Date: July 21, 2021
Location/Route Map: Icefields Parkway (South)
Elevation: 3174 m
Elevation Gain: 1110 m
Distance: 8 km
Rating: Class 2/3 - Easy/Moderate
Notes: Easy to moderate scrambling through the rock band halfway up the mountain.
GPS Track: Download
I've been wanting to scramble Observation Peak for a number of years now, partly because of its pretty significant elevation (3174 m) and also because of the views (it's in the name!). On multiple different occasions, we've been planning to climb this mountain, but it's never happened! Most recently was last year, when it was still plastered with snow in mid-July, which we weren't prepared for! We consequently turned around on the highway, and went to scramble Mount Field instead. I was beginning to think I'd never climb this mountain! Finally, after staring at a bone dry Observation Peak across the highway as we made our way down from The Onion the day prior, my dad and I couldn't resist knocking this peak off once and for all the next day! Kaitlyn, however, wasn't quite as eager...
Observation Peak Route Map (see link in desciption - or click here - for interactive version).
After leaving the gravel road at the cairn, we soon arrived at the avalanche gully, and ascended along the right side. As there were signs of a trail continuing up scree along the gully higher up, we just stuck it. We would later realize that we missed a turn-off up to the ridge, but our route worked just fine (although Kaitlyn might not agree).
Kaitlyn hiking up along-side the gully. She started off the day in a real bad mood, which carried through, throughout the ascent...she was tired from yesterday's scramble and didn't want to scramble up Observation, because she thought the smoke would ruin the views. My dad and I on the other hand, had experienced some horrible smoke the week prior, and being able to see anything was a win! Sorry Kaitlyn!
Eventually we started making our way up the steep slope towards the ridge. This sort of gully we ascended involved either moderate scrambling near the edge, or steep loose scree. Kaitlyn was not enjoying it one bit, and made sure to remind me many times that I was going the "WRONG WAY!" To be honest I had no clue if this route would work out, but I was sure I could find some way up to the ridge eventually!
Kaitlyn and my dad scramble up to the ridge! At the top of the previous gully, we were met with a steep rock band, and a slope to the right of it that looked feasible, as well as a ledge, traversing below the band to the left. I offered to check out the ledge before they followed me....and I was in luck! The ledge led around the rock band, to this loose, but easy, scree weakness that led up to the ridge, complete with a cairn at the top! HA I am going the right way 😏! (The cairn was 100% meant for the route up the ridge, but we don't talk about that. If your route leads to where you need to go, how can it be wrong?)
Scrambling along a ledge, now on the ridge! We ascended the scree slope that's down to the left of this picture. Note the cairn sitting on the ridge 😉. Photo credit: Dad
Kaitlyn scrambling up some solid rock!
My dad and Kaitlyn, traversing a ledge!
After the few short bits of solid hands on scrambling through the rock band (cairns and bits of trail led the way), it was just a long scree slog to the false summit.
First view of the true summit, from the ridge leading to the false summit!
Kaitlyn and my dad approach the false summit, with the true summit at the end of the broad ridge (center)!
A bit of elevation loss from the false summit, before a gentle incline to the summit.
Super cool cornices on the edge of the ridge!
Significant glacier below as well!
My dad and Kaitlyn approach the spacious summit!
Summit pano!
Summit selfie in the shelter! Photo credit: Dad
Lovin' the cornices up here!
More cornice action ;).
Mount Hector rises, above Cirque Peak far-left, Bow Peak, Bowcrow Peak, and Crowfoot Mountain's long ridge above Crowfoot Glacier sit center, Mount Balfour rises above (right), with Olive and Gordon above pointy St. Nicholas Peak and the rounded Onion far-right!
Portal Peak and Mount Thompson rise over Jimmy Jr. and Jimmy Simpson in the center, Ayesha Peak pierces up over the ridge between Mounts Rhondda and Habel, and Mount Baker!
Caldron Mountain rises above Peyto Lake, with Mistaya and Barbette behind-right, above a strip of glacier!
Mount Patterson (far left), with Howse Peak, White Pyramid, and Mount Chephren center, above Upper Waterfowl Lake!
Mount Weed rises far-left, with Noyes to the right, and a long, broad unnamed ridge!
Looking to the east!
Marmot Mountain looks tiny, far below!
Sharp Recondite Peak rises over Mount Kentigern's ridge!
Interesting snow formation!
Observing mountains, lakes and glaciers from Observation Peak! Photo credit: Dad
Kaitlyn and I on the summit of Observation Peak! She's in a better mood now! YAY! Photo credit: Dad
Interesting effect inside the melting cornice!
The line between rock and ice! Looks kinda like a yin-yang symbol!
Kaitlyn takes the direct route back to the false summit,but where am I going?! I wanted to summit the other rounded peak along the ridge, so I made a quick detour before following them down. Photo credit: Dad
Another neat pond up here! Also a cool view with the tops of mountains just peeking out over the cornice!
Looking back to the summit, which is slightly higher than this peak!
Oh no! I'm being left behind! The scree down from this peak was super fast though, and I ran down to catch up :)
Kaitlyn downclimbs part of the rock band, halfway down from the false summit.
I went to check out a bit of a pinnacle on the way down! Photo credit: Dad
My dad and Kaitlyn downclimbing the last bit of the rock band!
We took the "correct" way down (as Kaitlyn calls it), and followed the broad ridge down (with the gully we ascended on skier's right).
We found the joining trail this time, and followed back down to the gully just before the tree line. Then it was just a matter of retracing our steps back to the gravel road!
Our approx. route up, with the "correct" route, that we took down, in yellow ;)
Made it down just in time!! It started pouring just before we reached the car! Cool view of Crowfoot in its last moments of sun before it's engulfed by the storm!
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