It was minus 5 with no wind and high cloud when the group left the Interlake parking lot. Our forecast of sun did not manifest itself until early in the afternoon. The apparent lack of snow on the shoulder ridge resulted in the group deciding to leave their snowshoes in the vehicles and proceed with microspikes. Proceeding at a moderate pace, we reached the lower lookout on the ridge shoulder in about an hour and stopped for a short break.

Janice heading up the ridge

Celine, Jim and Teresa at the lower lookout

The chinook clouds to the East were a dark blue-grey. We proceeded up the ridge for another 45 minutes, encountering slowly deepening snow as we went higher on the ridge. The group stopped for a lunch break at the usual spot where one still has good views of the lower lake and mountain range to the East.


Christine arriving at our lunch spot

After lunch, five of the group, which included four coordinators, decided to head about 80 vertical metres higher up the shoulder to the flat treed area. There the deep snow in the trees prevented further progress without snowshoes.


Deep snow higher up in the trees

The other five retraced our steps back down the ridge and back to Upper Kananaskis Lake.


Heading back down the ridge

The sun came out as the group emerged from the trees.


Upper Kananaskis Lake

SE shoulder of Mt Indefatigible

The group that went higher arrived back at the vehicles about 25 minutes later.

Thanks to Christine, Jim, Damian, Janice, Celine, Christine, Teresa, Jane, and Glenda for joining me, Kevin (C/S), on a pleasant and scenic hike in the Kananaskis Lakes area. And thanks Teresa for the photo in the deep snow higher up in the trees.

---