Mt Victoria

In all my years, this was the craziest, wildest, most death-defying mountian I have ever done. Located in Banff National Park, Alberta near the town of Lake Louise. Across the lake from the Victorian hotel is a glacier covered mountain - the highest you can see. It is Mt Victoria. After spending a night in Abbot hut, we arose to an incredibly clear sky, but a mountain that claims many lives.

If loose, down-sloping rocks are not bad enough, the storm overnight put 1/4 inch of ice down on top of things. It was also bitterly cold.

When the first sunlight started to hit the mountains, we rejoiced as the temperature was about to shoot up.
There is a 5.6 move (rock climbing terms) to get up a section. Moderately easy with rock shoes, but plastic boots - forget it. We took an "easier" catwalk around the section. No belays, loose rock.
Then came a long section of steep climbing on loose rock that had 3-12 inches of snow on it.
Bill and Greg pose.
broadRidge.jpg
We could see the avalanche chutes of Mt LeFroy. We went up the farthest complete one on the right. Then we rode the avalanche down.
Snodgrass on the ridge
A ridge shooting off to the SW
Greg climbing up a thin snow ridge.
The craziest walk on a tightrope. There wasn't enough room to even turn around safely. Just a thin snow ridge, frozen on one side, melting on the other.
Mt Hungabee looks a tad difficult.
Towards the WNW are the peaks around Roger's Pass.
To the north are Mt Daly and the St. Nicolas icefields.
To the west were more peaks
And that scared person is me.
To the southwest were many peaks, including the Bugaboos
To the East looking down are a glacier, and Lake Louise.

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