Crystal Ridge to Cirque Sub Peak Route Map (see link in desciption - or click here - for interactive version).

Descending Crystal Ridge's northwest summit (upper-left) on our way to Cirque Sub Peak!

The "valley" where we would start our next adventure! We considered gaining the left-hand, snow-covered ridge, but ultimately decided to stay below. This route was more direct, and the "valley" seemed broad enough that avalanche danger from either side wasn't much of a concern. Cirque Peak rises to the right, with the sub peak we were aiming for peeking out over the rocky ridge, just left of that.

Wonder if there's a pretty meadow here in summer? If so, it's buried 160cm below us...That was the snow depth here!!

Looking back at our tracks down to the "meadow". Crowfoot Mountain rises beyond.

Kinda looks like a tsunami coming for us! AHHH!

We get our first glimpse of St. Nicholas Peak, between Crowfoot's North Summit and North Peak!

The meadow was so peaceful, sheltered from the wind. It was sad to leave it behind :(.

Dolomite's eye-catching pillars rise over the ridge to the east!

Cratered snow 'n big mountains...and my dad of course :)!

The farther north we travelled, the more of the Wapta Icefield was revealed! Snow-covered Iceberg Lake sits below the expanse of ice from which Mounts Des Poilus and Collie rise!

The peaks of mountains peeking out over a ridge ;)

Continuing up the gentle slope below the right-hand ridge.

We were originally planning to circumvent the ridge that rises to climber's right...but plans change! As we reached the crest of the slope ahead, we realized we would have to lose significant elevation to reach the slopes leading up to Cirque Sub Peak...Not liking that option, we decided to head up to the ridge, and see if we liked it up there any better...

We easily reached what we thought would be the crest of the ridge, but instead found ourselves above a bit of a dip, with a steep rocky slope on the other side...At least it won't avalanche ;)!

Having fun down there?? Looking back, as we begin our ascent up the steep slope...There would definitely be significant avalanche risk here if it were covered in unstable snow!! Lucky for us, the wind took care of that, and all we had to worry about was the awkwardness of scrambling in snowshoes! (Note the "ridge crest" we gained below, and our tracks descending a lucky break to the right of the cornice)

Yes, I know we could have taken our snowshoes off...But where's the fun in that?!...Let's be honest, we were just too lazy to make the switch. LOL.

Once officially on the ridge crest, we got quite lucky again, having to traverse a slope on the other side, which also had protruding rocks to mitigate avalanche risk!

Descending to a low point in the ridge, after completing the traverse of the slope above.

Our approximate route looking forward, as we continue towards Cirque Sub Peak (distant right). Although the slopes appear to blend together here, when our route angles to the right it's actually along a ridge, with a steep drop down to the slopes beyond.

Impressive cliffs rise in the background, as we regain elevation past the low point!

Looking back to our approximate traverse route.

Never a shortage of views on this trip! Portal Peak and Mount Thompson tower above the brightly sun-lit slopes below!

Jimmy Junior's sunny, snow-blanketed slopes sit below Mount Jimmy Simpson's sheer east face!

I lay down on the ground to take this :P

We hoped we could simply follow this ridge to the summit...but unfortunately things wouldn't be that easy! Our ridge soon came to an abrupt end, with a steep, corniced drop, and a dip between us and a ridge leading to the summit slope! It looked like our only option would be to retrace our steps, back down our ridge, until gentler terrain granted us access to the slopes below. My dad immediately said forget it, saying that there's no way he's going all that way back down only to then have to reascend it all (plus extra)...I wasn't so eager to turn back however, and while my dad had a snack, I went to scope out an alternate route...

Hey! This doesn't look too bad! I explored down the ridge to the southeast (parallel to the ridge we needed to obtain) and found this narrow gully between our ridge, and a steep cliff face above (right of picture)! I quickly snowshoed back up to my dad to share my discovery! (Also, note the cracks at the bottom of the bowl...I looked on satellite and apparently there's a small lake there!)

Looking back up to the ridge we were on. This cornice is really pretty, but it also eliminates any chance of descending the slope it overhangs!

We easily gained the ridge on the other side of the dip!

Looking back at the cliff face I mentioned!

The rocky ridge ahead!

Dolomite Peak rises from the untouched valley below!

Our objective (center-left) is almost in reach! Cirque Peak rises to the right.

The final slope to the summit!

Bow Lake and company is...WOW!

Almost there! Nothing can stop us now...

Yo, what's this all about! We thought we'd reached the summit, but there was still this exposed ridge between us and the highest point! While this ridge is not at all exposed by summer scrambling standards...it's not summer!...and snow drastically changes how exposed something feels! On climber's right, lay a very steep, snowy slope, with a runout hundreds of meters below...On climber's left lay an uncertain amount of cornice curling over the steep north face of the mountain!

My dad looks back from the summit, as I cautiously traverse the ridge! Photo credit: Dad

Summit selfie, on our second summit of the day!!

Looking back to our first summit, Crystal Ridge! We started our lengthy adventure ascending to the southeast summit, traversed the ridge, and now find ourselves about 200m higher, and multiple kilometers away!

Based on my research (as mind boggling as it is), the peak rising center, directly behind The Onion, complete with a cloud halo(!!!), appears to be unnamed!?!?!?!?

Looking down the hidden valley running to the north! The big ones here are Mount Loudon (left) and Siffleur Mountain (center)!

Observation Peak is pretty big itself, rising beyond its respective sub peak!

Cirque Peak's twin summits still rise almost 200m above!

Crowfoot Mountain rises above it's corresponding glacier, with Bowcrow peak to the left! The massive Goodsirs are even visible far in the distance, in the gap between the two!

The clouds sweep over glaciated Mount Gordon (center), with St. Nicholas Peak jutting out to the right, all over Crowfoot's North Peak!

Bow Peak and Bowcrow Peak sit on opposite sides of Crowfoot Pass...beyond that rise a whole whack of mountains from the Lake Louise group!! To name a few...Mount Temple rises above Bow with Aberdeen below-right, and Mounts Lefroy and Victoria tower center-right! Pulpit Peak sits below in the mid-ground.

The king of the Wapta Icefield, Mount Balfour, rises above Crowfoot's summit ridge!

Caldron Peak sits below Mistaya Mountain (left) and Barbette Mountain (center)!

Mount Patterson, Howse Peak, White Pyramid, and Mount Chephren line up (left to right) down the parkway!

Beautiful brown cliffs hide the glacier on Cirque Peak's backside!

Mount Andromache, Little Hector, and Mount Hector to the southeast!

Even the Matterhorn of the Rockies, Mount Assiniboine, is visible waaaay in the distance (center)!

Dolomite Peak steals the show, rising center! Noseeum Peak is also visible behind, to the left.

Me, on the summit of Cirque Sub Peak!!! Photo credit: Dad

My dad, with the same incredible view towards Bow Lake!

Time to head down :(...Also, check out the gnarly drop down this side of the short summit ridge!! Recipe for disaster if avalanche conditions aren't in your favour!

Looking back to the significant cornice along the summit ridge! Just because there is snow, doesn't mean there's solid ground!

On return, we began by retracing our ascent route...until this point. Upon reaching the ridge opposite to the gully we descended earlier (looks steeper here than it actually is), we decided to try to avoid all the ups and downs of our convoluted ascent route, and instead descended...

...this gully to skier's right.

The view of the gully from below.

Easily making our way down through small rolling "hills" under the setting sun. While on Crystal Ridge in the morning, we saw some people kite skiing around here...Looked like so much fun!

Looking back to Cirque Sub Peak (center), as we circle around the ridge on which we made our ascent.

Our alternate descent route was looking like a great success (much easier, and straightforward than our ascent route), but we did encounter one small hiccup. We wanted to continue to angle down to the treeline, but eventually encountered some steeper slopes that were hard to judge with the (now) extremely flat light...Although inconvenient, we decided to play it safe, and ascended to skier's left, to rejoin with our ascent route above.

Back at the snow meadow!...The lighting is sooo flat!

Once past the snow meadow, we simply angled down (in a southeast direction) towards the treeline (no need to ascend Crystal Ridge again ;)!)

We reached the trees without difficulty, and had a hoot snowshoeing down the light, fluffy powder, preserved by the trees from the nasty winds in the alpine.

Oh ohh! Looks like someone stepped on one of the mines! LOLOL

Woah...that's deep man :o Photo credit: Dad

My dad only hit one more mine after that one (somehow I managed to escape "mine-free" :) ) and we soon hit some tracks that we quickly determined to be ours from our ascent. All we had to do now was follow them back to the highway!