Description
This unnamed peak ("Carson Creek Peak" was the name proposed by Brian Back of OtterTooth.com) is the fourth highest summit in Ontario and second highest in the hills west of Thunder Bay. It is crowned by a fire tower, the Aldina Lookout.
Climbing Notes
The following is an account of an ascent by Mike Moland of Thunder Bay:
Yesterday I couldn't convince anyone to go with me to climb up to the Aldina tower so I ventured out on my own - with cell phone, GPS, and several maps. After 2 previous attempts in the last few months - finally some success. I made it up to the Aldina tower on Carson Creek.
The road going in was a little nerve wracking - icy and remote. I approached the hill from the south side following an older logging road for the much of the route. The hill is about 18.5 km from the intersection of highway 588. The access road begins north of hwy 588 about 1.6 km west of the intersection of Hwys 588 and 593. Much of the road was covered with patches of snow due to the higher altitudes. The climb was pretty straightforward - from the south side the vertical is only about 200ft up from where I parked my car. You could see skidder trails and it is evident that clear cutting recently took place around and at the top of the hill (estimate within the last 3 or 4 years). I spotted some ATV tracks at the top - so clearly there is some trail that branches off up to the top that ATV'ers use - probably for hunting. I also noticed that there DOES appear to be an old road to the top (from the south side) that the towerman used - as described in the MNR data and also depicted on the topo maps. The road appears to follow the same course as indicated on the map. I didn't have much time to investigate it, but perhaps this spring I will follow it down the north side to see where it intersects below.
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