On May 6, we summited Wasootch Peak, bringing my total so far this year to four! It was a really fun scramble with a variety of terrain. We went up through forest, sometimes very steep and other times across plateaus, we hiked up and over or around some big rocky formations and towards the top, scree and slab. The final summit was a short scramble up a little chimney onto a rocky platorm and across a narrow ridge to where the summit register was nestled in some rocks. This was the first summit register we signed in a long time, maybe since Willingdon in 2018.
This was the longest and highest summit so far this year and the first one that really required a few climbing moves with hands on rock.
The trail starts on Highway 40 in Kananaskis not far from the turn off to Nakiska Ski Resort.
The trail starts up a dry creek bed.
After a few hundred meters, the trail leaves the creek on the left side and goes up through forest.
Looking back across the valley to Mt Kidd on the other side of the highway.
The trail climbs steeply through forest.
Looking back towards Nakiska Ski Resort. Snow and rain falling in the valley. The storm would catch us about an hour later coming down from the summit.
Breaking out of the forest, the trail climbs rocky ground. Summit in the background.
Off Highway 40 near the turn off to Nakiska
out and back
Park on the side of the road on Highway 40 just north of and across the road from the turn off to Nakiska. Trail starts up a dry creek bed.
My path up to the summit and back down recorded on the FATMAP app on my phone. The turn off to Nakiska in the lower right corner of the map.
A Kananskis Conservation Pass is required to park your vehicle at the trailhead. Buy one here https://conservationpass.alberta.ca/kcp
Hikers coming down from the summit. The high point is on the right side of the photo, further back.
That's four peaks done now. Now 16 more and I'll achieve my goal! Next weekend we are thinking of going up Grotto Mountain near Canmore, a much higher peak than the ones we've done so far.
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