The climb is quick. Much elevation is gained and it is contstant from thie start. Quickly we are above the tree line with some excellent views of the area.
Abraham Lake is a manmade reservoir. It is the nicest shade of blue you will ever see and stretches from over 30km.
Maintain the ridge for the easiest climb. Too far left and you are in some scree.
Heather powers up the ridge. Follow the ridgeline down to see the open patch of forest where the parking lot is for this hike. It just pokes over.
I love a good fossil! This shell is embedded in the bedrock. I still find it fascinating that Alberta was a sea in the past.
It's also nice to see a little life on a hike.
This little guy was quite in healthy shape! He hangs out at the plateau and fairly certain he gets fed regularly.
Just a little bit of snow remains at the plateau. Only the cornices really. The trail is free and clear of all snow!
The "summit" of Vision Quest is not a summit at all, but the beginning of an epic ridgeline. You could take the ridgeline all the way around to Allstones Peak. It's the tall flat peak across the way.
We carried along up the ridge. Lots of ups. Snow is on the ridge but not in the way. This area had the most snow of all. Cornices ready to drop.
We settle at not the highest point of the ridge and take in the sights. This raven checked us out for a while. Beer and PB+J was amazing as always!
We make it back to the step to get to the plateau from the summit. From the plateau this looks like a sheer wall.... this photo also does this. However, it is like a stairway. Lots of big steps and not steep coming up/down where Heather is standing.
The sun was shining bright on the descent and made the lake one of the brightest shades of blue. Incredible.
Taking one last look of the summit as Heather makes the descent. Again, the summit push looks intimidating but it is nothing to fret about.
A beautiful hike of a David Thompson classic. I love the lake. I love the land. I love the peaks.
