Sheol Mountain

BOU AVENUE
Sheol Mountain

Conforming to Parks Canada's hiking restrictions in Paradise Valley, Linda Breton, Dinah Kruze, Dan Millar, Frank Nelson, Bob Parr, Bob Spirko and I got together to scramble up Sheol Mountain in Banff National Park on 6 August 2005. Following Alan Kane's route description, we managed to get up and down this mountain without a hitch. "Anticlimactic" seems to be the usual adjective used to describe the summit of Sheol Mountain which is really nothing more than an outlier of Haddo Peak. With the great weather we had, the summit views were pleasing nonetheless. More memorable for me was the excellent group of people with whom I had the pleasure of sharing this trip (and lots of laughs too). Our leisurely 8.5 hours round-trip time was a tad longer than I was anticipating for this minor peak, but it was time well spent among good friends.

Be sure to check out Bob S.'s photos of this same trip.

I think we're already in noncompliance with the 3-metre rule! This is where the hiking restriction begins on Paradise Valley Trail. Parks Canada requires hiking groups of no less than six persons, and each person must stay within three metres of the next closest person.

But looks can be deceiving... Sheol Mountain actually looks spectacular in this foreshortened view from Paradise Valley.

Doesn't look so spectacular anymore! This is the avalanche slope which is the usual ascent route for Sheol Mountain.

A huge avalanche roars down the north face of Mount Temple across the valley. Click on the photo to see a short video (724 kb SWF file) of this avalanche.

Linda was 'slumming it' at the Willow Rock Campground this weekend! Despite the heat and the long haul up the steep avalanche slope, Linda is still all smiles.

The scrambling gets more interesting above here. This is the beginning of the right-hand gully as described by Kane.

Nice muscle shirt! Dinah scrambles up ledges of loose rubble.

'Bob' is a very popular name today! Bob S., Dan and Bob P. surmount a minor rock band.

Warning: GPS's and altimeters may be disheartening on this scramble! There is actually some delightful scrambling to be had on the upper mountain.

Paradise indeed! Linda and Dan pause to survey the view of Paradise Valley. Peaks visible in the distance include (L to R) Pinnacle Mountain, Eiffel Peak, Deltaform Mountain, Neptuak Mountain and Hungabee Mountain.

We're DESCENDING to the summit?? The summit of Sheol Mountain is beyond the ridge top at far right.

The crux...perhaps. Dinah works her way down a rock step. Lake Annette is about 800 metres below her.

Lots of birds nest up here. Linda turns to gawk at the ridge leading up to Haddo Peak.

Another 10 minutes to the summit from here. The summit of Sheol Mountain is the last bump on the left.

Dinah is barely visible here just a little below and to the right of Bob. Linda takes the last few steps before the summit where Bob S. is standing.

With Haddo Peak in the background, a bunch of happy scramblers sit on the 2779-metre summit of Sheol Mountain. Sitting behind Bob P. are (L to R) Sonny, Dan, Frank and Dinah. Standing are Bob S. and Linda.

A somewhat tedious descent to follow... Dan, Dinah and Linda climb back over a knob on the summit ridge.

Unfortunately, it's not a chimney shot. Frank poses for another potential book cover.

But I was the one who first spotted the rosy sunglasses! Dinah owes me a Frosty! :-) Dinah points in the general direction of where she lost her sunglasses. Bob P. would eventually retrieve them for her. She would then offer him a free milkshake even though Bob P. is lactose intolerant.

I never get tired of looking at this beautiful mountain. Here is another look at the north face of Mount Temple.

How about Wendy's for dinner? The group descends the avalanche slope.

	This is where the hiking restriction begins on Paradise Valley Trail. Parks Canada requires hiking groups of no less than six persons, and each person must stay within three metres of the next closest person.
	Sheol Mountain actually looks spectacular in this foreshortened view from Paradise Valley.
	This is the avalanche slope which is the usual ascent route for Sheol Mountain.
	A huge avalanche roars down the north face of Mount Temple across the valley. Click on the photo to see a short video (724 kb SWF file) of this avalanche.
	Despite the heat and the long haul up the steep avalanche slope, Linda is still all smiles.
	This is the beginning of the right-hand gully as described by Kane.
	Dinah scrambles up ledges of loose rubble.
	Bob S., Dan and Bob P. surmount a minor rock band.
	There is actually some delightful scrambling to be had on the upper mountain.
	Linda and Dan pause to survey the view of Paradise Valley. Peaks visible in the distance include (L to R) Pinnacle Mountain, Eiffel Peak, Deltaform Mountain, Neptuak Mountain and Hungabee Mountain.
	The summit of Sheol Mountain is beyond the ridge top at far right.
	Dinah works her way down a rock step. Lake Annette is about 800 metres below her.
	Linda turns to gawk at the ridge leading up to Haddo Peak.
	The summit of Sheol Mountain is the last bump on the left.
	Linda takes the last few steps before the summit where Bob S. is standing.
	With Haddo Peak in the background, a bunch of happy scramblers sit on the 2779-metre summit of Sheol Mountain. Sitting behind Bob P. are (L to R) Sonny, Dan, Frank and Dinah. Standing are Bob S. and Linda.
	Dan, Dinah and Linda climb back over a knob on the summit ridge.
	Frank poses for another potential book cover.
	Dinah points in the general direction of where she lost her sunglasses. Bob P. would eventually retrieve them for her. She would then offer him a free milkshake even though Bob P. is lactose intolerant.
	Here is another look at the north face of Mount Temple.
	The group descends the avalanche slope.