"You Don't Know...If You Don't Go....."

It was a four in the morning solo alpine start... A day where I almost didn't go.......

You could hardly see a car length away, the valley was so socked in...

The elusive goal was Mt Edith; a three summit mountain close to Banff, Alberta...that invites a traverse across its rocky heights... Having looped around it in both directions before; this time my choice was to do Edith Pass first, then up to Cory Pass. This is a longer route, and has a sustained but moderate elevation gain on the way in, but is worth every vista...

The thick mist was so low, the trail itself had a great deal of dew and moisture along the way...

Everything was glistening green and so fresh... There was even enough moisture on the trail to see where animals had passed...

This approach affords the very best view of Mt Louis, and through the low drifting clouds it did indeed make its presence known... I have since climbed the classic technical route upon this amazing mountain and touched in person, the rock I had read so much about over the years...

I almost didn't go that day either, due to some lingering 'Fletcheritis' over the challenge...

The Valley of The Gargoyles is best approached this way too; with its terrific rock monoliths, which truly look to be stone carved monuments, wings and all...

As I gained altitude, the moving sea of clouds seemed to giving way to shades of color and muted sunlight... The north peak is first from Cory Pass. It is the smallest, but highest of Mt Ediths' three summits. I had summited there a number of times before, which was good preparation for this solo traverse of all of these rocky sisters...

The center peak is quite a blocky spot, and it was here that it became apparent that the clouds were actually lowering within the valley itself, as I was now able to see above them, and even to locate other mountain summits, looking like islands, as they stood just above the drifting waves of mist...

Mt Ediths' south peak is likely the more challenging scramble of the three. We completed a technical route there years before, but this was my first return since...

All three summits provided very special moments of quiet... No sound... complete stillness...

The descent was swift and direct back to the trail, while the trail then itself wanders to and fro, all the way down to an open grassy knoll... Here I have often stopped to muse and meditate upon the day just experienced...

I have placed many Summit Stones & Adventure Muses on these paths during these Mt Edith climbs, while later recalling what was offered to me those days... and re-mind myself just as often...

You don't know...

If you don't go.......

DSD