Eiffel Peak

Dist: 16.8km    Elev: 1325m    Summit: 10105'    Time: 6h    Difficulty: 4/5

I had to up my game after Melinda and I were thwarted in July by like-minded locals also trying to take advantage of reduced tourism traffic this summer. Leaving Calgary at 2:30 a.m. I arrived at the Moraine Lake parking lot just after 4:30 to a 1/3 full lot - success! I wandered around in the dark for a short while to experiment with astrophotography before eventually crawling into the "nest" in the trunk of my car in an (unsuccessful) attempt to bank some extra shuteye. Typical of me, I was too excited to sleep.

Come 6 a.m. I was back outside and perched on the Moraine Lake rockpile in the company of dozens of other "sunrisers" eagerly anticipating the iconic view to come. The sheer volume of people made getting a decent photo somewhat difficult but I managed to sneak one in by venturing a little off the beaten trail. While not my usual preference to contend with these kinds of crowds, I wanted to see what all the recent Moraine-Mania is all about. The place is certainty popular for a reason. 

 

My next objective was a scramble up Eiffel Peak, starting from the scenic Larch Valley. Melinda and I were here years ago before we were dating but it felt like seeing it all for the first time. Apparently I was distracted by a different kind of scenery that day... The route is a fairly straightforward ascent of the steep and rocky ridge, often requiring hands-on scrambling to safely navigate. There is also a potential hazard of falling rocks caused by people above, which I was fortunate to avoid as first one up that day. Views became increasingly impressive with more elevation. Once on the summit I was rewarded with spectacular views, most notably of Mt Temple, Horsehoe Lake, and the Valley of Ten Peaks. I also had my first summit phone call with Melinda after, to my surprise, realizing I had cell phone reception. Nearly an hour later I began my descent, all without seeing a single person. Amazing.

 

Eager to wring out an extra bit of adventure from the day I opted to make a quick visit to Eiffel Lake before leaving. I knew this would require some off-trail travel due to evening commitments at home, so I descended along an alternate route I had scoped out on my way up. There was no discernible trail to be found but the going was easy enough and with the help of my GPS I intersected the official trail just minutes from the lake. Pretty in its own respect, the small Eiffel Lake is especially beautiful due to its home beneath the impressive mountain backdrop of the Valley of the Ten Peaks.

I returned along the official trail, eventually connecting with my earlier track and descending back towards Moraine Lake. There were far fewer people on the rockpile this time of day so I decided to take one final detour in order to soak in the classic views. My drive home was filled with gratitude for the day and satisfaction for accomplishing my summer goal of exploring all three valleys in the area (Moraine, Paradise, Louise). I have enjoyed an especially adventurous hiking season and look forward to all the new adventures awaiting our family this fall.

Valley of Ten Peaks silhouette.

Sunrise over Moraine Lake.

Larch Valley.  Peaks left to right are Eiffel, Pinnacle, and Temple. 

Beginning my ascent.

Different perspective of these impressive peaks.

Looking back during the climb. Moraine Lake and all Ten Peaks can be seen.

Arriving at the huge Eiffel Peak summit cairn.

North summit panorama.

Summit selfie.

Horseshoe Lake and Paradise Valley.

Mount Temple. Still on my hit list.

Starting my descent. Eiffel Lake is in the valley below, behind that large rock.

Valley of the Ten Peaks. Approaching the official Eiffel Lake trail.

First views of Eiffel Lake. Wenkchemna Pass beyond.

Eiffel Lake. Pretty lake with a stunning backdrop.

More views and I head back.

Rental canoes at Moraine Lake.

Final view of the day. Gorgeous!