Degree of Difficulty:
Easy, but demanding scree slogging
Time to Complete Round Trip: 5 - 8 hours
I found that the most difficult part of this scramble was the tedious treadmill scree. From the rocky valley above the Chester Lake Falls, most people choose to head up Fortress Mountain
rather than Gusty. But the summit of Gusty Peak grants you incredible views, not to mention a good closeup look of Mount Galatea, another possible scramble.
Where to Park:
Drive on the Smith Dorrien highway and park at the Chester Lake trailhead parking area.
The Route (see photos below):
Head up the trail to Chester Lake. Go past the falls and make your way up scree to get above them. You'll find a long rocky valley, with Fortress Mountain directly ahead, and Gusty not yet immediate obvious.
Hike far into this valley, almost right to the end, and you'll see Gusty come into view. At the end of the valley, Fortress will be on your right (east) and Gusty will be on your left (west).
Hike up the route as shown below, and consult Kane's book too. This route is safe when clear of snow, but could be dangerous with too much snow present. Make your way up, and curse at the marbley scree much like I did. I would recommend curse words such as . . . well, I'm sure you can make up your own.
Enjoy the views and head back the same way.
