BOU AVENUE
Mount Erickson
Located just west of Crowsnest Pass in British Columbia, Mount Erickson is a distinctive peak on a long ridge--Erickson Ridge--running north from Highway 3 for about 20 kilometres to Grave Creek.  On 15 September 2007, I accompanied Dinah Kruze and Bob Spirko on their second attempt to reach the summit of Mount Erickson.  We actually had a false start when we started hiking up a gravel road near a shooting range just west of Alexander Creek.  Fortunately, we realized our mistake early and backtracked to Dinah's car before driving further west to a small pullout on the highway just before a bridge.  From there, we simply bushwhacked uphill through forest and rubble.

Despite the lack of a trail for much of the ascent, travel is generally easy, and we encountered no difficulties as we hiked over a high point south of Mount Erickson.  We then dropped down to a col before scrambling up a short easy section of rock and hiking up to a false summit sporting a large green phallic tower.  This was where Dinah and Bob turned around on their first attempt because of snow.  With dry conditions, we had no problems reaching the twin bumps of the true summit.  On our return trip, having to regain elevation to get over the high point to the south was annoying, but the worse part was descending the last couple of hundred metres to the highway.  Ankle-breaking rubble, our fatigue, and the hot sun made this last section particularly miserable (round-trip time of less than 9 hours), and we actually made three separate food stops in Coleman, Alberta to help us recover from the ordeal!

Be sure to check out Bob's trip report here.
It may be quicker to drive up Alexander Creek and ascend the east face directly. This is Mount Erickson as seen from Highway 3 near the provincial border between British Columbia and Alberta.
This is the wrong place to start the ascent of Mount Erickson! On the north side of Highway 3 near Alexander Creek is this shooting range.
A very unpleasant way to start the ascent. Dinah and Bob thrash their way up a steep slope not far from the highway.
Dinah wouldn't touch this thing with a 10-foot pole! Bob curiously sniffs the inside of this old sheep horn.
Bob is up ahead. Can you spot him? Dinah hikes up easy terrain near the high point south of Mount Erickson.
Only the highest tower is visible from the summit of Mount Erickson. Seven Sisters Mountain (2591 metres) is visible to the east.
The devastation is unreal. Northwest of the high point is a vast open pit mine centered over what is left of Natal Ridge.
That's the false summit in the distance. Dinah continues north along the ridge toward the main summit block of Mount Erickson.
You lose about 90 metres descending to this point. Bob and Dinah approach the main summit block.
Dinah bagged Crowsnest Mountain thirteen days earlier. Dinah is still smiling as she hikes up the main summit block.  Crowsnest Mountain (2785 metres) is visible behind her through Deadman Pass.
Finally, some real scrambling! Bob finds a nice ridge to scramble up.
Does anybody know what these green phallic things are? Bob reaches the top of the false summit.
The Babylonians built ziggurats and look what happened to them! This feature of the open pit mine resembles a ziggurat.
I wonder what happens here in the winter... Here is another look at the open pit mine from Mount Erickson's false summit.
This is where Bob and Dinah turned back on their first attempt because of snow. Dinah and Bob head for the true summit.
I stayed behind Dinah to make sure she didn't chicken out before the summit! The summit ridge is an easy hike.
Kinda like what you see when you wake up in the morning... This is looking back at the false summit from near the true summit.
Don't you just love my shirt? Sonny, Bob and Dinah pose near the 2485-metre summit of Mount Erickson.
Hard to believe that the scramble route goes up this side! Here is a closer look at Crowsnest Mountain from the summit of Mount Erickson.
I hope to bag Phillipps Peak in the near future. To the southeast are Mount Tecumseh (2549 metres) and Phillipps Peak (2500 metres).
The actual high point of the ridge (about 2530 metres) is near the north end. Erickson Ridge stretches away to the north in this view from a knob just below Mount Erickson's summit.
The other summit bump that they're on might be slightly higher than the one I took this photograph from. Dinah and Bob begin heading back to the false summit.
Turtles, turtles, yeah, yeah, yeah... Turtle Mountain (2210 metres) is visible to the southeast.
A good ad for Viagra? Bob is almost back at the false summit.
It's still a long way back to Dinah's car... Dinah and Bob descend open slopes below the false summit.  The high point south of Mount Erickson is at centre. 
Seems cruel having to climb uphill both ways! Dinah and Bob head back up to the high point on the return trip.
How can you possibly look tired in a shirt like that?? Sonny looks tired as he traverses over the high point south of Mount Erickson.
And lots of other peaks worth bagging... This view to the southeast from the high point includes Sentry Mountain (2435 metres) at left and Summit Lake.
Dinah aptly described the descent as "UGLY". Dinah and Bob descend one of the many rubble slopes at the south end of the ridge.
The last hundred metres or so of this trip really, really suck! Dinah drops down a very steep grassy slope near the highway.