Scrambling with Mark.

Mount Arethusa provides a fantastic ascent - lots of hands-on scrambling, plenty of room for exploration and variation, and one of the best ridgewalks around - not to mention the picturesque surroundings of the Highwood area. We chose an alternate ascent route that took us alongside a huge, diagonal rock fin. The terrain was fairly steep, but not terribly exposed and had great foot and handholds. Unfortunately, the scramble came to an abrupt and disappointing end, about 100 horizontal and only 10 vertical meters from the summit, when we reached a drop-off that we simply couldn't get around. The only possible route involved a dangerously exposed downclimb that was covered in ice and snow. It was way too risky and we had to call it quits. The weather was perfect throughout and the scenery was outstanding - another one of my favourite trips.

    
Mount Arethusa, as seen from the summit of Mount Tyrwhitt

    
Ascending steep terrain, alongside the rock fin. The sky was a beautiful deep shade of blue

    
The near vertical strata of the ridge made for some beautiful rock formations

    
At the start of the narrow ridgewalk. The mountain in the background, just right of center, is Mount Rae - the tallest point in the Kananaskis area (3,218 meters)  

    
Mark at the beginning of the ridgewalk

    
Looking back along the ridge at some interesting rock pinnacles. Storm Mountain (3,092 meters) is behind 

    
Another rock pinnacle on the ridge

    
On descent - the setting sun lit up the mountains in some fantastic shades of yellow and orange