photo coming soon
Elevation: 8249 ft / 2514 m
Degree of Difficulty:
Difficult (exposure)
Time to Complete Round Trip:8 to 10 hours
There's a lot more to this mountain than meets the eye from the town of Banff. Once you get to the top of the ridge visible from the ski area, you'll sadly discover you still have a way to go. Be sure that the route isn't choked with snow as a slip in several spots could result in a fatal accident.
Where to Park:
From the TransCanada Highway #1, look for the exit to the Mount Norquay ski area that overlooks the Banff townsite. Follow the winding road up to the Mount Norquay parking lot. Park in P2 parking lot.
The Route (see photo below):
Make your way up the ski slope toward the main ski chairlift station at the top of the steep hill. Directly behind the lift station you will see a steep wet rock with a trickle or two of water (the "waterfall" gully). Either climb up this steep rock and proceed straight up the gully, or follow the trail to the right. If you follow the trail to the right you'll traverse a few gullies until you get to the last drainage gully, which switches back over a dangerous drop-off over vertical rock. This is quite dangerous, so you can backtrack along the route you came, to the previous gully, and make your way safely up and to toward the left; the idea is to find yourself above the first "waterfall" gully without risking exposure. (Don't risk your life, as there is no need to! You can make your way to the top of the ridge by searching carefully for the least exposed route.)
The trail will flatten out for awhile, but soon you'll be sweating uphill once more.
Eventually you must climb up a tricky and exposed slab. Climb up and over the lower right hand knifeblade to find an uphill sloping alley. Climb up and over and you'll see the route up to the East summit.
At the East summit, you still have a way to go. You must make your way down onto the saddle col between the East and higher West summit. To get to the west summit, you must head to your right (north) over an exposed deadly drop; only proceed in dry conditions with NO snow. Then switchback to the left (south)
Once beyond the exposed section, the rest of the way up is straightforward, but avoid walking out onto any snow cornice.
Return the same way.
picture to come soon
