Summit Elevation (m): 2377
Trip Date: Monday, September 6, 2004
Round Trip Time (hr): Unknown
Elevation Gain (m): 950
Total Trip Distance (km): 6
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 (4th)
GPS Track: Gaia
Map: Google Maps
Photos: View Album
Mount Galwey is an excellent scramble in Waterton Lakes National Park in southern Alberta. I thought it deserved its difficult rating simply because a slip on the crux would have been very painful. We got lost on the mountain (that’s what I get for not bringing the guidebook out on time) and ended up doing some seriously exposed scrambling before realizing we were way out and once we found the correct route it seemed pretty darn tame.
Basically we went all the way up to the ridge just north of the summit block and then tried going around the east side on very steep shelves and slabs. Once we realized our mistake we went back around the summit block on the west side and summitted via the proper route. I thought that down climbing back from the summit to the point just before the crux was rather tricky but I think I took a harder line then necessary.
I had to stretch out really far to get my left foot on a 2 inch ledge and then shuffle my way over onto the crux. Apparently others go up and down from the window and that sounds a bit less exposed. After all the exposure on the wrong route Jon decided to call it quits at the window and my brother waited a bit below the crux – this was his first scramble and he found the exposure a bit unnerving. I’m glad he didn’t join us on our off-route gallivant because I think he would’ve killed me for sure!!
A bit more scree than I was expecting but still a recommended outing.
