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Yamnuska Mountain Adventures

Mountaineering, Rock Climbing, Ice Climbing, Backcountry Skiing

  • Avalanche
    • Avalanche Skills Training 1 – Canmore/Calgary
    • AST 1 (Classroom Webinar/Rockies Field Day)
    • Avalanche Skills Training 1 for Ice Climbers
    • Avalanche Skills Training 1 Refresher
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    • Avalanche Skills Training 2 – Rogers Pass
    • Avalanche Skills Training 2 – Purcell Lodge
  • Mountaineering
    • Beginner Programs
      • Scrambling Skills and Safety
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    • Intermediate and Advanced Programs
      • Yoho Peaks
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      • Intro to Alpine Ice at the Columbia Icefields
      • Lake Louise Classics
      • Moraine Lake Alpine Classics
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      • Bugaboos Granite
      • Tonquin Valley Alpine Climbing
    • Canadian Rockies 11,000ers
      • Mount Temple
      • Mount Willingdon
      • Mount Cline
      • Mt Woolley & Diadem
      • Mount Hector
      • Mount Athabasca
      • Mount Andromeda
      • Mt Joffre Expedition
      • Mount Victoria
      • Mt Edith Cavell
      • Mount Forbes
      • Mount Assiniboine
      • Mount Robson
    • Fast and Light Series
      • Castle Mountain
      • Mt Louis Kain Route
      • Bugaboo Spire – North East Ridge
      • Mt Sir Donald – Northwest Ridge
      • Mt Aberdeen
      • Mt Stanley
      • Mt Fay – West Ridge
      • Mt Temple – East Ridge
    • One-Day Crevasse Rescue for the Alpinist
    • Navigation 1 (Back to Basics with Map & Compass)
    • Navigation 2 (Digital Trip Planning & Electronic Navigation)
    • One Month Summer Mountaineering Program
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      • Climb Mount Athabasca
      • Bugaboos Climbing Guides
      • Climb Mount Assiniboine
      • Climb Mount Robson
  • Skiing
    • Instructional Backcountry Skiing & Boarding
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      • Splitboarding Intro
      • Backcountry Freerider
      • Ultimate Steep & Deep Clinic
    • Guided Steep & Deep Programs
      • Rogers Pass Powder Skiing
      • Signature Series Splitboarding Camp with Justin Lamoureux
      • Kootenays Powder Adventure
      • Backcountry Powder Pass
    • Ski Mountaineering & Classic Traverses
      • Intro to Ski Mountaineering
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      • The Wapta Traverse
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      • The Lyells & Mons Ski Descents
      • Mt Columbia Ski Expedition
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      • Troll Peninsula, Iceland Ski Safari
      • Rishiri Island Skiing in Japan
    • Navigation 1 (Back to Basics with Map & Compass)
    • Navigation 2 (Digital Trip Planning & Electronic Navigation)
    • One Month Backcountry Ski Program
    • Private Ski Guiding & Splitboarding
  • Rock Climbing
    • Rock Climbing Level 1 – Outdoor Rock Intro
    • Rock Climbing Level 2 – Learn to Lead
    • Rock Climbing Level 3 – Multi-Pitch Climbing Course
    • Rock Climbing Level 4 – Trad Rock Leader
    • Rock Climbing Level 5 – Rock Rescue
      • Foundational Rock Rescue
      • Advanced Rock Rescue
    • Signature Series Rock Leader with Sean Isaac
    • Hot Rock
    • Ghost Rock
    • El Potrero Chico Rock Road Trip
    • Beginner Experiential Rock Climbing
    • Multipitch & Instructional Rock Climbing
  • Ice Climbing
    • Ice Climbing Level 1 – Basic Ice
    • Ice Climbing Level 2 – Top Rope Management
    • Ice Climbing Level 1 & 2 – Ice Evolution
    • Ice Climbing Level 3 – Ice Leader
    • Ice Climbing Level 4 – Multi-Pitch Ice Leader
    • Steep Ice and Mixed Climbing Clinic
    • Drytooling Clinic
    • Rampart Creek Ice Camp
    • Ghost Ice Climbing Camp
    • ‘Hot’ Ice Climbing
    • Signature Series Ice Climbing with Sean Isaac
      • Early Season Ice Camp with Sean Isaac
      • Ice Leader Camp with Sean Isaac
      • Mixed Master Camp
      • Steep Ice Clinic with Sean Isaac
      • Mixed Climbing Clinic with Sean Isaac
      • Ice Lead Clinic with Sean Isaac
      • Multi-pitch Systems Clinic with Sean Isaac
    • Southern Ontario Ice Climbing
      • Southern Ontario – One-day Ice Climbing Essentials
      • Southern Ontario Ice Leader
    • Avalanche Skills for Ice Climbers
    • Beginner Experiential Ice Climbing
    • Private Multipitch & Instructional Ice Climbing
  • Mountain Semesters
    • 3-Month Mountain Skills Semester
    • 1-Month Summer Mountaineering Semester
    • 1-Month Ski & Splitboard Semester

August 10, 2011 By Sylvia Watson Leave a Comment

Lake Louise Classics Part 2

SunriseOnVictoria-RoyMillarOn the evening of July 25th, I met up with Yamnuska guide Grant Meekins and guest Carl Granrud from Colorado, to spend the next 3 days on the last days of the Lake Louise Classics. Our objective was to reach the Neil Colgan Hut, Canada’s highest habitable structure at 2957m. Grant outlined our route from Moraine Lake, pointing out the towering 10 Peaks, as we started out with our heavy packs. We were carrying  3 days of meals, plus our mountaineering gear (crampons, axes, helmets, harnesses, rope) and of course our sleeping bags and clothing. To say my pack was challenging is a bit of an understatement – at just a smidgeon under 5′ tall, I struggled with its weight and bulk throughout our trip. However, happy alpinists are not easily discouraged, so we gamely met our first challenge of crossing the slippery log “bridge” spanning the back of the lake, clinging to a dubious thin wire cable that acted to help balance us. Whew – no river “baths” on the first morning.

Our ascent took us up the Schiesser Ledges route which is the “standard” route to the hut. Throughout our 8 hour ascent, Mother Nature playfully threw snow, rain, sleet and even the occasional ray of sunshine our way, so numerous stops were required to layer, de-layer and suit up with Gore-tex. On arrival at the hut, we found we were the only party in residence, so we had plenty of space to dry out wet gear and clothing, and claim a generous amount of territory on the sleeping foamies. Mt. Fay was looking rather dubious, and as Grant ran through possible options for the following day’s climb, we decided that rather than spend an entire day weather bound in Canada’s highest hut, we’d climb a modest peak like Bowlen (Peak #2 in the 10 Peaks), and descend to the valley to attempt another mountain.

So on the morning of July 27th, we leisurely scrambled up Mt. Bowlen (3,602m), took the requisite summit pics, and descended the Fay Glacier to the Perren route and back out to Moraine Lake. On our final day, we decided on Mt. Niblock (2,976m) as our objective, a popular climb above the Lake Agnes Tea House in the Lake Louise area. Once we were up and past the Lake Agnes Tea House, we began to work our way up to the Mt. Whyte/Niblock col, through boulder fields and thankfully snowfields that facilitated our ascent (easy on the knees!). Although it was late July, the summit felt more like early winter, as we were buffeted by strong winds and sleet.

Happily for Carl, his week included ascents on LeFroy, Bowlen and Niblock, with an attempt of Victoria (cut short by incredibly snowly conditions on the Victoria ridge).  For me, these objectives had already been accomplished in previous years, but one can never get enough of the mountains. Even if a route is repeated, the climbers are different, the guides might be different, and there is a unique energy and memory that comes with every climb.

Thanks to Grant Meekins for his professional and safe guiding skills; to Carl for his good spirit and warm smile (even though he claims to be a shy Norwegian) and to Brian, from Yamnuska’s kitchen, for the delicious and interesting meals. This Yamnuska trip is definitely a “classic” and should be included in any alpinist’s checklist for the Canadian Rockies.

Written by Yamnuska guest, Margaret Imai-Compton

Filed Under: Trip Reports

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