Date: February 27, 2022
Location/Route Map: Kananaskis (Smith-Dorrien)
Elevation: 2385 m
Elevation Gain: 730 m
Distance: 7.7 km
Rating: Class 2
Avalanche Terrain Rating: Challenging
Notes: A narrow section of ridge just before the summit can range from a simple balancing act to a dangerous snow crossing depending on conditions.
GPS Track: Download
For some reason, Kananaskis was completely off my radar for my first few years of scrambling. After just starting to get acquainted with the beautiful area on a few short trips (Grizzly Peak, Packenham Jr., Wasootch Peak), my adventures quickly came to a halt! As of June 2021, we would have to purchase a newly implemented pass in order to park anywhere in Kananaskis! After spending the summer of 2021, and winter of 2022 (up until now) only bagging peaks between Banff and Jasper, we finally gave in, and bought the darn pass...And just as we unlocked a whole new area of the Rockies to explore, I just had to get sick, and was out of commission for a couple weeks :(. While I was stuck in bed, Kananaskis was finally open for business, waiting to be explored! Needless to say, as soon as I was back up and running, I was super eager to get back to the mountains, but this time to an area that was quite unknown to me! Little Lawson (the highpoint at the end of Mount Lawson's long south ridge), would be our first snowshoe objective in the area. Although Nugara's difficult rating had me slightly concerned, avalanche conditions were looking favourable, so off we went!
Little Lawson Route Map (see link in desciption - or click here - for interactive version).
Starting up the wide snowshoe trail that would provide an easy ~1.2km approach to the beginning of Lawson's south ridge.
The ascent ridge up Little Lawson soon comes into view! (Note: The summit is slightly beyond and not visible here)
Looking back down to the wide approach trail as we cross Kent Creek, and start up the ridge.
We soon gained the ridge, and simply followed it to the north along a very well broken trail. After brutal trail breaking on many of our snowshoe outings this winter, I'd forgotten how easy hiking on hard-packed ground was!
The ridge is heavily treed, but even when there were openings, the views consisted of cloud, cloud, and more thick cloud!
Looking across to an army of frosty trees on the lower slopes of Mount Kent's long paralleling ridge!
A close up of such a tree!
Eventually, after a good stretch of trees, clouds, and not much else, the sun broke through, and we caught a glimpse of the Opal Range!
Looking back to Lower Kananaskis Lake, spotlit by the sun!
Mount Kent's version of Little Lawson, Kent South Peak, briefly makes an appearance!
As we gained elevation up the ridge, we reached a point similar to a tree line, but rather, a "frost line"! Once we passed this point, all the trees were beautifully frosty! This also happened to be the point where the wind picked up, and it started to get pretty chilly!
Here's another one :)
..and a close up ;)
My dad continues up an open section of the ridge, as the clouds roll back in.
Looking back in the whiteout. Photo credit: Dad
These trees are the larches of winter...SOOO pretty!
The ridge dips down slightly, before ascending another steeper section. Don't get too close to the edge!
Looking back, from across the dip.
The false summit comes into view as we reach the tree line!
Ascending the final steep slope before the traverse to the summit.
Note the significant cornices back down the ridge!
The narrow, "difficult" traverse Nugara mentions. Luckily for us, it was very windblown, and we had no trouble traversing along protruding rocks. We used caution however, testing solidity of the ground with our poles. Note that under certain snow conditions this traverse could become quite a guessing game and could be very dangerous depending on the size of the cornice!
Big cornice!
Into the abyss!
After the short, narrow ridge, it's an easy jaunt to the summit!
Summit selfie on Little Lawson!
Looking towards the cloudy Opal Range! The view may be slightly obstructed, but I was so excited to have any sort of view, given that we were in a complete whiteout for the majority of our ascent!
A cloudy, but also sunny(?), view back down Lawson's south ridge...
Looking at the continuation of the ridge to the north, where the summit of Mount Lawson would be...
The most we would see of Mount Kent's long ridge.
The mighty Mount Packenham makes an appearance from within the clouds!
Mount Evan-Thomas, the highest point of the Opal Range, is quite the sight!
Packenham Jr. sits modestly below the aforementioned giants.
King Creek Ridge is a peak I'm definitely hoping to bag in the same trip as Mount Hood (unfortunately hidden by cloud) this summer!
I have fond memories of Grizzly Peak :)
Mount Lawson's summit is finally revealed!
I don't know if exploring a new area was a good idea, given my scrambling addiction...SO MANY NEW MOUNTAINS TO CLIMB!!!!! Mount Denny (twin summits, center) happens to be another one that has officially been added to my ever-expanding list...Mount Potts rises to the right, with Opal Ridge below, left.
Clouds make for quite the views themselves!
Gotta write in the summit register before heading down!
Final summit view!
Back at the narrow ridge.
The wind really picked up as we descended, and we hurried down the open ridge to more sheltered, treed terrain!
Yet another significant cornice!
Our last view, before easily following the packed trail down the densely forested ridge...Not that the view-blocking trees really mattered on descent! The brief break in the storm we were lucky enough to experience on the summit didn't last long, and we were soon back in a whiteout, even worse than the first!
After a speedy descent down Lawson's south ridge (there were no views to stop and admire), we soon found ourselves back on the wide snowshoe trail. The only real route finding on this mountain would be right at this point! Note where the trail branches off to the right, up the ridge (don't go past the "DANGER" sign ahead). Other than that the route up this mountain couldn't really be any more straightforward...Just follow the ridge!
Following the trail back along the snowy aqueduct.
A moose came by to visit once we were back at our car! Even bumped into/seemed to be licking our car...LOL.
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