Mount Putnik is the prominent peak west of the Kananaskis Lakes. With it's central location and a summit elevation of 2924 m, I expected it to give great views. However, the best route up has not been well known. This was my third trip to the peak, having run out of time on the first and encountering marginal weather on the second.

Five of us set of on a terrific day, making good time to the forks and then to the avalanche gully that provides an easy break through the trees. The ascent route I chose then follows a diagonal line, climbing west around the cliffs that guard the upper mountain.

Traversing the south slopes of Mt Putnik

Traversing the south slopes of Mt Putnik

Eventually, we reached the shoulder above treeline, getting great views to the south and the west.

Lunch on south shoulder of Mt Putnik

We were running somewhat slow, but after a lunch and break we headed east to attain the south ridge. After some time, we encountered a deep gully. It appeared that we would have to descend a short distance, cross the gully and then climb the south ridge. Given that it was 2 PM and we still had 600 m to the summit, we agreed to turn around.

The flowers were great on this slope. An interesting find was Moss Gentian, which I had not seen before.

Yellow Saxifrage

Moss Gentian

Alpine lanterns

Adrian had climbed above the rest of the group. I decided to wait for him, while the others returned to the lunch spot. When he did not re-appear after an hour, I went up after him. It transpired that he had found that the ridge led to the summit and had decided to go for it.

I caught up with him at the summit. The views were excellent.

Adrian on the summit

Mt Joffre with Mt Northover to the right

Royal Group

Mt Lyautey

After a short summit time, we headed down, eventually re-assembling at the trail. The flowers were very thick in the valley west of Mt. Putnik, with great clumps of columbine, stickseed and many others. The trail itself was lush, with the foamflower forming carpets in the moss.

Carpets of Foamflower

Thanks to Rita, Jeannette, Arnold, and Adrian - C/S Bill.