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Write Up:
Approach to bivy site 6hrs (~1100 m elevation gain) on Sat:
- Trail is excellent until you reach Lake Lunette
- Follow the trail around the west (left) side of the lake until it dies out in the trees just below the shoulder of Mt. Strudee
- Scramble up the left side of the Water fall of the creek that feeds Lake Lunette.
- Once above the waterfall scramble up the first avalanche path on the right and then traverse across to the second avalanche path (on climbers right) further up.
- Follow that path up until you can enter a large scree basin on your right with a small waterfall in the middle. An excellent bivy site (with flowing water) is located on the ledge just above the waterfall at 2400m.
Climb (from bivy site):
Depart: 6am
Return to Bivy Site: 3pm
Elevation Gain: ~1200m
- Mtn is essentially dry (only a few snow patches) but bring crampons as all the snow patches are hard ice and dangerous to cross without crampons
- We followed the route described in Bill Corbett's book. The middle gulley on the first cliff band was almost entirely snow free and we ascended slowly on really poor rock). We decided to descend a different way (one gulley over to descenders left) because of the poor rock quality and constant rock fall on the gulley that we ascended. The gulley that we descended had snow about half way up which made for easy plunge stepping when the snow had softened by mid day. Ascending the rock route is easier than kicking steps up the snow filled gulley we descended.
- The rock quality gets better as you ascend the Mountain and we climbed un-roped up to just below the Lunette and Assiniboine Col.
- The last cliff band to the summit ridge is the most difficult part of the climb and we found that the last gulley (on climbers left) provided the easiest approach.
- Once on the summit ridge the remaining snow cornice (~2m) is easily crossed and you can gain the Summit.
The weather was deteriorating when we reached the ture summit of Assiniboine at 10:30am and the down climbing would be difficult on wet rock so we choose not the summit the lower Lunette peak and rather return to the bivy site. We down climbed the mountain short roped and didn't need any rappels although a few would be necessary if some of the cliff bands were wet. The biggest issue we had was with rockfall (both natural and climber triggered). We had to downclimb one at a time to avoid spilling rocks on each other which slowed our rate of decent. We left the bivy site at 4pm and were back at our car at 7pm. There is enough wire fencing at the trailhead to encircle a single vehicle to prevent critters from gnawing away at your vehicle hoses when you are away.
Have some photos from this event that you'd like to share in our photo album? Please forward them to David Roe at acccalgary_webmaster@hotmail.com. Please note that we prefer to receive the photos in approximately 640x480 or 750x500 pixels - do NOT send original high-res photos. If you have a LOT of photos, please submit up to twenty of your favorites (only) for a day event, or up to forty of your favourites for a multi-day event. Thank you.
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