Date: July 27, 2021
Location/Route Map: Icefields Parkway (South)
Elevation: 3055 m (2730 m for North Peak, 3040 m for North Summit)
Elevation Gain: 1630 m (795 m for North Peak, +580 m for North Summit)
Distance: 22 km
Rating: Class 3 - Moderate
Notes: Traversing Crowfoot Mountain makes for a long day with lots of elevation gains and losses. While most people are content bagging the North Peak and True Summit on separate trips (Crowfoot can be ascended directly via our descent route), the full traverse requires only small amounts of route-finding and moderate scrambling and is extremely rewarding! My only regret is that we didn't do it on a clear day.
GPS Track: Download
The first time I saw Crowfoot Mountain (the North Peak), was many years ago in a picture from Bow Lake. I have no clue how I came across this picture, but I remember thinking that it was so cool that this mountain appeared to rise straight up out of the lake! With the angle of the picture I saw, Bow Lake appears to wrap right around Crowfoot, making it look like an island in a body of water! As I was much younger at the time, I didn't do any more research, and just accepted that in order to reach this mountain, I would have to acquire a canoe to get across the water! lol! Even though this mountain seemed out of reach, it never left the back of my mind as a mountain I wanted to climb. Fast forward to many years later, when I was less naive and realized that Bow Lake didn't in fact surround Crowfoot Mountain, and Crowfoot quickly became a top priority! I discovered a route description in Nugara's book, and as soon as I read the words "full traverse", I immediately skipped everything and went to it...only to realize that I had to read the previous route options for it to make any sense, lol. Nugara says that "for true masochists there is the full traverse", and I said, "sign me up!"
Crowfoot Mountain Full Traverse Route Map (see link in desciption - or click here - for interactive version).
Starting out along Bow Lake! The North Peak of Crowfoot rises up, similar to the picture that fooled me so many years ago!
The moon sits high above The Onion!
Portal Peak and Mount Thompson! One of the last views we had before we were engulfed by wicked smoke! Up to this point, we followed the trail along Bow Lake until the big boulder. We then crossed to the other side of the canyon, and continued up the trail for about 200m. At that point, we cut through some bush to the left, quickly arriving at a boulder field. We traversed left, along the base of the boulder field for a few meters, before heading up, aiming for the far left end of the cliffs above.
The sun rises just above the ridge! Rewinding to the last pic...Once above the cliffs, we continued ascending near the edge of the trees on the left. Upon reaching the tree line, we turned left, and the view of the rest of the scree ascent route opened up. From there, it was just a matter of following the easy scree slope up to the ridge!
Reading through the summit register! The summit of the North Peak is still a few meters above to the south, and our GPS also marked the farthest peak to the north higher than here...but there's a register here, so I guess I'll sign it...¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Photo credit: Dad
Our entry!
Looking down 700 vertical meters to Bow Lake reflecting the morning sun! I can see the tree's reflections, but no trees creating them!
Looking up the sheer face of the North Summit (referred to as Center Crowfoot on some maps)! Our next objective!
Woah!
Me, with the summit of the North Peak behind! See why it's confusing that the register is here!? The route follows the ridge, and then ascends the scree ramp between the rock outcropping and the long cliff band guarding the summit. Photo credit: Dad
We went to check out the end of the ridge, to the north. Apparently there's supposed to be a "great view!"... Photo credit: Dad
Yoooo! Check out that view! LOL. I can barely make out Jimmy Simpson and Jimmy Jr. rising up above the end of Bow Lake :(
Heading back, to summit the North Peak! Interesting grassy terrain up here!
On the summit of the North Peak! Photo credit: Dad
My dad, with the North Summit rising above!
Summit selfie! Photo credit: Dad
Still some remnants of glacier below!
Heading down the ridge from North Peak, towards North Summit! We didn't stay long, as there was no time to waste with all the ground we still needed to cover! We had a really hard time pulling ourselves away from the incredible views though...;) From here we would end up having to lose 100m, regain 150m, lose 150m, and then gain about 400m just to reach the North Summit!!
Woah!! How does that even happen! Incredible natural sculpture! Photo credit: Dad
Continuing to lose elevation down the ridge. Photo credit: Dad
Looking back up at the North Peak.
Our approximate route to and from the North Peak, as we regain all the elevation we just lost (plus extra) towards the cliffs guarding the North Summit, just to lose it all again in a few minutes! What can I say...I signed up for this :)
After regaining 150m, rather than gain even more, and follow the ridge right to the cliffs, we tried to side hill directly to the hidden gully. Although this route looked okay from afar, it was deceivingly steep and hard-packed, covered in loose pebbles...We made it to the gully nonetheless, and lost all the elevation we had just regained, on quite unpleasant scree! Nugara wasn't lying when he said we'd have to resist the urge to try one of the steeper gullies leading up the cliffs earlier...but we took his word for it, and tried not to give them any attention! We eventually reached the obvious weakness, and easily ascended it. Once atop the weakness, we traversed along the slope to the south, until we found one of the gullies Nugara mentions, to ascend.
This solid rock was a fun time!
Scrambling up the gully! Photo credit: Dad
Nearing the top of the gully.
Looking back down to the North Peaks, now on the ridge leading to the North Summit! Unfortunately all good things have to end, and the terrain up here degrades to a scree slog.
I can kind of see something...The Onion rises to the left of Iceberg Lake...
My dad takes a classic foot-off-the-edge picture, as we follow the ridge to the North Summit!
Just a little bit of a drop...
Approaching the North Summit! Photo credit: Dad
Mount Olive across the valley, with glaciated Gordon behind-right!
St. Nicholas Peak juts out above the Wapta Icefield!
Portal Peak and Mount Thompson are not as clearly visible as they were this morning! I know these pictures are complete garbage, but it's all I've got! LOL. To be honest, it was actually really sad not to have any views :(.
My dad on the North Summit! The true summit of Crowfoot is distant center! Still a long (3.5km in a straight line) ways to go!
Taking in the view! Not gonna get this birds-eye view of Crowfoot Glacier from anywhere else!
North Summit pano, with mountains actually visible (kinda...)! Vulture Peak, Mount Olive with Gordon behind, pointy St. Nicholas Peak, The Onion and Iceberg Lake with glaciated Mounts Rhondda and Habel in the distance, Portal Peak and Mount Thompson, and finally Mount Jimmy Simpson (left to right)!
We continued following the crest of the ridge, but soon realized we had to backtrack, as the slope cliffed out in front and below us!
Didn't want to go down there!
Interesting effect with the pano!
Continuing along the ridge. We stayed near the edge the whole way, and suffered the added elevation gains and losses, partly because this granted interesting views off the edge the whole way, and partly because in order to complete the full traverse, I wanted to summit every peak along the way!
Following the ridge was easy-going and enjoyable, even with all the ups and downs :)
Looking back to the North Summit!
Squirrel suit anyone?!
This amazing view of Crowfoot Glacier was a highlight throughout the traverse!
Crowfoot Mountain's distant summit.
Super originally named Bowcrow Peak...because it's between Bow Peak and Crowfoot...lol
WOW! Notice how chunks of ice have fallen and smashed to bits below!
Leaving another peak behind.
Back on the elevation loss. Photo credit: Dad
Sheer cliff face off the edge of the ridge! Photo credit: Dad
My turn for a foot pic ;)! Standing directly above Crowfoot Glacier!!
Final descent before the false summit...then it's all up!
A couple of moderate downclimbs ended off the easy ridgewalk!
We continued to stay near the ridge crest as we scrambled up to the false summit. (This is where the direct route meets the full traverse route.)
Scrambling up!
Crowfoot Glacier lies right over the edge!
That's pretty cool :)
Typical terrain leading up to the false summit.
Unique angle of the long ridge we traversed!
Reaching the false summit. Photo credit: Dad
Now just an easy walk to the summit!!
Summit selfie! Photo credit: Dad
Cool ice formations on Crowfoot Glacier below!
Looking back at the ridge! Three different peaks line up perfectly in ascending order to look like one! The North summit is the highest and furthest right!
"Here I am, on top of big mountain. Just to show everybody...I made it! 9 hours...only 9 hours Paul put me through! Climbing...climbing...climbing..." - Dad. LOL!
Me, with the barely visible Wapta Icefield! Photo credit: Dad
Vulture Peak and St. Nicholas Peak!
Bowcrow Peak looks flat from above! Bow Peak is behind, to the right!
Looking down the barren valley that leads to Hector Lake (maybe visible on a clear day?)!
The view of Mount Balfour would be incredible...if you could see it! I had to guess where it was, and totally misjudged framing the nearly invisible mountain! The only thing this picture is good for, is spotting dust spots on my sensor! LOL.
Summit pano! Balfour, Olive, Vulture Peak, St. Nicholas Peak, The Onion with glaciated Mounts Rhondda and Habel (distant, barely visible), and Mount Thompson!
Went through a lot of trouble to get at this notebook! The register was sealed shut, and there were previous signs of people hammering it with a rock to try and open it! I was determined to succeed, and eventually (my dad bent the blade of his knife in the process) it came loose!!
I went to check out the south end of the summit...
...not much more to see though.
This glacier is definitely the highlight! Weird effect with the thick smoke...
Single boulder in the middle of the glacier! Photo credit: Dad
So cool! Photo credit: Dad
Heading back to the false summit!
There's a glacier on this side of Crowfoot too!
Close up of glacial tarn #1! Photo credit: Dad
Close up of glacial tarn #2! Photo credit: Dad
Descending from the false summit!
Is that Cirque Peak I see across the highway?!!
From the col between the false summit, and the next peak of the ridge, we descended to the glacier below. Sliding down this snow (don't worry, it's beside the glacier) was a nice break before the terrain ahead!
This is what it looks like under a glacier if anyone was wondering :)
Although walking right along the receding glacier was pretty neat, it has left the terrain around it in rough shape! Slabs covered with pebbles are not the most stable underfoot...Especially troublesome when they're downsloping towards a glacier!
The terrain eased off as we passed this pretty lake!
Our approximate route down from the false summit!
Glacier beach!?...Didn't know they existed!
Cool layers in that cliff band!
We followed down along the main stream, until the terrain opened up and a lush stream could be seen, flowing down from the right. We headed up along this peaceful stream, as Nugara suggests. The first splash of colour on this extremely grey, smokey day.
Behind a waterfall!
The stream led up to this peaceful lake!...Or what would be peaceful if it weren't for the swarms of mosquitoes!!
Looking back.
Clearer view of Olive and St. Nicholas! From the end of the lake, we continued north, until we reached the cliff band Nugara mentions, and easily descended down around the right side. There were even cairns showing a bit of the way (the first we'd seen all day)!
Setting sun over the Wapta Icefield!
Looking up the rubble slope we descended. These slopes easily led us towards the well travelled Bow Hut Trail that we would follow back to Bow Lake. Photo credit: Dad
The north end, and North Summit of Crowfoot, from the trail, almost back to Bow Lake! At least the descent down the direct route only took 5 hours, compared to the 9 hours up! A long, but rewarding day! Would have been absolutely spectacular had there not been smoke, but even so, it was a memorable experience, finally summiting the mountain I once believed to be an island!
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