Sheol Mountain

Sheol Mountain
Lake Louise, Alberta
August 8, 2005
Distance: 16.9 km (10.5 mi)
Cumulative Elevation Gain: 1235 m (4052 ft)

For the past three years, Dinah and I have wanted to climb Sheol Mountain, but bear activity had restricted trail access to six or more hikers. When Sonny Bou invited RMB forum members to join him for an ascent up this mountain, we jumped at the opportunity. Filling out our group were Linda Breton and Frank Nelson from the forum as well as Sonny's friends' Dan Millar and Bob Parr.

We hiked up Paradise Valley trail until we reached the avalanche gully on the lower slopes of Sheol Mountain. This start of the gully was one of the worst I've ascended. This wasn't just the loose rock, but loose rock hidden in vegetation.

After we stumbled up the gully a short way, a thunderous roar behind us caught our attention. We turned to watch in awe as an avalanche rushed down the west side of Mount Temple.

Once the snow cloud had settled, we turned back to our grind up the drainage. Eventually we reached the gully fork and headed up the right branch. We progressed slowly until just before the ridge crest where the grade eased. We hiked and scrambled easily along the ridge crest. Contrary to warnings in the trip description in Scrambles in the Canadian Rockies, we came across no drop-off or crux, nor did we need to choose our handholds and footholds carefully; the rock appeared solid.

When we reached the summit, the ideal weather was an invitation to stay an hour. Dan and Bob stretched out to relax, while Sonny entertained the rest of us as he set up his Star War figure for a summit photo.

After our stay on the summit, we returned the same way. The descent was surprisingly quick notwithstanding the lack of good scree to aid us.

MOVIE
KML and GPX Tracks
Sonny's Trip Report

Sonny, Frank and Linda start up the trail with Mount Temple in the background

Crossing the bridge under Sheol Mountain

Heading up the drainage after leaving the trail

False dandelion

Behind us the cloud from an avalanche begins to dissipate (see movie to watch the avalanche)

Starting up the drainage

A variety of wildflowers appeared on the slope

Lake Annette lies below

We took the right fork of the drainage

Sonny slogs up the gully

The gully narrows

Looking up the ascent gully

Sonny and Dinah tackle a short cliff band

Interesting scrambling on the right side of the gully

Frank pauses on the slope (mouse over for a close-up)

A close-up of the lake

Dan and Frank stop at an interesting rock formation as we near the ridge crest

Frank leads the way ahead of Dan, Sonny and Linda

On the ridge

A swallow swoops by as we followed the undulating crest to the summit (far left)

There's a short downclimb just before the summit

Hungabee Mountain and Mount Lefroy in the background

Haddo Peak sets the background for a group shot on the summit. L to R back row: myself, Sonny and Linda. L to R middle: Dan, Frank and Dinah. Front: Bob.

Mount Temple (mouse over for a close-up of the summit)

Returning down the gully

Coming down from the gully on the right

82 N/8 Lake Louise

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