The Fortress

Journey to The Fortress — June 24, 2006

This page should probably be called “Headwall Lakes” rather than The Fortress since we didn’t actually summit Fortress; but hey, it’s the thought that counts right?

This was another one in our semi-infamous Sunrise Summit’s Series, and he had some fairly high hopes for it. Don, Scott and I all crammed into my Tacoma with Don trying to sleep in the small passenger comparment behind the main seats, and me trying to hit all the potholes I could! We arrived at the trail head for the Headwall Lakes valley sometime around 2:30am, at least half and hour later than we were hoping to start, and got hiking shortly there after.

The way up to Headwall follows the ski trails from the Chester Lake parking lot, though which trails escape me now. The trick is finding the trail that cuts off the main trail and heads up to the Lakes and ultimately to The Fortress; in the dark though this is a lot easier said that done! We totally missed our turn-off and didn’t realize this until at least half a kilometer had gone by, undetered though we travelled back and found the proper turn off, which was actually quite well marked, now that the sun was coming up anyway. The trail is quite nice, well worn and easily followed beside the creek and up into the Headwall Valley.

By this time the sun was nearly full up and there was no way we were going to make it to the summit for sunrise, the combination of a late start and missing our turn-off seriously scuttled our plans for a sunrise summit of The Fortress. We made up to the Headwall Lakes with very little difficulty and considered carrying on to the summit anyway, but there was a lot of snow on the Chester-Fortress col which didn’t look really safe; and I had to work at 9:30 that morning anyway and was already in serious danger of being late!

At the lakes we turned tail and headed for home… I was definitely late for work! but it was worth it.