Mount Baldy

Elevation: 2192 m
Elevation Gain: 700 m
Mount Baldy was officially named in 1984. Prior to bearing its now official name, Mount Baldy was also referred to as Bald Mountain, Old Baldy, Barrier Mountain and Sleeping Buffalo Mountain. Regardless of what it’s called, Mount Baldy lies near the site of an old WWII prisoner of war (POW) camp. The camp was used to house approximately 200 POWs, mainly of German descent and was colloquially referred to as “Kana-Nazi”. In the Canadian spirit, prisoners were occasionally allowed to climb Mount Baldy, provided that they signed a document promising to return to the prison camp following their ascent. The site of the former POW camp is now occupied by a University of Calgary Sciences research facility.
My Ascents:
June 21 2012, June 5 2011, June 7 2009
Trailhead: Mount Baldy Scramble Parking (roadside)

With my PhD defense only a week away, I decided to clear my mind by inviting Gord to join me for an exposed hands-on scramble up Mount Baldy!

Gord working his way up some steep sketchy slab in an effort to avoid an exposed sketchy downclimb.

Narrow exposed ridge. Directly behind Gord is the sketchy downclimb we went out of our way to avoid. It's a sheer drop to both sides. — with Gord Hobbs.

Couch potato.

Apparently this group got more of an alpine start than we did...

Fun scrambling to a notch in the rock face.

Having less fun on an exposed ledge just passed the notch.

Having even less fun...

Looking back at the exposed ledge. See below for route.

Good times.

Within striking distance of the summit block!

Venture a little too far to the left on ascent, and you're greeted with an intimidating drop to Barrier Lake.

Hands definitely out of pockets...

The old man covering the last couple of meters to the summit.

Mount Rundle looms behind Grotto Mountain. Anyone for Grotto next weekend?

First summit of the year with the old man!

Great view of the Kananaskis Valley!

From left to right: The Fortress, Mount Kidd, the Tower, Mount Bogart, and Nakiska.

Mount Bogart towering over one of the Olympic Summits.

Mount Sparrowhawk.

Closer view of the Fortress and Mount Kidd.

Barrier Lake and the expanse of prairies to the east.

A group approaching the exposed 2 m downclimb crux, as seen from the summit.

Mid-down climb

South and West Baldy.

Doing what he does...

Checking out the kink in Barrier Lake.

It gets awfully flat, awfully fast.

Barrier Lake, K-Country research station and the Widowmaker rapids on the Kananaskis River.

Thanks to the minister of sustainable resource development for this lovely scar in K-Country.

The best way to prepare for a PhD defense?

Highway 40 and Kananaskis Valley.

Looking south to snowier peaks.

Since Aurore wasn't with us, Gord actually had to take photos of me for once.

Checking out another nearby peak.

Summit panorama.

Sandwich-in-an-Apatasaurus-contrainer time!

Trying to convince Gord that it's time to stop taking pictures and head down...

...heading down without him.

Lovin' my ice axe pole.

Adios Baldy!