climb every mountain

On Saturday of the Canada Day long weekend, my housemate and I travelled to Waterton Lakes National Park where we hiked to the top of Lineham Ridge (check out the Park map).

Check out my photo blog here.

Highlights:

• Nearing the top, I was struggling with drive to continue, so I suggested that we just cut straight up to the top at where we were (the trail followed a quasi-switchback up the ridge, so we were walking parallel to the top of the ridge). It was only about 10 m to the top. We scrambled up through the scree and shale to the top. My previous ascent of Akamina Ridge proved that both sides sloped gently up. Not so with Lineham Ridge. We were on the sloped side, and the other side was most definitely a cliff of dizzying height. Height does not bother me at all, the falling does. I was so paralyzed with fear, I couldn't even get close to the edge. I had to crawl on my belly and then reach my arms out over the edge to take a picture. I couldn't even watch Mike go close to the edge.


• At the top of Lineham Ridge, I could see Akamina Ridge and Wall Lake, which were both much lower in elevation, in the distance (just about in the very middle of this picture). That's cool, because now I've climbed a second mountain and it was higher than the first.

• We must have started later than "normal", because on our ascent we met many groups making their descent. And all of them put us to shame! They were bundled up in winter clothing, with real hiking boots, walking poles, and touques!!! (Seriously, it wasn't that cold!! It was actually quite warm.) At one snow patch, where we allowed the descenders to pass, we discussed how they made it look so difficult to walk through snow. Then when we did it, it wasn't all that difficult.


• On our descent, we only met with one group of three who were going to the summit. We looked back to see them much further up the trail than we had been at the same point during our ascent. We joked around about them meeting us on their way down. As we reached the trailhead, there were a couple of people standing by a car, and I jokingly commented about how it was the group of three having not only beat us, but passed us without notice. Seconds later, as we were getting into the car, the two people started cheering and the three came running down to the trailhead!!! I felt so lazy and fat!

Happy Canada Day!