Climbing Mount Burstall

 

  Do you ever find yourself faced with that all too dismal weather forecast with the weekend approaching, while trying as you will to secretly convince it to improve as you religiously check the forecast each day counting down to the weekend only to be forced to succumb to the 100% prediction that YES, it actually will be raining today?? Well Saturday and the week leading up to it was exactly that kind of forecast for me. However I didn't let that ruin my hefty ambitions to get back into the mountains to soak up some of that magical energy that it gives out to those willing to embrace the challenges it has to offer. I did however question my ambitions as I approached Scott Lake Hill on the Trans Canada Highway only to find myself entrenched in a 'high' speed wiper downpour that had darkened the skies to an almost dusk like feeling that was trying to pull what was left of my wavering ambition out of me and toss it out the window!  But with some knowledge and experience from my years spent exploring in the mountains I knew there would be a chance I could maybe rely on one of those micro systems that often float in out of the valleys like pinballs off of the peaks to allow me to pull off some kind of adventure. If anything a trail run in the light drizzle would even suffice to fulfill my desire for some of those sought after mind altering endorphins that occupy the mind after such adventures have been carried out. As predicted, or shall I say, "hoped", the micro systems of weather afforded me safe passage to my objective Mount Burstall which rises up from 6135' at the trail head to 9055' at it's summit which was stuck in clouds when I arrived. However despite the mixed weather of the day I was fortunate to be allowed safe passage up the mountain to experience some of the most spectacular scenery the Rocky Mountains have to offer. Unfortunately my camera skills do not extend much further than the 'auto' function on the camera but I did manage to get some decent shots despite the lack of any definitive sunlight that day, and I did top up on those endorphins I spoke of earlier which at the end of the day was really my ultimate goal regardless of any photo evidence that these events ACTUALLY unfolded!!

Enjoy the photos. I took lots as it was just one of those days where the clouds were constantly in and out of the valleys, but with a little patience waiting on the relatively small summit of the peak I was able to capture the magnificence of the views (although never quite like being there :) that I  was fortunate to see.

Spillway Lake with Mount Wintour in the background
 

Mount Black Prince



 Mount Black Prince with nice fall colours on it's north shoulder
 

Starting the trail to Mount Burstall which was still in the clouds



Commonwealth Peak on the left, one of the Burstall Lakes below it
 

Half way up the approach slopes to the col below Mount Burstall looking back

down into the valley
 



Cauliflower Fungus. Love the florescence of this fungus!
 

Common Wolf; Wolf Lichen
 

My objective Mount Burstall with the clouds just starting to thin out

 

Mount Burstall above with the French Glacier WAY in the back
 

 Looking down a gully from the col to the Burstall lakes and Burstall Pass trail below
 

Visibility GONE below me!
 

Crux of the scramble just above me

Ridge leading up to Cegnfs Peak and Mount Murray on the right. Cegnfs Peak was named after the initials of the first ascentionists so it really doesn't make much English sense!

Looking back down the scramble route to the col. Spray Lakes road can be seen far below

 

Commonwealth Peak right, just touching the clouds, with Mount Birdwood left, buried in cloud

 

Looking back at the crux of the scramble

 Two Summit cairns on Mount Burstall

 

Looking directly south at the French and Robertson Glaciers engulfed in clouds

 

Summit selfie on Mount Burstall

 

 Looking directly west at Snow Peak with the snow coming down

 

Mount Birwood left, just coming out of the cloud. Pig's Tail (Sharks Tooth) on the right

 

 L to R - Snow Peak, Mount Birdwood, Pig's Tail, and the

west shoulder of Commonwealth Peak

 

The impressive Mount Birdwood with the even more impressive

Mount Assiniboine poking out of the clouds on the left

 

9107' (2776m) Cegnfs fighting off more cloud

 

9917' (3023m) Mount Murray also fighting off more cloud

 

 9104' (2775m) Commonwealth Peak

 

French Glacier left, and Robertson Glacier right, just coming into view again

 

Impressive terrain around Mount French, Mount Robertson,

and Mount Sir Douglas on the right

 

Snow Peak, Birdwood, and a different angle on the Pig's Tail

 

French Glacier in the center with Mount French on the left and Mount Robertson on the right

 

French Glacier

 

Robertson Glacier with Mount Robertson on the left and Mount Sir Douglas on the right

 

Robertson Glacier

 

11,175' (3406m) Mount Sir Douglas unable to escape the clouds

 

Mount Assiniboine just poking through the clouds

 

 The 11,844' (3618m) impressive Mount Assiniboine

 

10,158' (3097m) Mount Birdwood in all her splender.

 

Looking west to the Burstall Pass area

 

Nice shot of Birdwood, Sharks Tooth, and Commonwealth Peak

from the summit of  Mount Burstall

 

 Another selfie with the French & Robertson Glaciers in the background

 

 

Another nice shot of the Robertson Glacier with Mount Robertson left

and Mount Sir Douglas on the right

 

 Looking across the valley at the Kananaskis Range with Chester Lake near the middle

 

Mount Galatea center, with Chester lake below it. Mount Chester on the right

 

Mount Galatea left, Chester lake buried in the trees below, The Fortress

towering in the back on the right

 

 On the way back down to the col below Burstall

 

 Nice fall colours contrast at the col

 

Ridge extending from the col with the Spray Lakes road in behind

 

Colourful lower Burstall Lake

 

Spray Lakes Road leading to the Spray Lakes with Mount Nester rising behind

 

Descending Mount Burstall with the black scree slopes dropping down off the col

 

Descent slopes from the col back to the trail above the Burstall Lakes

 

Upper Burstall Lake

 

Larches in their splendor above the French Creek Valley

 

More Larches above the French Creek Valley

 

Looking back up at Mount Burstall now from the NE ridge opposite Burstall above the col

 

 Another nice shot of Peak Cegnfs

 

 Another nice shot of Mount Murray

 

Water coming in to the Middle Burstall Lake

 

Black scree slopes lead back down from the col to the Burstall Pass trail

 

Nice shot of the valley upstream of the Upper Burstall Lake

 

Dotted Saxifrage (out of flower). One hardy alpine plant!

 

Clouds moving back in again to the col

 

Another hardy rock plant. Unidentified

 

Moss Campion

 

Moss Campion, out of flower, hosting a place for other life to grow

 

 Small waterfall coming out of the Middle Burstall Lake

 

Commonwealth Peak above Middle Burstall Lake

 

Middle Burstall Lake

 

Stiff Clubmoss

 

 Interesting rock feature above Galatea trailhead

 

Unnamed Peak near the Galatea parking lot and trailhead 



 

Wedge Pond below 'The Wedge ' left, and Limestone Mountain center

 

 Wedge Pond. Soil excavation site for the Kananaskis Golf Course early 1980's.

33,000 truck loads of soil were taken out. The pond is now maintained

by Kananskis parks and stocked with Arctic Grayling

 

Cicer Milkvetch

 

Seeds shake around in these hardened pods. This plant is used in cattle graving.

 

Bluebell Bellflower hanging in there through the fall

 

Mount Sparrowhawk back left, Mount Allan (Nakiska) center, and Mount Collembola right

 

Mount Lorrette and the sun now shining! What an amazing day :)