Scrambles in Alberta

Victoria Peak is the highest peak in the Castle area, scrambling up Victoria Peak provides spectacular views of where the colorful mountains of the Castle meet the prairies.

The famous Pyramid Mountain is one of Jasper’s premier landmarks. It casts unforgettable reflections on nearby Pyramid and Patricia lakes as it stands tall above. This scramble route requires a full day’s effort and will leave your legs screaming by the time you finish up the lengthy distance and elevation gains required to reach the summit.

Loaf Mountain is the second highest peak in the Castle area and is bordered by spectacularly colorful valleys. An extension to the summit of Spionkop Ridge provides a spectacular view into Waterton Lakes National Park.

This beautiful scramble to Windy Ridge with an extension to Talus Peak and the Buckle can be called a gem found off the beaten track. It’s not very popular and we don’t really know why. The views are breathtaking (Abraham Lake especially), making the Windy Point Ridge, the Buckle and Talus Peak Scramble our favourite along the David Thompson Highway!

The Drywood Mountain Traverse is a long and easy traverse of a high ridge in the colorful Castle Wildland. The traverse is followed by a descent to a brilliantly-blue lake for a swim and possible camping, making this a spectacular summer outing!

This scramble to Southfork Mountain and Barnaby Ridge has it all, a backcountry campsite on beautiful Southfork Lakes, a long ridge top traverse, and spectacular scenery throughout!

The trail to the top of Ernest Ross Mount is a little challenging, but a fun scramble. You will find yourself on a quiet path with constantly changing surroundings: from bushes, trees, scree to almost vertical rock boulders. Although most of the trail is not too hard, one section will make you sweat a little: the scrambly part is a little steep and you will have to use some of your rock-climbing skills. But it’s worth all the effort, as the views from the top will take your breath away. From the surrounding peaks, to Kootenay Plains, and Abraham Lake – the panorama here is stunning!

Table Mountain is a colorful ascent alongside a creek, with spectacular photo opportunities above the sheer north face, and great summit views of where the mountains meet the prairies. In other words, a perfect day out in the Castle!

The rockslide off Turtle Mountain over a century ago fractured the mountain on a scale that is difficult to imagine, yet this scramble takes you across the fractured summit ridge where the sheer scale of the forces at play are apparent. A stop at the Frank Slide Interpretive Center afterwards to complete the history lesson makes this a fascinating and different kind of scramble.

The Two O-Clock Ridge Trail is a wonderful scramble near David Thompson Highway. After a short, but steep scramble you will find yourself surrounded by the Tuff Puff Ridge, Mt Ernest Ross and Two O-Clock Peak.