Degree of Difficulty:
Moderate (fun, but can be dangerous)
Time to Complete Round Trip:6 to 9 hours
Where to Park:
Mount Kidd is 33km south of the Trans-Canada Highway, on the Kananaskis Trail (Highway 40). Park at the Galatea Creek parking lot.
The Route (see photo below):
This one is an obvious route . . . the view from the highway looks worse than it is. From the parking lot, follow the path over the suspension bridge. Eventually you will come to a fork in the path . . . the path you want is to the right . . . when I was there, both paths were closed due to a grizzly in the area. Despite being solo (ahem), I just kept on moving.
Make your way up an obvious path, and later an upward streambed, and eventually you will see the enormous avalanche drainage gully. Do not attempt to continue if you suspect avalanche danger. I saw people moving up the snow gully with crampons, but I had no problem moving in cheap hiking boots (however, the snow was sticky in the early summer air). I was fine going up; however, coming down was another story . . . read on.
Once you are above the threatening avalanche gully, you still have to determine your approach to the summit. What I did was to cross the snow and work my way around the rocks above the snow; your own approach will be entirely subjective based on the conditions. Seriously, an ice axe is more than wise, it is imperative. I didn't have one, and I wound up in trouble (Please refer to the Mt. Kidd warnings in Kane's book, "Scrambling in the Canadian Rockies")
At some point you will be above the snow and ice, and the summit will be in view. Make your way to the summit, and enjoy the view.
The descent
Return the same way, but be forewarned. If you glissade down, you had better be ready to stop yourself. If you lose control, and slide too far down the steep slippery avalanche gully you could break through the lower thin shell of snow and fall. I myself lost control and slid down the gully with no crampons and no ice axe. A word of advice . . . in similar circumstances, your right elbow, thrust down into snow with the strength of your left arm, is an alternative to an ice axe. . .but trust me, carry an ice axe!
At the summit.
