Smutwood Peak

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Smutwood Peak
  • Location: Kananaskis Country (Highway 742)
  • Activity: Scrambling
  • Height: 2,690 m (8,826 ft)
  • Elevation Gain: 950 m (3,117 ft)
  • Distance: 18.8 km / Round Trip (11.7 mi)
  • Avg Steepness: 5.8°
  • Estimated Time: 6-9 hrs
  • Technicality: Intermediate
  • Fitness Level: Moderate
I didn’t plan to do this but coincidentally this weekend became trips to the peaks on Great Divide. On Saturday, I joined COC trip to “Smutwood Peak” at GR127288), the peak SW of Mount Smuts.

Approach:
The route was quite obvious. We followed an unofficial trail of Commonwealth Creek. About 6.8 km in there was a big cairn (waypoint “Cairn 1”). The trail separated in two ways, but one was blocked by logs. We ignore the blocking log and went to wrong trail… The real trail was the one on hiker’s left (south). Good news was both trails merge soon enough.

False peak and Smutwood Peak:
By the time we arrived at Smuts Pass, we could see pretty lower Birdwood Lake and Smutwood Peak. Again route was quite simple. We hike up the peak from south ridge. We missed this trail also but near false summit there was a cairn to indicate a detour trail to avoid the false summit. But since it’s a small effort to go up the false why not do it?

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Pretty stream.

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Mount Smuts and The Fist.

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Someone was being busy painting trees.

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The Fist ascent route side. Highrez picture available.

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Going to south ridge.

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Smuts Pass
  • Location: Kananaskis Country (Highway 742)
  • Activity: Hiking
  • Height: 2,340 m (7,678 ft)
  • Elevation Gain: 400 m (1,312 ft)
  • Distance: 7.0 km / One Way (4.3 mi)
  • Avg Steepness: 3.3°
  • Estimated Time: 2-3 hrs
  • Technicality: Novice
  • Fitness Level: Easy
Marko who I met at parking lot told me to take panorama pictures, so I did. Pano of Smutwood, Smuts, Birdwood Lakes, and his girlfriend. Oh wait. That's not har, it's Eva.

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Going up the south ridge.

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Eva and Mount Birdwood.

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I thought Smutwood was hiking but it was easy scrambling.

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Looking at the true summit from false summit.

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Love to come back in winter.

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I met some of online peeps that I knew in this trip, Amelie and Blanka.

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Going up the last push.

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I used to be scared just looking at Birdwood, but this time I didn't get scared. I think I am growing up mammy!

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At the summit. COC+1. +1 is the guy in front. He recognized me. I thought he knew me from last week when I stole someone's lunch. For a second I thought he was the victim but he knew me from my website (;-_-) =3 phew…

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Birdwood… In my someday list.


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