North Baldy via Lost Boy's Rib

This was my second solo scramble. I arrived late (even by Calgary standards!) and the parking lot was full, so I had to leave the car farther up the road, and walk back. Being too keen for my own good, I cut across the 2013 flood gully from the road, rather than walk down to the parking area. Consequently I picked up the wrong trail, realising my error when I reached the climbing area a few minutes up the trail. That was fortuitous though, since now I have somewhere new to go climbing! It's all a bit French, with closely-spaced bolts, and plaques affixed to the bottom of each route indicating the name and grade.

Looking back at the short crux down-climb, and beyond to Mts Kidd, Bogart, and Mary Barclay across Barrier Lake. Looking southeast towards Tiara Peak, Baldy South, and Midnight Peak.

Rather than return the way I'd come and start again, I decided to follow a faint trail steeply up the hillside from a spot about 200 m beyond the crag. I'll call it Lost Boy's Rib. It was OK - there was one nice bit where the way seemed blocked, but the path dodged around a cliff, and up a small ramp. Shortly after that, it rejoined the main motorway. The rock was dry, and I stuck to the ridge until the bit where you can detour right past an unlikely cairn on the side of a small buttress. Higher up, the wind was horrendous - we've had a lot of Chinooks lately - but somehow the summit was calm, sunny, and peaceful. I briefly considered continuing to the south summit, but I have not been that way yet, and I know it's got good potential for getting stuck, so I returned down the main path. I was pleased with an ascent time of 95 minutes, although I know that fell runners zip up there in less than 45, so I'm not going to get too puffed up over that! Trip Details Mt. Baldy North Summit scramble ~700 m, 5 km. Starting point: highway 40 More info available here, here, and in many other places - it's a popular route!