Having walked well past the junction of the Muir Creek logging road, due to Gillean Daffern’s vague description and the typical lack of any signs on popular Alberta trails, which simply “do not exist” to our provincial bureaucrats, we carried on up McPhail Creek, abandoning our planned visit to Strachan Ridge in favour of a known route to Lake of the Horns, high in the Don Getty Wildland Provincial Park.

Crossing the Highwood River

The crossing of the Highwood River was less than knee-deep, and especially refreshing on the return, near the end of a 23 km walk on a hot summer day.

Lake of the Horns headwall

The headwall below the lake was a daunting sight for those with little or no scrambling experience, but we found a well-beaten path up the easiest route through the rocks.

Lake of the Horns

We had a late lunch at the lake, around 2 p.m., and were cooled by the strong air conditioning factor of the wind blowing across the cold waters of this alpine lake, nestled below the sheer wall of Mount McPhail.

Summit group with Highwood Range behind

Jeannette, Carolyn, Joe, Susan and Janice pose at the high point with the Highwood Range behind.

Hands in their Pockets!

This was Janice’s first-ever foray into SC5 terrain, and only the second for Jeannette. This headwall is, admittedly, very easy scrambling, nevertheless use of hands for balance and control is essential on the ledges and rock steps, consequently the SC5 rating. Wondering if an experienced scrambler could walk up or down with hands in pockets, we joked about being stabilized by having a banker’s hands in our pockets (as in the current TV ad for a bank). Here Janice, Carolyn and Jeannette pause for a moment with hands in their pockets. Then it was back to keeping one hand on the rock to steady the descent.

Baboon Rock

On the slope below the headwall there are three conglomerate hoodoos. This one we named Baboon Rock for the amazing resemblance from this angle.

As the day progressed forest fire smoke drifted across the mountains, turning the mountains blue, and the setting sun was a crimson ball amid dramatic pink clouds.

Participants: John, Joan, Jeannette, Carolyn, Joe, Susan, Janice and Carl, coordinator and scribe.

Back to the cars at 6:30, six of us enjoyed stuffing ourselves at the Diamond Valley restaurant in Black Diamond.