| Author |
Topic |
|
High River, (just south of Calgary eh!), Alberta
Canada
1700 Posts |
Posted - 07/29/2008 : 11:39 AM
|
Mt. Sparrowhawk & Read’s Tower (Bow Valley PP) July 26, 2008
An 'easy' scramble to a 10,000' peak. July 26, 2008.
Mt. Sparrowhawk 3121m elevation, +-12km, 1600m gain including Read's Tower.
 
This entire trail is a ‘moderate’ grade on either forested slope or, once clear of the trees, loose talus but this also means that within minutes there are nice views of the Spray Valley.
Read’s Tower.
  
View from Read's Tower over the Spray Valley & up towards the Sparrowhawk Tarns and toward Mt. Sparrowhawk summit block. In retrospect the extra 250m should have been saved for another day, perhaps tied in with Sparrowhawk Tarns, but it was still a cool view
Ptarmigan
Around Read’s Tower and plug on up the slope.
Read's Tower with the Spray Valley in the background.
A breather at the little communications shack and finally some actual scrambling.
Looking down from the summit at Memorial Lakes
        
Summit Pano
I went up to the left of the little bump on some shelves which I found more interesting than the scree to the right.
View up at Mt. Sparrowhawk summit block... a long talus slog.
Sparrowhawk Tarns
Heading down, Read’s on the left, Spray Valley beyond.
Read's Tower on right, Mt. Sparrowhawk summit block on left.
I didn't linger at the top, part of our party did not summit so I didn't want to hold them up, especially since despite using low gear all the way up so as not to bonk, my right knee was telling me stories most of the way down. Nasty nasty stories.
Close to the bottom finally… looks like rain but it mostly missed us.
A good day out, a little Advil & ice and the knee is good as new! (or at least as good as can be expected!) |
|
737 Posts |
Posted - 07/29/2008 : 12:25 PM
|
Very nice indeed, Sodbuster! You managed to tag one of my favourite mountains (but then again, aren't they all my favourites???). You're quite fortunate with the weather as it was pretty touch-and-go for the times that I've gone there (4 attempts, 2 successes).
IMHO, the backside looking east to the Memorial Lakes is the most awesome sight of the Sparrowhawk experience, too.
Congrats on adding Read's Tower to your ascent...something I've yet to do. I guess that there's nothing quite like adding to a 1400m day!
Way to go!
Granticulus
 |
|
|
| Engor
Intermediate Member
|
Calgary
838 Posts |
Posted - 07/29/2008 : 1:36 PM
|
quote:
Originally posted by Sodbuster
Read's Tower with the Spray Valley in the background.
Nice pictures! I like especially this one. Reminds me shark fin. |
Edited by - Engor on 07/29/2008 1:38 PM |
|
|
Calgary, Alberta
Andorra
3787 Posts |
Posted - 07/29/2008 : 7:24 PM
|
| Really pretty Memorial Lakes photo. How early were you out there? |
|
|
319 Posts |
Posted - 07/29/2008 : 8:28 PM
|
| Awesome stuff! Also good to see the last of that snow in the area finally disappear. |
|
|
High River, (just south of Calgary eh!), Alberta
Canada
1700 Posts |
Posted - 07/29/2008 : 8:37 PM
|
quote:
Originally posted by Rachelo
Really pretty Memorial Lakes photo. How early were you out there?
I left home at 4:30, made a couple stops in Calgary and I think we were hiking by 7:30 give or take. Off by 4 ish.
I've always had Memorial Lakes on my 'list' so it was pretty cool to look right down on them. Views like that made this trip worthwhile. |
|
|
1078 Posts |
Posted - 07/29/2008 : 9:41 PM
|
| Yes, great pics. I must move it up the to-do list. |
|
|
|
canine loving, machete-toting bushwhacking lake seeker, Indiana Jones hat-wearing off-road 4x4 guru
Surrey Hole, BC
Canada
6773 Posts |
Posted - 07/29/2008 : 10:07 PM
|
Activity and reports in this forum are greatly appreciated guys.
Please keep it up.Its quite interesting and informative for us out of towners  |
Edited by - Aqua Terra on 07/29/2008 10:08 PM |
|
|
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
264 Posts |
Posted - 08/02/2008 : 5:21 PM
|
I woke up this morning fully intending on doing Mount Hood but after reading Sodbusters account of Sparrowhawk I switched gears and head to Canmore. My hiking partner needed to be back in town by 4:30 and we had a late start so we had to put a move on.
The weather was perfect for hiking but the high cloud did impede our view once we were on top. The trip up is relatively steep but the scree is easy to walk on. We went a bit farther north than we should have but it worked out nicely. The walk up the ridge to the base of massive was quite pleasant with some fabulous views. I was a bit concerned about the scramble as a layer of ice was covering the rock on the S/SW aspect. My fears were eased as the scramble portion of the hike was easy and I could kick off the ice as we moved up. We made it to the top in 3 hours which I thought was pretty good.
Going down was a dreary bit of work. My knees were aching when we finally made it to the bottom. My photos aren't as good as Sodbusters probably due to my skill and cheapo camera. We were in the soup for most of our visit at the top but it broke for a couple of minutes for me to snap a couple of shots.
The North Ridge looking up at Sparrowhawk
The Com Tower on top (I though this would be the only proof I was there but then the clouds lifted)
Some Prehistoric Critter
The View S/SE to Mount Bogart |
Edited by - mapitfirst on 08/02/2008 7:01 PM |
|
|
High River, (just south of Calgary eh!), Alberta
Canada
1700 Posts |
Posted - 08/06/2008 : 7:41 PM
|
| Interesting to see the contrasting weather up there mapitfirst. We were in shorts and tee-shirts all day when we went... hence the slightly longer views |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Mt. Sparrowhawk (Bow Valley PP) July 26, 2008
