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Cave Mountain

Date: July 27, 2023
Location/Route Map: Assiniboine Provincial Park
Elevation: 2651 m
Elevation Gain: 1640 m (including a traverse of Windy Ridge, Og Mountain, and Bashan Peak in the morning)
Distance: 24 km (from Lake Magog Campground)
Rating: Class 2 - Easy
Notes: Cave Mountain is a simple off-trail hike that doesn't present any difficulties.
GPS Track: Download

Cave Mountain will never find itself at the top of anyone's priority list. It's not a major summit, and when viewed from the west (as it most often is), it's really just an uninspiring mound of rubble. (Sorry, no offense buddy!) After completing a traverse of Windy Ridge and Og Mountain, however, we descended via Og's southern slopes and were impressed by the long wall of cliffs lining Cave Mountain's entire northeast face! It had always been in the plan to tag this minor summit on our way back to Lake Magog, but this view was crucial in inspiring an extra boost of motivation to help our tired bodies reach our ninth summit in two days.

Windy Ridge, Og Mountain, Bashan Peak & Cave Mountain Route Map (see link in description - or click here - for interactive version).

Windy Ridge, Og Mountain, Bashan Peak & Cave Mountain Route Map (detail).

After easily descending directly to Og Pass from Og Mountain's fifth (and highest) summit (UPDATE! After the writing of this report, I've learned that this peak is unofficially, separately labeled as "Bashan Peak"), we briefly followed along the trail as it looped back around to Cave's tame west slopes. As soon as we noticed that the cliffs were starting to peter out, we left the trail once again and angled up through open larch forest (unfortunately not in season ☹️) towards the easy rubble slopes above.

Looking up Cave Mountain's NW flanks at the point where we left the Og Pass Trail. We entered the forest at the opening on the right side of the frame.

Ascending steep, grassy slopes to Cave's gentle W ridge. We made a sidehilling traverse across the slopes behind us, but likely could've started up to the ridge earlier.

Soon passing the treeline, we continued our ascending traverse, aiming for Cave's broad and gentle west ridge. In hindsight we probably could've just gone straight up these slopes and avoided all the sidehilling, but oh well! Once on the ridge, the ascent was an absolute breeze, and we easily ascended to a massive, grassy plateau where route possibilities are endless. We chose to stick to climber's left and ascended to the skyline ridge, hoping to get some interesting views down the northeast face as we climbed.

Entering an interesting plateau as we ascend Cave's NW slopes.

Easily following the broad, gentle NW ridge to the summit.

The climb went on longer than expected, and we reached false summit after false summit, (some with sizeable cairns piled up 🤔), only to have another ever-so-slightly higher bump come into view a couple hundred meters further up the ridge. We continued to plod along and eventually reached the highest of these bumps, rewarded with impressive views down Cave's lesser known northeast face and back across the valley to the traverse we completed earlier!

Approaching a big cairn along the summit ridge. It's not the summit cairn though!

Looking back along Cave's impressive NE face, with Og Mountain and Bashan Peak rising across the valley.

Terrapin, Naiset Point, Aye, Magog, Lunette, Assiniboine, Sturdee, Strom, and Wedgewood (L to R) tower high over Lake Magog.

We took a slightly more direct line on descent, and veered off down Cave's rubbly west slopes shortly after starting back down the ridge. This line was steeper than the plateau route we ascended, but was still nothing more than an off-trail hike. We aimed for an obvious drainage, breaking through the forested slopes below, and easily followed it down on its left side (skier's). With only some very minimal, and very light, "bushwhacking" required (just a swat of a couple branches every now and then), we soon emerged from the forest directly at the trail that would lead us back to our campsite at Lake Magog! That worked out well 🙂.

Taking a more direct descent route down Cave's W scree slopes.

Descending through light forest alongside a drainage.

Emerging from the forest right at the Og Pass Trail.

We still had a 5 km hike back to camp, but a very easy 5 km at that, and we were soon back at our campsite, refueling with crushed potato chips and tuna (It saves weight not to cook, but don't think it doesn't come at a cost 😂), while watching a cloudy sunset over Assiniboine and company.

Hiking through the beautiful, open meadows on our way back to camp at Lake Magog.

It's unlikely that you'll get any "oohs" and "aahs" when someone asks what you climbed and you point to the "big hill" just across the valley from one of the most picturesque peaks in the Rockies, but as a peakbagger, it's hard to ignore the ease at which you can add another one to the tally by ascending Cave. On a clear day, the views won't disappoint and you can't really go wrong when adding it on as a "side trip" to a more significant objective like Og.

Photo Gallery

Looking up Cave Mountain's NW flanks at the point where we left the Og Pass Trail. We entered the forest at the opening on the right side of the frame.

Hiking through a beautiful larch forest on Cave's lower, NW slopes.

Ascending steep, grassy slopes to Cave's gentle W ridge. We made a sidehilling traverse across the slopes behind us, but likely could've started up to the ridge earlier.

Views back across the valley as we gain Cave's W ridge. Golden Mountain and Nasswald Peak rise in the distance (center) with Og Mountain at right.

Starting up Cave's gentle, W ridge.

Looking out towards Lake Magog and the Assiniboine core over the beautiful meadows we hiked through this morning. We commented on how much these meadows resemble a dried up lake...I wonder what their history is?

Entering an interesting plateau as we ascend Cave's NW slopes.

Beautiful sunlight illuminates the traverse we completed earlier in the day! Og Mountain (L) and Bashan Peak (R).

Ascending Cave's broad NW ridge.

A telephoto shot of the nasty sidehilling traverse we had to complete to continue past Og's fourth summit...Note how following the ridge is not an option.

Impressive cliffs on the southern flanks of Og's fifth summit (Bashan Peak).

Easily following the broad, gentle NW ridge to the summit.

Approaching a big cairn along the summit ridge. It's not the summit cairn though!

Peering down 400 vertical meters to the valley below Cave's sheer NE face!

Looking back along Cave's impressive NE face with Og Mountain and Bashan Peak rising across the valley.

Terrapin, Naiset Point, Aye, Magog, Lunette, Assiniboine, Sturdee, Strom, and Wedgewood (L to R) tower high over Lake Magog.

Eon Mountain (R) looms high above The Towers, which in turn rise over the beautiful Cautley Meadows.

A closer look at The Towers - The first peak we climbed on our way into the park the previous day.

The final three peaks of The Cautley Traverse - Gibralter Rock, Cascade Rock, and Mount Cautley (L to R) - which we completed after ascending The Towers.