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Iron Creek Mountain
Kananaskis, Alberta
November 29, 2008
Distance: 10.7 km
Cumulative Elevation Gain: 768 m
When Dinah and I climbed Sentinel Peak earlier this year, we considered also ascending the unnamed peak (808674) south of it. We didn't so now we returned to climb it.
We started from Bear Pond trail on Highway 532 and reached the frozen lake in ten minutes. After following the east shore, we continued to the Iron Creek north fork trail junction. Instead of hiking all the way to the junction, down to Iron Creek valley, we took a shortcut. We broke off Bear Pond trail and bushwhacked west to intersect the north fork trail. The shortcut saved us both elevation loss and distance. We still lost 60 m of elevation, dropping us back down level with the trailhead.
Because of the snow cover, we couldn't tell if we stuck to the north fork trail; likely we followed animal trails, bushwhacking at times. We kept left of a drainage at first but later crossed it. We continued west and climbed out of the trees onto a grassy slope. When a rocky ridge appeared on our right, we stayed left and worked our way around it to reach a saddle. From the saddle, we could see Iron Creek Mountain above Iron Creek Pass.
The terrain between the saddle and the mountain was a pleasant high plateau. We soon found ourselves hiking along the Hailstone Butte Lookout access road which took us to the base of Iron Creek Mountain. We hiked up the open slopes to the summit.
The surrounding scenery encompassed snow-covered peaks under cobalt skies. Views at the top were fine, but then we enjoyed the scenery throughout the trip.
MOVIE
Hiking up the trail to Bear Pond
Bear Pond
After leaving the trail, a break in the trees offered a glimpse of the open slopes
Later we realized we could have ascended the ridge above, but the day
was too short to do much
exploring
We reached the open slopes
We hiked to a hidden saddle around the corner on our right
Ascending the saddle
Unusual landscape on the saddle
Iron Creek Mountain and Sentinel Peak
Looking back at the saddle on the skyline
To reach Iron Creek Pass, we'll have to bushwhack a short distance
Ascending Iron Creek Mountain. Plateau Mountain in the background.
We gained the ridge. Iron Lakes Ridge in the background.
Hailstone Butte (mouse over) lies south
False summit ahead
True summit
Looking southeast, Saddle Mountain in the centre (mouse over)
A bighorn sheep watches us from the mountain
On the summit
Heading back to the saddle
Looking back from the pass
82 J/1 Langford Creek
