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Narao Peak
Yoho National Park, B.C.
August 31, 2002
Distance: 17.6 km (10.9 mi)
Cumulative Elevation Gain: 1391 m (4564 ft)
For Narao Peak, we didn't start up the Lake O'Hara access road as recommended in Scrambles, but rather we took the trail to Ross Lake. Our reasons were two-fold. Before committing ourselves to the descent route that Kane suggests, we wished to study the goat track to Ross Lake. Second, rainfall from the previous night had drenched the forest; the several hundred metres of extra bushwhacking would have left us soaked at the start of our trip.
Gert, Dinah and I covered more distance than the direct approach, but it placed us at the same spot above the treeline where the grand views begin. We started hiking up the north ridge, but higher up we had to do some moderate scrambling. We reached the summit without difficulty. The descent route via Ross Lake turned out to be straightforward and worthwhile for the scenery.
Narao Peak seen from Paget Peak
Plodding up endless talus
Cathedral Mountain
Looking ahead along the ridge
On the ridge
Looking across Kicking Horse Pass at Mount Ogden, Paget Peak and Mount Bosworth
We avoided a jagged section of ridge
Looking east at the hanging valley above Ross Lake
Gert hikes along a clifftop
Typical climbing on the ridge. When the scrambling looked difficult, we went around to the right.
Scrambling up the chimney
A closer look at the chimney
Looking for a place to regain the ridge
Dinah scrambles up
A closer look at the two summits
Almost at the summit
North Peak of Mount Victoria
Mount Niblock and Mount Whyte
Heading back down the talus slope
Back at the chimney
Starting along on the goat track above Ross Lake
Following a goat trail on the ledge on the descent
Looking back along the slope
Heading down to the lake
From Ross Lake, the ledge appears as a long green line partway up the face
82 N/8 Lake Louise
