Gap Peak

Dist: 9.2km    Elev: 1180m    Summit: 8257'    Time: 6h    Difficulty: 4/5

Alberta recently reopened its provincial parks so Byron and I decided to make like every other shack-whacky Calgarian and head to the mountains for the May long weekend. With many Kananaskis objectives still deeply under snow this time of year and Byron being less than enthusiastic about snowshoeing, we set our eyes on a south-facing peak in a region known for early-season accessibility.

The day started in an inconspicuous Highway 1A turnoff near the Lafarge cement factory, under an overcast and drizzly sky. Our first hour or so was spent following a faint trail up a treed slope before earning the first views of the day. Grotto Mountain was clearly visible to the west while we navigated around steep rockbands and up muddy slopes before eventually being funneled towards a long slope of loose scree. Ascending this felt more like trying to climb a down-direction escalator than a mountain as we slid back after each step, yet we eventually made it to the ridge crest and were rewarded with big views to the south of Lac des Arcs and mountains bordering the Trans-Canada. From here the path was obvious as we followed the ridge to the summit, continuing to climb while admiring the still snow-covered surrounding peaks. We arrived at the summit using careful footing to avoid any potential cornice problems, then stopped for lunch and a few more photos before eventually returned the way we came. Now under a warm and sunny sky, we witnessed a number of small avalanches on nearby slopes and were glad to be off the snowy ridge as the heat of the day melted the remaining spring snow pack.

Truth be told I had somewhat low expectations for Gap Peak due to the close proximity to the cement plant and major highway as I typically prefer more quiet remote locations. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the wild feeling of this trip and relatively few people we encountered along the way. I've definitely got the itch back and am looking forward another season of adventuring!

Emerging from the trees.

Grotto Mountain to the west.

Getting higher.

Slogging up the endless scree.

Looking back. Big views of Highway 1 and Lac des Arcs.

Even Byron looks small up here.

On the ridge.

Lots of elevation still to go.

Gap Peak summit is the small bump just right of center.

Arriving at the summit.

Summit view looking south.

Summit view looking north.

Socially-distanced summit pose.

Down we go.

Just about to drop back into trees. The ridge is visible above and to the right of these steep cliffs.