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Calgary, Alberta
Canada
1185 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2010 : 07:03 AM
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2010-07-01
The biggest challenge of this trip was getting there. The traffic was absolutely insane! I can't believe how many people don't know simple highway etiquette. The left lane was moving slower than the right. Of course there was construction all along the highway on perhaps the busiest weekend of the year. Whoever allowed that to happen should be fired. The construction at Castle Junction brought a very busy highway to a halt. We were moving at 5-10 kmph!!
Though it took a while to get there, it was a worth while trip. The name is unofficial. I don't think this ridge actually has a name. All the while we had excellent views behind us. The most interesting thing about this trip was the giant boulder field. On the way up we passed some really neat boulders, many the size of a house. At one point we came to a place where it was like a giant's passageway.
This boulder field eventually led us to the top of the ridge and we saw a cairn marking a high point. Here we sat down for a little while and enjoyed the views. It looked like we could follow the ridge for quite the distance, but we only went as far as the first gully which allowed access to the Helen Lake trail below. We followed this back to the car.
       
More photos here:
http://markostavric.fotki.com/2010/20100701/ |
Edited by - Marko on 07/02/2010 07:18 AM
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 Alberta-based choss climbin', flame throwin', rappel lovin', ass talkin' hater who doesn't like "Gumby" for a descriptor
6302 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2010 : 1:42 PM
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quote:
I don't think this ridge actually has a name.
We refer to it as Cirque ridge also. There are 2 named features on it...Raging Bull is the large square looking feature, and Sugar Cube is the large cube looking feature down slope out of sight towards Helen Lake, noticable from the Helen Lake area.
**edited post to remove info now that there's a freakin map posted to it.
The traffic was indeed insane yesterday. We ended up just hiking in the Minnewanka area because of it. |
Edited by - time2clmb on 07/05/2010 5:42 PM |
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Calgary, Alberta
Canada
1185 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2010 : 3:44 PM
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quote:
Nice shot! |
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1078 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2010 : 6:31 PM
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Cirque peak is dry to! Nice to see..
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High River, (just south of Calgary eh!), Alberta
Canada
1697 Posts |
Posted - 07/03/2010 : 10:24 AM
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| I did Cirque Peak last fall solo without much expectation beyond a nice viewpoint and for the effort that is one of the finest views in the Rockies. Had the priveledge of watching from a distance (binoculars) as a mother griz dug for ground squirrels or roots while her two cubs played in the bowl below Cirque peak. Great area, love the photos Marko. |
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Calgary
3 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2010 : 09:19 AM
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| I've been taking the 1A between catle Junction and Lake Louise. I will do this everytime between now and October. No delays but there are often cops on it so don't speed too much. |
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Alberta-based choss climbin', flame throwin', rappel lovin', ass talkin' hater who doesn't like "Gumby" for a descriptor
6302 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2010 : 09:30 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by benw
I've been taking the 1A between catle Junction and Lake Louise. I will do this everytime between now and October. No delays but there are often cops on it so don't speed too much.
That's not very helpful when the delay is caused by that stupid 1a Banff junction bridge construction. It was lined up back to Cascade. |
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2421 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2010 : 11:18 AM
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| Very nice. Could you post a trail guide to help the rest of us find it? |
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Salmon Arm, BC
Canada
894 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2010 : 12:08 PM
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quote:
Could you post a trail guide to help the rest of us find it?
Here's my route (we called it Helen Creek Ridge). After we summited Cirque Peak we simply descended further to the west of the ascent route to the head of Helen Creek valley (easy talus skiing), scrambled up a short talus gully to make the ridge, ridgewalked south to about the halfway point, then angled our way downslope to intersect the trail less than 1 km from the Parkway. The southern half of the ridge looks much more rugged than the north half, and I'm not sure of the descent off the end of the ridge back to the trail. Certainly our route down was easy, but the longer you stay on the ridge the more cliff bands you are bound to meet.
You could simply wander over the talus from Helen Lake to the head of the valley, but who'd want to miss those great views from Cirque Peak?!
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Edited by - pmjwright on 07/05/2010 12:10 PM |
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Calgary, Alberta
Canada
1185 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2010 : 5:02 PM
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| My initial plan was to go up to Helen lake and then go up one of the scree gullies. This might be a more straight forward way and you'll have a nice view as you head back along the ridge. But the way we went was up along the second stream that cut through the Helen lake trail. It led up to that boulder field and we just kept going up from there, eventually seeing the first summit cairn. |
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calgary
32 Posts |
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Alberta-based choss climbin', flame throwin', rappel lovin', ass talkin' hater who doesn't like "Gumby" for a descriptor
6302 Posts |
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Topic |
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Cirque Ridge
