring of the American Kestrel.

The final slope to the summit was a pile of snow covered rubble, reminiscent of Mt Kerr. Hiking up the ridgeline, the views in all directions were tremendous! I took forever to reach the summit for all the pictures I was taking. And the bump we thought was a false summit, well it was actually the real summit. Gladstone’s full of surprises. ;-)

After a warm, windless stop at the summit, enjoying the excellent panoramas around us, we chose to descend via the red scree slopes of the gully. The descent was quick and colourful, and I was overwhelmed with how pleasant this slope was compared to the formidable winter blasted gully of last November. At the base of this gully was a pastoral fall meadow, luminous with golden afternoon light. I had the urge to linger for far too long here.

On return down the trail, I finally caught up to Bob and Dinah speaking to two large men. I was a little surprised to see someone else out here, as I have never in previous trips. I noticed steel shafts protruding their backpacks and at first glance thought they were ice axes. More surprise. Then as my eyes traced the length of the ‘axes’, I was shocked to discover they were, in fact, rifles. Two large men with guns!! Hunters to be exact. They were asking if we had seen any game. I thought that hunters were not allowed into the Castle Special Management area, but they claimed to have some special permit. They were looking for deer and bear. I felt a little sick - first of all, I felt that my friends and I had been in danger of being shot. Secondly, I didn't like the thought of people coming into my favourite area and cleaning it of wildlife. Sigh.

We made it safely back to the vehicles, and encountered no more armed men. On the way, Bob had the sharp enough eye to discover my lost cap in the creek. How, I will never know. And though I looked, I could not return the favour and salvage his lost trekking pole from the forest. Gladstone seems to require a toll from everyone - you’ve been warned. :-)

The first crux. The creek is far higher than normal; last year it was almost completely dry. Thankfully, we found this icy log to cross on. This is harder than it looks though…. (right-hand photo by Andrew)

On the trail (or not). Because of the high waters, we could not cross the creek to regain the trail. And there was supposed to be several crossings. This meant some slight detours.

Left: Ascending the gully that Bob suggested. Right: Passing through the Bone yards, a forest of windswept dead pines. Dinah’s ahead of me here.

Yes there was scrambling. Left: I clamber up a short rock band as a diversion to the slogging. Far below is the small creek that runs between Gladstone and the Fierce Nubbins. Right: If Andrew looks like he’s on a steep and exposed piece of rock, that’s because he is. This is the final piece of his route.

Here I am, slogging in the Bone Yards still. The white peak in the background is Victoria. (photo by Andrew)

Left: The summit ridge contains an explosion of colour and vistas. Here Andrew makes his way towards the summit, and Bob and Dinah. Right: I stop on the summit ridge in awe. West Castle peaks in the distance.

A view to the NW reveals astonishing Continental Divide mountains.