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Prairie Bluff
May 14, 2005
Castle Provincial Park, Alberta
Prairie Bluff is an easy scramble that enjoys a long climbing season and colourful scenery. Dinah and I started at the Victoria Peak trailhead and walked up the road to a side trail. We had no trouble following the trail to the summit. Instead of returning the same way, we went offtrail and came down the southeast ridge. Looking back, it makes more sense to do this trip in reverse, scrambling up the ridge and walking back on the road.
Postscript: The approach is now closed due to private property. To avoid it, see the new access, or my 2013 trip which uses an east approach.

Prairie Bluff (right) from the road: trail begins on far left. We descended the ridge on
the right.

We followed a faint path in the scree

The trail leads to the crest of the ridge

Victoria Peak on the right

The summit comes into view

Colourful unnamed ridge to the northwest

Windsor Mountain to the west

Looking back at the road and Victoria Peak from the summit

After summiting, we left the trail and headed down the SE ridge

We dropped down the slope on easy terrain

82 G/8 Beaver Mines