Mt Lady Macdonald – South East Ridge

Itinerary

We will meet at the Yamnuska classroom (#100-50 Lincoln Park in Canmore) at 6:00 am for a gear check, route overview, and a quick discussion of fast-and-light alpine efficiency principles. From town, we begin our approach up Cougar Creek and ascend a steep trail that gains the Southeast Ridge of Lady Macdonald. Once on the crest, we move steadily along exposed 3rd and 4th class terrain, with short technical 5.5 steps, slabs, boulders, and airy knife-edges leading toward the summit. With constant coaching and efficient movement, we reach the top to take in sweeping views of the Bow Valley, Ghost, and Spray before making our descent and returning to Canmore by mid to late afternoon. This is a full, high-energy day in the mountains, typically 8–10 hours round-trip depending on conditions and guest pace.

Trip Cancellation Insurance is available through the Simpson Group.

Please contact the office to arrange your trip.

Guides and Group Size

1:1 or 1:2 guide-to-guest ratio for optimal speed, coaching, and safety. Our guides are enthusiastic and extremely talented. They hold certification from the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides, and we are licensed to operate in the area by Parks Canada. 

Transportation

Transportation is not included in this program. We will rely on guests’ vehicles to reach the trailhead. 

Canmore is situated 100km (65miles) west of Calgary on the Trans-Canada Highway. It is well served by scheduled bus lines both from Calgary (airport and downtown), Banff (20km west), and points further west. Calgary International Airport is well connected to major cities throughout North America and Europe. Vehicle rental is available both in Calgary and in Canmore. 

Park Passes

Please note that program venues may be within National Parks and/or Kananaskis Country. For programs where transportation is not provided by Yamnuska/Canadian Rockies Hiking by Yamnuska, guests will be required to purchase their own pass.

National Park passes are available both online at https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/voyage-travel/admission and in-person at National park gates and some information centres.

Kananaskis Country conservation passes are available online at https://www.alberta.ca/kananaskis-conservation-pass.aspx

Accommodation and Meals

Accommodations and meals are not included.  

Accommodation in Canmore is not included. A variety of accommodation options exist in both Canmore and Banff, including campsites, hostels, all levels of hotels as well as condo-style accommodation with kitchens or suites.  We recommend that you book your own pre- and post-trip accommodations well in advance as all levels of accommodations in the Bow Valley fill quickly.  

Excess luggage can be left at your hotel or our office. 

Equipment and Clothing

We supply group climbing gear such as ropes and hardware but we recommend that you bring your own personal climbing gear (e.g. boots, harness and helmet), clothing, and general equipment. We can lend you some personal items should you require them.  Let us know, in advance, what you will need.

The equipment and clothing you bring with you will play a large role in the quality of your experience. Read the following suggestion list carefully. If you have any questions or need clarification don’t hesitate to call or write. There is room for substitution and changes but if you have any doubt, do contact us.

Clothing List

We suggest layers of light, easily carried clothing that allows for fast and easy adjustment to best suit fast-changing weather conditions. Cotton clothing is not appropriate as it causes rapid heat loss when wet. Feel free to call us if you have any questions about what to bring.

You will need to bring:

• Wool/blend socks
• Long underwear – top – synthetic or wool
• Softshell climbing pants – these should be windproof nylon/synthetic blend mountaineering pants
• Mid-weight top – synthetic or wool
• Softshell jacket – this should be a windproof nylon/synthetic blend jacket
• Outer jacket and pants – waterproof with a hood (Gore-Tex)
• Insulated jacket – synthetic or down
• Mountaineering gloves – lightweight
• Hat – synthetic or wool that covers your ears and fits under a helmet
• Sunhat – with a wide brim

• Alpha SV Jacket (Men’s & Women’s)
• Rush Jacket (Men’s & Women’s)
• Rush Bib Pant (Men’s & Women’s)
• Atom Hoody (Men’s & Women’s)
• Atom SL Hoody (Men’s & Women’s)
• Cerium Down Hoody (Men’s & Women’s)
• Nuclei Hoody (Men’s & Women’s)

Equipment List

You will need to bring: (Items in blue are available to rent from Yamnuska,  we can loan you the items in red). You must give us plenty of notice if wanting to rent or loan gear.

• Lightweight mountaineering boots – Or sturdy approach shoes. Ideally, mountain boots should be lightweight leather or synthetic with a semi-rigid sole.  It is possible to buy boots such as the La Sportiva ‘Trango’ which are designed specifically for alpine rock.  A sturdy pair of approach shoes would also be appropriate for this trip.  As always, the most important feature of a mountaineering boot or approach shoe is comfort. Different brands seem to suit different feet. If buying try a few different pairs and if they are not comfortable don’t buy them. There are many good brands. They include Asolo, Kayland, La Sportiva and Scarpa and 5.10.
• Daypack – Big enough to fit extra clothing, equipment and your food.  A 30-35 litre capacity is suitable.
• Harness
• Helmet
• Belay device
• Sunglasses – with 100% UV protection
• Sun cream – extra strength
• Lip cream – with UV protection
• Headlamp – with fresh batteries
• Waterbottle
• Blister kit – ‘moleskin’, ‘second skin’ etc.
• First aid items – keep this small (band-aids, ibuprofen & aspirin/Tylenol, etc.)
• Personal toiletries including hand sanitizer
• Camera

Optional Items:

We supply the following items, but if you have your own, please feel free to bring them: nut tool, belay device with pear-shaped carabiner, 1 x 5m 7mm prusik, 1 x 120cm sewn sling and 2 x locking biners.

Please book as early as practical to avoid disappointment. We require full payment on booking.  We accept Visa, Mastercard, Certified  Cheques, Electronic Transfers and Bank Drafts.  Credit card payments are easiest, especially for international travellers.

We ask that you familiarize yourself with our detailed booking instructions and conditions.

Risk is an inherent part of all mountain activities. We strive to manage and reduce it however, it is impossible to totally eliminate. Learn more about our safety and risk management approach here.  Please note that you will be required to sign our waiver before commencing the program. Please view our sample waiver copy.

The Simpson Group offers a wide range of travel insurance options including Trip Cancellation/Interruption, Travel Medical, and Personal Effect Loss for both Canadian and International Travelers. Other providers offer similar services and we encourage you to select an appropriate level of coverage. We highly recommend purchasing this insurance to cover and protect you against unforeseen events. The two basic types of insurance that most travellers need to consider are Medical and Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance.

Insurance Risk 
One of the ways to mitigate risk is by purchasing appropriate insurance. Simpson Group Insurance Services who are travel & health risk specialists, work with technical and high-risk insurance solutions both in medical and non-medical spheres.  We highly recommend that you review your insurance needs to cover and protect you against unforeseen events. It is wise to ensure that your health plan will cover you in case of illness or accident during your trip. Simpson Group have a team standing by to answer any of your questions.

Emergency Medical Evacuation
While there is typically no charge for search & rescue in the National and Provincial Parks for active pass holders, costs such as air & ground ambulance after the rescue are not covered by your park pass. The chance of a large bill associated with this risk is a real possibility.

For Canadians
A common myth is that healthcare across provinces is fully covered. There are many things which do not carry interprovincial agreements. Ambulance services, medical evacuation, and some services which one province charges more than another you’d be responsible to pay the difference.

For Internationals
A common myth is that healthcare in Canada is free. Although it is less expensive than US healthcare, charges for non-residents can still be very high. Proper medical health insurance is essential if you were to get injured. Most coverages exclude rock climbing, mountaineering, ice climbing, backcountry skiing and the like. Simpson Group can make sure all those risks are well covered.

Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance
We recognize that our guests’ schedules may change for many reasons, business, family, flight delays, injuries, and other unplanned events.  For these eventualities, Trip Cancellation/Interruption insurance is a great way to protect your investment. We can assure you that circumstances do arise that prevent guests from participating in trips or courses and trip cancellation & interruption insurance is a relatively easy way to manage your level of risk of unforeseen events.

For all your travel insurance requirements we recommend Simpson Group Insurance Services.  For more information and to purchase a plan, visit Simpson Group’s website.