BOU AVENUE
Mount Bogart
Dave MacDonald and I hooked up on 24 June 2007 to scramble up Mount Bogart in Kananaskis Country via Alan Kane's south face route.  Because Dave had to work late the night before, we did not start from the trail head until 9:15 AM.  We easily biked the first four kilometres of the Ribbon Creek Trail before hiking on foot the rest of the way to Ribbon Falls (bikes are prohibited beyond the 4 km mark).  Having someone like Dave to chat with really helped to pass the time on the trail.  Past Ribbon Falls, we left the trail at the obvious access drainage leading to the basin above.  Upon reaching the windy basin about an hour later, we had our first good look at Mount Bogart.  There was still a lot of snow on the summit block and on the south slopes, and the crux gully really stood out even from a distance.  As we tramped up the miserable scree on the lower slopes, I began running out of gas while Dave kept climbing like a machine.  Further up, I veered over to a snow slope and made better progress, but Dave was now so far in front of me that he eventually sat down and waited probably close to an hour for me to catch up to him (thanks, Dave).  The crux gully was full of snow, ice, and water and proved to be a challenge to surmount, but this seemed to perk me up a bit as we grinded the rest of the way to the summit.  There was surprisingly little wind at the top, and we spent a comfortable fifty minutes taking photographs, eating, and signing the register (Dave had to dig it out from under a foot of snow).

Leaving the summit at 5:13 PM, we managed to get through the crux gully safely, and we then took advantage of the snow on the south slopes to glissade all the way down to the basin.  We took another break here before continuing down the access drainage and regaining the Ribbon Creek Trail.  We stopped and chatted for awhile with a fellow staying at the backcountry campground near Ribbon Falls.  He was a local who had climbed many of the peaks in Kananaskis Country including Mount Bogart (in a white-out), and he seemed eager to regale us with tales of his achievements.  He even tried to convince Dave and me to stay for some beer and shrimp, but we politely declined and continued on our way.  The long hike back to our bikes was a bit mind-numbing, but the twelve-minute ride back to the trail head was a blast (we reached my car at 9:28 PM).

Be sure to check out Dave's trip report here.
I like Dave's bike; it actually fits on my bike rack! Dave is ready to go.
Nice place for a shower if you're camping nearby. Ribbon Falls looks magnificent in the morning sun.
Over 2 hours from the trail head, the real work begins! This is looking up the access drainage from the trail.
Try not to look down, Dave! Dave tackles some steep slabs.
Still a bloody long way to go! Mount Bogart finally comes into view.
This is where Dave left me in the dust. This is some of the worst scree in the Canadian Rockies.
The scree still sucks here. Like when does scree NOT suck? Dave traverses beneath the upper rock band.
Dave actually contemplated "calling it a day" right here! The crux gully is filled with snow and ice.
We steered clear of the cornices. Past all difficulties, Dave is minutes away from the summit.
Over 7 hours from the car! Dave and Sonny stand on the 3144-metre summit of Mount Bogart.
Bob Parr's favourite scramble. Ribbon Peak lies to the east.
There are some big chunks of ice down there. This is the pond just southwest of Mount Bogart.
Can you pick out Mounts Joffre and Sir Douglas? A sea of peaks stretch out to the south.
Still lots of snow on the scramble route! To the northwest is Mount Sparrowhawk.
I wonder if it's a scramble... This is looking north to the beautiful fourth (southeast) peak of Mount Lougheed.
Maybe someday... Mount Joffre stands high above all the surrounding peaks on the horizon.
We should have just jumped off the cliff into the snow...just kidding! Dave does the "bum shuffle" down the crux.
The second most fun part of the day. The snow is a bit soft but still suitable for glissading.
A chilly wind made it much colder to sit here than on the summit. Dave takes a break to dry out his gear and grab a bite to eat.
That doesn't look very comfortable! A few spots in the upper drainage are tricky to down-climb.
I wonder how many golf balls are strewn around Mount Kidd.  This is the west face of Mount Kidd as seen from the drainage.
It's getting late. The moon rises above a nearby ridge.
The best time to ride out is just before dusk when nobody is on the trail. The bike ride back to the parking lot is the real highlight of the day.
Dave, here's mud in your eye (and nose and mouth)! Dave looks a bit muddy back at the parking lot.