Mount Lipsett Loop

Mount Lipsett Loop
Kananaskis, Alberta
July 7, 2026
Distance: 6.8 km (4.2 mi)
Cumulative Elevation Gain: 783 m (2569 ft)

Mount Lipsett offers some of the finest scenery in Kananaskis – if you do a loop that includes both summits. The hike is engaging throughout, from the short bushwhacking to the long, open ridges and panoramic summits.

Kananaskis Country Trail Guide suggests traversing Mount Lipsett. Take the usual route up the trail to the top, the East Summit, then continue off-trail to the lower West Summit. Then follow the south ridge down to a trail in the forest going to the highway where you’ll have left a second vehicle. But we planned a short, clockwise loop that doesn’t require a second vehicle. Start up the trail between two creeks. The trail ascends the forest, turns left to cross the west creek and reaches the open south ridge. Follow the ridge to the West Summit, cross the saddle to the East Summit and take a different ridge down to the trail.

Brian, Harry, Bob and I parked by the west creek and backtracked a short distance to look for the trail. No cairn or flagging marked the trailhead. We entered the forest and searched for a trail without luck. It was a rough start, bushwhacking up a slope with dense bushes and deadfall. We stumbled upon a faint trail, but it didn’t turn left. So we backtracked and crossed the west creek. On the other side, we climbed a small, steep meadow where we found a trail at the edge of the forest. We followed it for a while then left it to ascend another meadow. A brief bushwhack led to the beginning of the open ridge.

Studded with pinnacles and outcrops, it was a fascinating and scenic ascent. After a long climb, and after going over a few false summits, we reached the West Summit. As the guidebook points out, it has better views than the East Summit.

Then we turned our attention to the attractive saddle below and the East Summit rising 140 metres above it. We descended nearly 120 metres and climbed the higher summit. After relaxing on top for a while, we walked down the trail to the start of the descent ridge. The descent ridge lacks the interesting outcrops that line the ascent ridge, but the terrain is varied and includes a short scramble. As we descended, the ridge steepened, and loose rock covered the final open section. Then we entered the forest.

We should have continued straight down to the highway, but we turned right and headed down to the east creek where we encountered a steep bank. Here, we split up. Harry and I bushwhacked to the highway and walked 150 metres to our car. Brian and Bob made their way back to our ascent route. We arrived back at the car at the same time.

It’s unfortunate that the trail is gone, and we wasted time and effort searching for it. It would probably be better to start left of the west creek and bushwhack directly to the trail above the small meadow. If you don’t mind bushwhacking 400 or 500 m in and out, you’ll be rewarded with splendid scenery on two open ridges, two summits, and the saddle between them.

KML and GPX Tracks

We parked by the west creek. The ascent and descent ridges appear above the treetops.