The Tit (formerly Squaw's Tit)

Elevation: 2514 m
Elevation Gain: 1200 m
The Tit is the unofficial, but commonly used name for a prominent high point on the ridge west of Mounts Charles Stewart and Lady Macdonald. It was formerly referred to as Squaw's Tit. Both names are the result of the peak's shape which resembles an upturned female breast.
My Ascents:
July 28 2011
Trailhead: The Tit Parking

I’ve wanted to climb Squaw’s Tit for a couple of month’s now but have been hesitant to take it on as a solo scramble as a result of the exposure involved near the nipple – err, I mean summit. Although the peak is rated “moderate”, Kane’s own description and various trip reports that I read suggested that the difficulty level bordered on “difficult” and, in my experience, these kind of scrambles tend to be much more unnerving when solo! So when Lise called me to let me know that she wanted to take a day off work to scramble mid-week, but that it had to be something quick since she had evening plans, I had the perfect peak picked!

Squaw's Tit, as seen from the Tim Horton's in Canmore. Yep, looks like a tit.

The summit nipple finally in view after slogging through steep forest. No photos for the first 900 vertical meters – rarely an encouraging sign...usually, this means that there was nothing worth taking the camera out for and, in this case, that’s 100% accurate. The bottom of the scramble involves a fair bit of bush-whacking and after that, if you’re lucky, you’ll find a path just upslope of the bike path that runs along the base of Squaw’s Tit. We actually found this path almost right away with very little effort but it had more to do with dumb luck than any route finding prowess!

Lise negotiating the ridge early on.

According to Kane: "higher up, this ridge becomes a little daunting with exposure". Does this look a “little daunting” yet?

Kane calls this moderate. If it's moderate, then it's a very difficult moderate! Definitely a no slip zone...

Lise, undaunted, makes her way up the ridge.

Lise clinging to slab on the left hand side of the nipple. It didn't look so big from the bottom. Must have gotten colder at the top.

The slabby way up the nipple. I would hate to attempt this if it was wet or snowy!

Summit smiles. Although the scrambling to get there was a little unnerving, it was actually quite fun as well!

Group summit shot.

The hero shot in front of Mount Rundle.

Views of Canmore from the nip.

Don't slip here.

We spotted some scramblers in an even more precarious spot on Mount Lady Macdonald to the east.

The first time she's autographed a breast.

One of Mount Girouard’s sharp summit towers peers out from behind Mount Peechee.

Buffalo Point to the east can, apparently, also be scrambled.

Mount Charles Stewart.

Obligatory copping a feel shot before heading down.

A very careful descent.

Likewise.

As the descent continued, Lise became more and more prone to falling on her ass.

Can't blame her though, this is pretty sketchy terrain.
:P

This western wood lilly was probably the prettiest part of the bushwhack on our way back to the car. We actually ended up in a rocky drainage immediately north of Squaw's Tit somehow and this provided us with an acceptable route of descent in dry conditions. In wet conditions, however, it could turn into a waterslide!