Starting up the ridge, the false summit appears above Dinah. On the return, we
would descend the basin in the background. Note the trail near the centre of the photo.
Mount
Livingstone Two years after ascending the south end of Livingstone Ridge we found ourselves on the north end, 55 km away. We first attempted Mount Livingstone a few months ago in the late fall but a seasonal road closure stopped us from getting to the trailhead. Looking at the NTS map, the obvious route was a logging road leading to the south end of the mountain. From there, the south-facing slopes, mostly free of trees, would likely enjoy a longer ascent season. Coincidentally, Sonny Bou and Linda Breton used the same route to ascend this mountain the previous week so we knew what to expect thanks to their website postings. From HWY 22 we took HWY 532 -- more dirt road than highway actually. We turned left onto the Forestry Trunk Road. After about 8 km we came to a logging road at the south end of Mount Livingstone. We expected to have to hike up the logging road, but Dinah had no trouble driving her Honda Civic 1.6 km to the base of the mountain. It only took a few minutes to reach the end of the ridge and start climbing. When we hit a cliff band we hiked along it for a way before finding a place to easily scramble up. After gaining the ridge we hiked to its end. The trees were behind us now and ahead were open slopes and cliff bands. Instead of going directly to the south summit, we first climbed to the false summit. As I had hoped, we could reach the scree gully from the backside of the false summit. We would take the gully on our return. We now turned our attention to the south summit. In a short time we reached the cliffs guarding the south summit but found they offered little resistance. We were soon standing next to a tiny cairn. Clearly this point was higher than the north summit, the geological summit shown on the map -- higher by 10 m according to our GPS receivers -- but it's the north summit that receives all the attention. It only took a few minutes to reach the huge cairn that marks it. Unfortunately we were beset by poor weather on the plateau-like top. Not only was it cold and windy, but some snow fell. Keeping our summit stay short, we headed back to the false summit. We climbed down the backside of the false summit and then started down the gully. At first we found good scree so we descended quickly. Towards the bottom where it began to flatten out, the scree ran out but we were able to follow animal trails to the mountain base. Although not a long or exciting trip, Mount Livingstone provided a change in scenery. It's mostly an easy scramble but a couple of moderate scrambling sections add interest. |
Starting up the ridge, the false summit appears above Dinah. On the return, we
would descend the basin in the background. Note the trail near the centre of the photo.
The ridge follows a gentle grade.
Interesting landscape along the way
Nearing the end of the ridge with the south summit left and false summit
right.
On the col between the false and true summits
The cliff band below the true summit appears complex but is easily ascended.
I scrambled straight up, but on the right side of the photo is a hidden walk-up
chute.
A minor rock band before we reach the south summit.
Leaving the south summit for the north summit. Mouse over for a distant
view.
A towering cairn marks the north summit. The short cliff band is easily surmounted.
On the short cliff band I came across this rock with dime-size fossil shells.
On the north summit
Saddle Mountain to the northeast
Back on the south summit looking at Coffin Mountain
To reach the scree gully, we scrambled down the false summit.
From atop the scree gully, false summit on the left and south summit on the
right.
Looking down the gully. Note the long ridge above the gully that we ascended
earlier.
Deer not far from where we parked.
The four-hour trip was too short for me, so while Dinah relaxed I climbed
over 300 m
up Coffin Mountain and took this photo of the
false summit.
Mouse over for our route.
360° view from the South Summit. Coffin Mountain left of centre. North
summit on the right.
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J/1 Langford
