Observation Peak

Dist: 8.8km    Elev: 1090m    Summit: 10413'    Time: 4.5h    Difficulty: 4/5

Byron and I were overdue for a mountain grind, not having been out together since our epic Assiniboine weekend in July. We chose the scramble route up Observation Peak, intrigued by the opportunity to explore the Icefields Parkway area while also attaining a new high score for summit elevation. The five hours of collective driving time could be seen as a deterrent for many, but I highly value this time for Byron and I to have some good chats and catch up on each other's lives.

 

We arrived at the unofficial trailhead just before 9am, parking in the roadside pullout across the highway from the (closed for construction) Peyto Lake viewing platform. The first half hour or so was spent following a rocky drainage gully before things got really steep. The rest of the ascent to the summit ridge was a combination of loose treadmill scree and hands-on scrambling. I have really come to enjoy the more physically difficult and mentally engaging element of this kind of hands-on hiking. Views behind us were great the whole time, increasingly so as we gained elevation. Highlights were Peyto Lake directly below and Bow Lake further down the valley. 

 

By the time we arrived at the false summit the weather had deteriorated and we were confronted with sharp blowing snow and very limited visibility. What would probably have been a very pleasant and scenic walk along the ridge to the true summit was unfortunately rather dull. We had some good laughs despite the disappointment of nonexistent views, deciding to turn around after capturing the compulsory summit shot. 

One benefit of slogging up hundreds of metres of loose scree: getting to ride the rubble back down! Fun scree skiing combined with improving weather and visibility made for a quick and enjoyable descent. We stopped a few more times to soak in the views before returning to the car and starting the homeward drive.

You never know what you're going to get when you plan a day in the mountains before knowing the forecast, but I've come to learn the less ideal weather days can be equally memorable and often make for some of the best stories. A day in the mountains with great company is always success in my books!

 

Observation Peak from the highway. The true summit is hidden from view here.

Looking back as we navigate the drainage gully.

Byron looking excited about all the scree.

Views of Mt Jimmy Simpson and a sliver of Peyto Lake as we climb.

Bow Lake to the south.

Bow Lake looked pretty cool in the moody weather.

Big views of Peyto Lake.

The colour of these glacial lakes is just unreal.

False summit cairn. Weather starting to set in.

Cloudy ridge walk to the true summit.

Cornices were the only interesting thing to look at up there.

 

Summit selfie. It's never ideal to be the "scenery" in these kinds of places.

Downclimb on our descent.

One final picture to commemorate an excellent day!