BOU AVENUE
Mount Remus
Because I missed out on a successful group trip up Mount Remus in Kananaskis Country last October, I paid a solo visit to the same peak on 21 May 2006.  The entire Elbow River Valley was very busy on this day, and I barely found a spot at the trailhead parking lot just outside Little Elbow Campground.  Getting to the base of Mount Remus entails an undulating 6.5 kilometre bike ride up Little Elbow Trail, and considering that I had not been on a bike in over 1.5 years, I think I did a respectable job of cycling all the way in.  After ditching my bike, I took off my boots and socks and rolled up my pant legs to wade across Little Elbow River.  The current was quite fast, and at its deepest, the river was nearly up to my crotch.  Thankfully, I made it across without a spill, and although my pant legs were soaked, they would dry out quite nicely during my ascent.  After a short stretch of bushwhacking, I found a good beaten path and followed it for a fair distance up the slope.  Upon reaching the bottom of a long and brown scree gully, I muddled partway up before traversing westward below some cliffs to an adjacent gully.  The scree here was just as loose, but I was able to follow a seam where the footing was better.  Near the top of this gully, I scrambled up behind a rock pinnacle and soon gained the crest of the east ridge of Mount Remus.  Some enjoyable ridge walking was followed by a tiresome grunt up the final slope before the crux chimney.  There was still some snow in the bottom half of the chimney, and as I kicked steps into this snow, I was keenly aware of the scarcity of good holds inside the chimney.  A quick glance a few metres to climber's left revealed a seemingly easier route up a relatively wide crack.  I decided to save that crack for my descent as I wiggled my way up the chimney with quite a bit of difficulty.  After spending about 35 minutes at the summit, I returned to down-climb the crack, and as anticipated, this route turned out to be much easier than the chimney.  After clearing the crux, I essentially followed the east ridge before dropping down a big bowl funneling into the aforementioned long and brown scree gully.  Back down in the valley, I simply sloshed across Little Elbow River with my boots on before retrieving my bike and zipping back to the trailhead.  My round-trip time was 7.5 hours.
This is looking up of course from the *legal* trailhead parking lot! :-) Mount Remus is readily visible from the trailhead parking lot near Little Elbow Campground.
It's a good thing the sun is out since that river crossing soaked my pants up to my crotch! Sonny quickly gains elevation high above Little Elbow River.  Across the valley are Mounts Glasgow (left) and Cornwall (right).
I used this gully for my descent. Mount Remus has no shortage of treadmill scree!  Sonny would eventually traverse left below the cliffs to find a more appealing ascent route than this long and brown scree gully.
This definitely beats going up that scree gully. Sonny scrambles up behind a pinnacle to gain the east ridge of Mount Remus.
There's still a lot of work left. This is the summit block of Mount Remus as seen from the east ridge.
Hard to believe, but some of that snow is still quite deep. Sonny climbs up the final slope before the crux chimney.
The chimney is a lot tighter than I had expected. This is the crux chimney.
I'm not so sure I would have been able to climb up without the snow. Sonny kicks steps in the snow to climb up the chimney.
That was a lot of effort for such an insignificant peak! Sonny takes the last few steps before the summit.  In the hazy distance at right is Fisher Peak.
The original register and PVC pipe were also tucked in the cairn. Sonny plants his foot on the cairn at the 2688-metre summit of Mount Remus.  At right is Mount Romulus.  Note the Alberta Centennial Mountain Expedition register container.
I believe Pat Morrow is credited with a first ascent of "The Blade". To the southwest is Mount Blane.  Just left of Mount Blane is "The Blade".
Ahhh...fond memories of a grueling 4-peak day! Mount Glasgow dominates the view to the southeast.
What a slog that was! To the south is Mount Cornwall.
I get tired just looking at this peak! To the south-southeast is Banded Peak.
This crack is so much easier. This is looking down the crack that Sonny would descend to avoid down-climbing the crux chimney (top).
That caption sounds obscene... This is looking back up Sonny's descent crack.
That nub on the end of the east ridge is actually higher than Sentry Mountain (Crowsnest)! The late day sun casts some long shadows on the east ridge of Mount Remus.  Nihahi Ridge (left) and Forgetmenot Ridge (right) are visible in the distance.
Anyone know if it's a scramble or not?? Here is a closer look at the prominent nub at the end of the east ridge of Mount Remus.  It has an elevation of at least 2439 metres.
It took me 36 minutes to get from here to the Little Elbow River. This is the big bowl which funnels into the long and brown scree gully.
This was my first bike ride since 25 SEP 2004, and my ass was really feeling it at the end of the day! Sonny cycles back along Little Elbow Trail.