Explor8ion - a slice of infinity

Summit Elevation (m): 2652
Trip Date: Friday, October 3, 2003
Round Trip Time (hr): Unknown
Elevation Gain (m): 1035
Total Trip Distance (km): 8
Quick ‘n Dirty Rating: Class 3/4 – you fall, you break something or worse
Difficulty Notes: A fall on the crux would severely injure or kill so take necessary precautions.
Technical Rating: SC7; YDS (3rd)
GPS Track: Gaia
Map: Google Maps

What a beautiful day!! I scrambled all year to enjoy a day like this! Due to a lingering cold for the past 2 weeks the climb was tough. I had to stop every 10 or 15 steps to let my knees ‘thaw’ so that I could keep climbing. I haven’t felt this out of shape since the beginning of the year. I highly recommend this scramble.

I agree with Dave Stephens that the summit ridge is barely enough to be classified as difficult – although a slip here would likely not hurt much (Mainly because you’d be dead). Compared to Lady MacDonald or Pocaterra I thought the crux was very short and if dry very easy. I wouldn’t want to do it on ice though! I didn’t get any good pics of the climb or the crux because I only had 9 photos left and I was concentrating so hard on getting to the top I didn’t remember to take shots on the way up. I started out nice and early and got to Wedge Pond at around 8 am. There were a few fly-fisherman on the water and the mist was rising as I made my way into the brightly colored forest and started up a drainage east of the pond. About an hour later I was on the ridge and heading for the base of the Wedge. Every step was a major chore but I pressed on.

Looking north up the Kananaskis Valley over Kananaskis Village. Lorette, Mary Barclay’s and Baldy clearly visible.

Looking across hwy 40 at Kidd South (L), Bogart, Kidd and Kidd Lookout which I’ve labeled Kidd north. Wedge Pond – my starting point – visible at lower right.

Fisher Peak, which I would climb years later.

An hour later and I was already high up on the steep slab/scree slope to the first summit. I popped out on the first summit and thought my knees would give out completely! Ignoring my weakness I headed across the ridge, only pausing briefly to contemplate the crux. 10 minutes later I stood on the main summit and began to drink in the wonderful views and the warm sunshine.

Vern on the summit of The Wedge with James Walker on the right in the distance.

Fortress, Gusty, Galatea, The Tower, Lillian and South Kidd (L to R) with Spoon Needle and Fortress Ridge in the foreground.

Looking back along the summit ridge to the false summit. Ascent slope going down to the right and the Kidd Massif in the background.

I fell asleep for a while and it was almost two hours before I headed back down. All-in-all it was a very nice scramble – any scramble would’ve been nice in that weather though. Going down wasn’t a problem except for the small rock fall that I started! Good thing no-one was coming up. I had the entire mountain to myself and enjoyed that most of all.

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