Trip Report - Windtower

After our failed summit bid last Sunday, we were bound and determined to bag a peak this weekend. So despite the four seasons we experienced (sun, cloud, rain, and snow) on our way up, we summited Windtower in just over 3 hours for our fifth peak this season. While at the top, the wind howled ceaselessly. I don't know why I expected anything different, considering WIND is in the mountain's name. Think how much more awesome these self fulfilling name prophecies would be if they'd called this Calmtower or Beertower instead.

Aside from the weather, this was largely just a straight forward hike, with few difficulties other than the exertion of trudging up 1000m of elevation over about 6km. I say straight forward, but it still gave Anita quite the bruise when she wasn't paying attention (see last photo).


Summit of Windtower, looking over the sheer cliffs down the Northeast face.






Snow and rain all around us.




Summit Beer: Unity Brew 2016.


Pano of the west view.




Looking North towards Rimwall and the Three Sisters peaks.




The snows rolled in when we were on the summit.


Despite the howling wind and snow, we spent an hour at the summit, hiding out behind this windbreak.


Mt. Lougheed to the South.


Of course there's snow. Because it's only June.






Nice treat on our descent back along Westwind Pass: spotting a few bighorn sheep.


Weekend battle scars: Anita's bruise courtesy of a tree branch. George's cut courtesy of the mall (seriously...)