Northover ridge - I almost peed my pants

Last weekend, Carrie, Elaine, Matt and Adam G. came up from Kelowna to join me in Alberta's beautiful Kananaskis Country, to hike Northover Ridge. I've always wanted to do this hike, but the guidebooks take great pains to stress how difficult it is. BUT.... I figured Adam would fight bears, lightning, and carry us if the going got too hard, so we went for it.

We went to Aster Lake first, then to Three Isle and out. It's a round trip and took us three days. We started off at Upper Kananaskis Lake feeling pretty good, pretty confident.

The gang

We climbed.... and climbed and climbed and climbed. By the end of the second day, we had climbed and climbed across some fairly gnarly terrain, and finally arrived at Aster Lake.

This is Aster Lake, on the morning of the second day.

Approaching our climb for the day....

The first climb of our second day...

After the first climb of the second day, we come around the corner of Mt. Northover to see Northover Lake....

When you climb up behind Mt. Northover, you hit the ridge.

And you feel pretty good about it..

Until you hit the 'holy shit we're going to die' section.... And you make Adam carry your pack.

Arcly.... I add more photos tomorrow. Sleepy time now.