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Edmonton, AB
88 Posts |
Posted - 06/22/2012 : 10:12 PM
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Roche a Perdrix to Fiddle Peak to Folding Mountain, June 21, 2012, 22 km + 3.5 km hike back to vehicle, highest elevation (Fiddle Peak 2235 meters) approx. 2100 meters total elevation gain.
Last year I scrambled up Roche a Perdrix and hiked up Folding Mountain, and it looked like a ridge walk along the Fiddle Range from Roche a Perdrix was feasible. From Fiddle Peak it then looked possible to traverse over to Folding Mountain and hike out. This seemed like a great objective for the first full day of summer (with loads of daylight). I wanted to do it counter clockwise (Roche a Perdrix/Fiddle Peak/Folding Mountain) in order to have a quick exit on a good trail and to avoid having to down climb the crux on the ridge.
  
1. Folding Mountain to Fiddle Peak
2. Fiddle Peak to Fiddle Ridge
3. Fiddle Ridge to Roche a Perdrix
I parked on the side road to the south just before the park gates (the start point of the Roche a Perdrix scramble). The year before, I hiked too far up the ridge on some game trails and had to backtrack after having missed the traverse to the left. This time I immediately gained the ridge so as not to miss it. The route goes through some trees, traverses below the ridge, and then goes under the north face. The trail forks in the trees, and the lower left hand fork is for the scramble.
  
4. The starting point of the Roche a Perdrix scramble.
5. A curious onlooker
6. The traverse starts through the trees to the left just after this point
After traversing below the north face, I crossed a U shaped gully and hiked up on the high ground on its left side. Further up, I crossed another gully and again ascended the easier terrain on the left hand side. This led to a small flat area with a cairn and good view to the north.
  
7. Looking up at the north face
8. Looking back at the traverse below the ridge
9. Crossing the first gully
I then headed up the ridge, and then contoured to the right around a small rock band with a little bit of hands on scrambling. From there, it is an easy walk up to the summit of Roche a Perdrix.
  
10. Looking North to Brule Lake (l) and Peach, Kinky and Wildhorse Lakes (r)
11. Heading up the ridge to the summit
12. My route took me to the right around the rock band
  
13. The easy hike to the summit
14. Roche Miette to the west
15. The Fiddle Range ridgeline to the south east
The next leg up to the two higher points was a little more involved. I hiked down the ridge and then assessed how best to get up the first point. I wanted to get on to the big scree slope below the summit, but I did not like the idea of traversing to the bottom of the big scree slope. It was wet and greasy, and it looked like a slip might result in a tumble over the lower cliff. I thought that a better approach would be to get on the smaller scree slope on the left and then use the diagonal crack on the wall to get to the big one. From there it was an easy scramble to the top.
  
16. The ridge line to the two high points
17. I took the left hand scree slope and crossed on the diagonal crack
18. The route up to the lower scree slope with diagonal crack in view
The next step was the crux. Although most of the ridge was unproblematic, there was a discontinuity in it near the top. It was necessary to do some hands on climbing with an airy view on both sides. I thought that this probably takes it outside the boundary of a moderate scramble, although it was only for a few meters. Nevertheless, I was happy that I did not need to downclimb it.
  
19. Bedson Ridge and Roche Boule from the first high point (Roche a Perdrix on the right)
20. The ridge to the second high point
21. The crux
The rest of the ridge is mostly a hike, although there is some very enjoyable scrambling over some broken blocks.
  
22. The ridge line from Roche a Perdrix to the second high point
23. The ridge walk to Fiddle Peak
24. Some enjoyable scrambling on the broken portion of the ridge halfway to the next high point
On the ridge to the last high point before Fiddle Peak, I encountered a Bighorn sheep ewe. It decided to evade me by walking along the ridge on the broken section. It warily ensured that there was a suitable distance between us. It was interesting watching it work through the blocky sections. My enjoyment was rudely interrupted when my ice axe began to hum. I had an unpleasant experience with a buzzing ice axe in a vicious thunderstorm a couple of years ago on Mount Kerr. The ridge was narrow and I could not get very low. I took off my pack with my axe and tried to get as much distance from it as I could. But I was still only 5 meters away from it, and for a brief wild moment I thought of flinging it over the ridge if lighting became a serious risk. As it turned out there was only some hail and one thunderclap in the distance.
  
25. The bighorn ewe at the start of the blocky section
26. Snack break
27. The broken blocky section
Once the rain and hail ended, I climbed Fiddle Peak. It is the high point of the Fiddle Range. However, the ridge branches off the southwest from Fiddle Peak. If you had the energy you could go another 2 km along the ridge. I saw a cairn on the last point of this branch.
  
28. Rain Showers
29. The ridge to Fiddle Peak
30. Further scrambling possibilities
The peak is a huge pile of loose broken shale. There was a small cairn with a register in a small jar. There were only five entries (now six) since May 8, 2004.
  
31. The easy scramble to the summit of Fiddle Peak
32. Looking back along the Fiddle Range
33. The first entry in the register mentions a direct four hour route from the hot springs
  
The route to Folding Mountain was a bit more difficult than I anticipated. The larger chunks of shale did not permit a scree run. I then found myself cliffed out. I followed the rock band to descending climber's left until I found a break.
34. The ridge to Folding Mountain
35. The rainbow
36. Looking west to the Miette Range
  
There was a tragic amount of elevation loss. This was followed by some bushwacking through some very thick bush to gain the ridge to Folding Mountain.
37. Looking back at Fiddle Peak
38. The alpine meadows to Folding Mountain
39. Looking back at Fiddle Ridge
Thereafter the hiking was easy through the scenic alpine meadows. The hiking trail from Folding Mountain made for a very quick exit. I saw a blue grouse on the way down (first one I have ever seen). I arrived at the end of the hiking trial 13.5 hours after starting out. I was considering hitching the 3.5 km to my vehicle, but the trucks were zipping down the hill and it was getting dark so I thought it would be better simply to hoof it.
  
40. Looking east to the foothills
41. The scree run down Folding Mountain
42. A blue grouse showing off |
Edited by - Semi Awesome on 07/15/2012 10:25 AM
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North Vancouver, BC
Canada
330 Posts |
Posted - 06/22/2012 : 10:28 PM
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| Great trip report. Some beautiful pics. Love those Rockies! |
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Edmonton, AB
Canada
216 Posts |
Posted - 06/22/2012 : 11:29 PM
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| You may have surpassed your "semi" status on this one. Nice work! |
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
605 Posts |
Posted - 06/22/2012 : 11:35 PM
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This is quite a ridgewalk, isn't it. I was considering it from Roche a Perdrix last summer as well; looked it might have its moments. I wasn't sure about the best way through initial crux, but things always look different once you get close.
This extension would probably be worthy addition to scrambles book. Quite a long day though with over 2K vertical. |
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Edmonton, AB
Canada
467 Posts |
Posted - 06/23/2012 : 09:33 AM
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| Oh man, that's awesome. I was planning on the same thing on the same day as you did, but the forecasted potential thunderstorm stopped me. I want to do these ridge walks on a absolute-no-rain day. Having been turned back by thunderstorm on Powderface Ridge really makes me nervous. Anyway, gonna grab it during the next weather window after the long weekend. |
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Jasper, ab
Canada
1029 Posts |
Posted - 06/23/2012 : 10:11 AM
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| Very, very nice trip report. That's a beautiful area |
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155 Posts |
Posted - 06/24/2012 : 10:21 AM
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| Thanks for the detailed route description. Fiddle is the highest peak in the range, so I will definately go after it one day. Does it make any sense to retrace the steps and return via Roche a Perdrix, or would it take too long? Or would it be faster to descent directly to the hiking trail from the summit of Fiddle Peak? |
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Edmonton, AB
88 Posts |
Posted - 06/24/2012 : 1:41 PM
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Fiddle Peak is about 10 km from the starting point, so I think it might be just as quick to turn around and go back the same way. However, the first entry in the summit register gave me the idea for an interesting variation. Here is the entry:
"Fiddle Peak 7200 ft, May 8, 2004
4 hours from the Miette road. Crossed the fiddle river and went through a gap. And followed ridge to the top. Alot of fresh snow and more snow to come.
Liam Harrap, Jasper"
There is a southwest extension of the Fiddle Range that descends towards Ashlar Ridge and the Miette road. I noticed this extension while on the way to Fiddle Peak. Here is a photo of it.
Fiddle Peak is on the left. From the high point on the right, the descent would take you to the near the south end of Ashlar Ridge. From my topo map, the descent to the west looks easiest, but a south descent might also be possible. The south end of Ashlar Ridge is where climbers walk off after doing one of several possible multi-pitch routes. I don't know how high Fiddle River is running - it has to be forded. It looks like this route takes you within 2 km of the hotsprings. Of course, this means that you would need two vehicles or you would need to hitch a ride down Miette Road. But the thought of ending the day at the hotsprings is very enticing! |
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Edmonton, AB
Canada
467 Posts |
Posted - 06/25/2012 : 10:33 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by MtnNinja
Thanks for the detailed route description. Fiddle is the highest peak in the range, so I will definately go after it one day. Does it make any sense to retrace the steps and return via Roche a Perdrix, or would it take too long? Or would it be faster to descent directly to the hiking trail from the summit of Fiddle Peak?
I've done Folding Mountain, and except for the summit view, it's extremely tedious and long and boring, 90% in the trees. The bush in Jasper area is extremely thick so directly descending down to valley isn't a good option. Returning the same way might make more sense as the view is quite different from the opposite direction. |
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Jasper, Alberta
Canada
11 Posts |
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Edmonton, AB
88 Posts |
Posted - 06/26/2012 : 10:05 AM
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quote:
By the way, Liam Harrap would have been 14 or 15 in May 2004. He is the "Littlest Hiker in the Canadian Rockies", in the book written by his father.
That's so funny. Here is the second entry in the register: "I climbed this mtn for all the people who can't! Liam was hours ahead of me. David Harrap Jasper May 8/2004" |
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New Orleans, Louisiana
USA
301 Posts |
Posted - 07/04/2012 : 2:49 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Semi Awesome
Here is the second entry in the register: "I climbed this mtn for all the people who can't! Liam was hours ahead of me. David Harrap Jasper May 8/2004"
And that means an amazing amount to people who love the mountains but lack the physical ability to do more than the tourist stuff. |
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Fiddle Range Traverse
