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Banff National Park, Alberta
August 17, 2003
Distance: 8.8 km (5.5 mi)
Cumulative Elevation Gain: 1340 m (4396 ft)
If you decide to climb Mount Weed, be prepared for a long plod up scree. The trip starts up a drainage which eventually turns into a gully so broad that it felt like Dinah and I weren't even moving! Once we got to the rocks, things become more interesting. As we climbed higher, the gully became steep and narrow. As the Scrambles book warns, rockfall is indeed a hazard. We started a rockfall – running like a waterfall – that lasted for a few minutes! When Dinah and I reached the summit, we could see little as smoke from a forest fire blunted the scenery.
Hiking up the drainage
Still in the drainage
Picturesque side canyon on our left that we passed
We reached an open area before the two boulders
The twin boulders indicated we are on track
We began a long scree slog
Hiking on the rubble in the drainage
Looking back at the boulders
The ascent gully snakes up south of Mount Weed
We slowly drew closer to the gully
We finally reached the base of the rocks
Interesting rock formation (mouse over for a different angle)
We welcomed the change of scenery from the long approach
Ascending the gully below the summit
Coming out of the gully
Then it's a short hike up scree to the summit
Dinah sits by the summit cairn
Coming down between two boulders
Mount Weed from the highway
82 N/15 Mistaya Lake
