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Mist Mountain |
| Elevation 2780m Height Gain Time to Reach Summit Degree of Difficulty Scenery Date of Most-recent Ascent |
Note that this scramble does not lead to Mist Mountain's summit. Having turned uphill too late, we ended south of the correct ascent gully. From below it appeared that we could connect with the summit ridge, but after scrambling around numerous ribs we could go no further, even though we were within perhaps only 50 vertical meters of the summit ridge. Park at the Lemon Mine information sign (GPS reference 50d33m56s N, 114d57m01s W) on Highway 40. This spot is 21.7km south of the turn-off for Kananaskis Lakes. Walk south (downhill) for some 10-15 minutes to a creek (GPS reference 50d33m39s N, 114d56m55s W). Follow the creek bed on the left side. In a just a few hundred meters from the road look for a game trail heading up the bank on your left.. With the creek on your right, the trail rises gradually through brush and then later open forest. At times the trail is faint and vague, just keep in mind not to try to gain elevation too quickly. As you hit grassy slopes traverse the steep hillside above the creek. For now, the thickets near the creek will give you plenty of reasons to stay out of there. After gaining some elevation you will notice a good trail branching off to the right off the creek bottom. There should be no problems dropping towards the creek at this point (GPS reference 50d33m41s N, 114d56m02s W). This is likely where we went wrong - had we kept going on the grass slopes we would have ended in the correct gully leading to the mountain's northwest ridge. The trails heads up into open forest and as the terrain levels off it disappears altogether. Keep going south until you come out into a clearing with a huge gully far below you. Turn left up more grassy slopes until you shake the last few strands of trees. Continue up while angling to the right. When you come over a rise drop into a shallow creek (may be dry). Boulder-hop your way up a couple of hundred meters, then clamber up the right bank onto coarse rubble. Where the rubble meets the slabby cliffs of the mountain the first wall is breached on the right. Once you're on the rocks you'll realize that this mountain is made up of layers upon layers of near-vertically tilted layers. Alternate bands of softer material having weathered away, what's left are innumerable chimneys. The scrambling is moderately difficult as you climb up and down these ribs. Underneath a rather large triangular-shaped face, you'll have to scramble from one end to the other to gain elevation. Pay particular attention to everything - as everything is loose! There are also several semi-exposed ledges that you have to traverse. Eventually, you find yourself on the left side of the triangle scrambling up a final chimney to the tip at GR473603 (GPS reference 50d33m44s N, 114d55m13s W). End of the line here - you're perhaps some 50 vertical meters from the summit ridge, but a significant gap between you and a sheer face prevents all further progress. From this vantage point the entire eastern vista is of course blocked by Mist Mountain's summit ridge. Close by to the south via connecting ridges are the twin summits of Mt. Lipsett. To the west in the foreground is Highwood Ridge. Mt. Tyrwhitt rises up from behind. Due to storm clouds much of the distant peaks to the west and northwest were obscured from view. With rain approaching us as well, we spent only minutes at the highpoint before descending.
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