BOU AVENUE
Storm Mountain (Banff)
On 7 June 2003, I scrambled up Storm Mountain which is situated on the Continental Divide between Banff and Kootenay National Parks.  The initial thrash through the old (1968--same year I was born!) Vermilion Pass Burn is enough to drive most normal people crazy.  I actually started from an interpretive trail further east from the usual access described by Alan Kane and bushwhacked my way up until I intersected the drainage leading into the valley just west of the mountain.   I then ascended interminably long slopes of scree and snow--the real meat of the climb.  I was pretty exhausted by the time I dragged myself up onto the summit ridge, but I still had to trudge up a vast snowfield to reach the summit.  Thankfully, the snow was firm enough to walk on, and I eventually reached the 3161-metre summit (6 hours from my car).  The views all around were tremendous, but a chilly breeze made it uncomfortable to linger for long.  My feet were especially cold due to my boots and socks being completely soaked.  I snapped a few photos and signed the register (with my requisite limerick which I will not repeat here) before beginning my descent.  Sliding down long snow slopes on my butt saved me a great deal of time and effort, but I still had to deal with the brutal Vermilion Pass Burn.  Stumbling through the mess of dead logs and prickly bushes is akin to dying a slow death by a thousand paper cuts.  The last few hundred metres to the highway were especially agonizing.
Mount Whymper
Mount Whymper looks splendid in the morning sunshine.
Still a long way to go!
After a lengthy bushwhack, Sonny reaches the upper valley and gets his first clear view of Storm Mountain's ascent route.
Stunning!
Numerous avalanches would be coming off the impressive west ridge later in the day.  The Goodsir Towers are visible in the distance.
Where the f*ck is the summit?
The final approach to the summit (not visible) was over this sublime sea of white.
Success at last!
Sonny sits beside Storm Mountain's summit cairn.
Smell something burning?
This prescribed burn near Canmore initially looked like a volcanic eruption.
Oh yeah!
The views from the top of Storm Mountain aren't too shabby.
Mount Ball
This is the impressive north face of 3306-metre high Mount Ball.  A scramble for another day?