Canyon Peak

Due to some ongoing IT band issues, I had to opt out of a long mountain run this weekend and settle for a short(ish) low intensity hike/scramble instead.  I set out for the N ridge of canyon peak, a line Steve and I had tried for last fall but were turned around by chilly, windy, wet conditions (merely at canyon lake).  With gorgeous weather in the forecast and knowing the foliage would be starting to change, I was excited to return, with high hopes for a great fall day in the mountains.

The trail to canyon lake went smoothly, as did the straightforward approach to the base of the N ridge (3hrs from TH).  I saw countless shades of yellow, orange and red foliage, which was a beautiful reminder that winter is only a few short months away.

N ridge of wyant pk. looks fun (steeper than canyon's N ridge) 

base of canyon's N ridge

I was pleasantly surprised to pass a spring at approx. 8200ft shortly before the ridge that served as a bonus water refill.  The route served up a nice dose of exposed 4^th/low 5^th scrambling on fairly solid rock.  I encountered a lot of low 5^th class terrain, doing my best to connect fun-looking sections of crack near the ridge proper.  It looked as though the line of least resistance with more 4^th class could be found further climber’s L.  I lingered on the exposed summit for a few minutes, soaking in the view of a portion of the Bitterroots I haven’t yet spent much time in. 

exposed final stretch to summit

huge S face and slide path

I used Brian’s great downclimb/descent beta (found here, thanks!) to descend the upper SW ridge, followed by a downward angling scramble/traverse of the huge S face to gain the SE ridge, which I followed to the obvious notch before wyant peak (pt 8578) that grants easy access N down to wyant lake (which was basically dry). 

anorexic canyon lake

On the descent from wyant lake to the canyon lake trail, I was able to walk across the middle of canyon lake it was so low (and compared to a lot of other places our past winter wasn’t even that dry,  but I think helicopter bucket-work during the canyon creek fire in august is likely the bigger culprit).  The hike out was uneventful, as I pondered the seemingly endless number of outings in the bitterroots that I would still like to do (especially with healthy running legs). 

Stats:  approx. 13mi/4400vert/low 5^th in just over 7 hours car-car at a casual/moderate hiking-only pace

Rose: the beauty and solitude once beyond canyon lake

Thorn: seeing the lakes so dry/low (canyon falls wasn’t even flowing the lake was so low)

Bud: returning to the mighty S face with skis

Thoughts: Brunckhorst’s guidebook lists this route at 5.6 but I think that would require seeking the path of most resistance (within reason), which could make for a fun outing