Livingstone Lookout

BOU AVENUE
Livingstone Lookout

On 13 June 2009, Kelly Bou, Dinah Kruze, Bob Spirko and I headed to Bob Creek Wildland in southwest Alberta to hike up Livingstone Lookout. Starting out along Camp Creek, we followed an old road up onto one of the ridges to the east of the lookout. Kelly had some problems with her feet and decided to bow out after we reached the first ridge top. The rest of us continued on, and despite a very steep finish up the east side of the lookout, we encountered no serious difficulties. After chatting with the lookout keeper, we briefly explored part of the ridge to the south of the lookout before backtracking and descending the way we came. The few shortcuts we took to prevent needless elevation gain did little to alleviate our weariness on the return trip (round-trip time of over 7.5 hours).

Be sure to check out Bob's photos here.

Motorized travel beyond the gate is restricted to snowmobiles and quads only. Dinah, Bob and Kelly enter Bob Creek Wildland.

You could camp here if you wanted. Dinah and Kelly ford Camp Creek.

This wasn't the most efficient route to the lookout. Bob, Kelly and Dinah climb up the first ridge top. Thunder Mountain is visible at right.

Great ridgewalk! Bob and Dinah skirt some cliffs on the main ridge leading to the lookout which is not visible here.

We would eventually scramble around the right side of the final cliffs. The lookout finally appears.

Lots of annoying ups and downs though! The remainder of the route to the lookout is visible here.

Very steep grunt coming up! Bob and Dinah drop down to a saddle before making the final push to the top.

He has been a lookout keeper since 1981! Bob and Dinah have a lengthy chat with the lookout keeper whose T-shirt hints at his Dutch heritage.

These snow patches were welcome relief from the warm temperatures. Dinah and Bob leave the lookout and continue south.

It would have been nice to traverse the entire ridge, but that would have left us very far from our car. The ridge to the south is enticingly easy to follow.

The lookout site's elevation is 2173 metres. Sonny, Bob and Dinah gather for a group photo on the ridge south of Livingstone Lookout.

Threatening clouds marred a lot of the surrounding views on this day. Tornado Mountain and Sugarloaf Lookout are visible to the west.

	Dinah, Bob and Kelly enter Bob Creek Wildland.
	Dinah and Kelly ford Camp Creek.
	Bob, Kelly and Dinah climb up the first ridge top. Thunder Mountain is visible at right.
	Bob and Dinah skirt some cliffs on the main ridge leading to the lookout which is not visible here.
	The lookout finally appears.
	The remainder of the route to the lookout is visible here.
	Bob and Dinah drop down to a saddle before making the final push to the top.
	Bob and Dinah have a lengthy chat with the lookout keeper whose T-shirt hints at his Dutch heritage.
	Dinah and Bob leave the lookout and continue south.
	The ridge to the south is enticingly easy to follow.
	Sonny, Bob and Dinah gather for a group photo on the ridge south of Livingstone Lookout.
	Tornado Mountain and Sugarloaf Lookout are visible to the west.