bobspirko.ca | Home | Canada Trips | US Trips | Hiking | Snowshoeing | MAP | About
Pilot Mountain (Attempt)
Banff, Alberta
July 28, 2001
Using Kane's description, Dale, Anita and I had no difficulty following the instructions. We hiked up Redearth fire road and followed the drainage to the basin. After slogging across the basin, we hiked to far end of the cliff band where we could easily climbed it.
We continued climbing and made it past the rock flake without difficulty. But a storm moved in, and we were stopped at the first cliff band. We searched for a way up in the driving snow but had to give up. We turned back about 40 m from the top.
After dropping down for a way, Anita and Dale decided to descend a different drainage. I wasn't able to convince them that it was risky – cliff bands have a way of popping up in unknown territory – so I prayed we would not be turned back.
At 808720 we followed the drainage down. Fortunately we encountered no problems. There was one cliff band with a waterfall, but we were able to bushwhack around it; the snow-covered rock too treacherous to negotiate.
The descent was easier after that. We even picked up a trail and followed it most of the way back to the fire road. In fact, the next time I did Pilot Mountain, I used this drainage for my ascent route. By biking farther up the fire road to this drainage I would knock off a lot of elevation and distance before setting foot on Pilot Mountain.
The drainage leading to the basin
I find an interesting opening along the way
It's a long slog around the scree basin
The chimney by the flake
As we neared the summit bad weather moved in
We turned around a this point
Snow makes our descent difficult
From the end of the rock band we descended straight down (mouse over to look back)
We circumvented this rock wall on the right
82 O/4 Banff