Date: June 27, 2022
Location/Route Map: Canmore
Elevation: 2485 m
Elevation Gain: 1200 m
Distance: 4 km (one way to summit), 18.2 km (round trip, including Mount Fable)
Rating: Class 3 - Moderate
Notes: Some minor exposure along Gap Peak's summit ridge. The real fun comes after, along the traverse to Mount Fable...
GPS Track: Download
After a fun two-week trip visiting my sister on Vancouver Island, I found myself back at home, in Edmonton...🥲. But that meant closer to the Rockies, and what better way to start the summer than with a scramble I've been eyeing forever! The Gap Peak to Mount Fable traverse caught my attention the first time I read about it in Kane's Scrambles who knows how long ago, and I've been itching to explore it ever since...But there's a problem. Assuming you won't want to retrace your steps all the way back up the ridge to Gap Peak, there's an alternate descent route (directly down from Fable), that exits via Exshaw Creek. Sounds great!...Except for the fact that this leaves you about a 5km highway trek from your car...In an ideal scenario, you have someone else with a car, who drops you off/picks you up. As it's usually just my dad and I, we didn't have that luxury...Until now!! My mom decided to join us on this trip, and we finally had that missing piece to the puzzle! Thanks mom 🙂!
Gap Peak Route Map (see link in desciption - or click here - for interactive version).
Looking back down the short, gravel road we followed from the highway. My mom dropped us off at a pull-off (aka restricted road for powerplant stuff) about 350m south of the big Grotto Pond Lot...In the unfortunate case that you don't have a ride, the multitude of NO PARKING signs will likely leave you parking at Grotto Pond, and simply walking the extra few hundred meters. Look on the bright side, that's 350m less of highway walking to end your day ;)!
Unsure what kind of trail existed, we were about to start bushwhacking up through the forest, but spotted this handy-dandy cairn, down to our left, at the last second! Phew! That could've sucked!
Beautiful view across the valley as we gain elevation through the forest. Mount Lougheed, Wind Tower, and Rimwall, rise over the winding Bow River.
The trail was easy to follow, with a few steeper sections, and we made quick progress.
Soon the ridge began to open up, as we approached the first cliff band.
As we made our way up the scree trail, we started to feel the heat of the morning sun, having left the shelter of the forest behind us.
Looking back as the view starts to open up, and Lougheed's complete four peak length is revealed.
It wasn't long before we arrived at the base of the first cliff band, which is easily detoured around by traversing below it, to climber's right. Photo credit: Dad
Please don't drop any rocks on us!
The cliffs soon peter out, and steep scree/dirt slopes lead back up to the ridge.
A fun bit of scrambling once regaining the ridge.
Cliff band #2! This one is easily by-passed on the opposite side (climber's left). Gap Peak's false summit rises above.
A good scree trail easily traverses around the cliffs.
Luckily, this band soon comes to an end as well, easing off to just a few short slabs.
After scrambling up the slabs, a massive funnel of treadmill scree awaited us...Yeehaw!
Making progress!...slowly.
Upon reaching the interesting cliffs above, we were relieved to get our hands on some solid rock, and scrambled up a small weakness on the right side, escaping the treadmill slope at the first opportunity!
The weakness easily led us to the ridge, where we turned right, and scrambled up scree, followed by slabs to the false summit.
Awesome view of Mount Lougheed!
Impressive, unnamed outlier down the northeast ridge from Grotto.
Looking up the ridge from the false summit. The ridgewalk is longer than expected, and although it may appear that way, the next highpoint is NOT the summit.
Starting up, with the false summit jutting out in the background. The downclimb was not at all as bad as it looks.
The true length of the ridge is revealed as we reach the top of the next highpoint. Summit at far right.
The ridgewalk was very pleasant, with a couple narrower sections to keep things interesting. Photo credit: Dad
Grotto's sheer east face makes for quite the backdrop behind my dad, with Rundle and Assiniboine rising beyond that!
The summit is within reach!
Scrambling up a narrower section just below the summit.
Stunning, close up view of the shapely Mount Fable, as we reach the summit of Gap Peak!
Hazy view towards the prairies. Old Fort Peak and Goat Mountain are the two distinct peaks on the ridge to the left.
Gnarly-looking, slabby summit block on Old Fort.
The view of Grotto's often hidden, but much more impressive, backside was definitely a highlight!
Looking north, to the long, windy ridge between us and Mount Fable.
Our entry in the summit register.
My dad on the summit of Gap Peak.
A picture of me, taking the picture ;). Photo credit: Dad
Mount Bogart, Wind Mountain, Lougheed 3, 2, and 1, Wind Tower, Nestor, and Old Goat rising high over Rimwall (left to right).
Some b&w action of the interesting ridge ahead.
We didn't linger too long on the summit of Gap Peak...Considering the distance that we still had to cover, our day had barely begun! Now for a long ridgewalk to the main objective, Mount Fable!
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