Very popular approach trail. Mount Lady MacDonald, elevation 2,606m and one of the four peaks that make up the Canmore Quad, the others being Mount Grotto, Ha Ling, and the East End of Rundle. Lady Mac took me by surprise! An 8km out-and-back and really quite challenging. Follow Palliser Trail Road, then turn left at Benchlands Trail Road. I don't recommend rushing the summit ridge, and would definitely not recommend the ridge to beginners, it's pretty exposed and has high consequence for mistake. Distance: 7.8 miles (12.5 km). Taking pictures from the platform. Mount Lady Macdonald | Kananaskis Trails Distance 9.0 km return, height gain 888 m, strenuous The reward for a trudge up Teahouse Ridge on Lady MacDonald is a fabulous view of the Bow Valley. Lady Macdonald's southeast ridge is a route that has grown in popularity in recent years thanks to it's proximity to Canmore, alpine feel, and wonderful views. The cyclists all seem like a friendly bunch and are pretty determined to avoid running me over, so while it's good to keep an eye out, it doesn't detract from the experience. The Rockies Central Guidebook has the best images and descriptions of t... From the TransCanada highway, take the second exit into Canmore (from either direction), and head uphill on Elk Run Boulevard. Beautiful ridge. All rights reserved. It's south facing though, so during the winter depending on current snow conditions it sometimes has less snow than the other surrounding peaks. Proceed up the creek, moving about 30 to 40 minutes up the trail past the closer sport crags. Ahead we could see hikers taking off on a trail into the woods so we checked with someone who looked like a local. Download its GPS track and follow the itinerary on a map. After ascending above the teahouse, the trail splits. Needless to say we did not hike to the summit! The trail itself is quite well defined, and climbs to the site of a former, now defunct tea house. We believe good things come from people spending time outside. Just before the true summit thereâs a slight dip. The approach uses the popular trail to the teahouse. That first trail in the woods takes you on t⦠Lady Macdonald awarded 2019 Certificate of Excellence Congrats Team on the Certificate of Excellence for 2019 from Trip Advisor. The Mount Lady Macdonald trail begins at Cougar Creek, starting out as a leg burner through the forest, then meandering through boulders, halfway up. Hiking to the Lady MacDonald Tea House is a great hike in Canmore, but beware, you wonât get a Tea House, as it was never built. Start: Drive Elk Run Boulevard to a parking lot on the left (west) side of the bridge over Cougar Creek. Did Lady Mac in the summer and went about 1/3 along of the ridge, and would have completed it had we not run out of water and dehydration been a risk. From the trail head, which is next to Iron Goat Pub, this is 4.5km to the helipad on a very direct route which has some scrambling. The excellent reviews and overall rating we have received from travellers have ranked Lady Macdonald as one of the Best B&B and Inns in Canada. It’s about protecting what sustains us. Join the trailpeak community. Perhaps best known for her magnitude, she towers over the Bow River Valley, peaking at a staggering 2,606 m (8,550 ft). I am way to out of shape for this" as it was a steep climb that gains elevation quickly. Duration: 5.5 hours. Follow me as I hike the Mount lady MacDonald trail in Canmore Alberta. This short but very steep trails climbs from the Cougar Creek trailhead in Canmore, AB to the ridge of Mount Lady MacDonald, located west of Cougar Creek. Elevation Gain: 1200m Mount Lady MacDonald is one of those hikes / scrambles that get you addicted to hiking. Please explore responsibly! Saying the views from the top are magnificent is an understatement, so itâs definitely worth the tricky scramble and steep ascent. Silky phacelia (Phacelia sericea). Sitting just east of Banff, Mount Lady MacDonald is well known among Canmore residents and avid hikers in the region. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your Feb 10, 2017 - Canada's #1 trails guide for day hiking trails in AB, Canada and North America with GPS waypoint exchange, trail stats and descriptions, driving directions, photos, maps, and community posted trail reviews. Finding the trail is the crux of the hike if you only go as far as the heli-pad. Just make sure you bring enough water, hydration is key, folks! Mount Lady MacDonald â° Trail running trail in Canmore, Alberta (Canada). There is very little access to water so ensure you pack accordingly. I would not attempt this hike without poles unless you are really advanced. The area near Horseshoe Trail is pretty busy with mountain bikers. A challenging steep climb that is hard work but worth the views, I am not an advanced hiker by any means. Its summit looms almost 1300 vertical meters over the town of Canmore. This time I found the correct trail. I hiked Lady Macdonald Saturday, May 30th 2015 and had a lot of fun! Start from the Cougar Creek trailhead in Canmore and take the path to the left when you see the sign for Mount Lady MacDonald. IMPORTANT: This trail is currently closed due to blasting works in Cougar Creek. Driving Directions: Westbound on the TransCanada highway, exit at Canmore towards the Silvertip Resort. While the abandoned tea house also doubles as a helipad, no successful day on the mountain ends with a helicopter ride to the hospital. Access: Easy parking at Cougar Creek in Canmore. Eventually you will reach a first band. At the top of the hill, across from the Iron Goat restaurant, there is a three way intersection, head right across the b... From Highway 1A take the exit to the Alpine Club of Canada. The June 2013 flood destroyed the Cougar Creek trail leading to the Lady Mac trailhead, so need to walk on a bed of rocks along the left side passing by houses heading north and just around the bend, head towards the forest where a pink strip tied to a tree leads you to a trail. Mount Lady MacDonald is an obvious objective, to say the least. The mountain was named in 1886 after Susan Agnes Macdonald, wife of Sir John A. Macdonald, the first Prime Minister of Canada. Don't let this deter you, but be smart, and go with some friends! Easy walking takes you to the final section of fifth class climbing, and you top out just beyond the main path to the false summit of Lady Mac. A true scrambler's career always has a few (or many) failed summits! Climb the South East Ridge of Lady MacDonald, Indoor Rock Climbing in Canmore at Elevation Place. This hike might be a challenge, but oh boy- is the payoff ever worth it. Cougar Creek/Mount Lady MacDonald trail head, Canmore: See 9 reviews, articles, and 18 photos of Cougar Creek/Mount Lady MacDonald trail head, ranked No.27 on ⦠Spectacular views of Canmore and the surrounding peaks. From the Cougar Creek Trailhead by the parking lot follow the well-defined trail to the left (west) of the river. From the helipad you can go further up to the summit above, but we did not do For images and a detailed technical description of this route, refer to the Rockies Central Guide by David P. Jones. The objective ahead. The trail is primarily used for hiking, nature trips, and bird watching and is best used from May until September. But don't forget that Cougar Creek is aptly named – make sure to bring bear spray and brush up on safety protocol ahead of time in case you encounter a cougar! Elevation gain: 60 ⦠We're committed to building a better, more inclusive home for the modern outdoors. Rate this Hike raymckennafitness 2 months, 3 weeks ago It was a super sunny and dry day, great for exposed scrambles, and probably best to try it out in a summer season first! The trailhead about 30 metres up the road from the woodpile.The start of the trail is fairly relaxed but it ... For those that aren’t skiers – or maybe for skiers who just want to stretch some different muscles – Elevation Place is a fantastic climbing gym in Canmore. From here the trail start is very obvious, just head north past the Cougar information signs. adventures and follow local regulations. Sub-summit views are just as breathtaking and worthwhile—plus, it provides motivation to get back out when conditions are more favorable. It’s about nourishment and learning. Fast alpine climb. Where: Near Canmore Distance: 9.8km Difficulty: Difficult One winter my aunt did Lady Mac every month of the year. The Lady MacDonald Teahouse Trail gives great views of Canmore and has wonderful views almost the entire way. From here the climb is a grind up steep and unconsolidated goat paths. It wasn't easy by any means but the challenge made the gorgeous views of canmore below and the surrounding mountains that much more rewarding and enjoyable. When completely dry, the ridge is less than a meter wide, and in the winter, wind-swept snow makes crossing very dangerous—this should only be attempted by experts. Grotto Canyon Hiking Trail. The comparatively easy technical grade and simplistic route finding make it very straightforward. The first best thing about the Lady Mac trail is that the trailhead is located right next to the Iron Goat Pub. Lady Macdonald Teahouse Trail [CLOSED] is a 5.4 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Canmore, Alberta, Canada that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as difficult. From here the route is a pretty easy progression onto the ridge and along some beautiful and narrow ridge climbing. This is the same lot used for Cougar Creek and Lady Mac. This peak is located just north-east of Canmore Alberta. The ridge leading to the summit of Mount Lady Macdonald is affectionately known as a Knife-Edge Ridge. Hotels near Cougar Creek/Mount Lady MacDonald trail head, Canmore on Tripadvisor: Find 19,743 traveler reviews, 7,211 candid photos, and prices for 110 hotels near Cougar Creek/Mount Lady MacDonald trail head in Canmore, Alberta. As we progressed there were more boulders to climb around and a bit of scree slopes. This leads you back to a big scree bash heading upward and upward. Lady Macdonalds South East ridge is a route that has grown in popularity in recent years thanks to it's proximity to Canmore, intro level alpine climbing, and wonderful views. Looking south along the Smith Dorrien Trail Looking out to the Goat Creek Trail in the valley bottom that takes you to all the way to Banff Looking down to Canmore and the Trans-Canada Highway Mount Lady MacDonald. Relatively dry and difficult winter scramble. This route starts in the Cougar Creek parking lot. The Rockies Central Guidebook has the best images and descriptions of this specific climb. © 2020 The Outbound Collective - Terms of Use - Privacy Policy. Close to town. © 2020 Outdoor Project. To one side, there's nothing to catch you from sliding down the mountain if you fall. Mount Lady Macdonald is a mountain located within Bow Valley Wildland Provincial Park in the Bow River valley at the Town of Canmore, Alberta, which is located just east of Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. Itâs a hike commonly talked about in the Bow Valley and offers some stunning views however it isnât for everyone! Eventually you'll reach the first technical climbing pitch. We plan on going back and tackling it as a winter scramble with some crampons and ice axe... and perhaps finishing the ridge! Lady MacDonald standard scramble route. Download its GPS track and follow the route on a map. Elevation gain: 3900 feet (1200 m). As much as possible, stay on exposed scree, where footing isn't always solid, but is at least visible. It is a geat place to get some exercise and if the weather cooperates offers a fine view of the mountains on the opposite side of the Bow Valley. Take the solid rock up the face here and gain a slight ridge. See the trail on google maps and google earth. But there is plenty of loose rock and tricky ridge movement to keep you on your toes. Despite the difficulty of this hike I would really recommend it if you are up for a challenge cause at the end of the day we really enjoyed the views and felt great that we accomplished it! In the fall of 2005 a lady was killed by a grizzly on the Benchlands trails. The popularity of the route has been improving the trail. Reaching the false summit. Elevation Gain 895m. This was my first time doing âdifficult scrambleâ, and I chose Lady MacDonald in winter, went soloing. The boulders, sparse forest, and views of the Bow River Valley make for a classic mountain landscape that isn't always offered by forested walks to lakes, or hikes up scree slopes. Mount Lady MacDonald is one slog of an uphill hike that has so much scenic variety and insane vantage points that will make tomorrow's sore leg muscles totally worth it! There is no shame in choosing not to attempt Knife Edge Ridge. Raymckennafitness 2 months, 3 weeks ago follow me as I hike mount lady macdonald trail!, hydration is key, folks save your knees the alpine, this is a technical scramble with knife. Be a challenge, but before Canadian Forks Crag, is a favorite of many visitors:. You, but before Canadian Forks Crag, is a excellent place to skills. Silvertip Resort there is very little access to water so ensure you pack accordingly want to Leave comment! Canmore at elevation place sign for Mount Lady MacDonald trail begins at the northeast end Cougar Creek this. 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