Bites, Beers, Bears, and Badass Mountain Peeps

This past weekend was an interesting one.  In roughly chronolgical order, I:

• Got bit by a dog (with full teethmarks and cuts on my forearm)
• Drank beers to help a friend and my cousin celebrate turning 40
• Drove out bright and early to Kananaskis the next morning
• On said drive, Keith pointed out 'this is where we saw a bear yesterday', and seconds later, we spotted a mama grizzly and her cubs
• Noticed an area closure sign adjacent to our ascent route due to bear activity
• Forgot my bear spray
• Nervously listened to thunder above us as we started our hike in
• Scrambled up Gap Mountain in the Highwood area
• Drank a beer on the summit, while waiting out a weather system
• Got rained, hailed, and snowed on throughout the entirety of the day, making the steep scrambling even more technically demanding than it is when dry

Check out the photos to see Anita looking like a total badass. Gap Mountain involves some committed scrambling up near vertical rock faces, so be warned if you attempt it.  Even if you're comfortable climbing up, you still have to descend.  

Snow... because July in Canada.

The initial hike in. 
  Pretty sure this isn't the proper way to wear a helmet (over top of a ball cap).
  This is why the helmet is necessary. Scrambling up steep rock faces, with possbility of rockfall from people above. 


This would be an ill advised place to stumble.
Summit selfie, while we waited out the passing wall of snow.
Summit Brew: Collective Arts Brewing Mango Tangerine Sour.

Kananaskis Lakes to the right.

One of my favourite photos from the day.

Scouting a safe route to downclimb.