Middle Sister Elevation: 9085 ft, 2769 m
Degree of Difficulty:
Easy (in terms of exposure), but Difficult (a long gruelling day)
Time to Complete Round Trip:8-12 hours
Grab a hat, loads of water, and get ready for a demanding but rewarding day. This one will help you realize what kind of shape you're in. Middle Sister and the other two sisters are usually observed from the relative flatness of Canmore Alberta. These peaks have also been known as Faith, Hope, and Charity.
Where to Park:
Drive about 1/2 km west from Dead Mans Flats on the TransCanada highway #1, just before Canmore, Alberta. Find the big wooden "Visit Canmore" sign. Park your car at the sign.
The Route (see photo below):
Cross over the highway to the south side, and walk or bike into the woods. Your goal is to find Stewart Creek which is the major drainage of the South side of the Three Sisters. You'll find an old road on the west side of the creek which will take you quite far up.
Think of the route as being just one giant switchback . . . head up beside Stewart Creek as far as possible until you gain altitude above the treeline and then switch back to gain the scree upward rise to the summit. Just remember to keep heading straight ahead up the creek valley as far as possible and beyond; the route will eventually become obvious. (see Kane's book or a good map if you have trouble finding the route.)
At the summit you will find a remnant of the first ascent in the early 1900's, a metal box with a small inscription message to all mountaineers. The actual register is concealed in the cairn, a black screw-top cylinder. Sign the register and return the same way.
I scrambled to the top of Middle Sister on July 1st, Canada Day, 1996 with my friend Pat Austin.
