Rockies trip inquiry
 

We are coming from Vancouver & planning to stay in Banff for 3 days later this month. My plan is to do one hike each day from each of the following groups:

Day1
Moraine Lake
1 Mt Temle
2. Panorama Ridge
3. Eiffel Peak

Day 2
Lake Louise:
1 St Piran -Devil's Thumb-> Lake Agnes
2 Mt Niblock/Whyte

Day 3
Banff
1. Cascade Mt
2. Mt Rundle

I'd like to know if anything particular I need to know for those as I haven't done much in Banff. Are grizzlies out? I checked Alltrails.com & couldn't find recent comments on some trails such as Mt Temple & Whyte/Niblock. Thanks in advance.
Nikki

You can not do any of these hikes till at least mid July. There is tons of snow in Rockies. Only feasible hikes right now are in dry east slopes of the Foothills.

Thank you so much Zeljkok.

We have snowshoes & microSpikes & are prepared for winter conditions, still no enough for those trails? BTW, just went up Mt Bishop & Coliseum/Burwell in north shore last couple of weeks, tons of snow up there but no problem for us(I know you were there before).

I also see recent comments for the following so assume they are doable:
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/cana...ke-agnes-trail
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/cana...e-summit-trail

Nikki

North Shore is not same as Rockies. There is unreal amount of snow everywhere this year. Even Lake Louise is still frozen
https://www.banfflakelouise.com/fair...-louise-webcam


Yes, you could get to Lake Agnes and then its avalanche trap for Niblock or even Beehives. People died trying Niblock too early. Don't even think about anything in that area. Specially not Eiffel or Temple. Even peaks north side of Canmore which are sometimes dry as early as Feb still have snow. I have not seen anything like this in 25yrs.



Again, best bet are east slopes of K-country. Or maybe something like Windtower on Spray Road.

I see- exactly the info I needed &I'll do more research based your input & plan accordingly. Thank you so much!

If you absolutely must do something in Louise area, then I guess Fairview could be an option. You'd be wallowing in wet snow but it would be safe.


Re Banff -- Cascade is big NO right now, lots of wet snow on exposed slope visible from Banff; slip & you are in obituaries tomorrow. Rundle might be ok as that slope sees lots of sunshine, I am not sure. I'll be driving there tomorrow & will take a look. I know even EEOR above Canmore, that is sometimes dry by March, still has snow. And City of Canmore closed Ha Ling trail yet again, because of "Environment Hazard" (for ppl here it's like for Vancouver closing the Grind)

Hi Zeljkok,

I'll probably stay one day in Banff instead of 3 days based on the current conditions. My plan was to get some of those higher peaks ( that can be scrambled without climbing gear)- Mt Temple has been on my list for a while. But it sounds this is not a good time. Plan now perhaps the Windtower as you recommended or Rundle. Yes agreed safety is #1 . so won't go lake Louise. Just something high enough & with great views(&not too easy).
My daughter & I are driving to Ontario (where she starts her residency program) & stopping by Banff. I thought Mt Temple would a perfect place to celebrate her new milestone:-)

Mt. Temple is not in shape till August in normal years, and this year has been anything but normal. Come back 2nd half of August and I'll take you up. Re Banff -- I saw Rundle this evening, tons of snow all the way to valley bottom. That ain't going to melt till July. So slim pickings for "high enough with great views and not too easy".



You have two options: If you absolutely want to climb a peak, then north side of Bow Valley in Canmore is good now. Lady Macdonald, Grotto or further east Gap Peak, Loder / Dorjamb etc. Second is to just go for a hike. Minnewanka is beautiful and still won't require groups of 6. Hike the lakeshore then get up Aylmer Lookout; this should be dry, and what's wrong with this scenery?


https://forums.clubtread.com/attachm...chmentid=34786





Watch out for Split Lip while in Banff area; he's roaming around and word is he is very hungry

Zeljkok,
Thanks & what at a stunning photo!! Now I may have to change plan again, to stay for 2 days & get this lookout (Mt Aylmer also on list-to-do but obvious not this time) & Grotto (or Lady Macdonald), as it's hard to pick one of them. Both Grotto/Lady Mac look very much the same distance/elevation profile as Mt Bishop(remember that steep scrambly Vicar trail?;-) except anything in Banff is 1000m+ higher!

BTW, someone just went up Ruddle 2 days ago-
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/tr...e-summit-trail
Wouldn't it be better to have snow cover the screes that I heard could be moving under your feet in summer on some of those mountains?
Hopefully I'd be able to make it back later this year for Temple & more.
If you ever come my way I'd be happy to show you some of the best kept secrets in north shore, though they are just little forest bumps compared to Rockies:)

Rundle has this "Dragonback" part, slab that is not too narrow but drops on both sides. With wet snow it could be slippery & risky coming down. Yes snow can help on scree but only if it is firm; right now it is soft and non-supportive & would make things even more miserable specially near the top. Its really best that it's dry.



Re North Shore - would be interesting to see if you know something I am not aware off; I was working at a time on a hiking guidebook & mapped lots of obscure areas Golden Ears to Squamish

Wow that's so cool! I read about you guys ambitious plan of building/connecting trails from GE all the way to Squamish. Not sure if this already exits.
You just helped connect the dots for me as I also have faint memory of the story I read sometime ago, about the GPS apps coming out just before someone got his guidebook out - did you make the book anyway?

No wonder your TRs come with such high quality- all so beautifully written, with beautiful photography. They are a great source of inspiration & information for me to find my next adventures. Always appreciated your work. BTW, it was your TR that led me to Bishop the first time last year, thanks.

Here is for my up coming trip (may have to pick two of them):
1) Aylmer Lookout(got your GPS track, thanks:)
https://forums.clubtread.com/130-can...iewpoints.html
Were you alluding to grizzlies being already out? Is it going to be busy in a week?
Walking on the 16km flat could be a bit chalenging- for some reason it's harder on my feet to walk on the flat than on the hill.

2) Grotto
https://forums.clubtread.com/130-can...ar-canyon.html

3) EEOR & Rundle Ridge
https://autumnsky.zenfolio.com/canmore/EEOR
https://stevensong.com/canadian-rock...ndle-main-peak

Yes. Also waters are very high and there are flood advisories. Elk moms are very aggressive, warning signs all over Canmore. Weather is not good at all, maybe it will clear for your trip. It is not busy in midweek, although if clear sky lots will try to get out as weather has been brutal this spring.


Re EEOR -- there is still snow. I know of someone that just tried bit of traverse and bailed because of snow. So once again you are best off sticking to dry south exposed slopes in Bow Valley.

I would only do Aylmer Lookout as an overnight trip. It’s nice but not an overly exciting hike I would say, especially when looking at your initial plans.

(People go up EEOR already)

With regards of scenery I would still look around at Lake Louise. I don’t know about conditions now e.g. for Helena Ridge East and how the hike unfolds without or not a lot of snow but it has a relatively low effort (boring in the beginning) – high scenery ratio (at the end) and is okay in winter, chose your route with open eyes.

And I would assume that it’s okay to stroll around Lake Agnes in a week, check when you are there. This time of the year a lot of people don't think about avalanche for this common easy lake hike, on the other hand I have the impression that these warnings are a bit exaggerated here and there but even the parks say "caution", not not recommended at the moment, maybe because the teahouse is now open :)) - I also saw a post, I guess the guy stood on a Beehive. Still snow but doable with microspikes. Grizzly mom with a cub around.

Helena East would be really bad idea right now. Tons of wallowing in wet and non-supportive snow. This is March timeframe trip, not now. It is also quite overrated; scenery is ok but at the end only. I went there just before COVID & only if you continue along open ridgeline system east whole slog makes sense.




Agree with Parks generally exaggerating avalanche but this is understandable in tourist heavy areas, louise in particular. It is the moats, weakening snow bridges etc. that are problem now if you go further up from Agnes. I looked at Niblock slope the other day and it's all white, same with St. Piran and even Fairview. Basically not in season.


Best trip in Louise area right now is cycling Moraine road. I am hoping for sunny day before they re-open the road for vehicle traffic

Day 1 Panorama is the lone possibility. Temple and Eiffel ur gonna die


Day 2 avy terrain for both, wet sloughs ur gonna die


Day 3 IF by Mt Rundle u mean EEOR then that's fine. Cascade,,,,,,,u guessed it ur gonna die


and BTW forget AllTrails for any kind of accurate information. ESPECIALLY bear reports. You're better off calling Parks Canada