Shunda Mountain

Elevation: 2082 m
Elevation Gain: 375 m
Located amongst the foothills to the north of Nordegg, Shunda Mountain takes its name from nearby Shunda Creek. Shunda is the aboriginal term for “mire” which described the creek’s ford. The name was officially bestowed upon the peak in 1912, however, locals generally refer to it as “Baldy Mountain.” Indeed, the active fire lookout atop Shunda’s summit is officially referred to as the “Baldy Lookout.”
My Ascents:
July 28 2019
Trailhead: Baldy Tower Road Gate
GPS Track: Shunda Mountain

When it came time to plan our 2019 family camping trip, Rocky Mountain House was suggested as a destination. Without too much reasearch on my part, I quickly agreed reasoning that it wouldn’t be hard to find peaks nearby in a place called “Rocky Mountain House.” It was only once we’d booked that I realized that RMH isn’t actually in the Rocky Mountains! Talk about false advertising!

While mountainous surroundings are obviously preferable, I concede that our serene campsite on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River and the steady supply of cold beer in “Papa’s” cooler helped to make the flatlands quite tolerable. Still, by day 2 of our camping trip, my gaze shifted to the west. Rumor had it that there were peaks out there (an hour or two away). Best load the family into the car to investigate (and earn our evening’s refreshments)!

After driving west on Highway 11 for about an hour, we reached Nordegg and finally escaped the flatlands! Nordegg is home to 2 relatively small front range peaks (Coliseum Mountain and Shunda Mountain). While the former looks to be a great hike, it was a little lengthy (13.6 km return) for our party which included a 3-year-old and a 1-year-old. Thanks to a good fire road which continues all the way to its summit, we figured that Shunda Mountain (pictured above) would likely be the more accessible option for our lot and, with a return distance of only 6 km, it was definitely suitable for our little hikers (and their “Nannie” and “Papa”)!

One of the reasons that Shunda is so accessible is that you can drive a good distance up it on a surprisingly well-maintained road. As we did, we eventually reached this gate which bars further car-access. Hikers, bikers and OHVs are still allowed to continue beyond the gate so long as they can fit through the opening on the right. Luckily for us, we all fit!

“Papa”, “Nannie”, Mera and Brianne tackle the rockier fire road above the gate.

The surrounding forest was replete with old man’s beard. I’m not saying that the early part of this hike was dull but you can form your own conclusions based on the fact that a tree-dwelling lichen was considered a highlight…

Mera certainly enjoyed the lichen at least! Yum?

BUSTED. As we hiked up, we were passed by an exhausted biker who was receiving an OHV tow all the way up. As he was pulled by, he pleaded with us not to tell his friends.

Occasional wildflowers colored the roadside and provided non-lichenous highlights.

Indian paintbrushes are normally a vibrant red but these white ones were no less-lovely.

Silky scorpion weed is nice to look at and even more fun to say (you just read its name aloud, didn’t you?).

“Papa” and Mera discuss all manner of important topics on the hike up.

Penny, meanwhile, adopted a different approach to passing the time…

About a kilometer from the summit, the trees finally thinned and more mountainous vistas appeared beyond wildflower-strewn alpine meadows.

The tower-littered summit comes into view ahead.

Mera was quite excited to point out the summit! Perhaps it was because she was under the impression that there was ice cream up there? We told her that little girls who climb mountains always get ice cream but she didn’t realize that the treat would be delivered once she got up and then back down the mountain...

Mom and Mera stop to enjoy the lovely views to the west.

An assortment of man-made monstrosities mark the mountain’s highest point (and the fire lookout isn’t even visible in this photo). Fortunately, it was easy enough to look around all this clutter and it didn’t mar the summit views much.

The girls and their grandparents seek out the perfect lunch spot atop Shunda Mountain as endless flatlands stretch eastward towards misnamed Rocky Mountain House.

While the rest of the gang munched on lunch, I made my way around the fire lookout’s perimeter fence to take in the summit scene.

David Thompson Country fills the panorama to the west. Click to see larger.

Colorful Abraham Lake highlights the view to the west.

A happy crew enjoys the lovely views west towards DTC (despite the lack of summit ice cream).

A closer look at Abraham Lake. Above the lake, a host of DTC peaks rise up (including from left-to-right: Phoebe’s Tit, Elliott Peak, Sentinel Mountain, Mount Hensley, Windy Point Ridge, Lioness Peak, Resolute Mountain and cloud-capped Mount Cline).

Abraham Mountain (center left) and Allstones Peak (center right).

Hangman Peak.

Dark Storm Peak and Cloud Buster Peak bookend Shankland Peak (center) to the left while Night Rider Peak and Rustler Peak rise up to its right.

Rustler Peak (left) and Whisker Peak (center right) appear to be the only named summits beyond Largehorn Peak (right) to the northwest.

The views to the north featured fewer peaks but green foothills still made for a pleasant panorama. Click to see larger.

Shunda summit sisters!

Forested foothills for miles…

Coliseum Mountain and Eagle Mountain highlight the southern panorama. Click to see larger.

A closer look at nearby Coliseum Mountain with Eagle Mountain and Ram Lookout behind.

Evangeline Peak (center left) and the other Ya Ha Tinda summits rise up above the foothills to the southeast.

Snow-capped giants like Mount Loudon (center left), Mount Peskett (center) and Spreading Peak (center right) were visible some 80 km away. The Icefields Parkway is located just beyond these peaks.

The girls enjoy a good “sit” with “Papa” and “Nannie” thanks to a conveniently located summit bench. Clearly summit benches should be standard issue across the Rockies!

After a good “sit”, Mera began to realize that there was, in fact, no ice cream on this mountain top. Obviously, the absence of ice cream proved intolerable (to toddler and adult alike) so we started our descent towards a promised treat below.

Penny amuses herself with Mom’s sunglasses during an, otherwise, fairly dull descent. You didn’t want to wear those, did you Brianne?

Although the hike down was only 3 km, hiking distances feel at least double what they really are when you have a heavy, often overtired, child strapped to you. This sign indicating that the end was near was, therefore, quite welcome!

I think that “Nannie” might have been relieved to reach the trailhead gate as well! Maybe she just REALLY wanted ice cream?

While Shunda Mountain’s summit (center) proved disappointingly ice-cream-less, we were, fortunately, able to locate some at the “Sugar Shack” in Nordegg below!

Mera sports an impressive ice cream beard and mustache after another successful summit. Peaks proved harder to come by than expected in Rocky Mountain House but at least ice cream was readily located once we managed to actually find a mountain!