Created 6-Jun-21
Modified 20-Dec-23
2021-06-05 | Horseshoe Ridge (from the East) | 2148 Max | 1415 TH | 18.3 km | 1677 TA | w/ Peter & David
Super Saturday season opener. Fwah Fwah!! Recent easing of things Covidy allowed David to join (in question leading up) so it was good to catch up with the guys as we hadn’t met since Snowpig. This route would take us over several minor ridges thru meadows and over fences, thru trees until the final rocky approach to a multi summited ridge. Presumably it forms a horseshoe, or someone lost a horseshoe here, or someone had some luck here… Anyway, this is the general country we have been favouring for season openers for a while and some previous objectives were in view. Saddle mountain, Coffin, Livingstone, Monad, etc. Rolling hills in, arguably, the best time of year to visit.
We saw many wildflowers along the way including the first Calypso orchids of the year (a favorite now that Pasque Flower are waning), shooting stars, the first arnica of the year, glacier lilies and more! We crossed so many barbed wire fences I lost count, thankfully most a bit past their prime so easy to bend down the top wire to step across. We also used gates where it was convenient.
The summit was windy but as per usual we found a space out of the wind for a decent lunch break / nap. We took an alternate route back to theoretically avoid some ridges and trees and ended up crossing some beautiful meadows and passed through more firs and aspens. Trailing behind, I almost stepped on a fawn perfectly camouflaged in the short growth. Just like his instincts told him, he remained absolutely motionless and tolerated a quick portrait before I left him in peace.
Such a great day for weather and company, it set a good tone for the Super Saturday Season.
© Clayton Ditzler
