Seeing the fresh snow fall on the Alps this week made me super keen to get out there, and climbing some mountains would be the perfect break from study. On a day like this, nothing can beat standing on the top of a big pile of rock.

Starting at Porters Pass (942 m), the ridge climbs steeply up to Foggy Peak (1741 m) and then is gently undulating for about 3 km along to Castle Hill Peak (1998 m). It was pretty cold at Porters Pass, with a fresh wind blowing through the saddle, but I warmed up pretty quickly on the climb. Foggy Peak Ridge is a good (but long!) ascent to the tops, as it is steep enough to gain altitude quickly but it is still possible to run the whole way up. I hit the snow at about 1500 m and just after that could see Castle Hill Peak along the ridge.

Looking along the ridge, Castle Hill Peak is the farthest visible summit

The ridge-top is amazing for running along. Foggy Peak is basically a mountain of scree; slippery and stony to ascend, but the top is smooth and rounded and today had only a couple of inches of snow. The wind had dropped too, and it was almost sunbathing weather. There were a couple of icy patches to keep things interesting, but mostly the snow had just a thin crust to punch through. As I climbed Castle Hill Peak, the depth of the snow increased but not enough to cover the trig.

Are those moose tracks in the snow?

Castle Hill Peak summit

Had a moment at the top to appreciate the tranquillity and silence of the mountain, before I was charging off through the snow drifts back to the car.  I am definitely keen to push it a bit further to the Gap next time, although it would be good to make a round trip of it.

NBH