BOU AVENUE
The Fortress
I slept in on 20 July 1997 after scrambling up Paget Peak the night before.  Not wanting to let the nice day go to waste, I drove out to Chester Lake parking lot and began hiking toward Headwall Lakes at 12:30 PM.  Past the lakes, I scrambled up easy slabs to the Chester/Fortress col before trudging up to the 3000-metre summit of The Fortress.  It was such a nice day that I took a lengthy nap at the top before reluctantly heading down.  Back at the col, I descended the Chester Lake side--a really fun scree run on this day.  I stopped at Chester Lake to soak my tired feet for awhile before completing the circuit by hiking back to the parking lot (round-trip time 7.5 hours).  Getting such a late start on the day turned out to be a real blessing as I was able to enjoy some genuine solitude in this usually popular area.  Overall, this was an outstanding trip from beginning to end--one of the most enjoyable scrambles I've ever done.
Good place to while away the day! Sonny takes a break at Upper Headwall Lake.  The Fortress looms beyond.
Looks pretty tame from this side! Sonny approaches the final summit block of The Fortress.
All I need is a good book and a Slurpee! On top of The Fortress, Sonny soaks in the surrounding views.
Future trips? From L to R, Gusty Peak, Mount Galatea and The Tower command a lot of attention.  Mount Assiniboine is barely discernable at far left in the hazy distance.
Boy, does that ever feel good! Sonny cools his heels a bit in Chester Lake before continuing on back to the parking lot.