Le Piston Posted August 17, 2007 Share Posted August 17, 2007 (edited) Trip: Mt. Assiniboine - North Ridge Date: 7/30/2007 Trip Report: My friend Rod and I climbed Mt. Assiniboine via the North Ridge. With limited time we took a 6 minute helicopter ride to avoid the 17 mile hike to Lake Magog and saved 2 days. From the Hind Hut we started about 5:15 am and hit the summit in 5 hours. We would have been faster but for lots of loose rock and one route finding error. The ridge is mostly exposed 4th class with a couple of pitches of mid 5th that we belayed, then a nice ridge walk to the summit. The view is 360 degree peaks. There was no snow on the route, so we left the axes and crampons at the hut. It is a beautiful peak! Gear Notes: Helmet, Helmet, Helmet! (the day after our climb someone got beaned by a rock dislodged by another climber) Light rack of nuts and cams 0.5-3. 60 meter rope was nice for rappels. Approach Notes: The approach trail is called the "Gmoser Highway". It is somebody's sick sense of humor to call it a highway. The trail starts from Assiniboine Lodge and goes around the north side of the lake, then angles up a talus field onto a headwall of loose sloping rock ledges. There are spots where the trail is a foot wide and the rock bulges out, making the going very sporty with a pack. Once past the waterfall, you ascend a snow patch or scree to a cairn marked trail up to the Hind Hut (about 9000 feet elev.) Edited August 20, 2007 by Le Piston Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckaroo Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 Sweet! Climbed this on Aug 13, 1994 and it was much the same except for the approach. Mountain bikes were allowed to the pass above the lake, lot of work pedaling up with 40lb packs but it was nice and fast going down. Don't know why they closed off bike access. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottP Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 There was no snow on the route, so we left the axes and crampons at the hut. Cool looking route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtree Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 Spectacular pics/route. Thanks for the TR Le Piston Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlpineK Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 Classic photo of Canadian Rockies limestone. A friend and I spent about 4 days in at that hut waiting for the weather to break back a long time ago. It never did. The hike in from the road head is a long one. A mountain bike in would be an excellent idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Piston Posted August 30, 2008 Author Share Posted August 30, 2008 I would have loved to hike in, the area is spectacular, but we had limited time and the helicopter saved us 2 days. This was a really great climb! As it turned out the snow conditions were horible in the Icefields where we planned on climbing after Assiniboine...but who knew. Canada has tons of cool climbs that few of us in the States know about. I went up again this summer, didn't climb what I had planned due to daily rain but came away with two first ascents and nearly a new route on another peak. I'm not a hard core climber either (see TR Rostrum Peak) Assiniboine would be worth another try...it's a beautiful mountain (with a lot of loose rock). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairweather Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Wow. Wow. Great TR and pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pink Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 nice, nice......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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