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Bow Peak
Banff National Park, Alberta
September 12, 2009

Distance: 14.1 km
Cumulative Elevation Gain: 980 m

Our hike up Bow Peak played out as described in Don't Waste Your Time in the Canadian Rockies. There were no surprises and the views lived up to the premiere rating that the book gave. There's no lack of stunning alpine scenery on this trip. We did, however, find ample parking off the pavement at the trailhead, so there is no need to park 300 m away like the book says.

We hiked down a good trail to the Bow River and forded the calf-deep water. Because of the tree canopy, there was little to see until we reached the pass. From the spacious pass, however, we looked north at the peaks lining the Icefields Parkway corridor.

We started up the boulder slope, heading toward what later proved to be a false summit. From it, an easy ridge walk led to the highest point on Bow Peak.

It was a remarkably warm day, and we didn't require jackets for the entire trip including the summit. Having climbed several peaks on the east side of the parkway, we now enjoyed seeing them from the west side.

Rather than come down the boulder slope, we used a scree gully south of our ascent to quickly return to the trail on the pass. We made our way back to the car, startling a grouse in the process.

KML and GPX Tracks


Bow Peak (left) seen from the trailhead


Starting across the creek

Looking across the lake


Another, easier creek crossing


Reaching the pass. Cirque Peak (left) and Dolomite Peak (right)


On the pass


Bow Peak from the pass


Scrambling up the boulders


Looking down at the pass


Skirting a rock wall


Mount Balfour


On the ridge heading to the false summit


Looking down at the pass and Bow Lake


Mosquito Peak (centre, mouse over for a close-up) and Noseeum Mountain right


Mount Daly (mouse over) and Hector Lake


The ridge walk to the summit


Views north


Leaving the false summit


Almost there!


On the summit


Descending the scree gully


82 N/9 Hector Lake

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