Had another fantastic day out in the Mountains on October 03rd. This is one of my favourite times of the year to hike and scramble because of the cooler temperatures and the vibrant colours of the changing tree and plant life with a sometimes stark contrast with the early season snowline quickly creeping down towards the valley floor. I was actual inspired to scramble this peak by my lovely fiancé Kärolin and her wonderful lifelong friend Kersti who was visiting us this fall from Estonia with her partner and my good friend Tarmo. The girls scrambled Eiffel Peak on September 19th and without question was probably the highlight of the trip for Kersti. This valley, called the 'The Valley of the Ten Peaks', stretching west from Moraine lake holds some of the best, and most prized views the Rocky Mountains have to offer.
Now the girls were unaware of the summit register that is usually tucked into the rocks of the summit cairn, so I vowed to Kersti that I would return to the peak this fall to submit their names to the summit register. That, plus the fact that I had been up into this area called Larch Valley, which lies below Eiffel peak, numerous times to do other objectives but had never had the privilege to climb Eiffel Peak. So the combination of these two reasons persuaded me to partake in another fine day out in the mountains. Plus the weather forecast was finally on my side so it didn't take much coxing to get out the door at 7am for the pre-dawn drive to one of my favourite places in the mountains. :) Enjoy the pictures from this fine October fall day.
 |
So, here's how my day started; staring at the ass end of a female elk! It was actually quite a beautiful morning at -2C with the sun just starting to burn off the morning
fog that the Bow river was creating and I finally ended Kärolin & my drought of not seeing wildlife the past 4 trips along the
Bow Valley Parkway (Hwy 1a). Normally our luck is quite good along that stretch of highway |
 |
| Others in the herd were grazing along this open hillside compliments of a prescribed burn by Parks Canada in the early 1990's |
 |
Gotta love Parks Canada and keeping with the theme of 'Nature' throughout the park. Here they've left this
beautiful spruce tree smack dab in the middle of road. It was really quite aesthetic on this foggy morning |
 |
Bull elk enjoying some "down time" (a quote I've borrowed from my nephew Rowan). My take on this pose is that this bull elk has just finished his arduous task of servicing as many
female elk as he can during the fall 'rut' and it's his 'me' time at this particular moment of his day |
 |
Castle Mountain showing the 6th buttress, counting from the east, home to an ACC (Alpine Club of Canada) hut that services the climbing community
looking to climb one of the numerous routes on the mountain. Some routes are quite a big day from the car with the approach hence the hut.
It also allows you to spend time up there and climb more than one route if so desired |
 |
| You can see the white hut better in this close up. I've spent a few nights in that hut in years passed |
 |
| Mount Tuzo (10,656') left, Deltform Mountain (11,230' ) center, and Neptuak Mountain (10,617') as seen from Highway 1a. This was my destination, 'Valley of the Ten Peaks' |
 |
| Mount Temple (11,621') as viewed from Highway 1a |
 |
Sheol Mountain (9115') with Haddo Peak (10,007') towering above in the center and the slanted Saddle Peak (7993') just right of center,
and the bald looking Fairview Mountain 9,000' (2744m) on the right
|
 |
6 Peaks in The Valley of the Ten Peaks can be seen from Highway 1a
There is an ACC hut called the Neil Cogan hut that lies in the col between Mount Little and Mount Bowlen. The hut is used by skiers and alpine climbers
|
 |
| Lake Louise area |
 |
| There is a Lake called Lake Agnes in behind the Big Beehive. There is a tea house up there with a very nice hike to get you there |
 |
| The snowy Victoria Glacier above Lake Louise on Mount Victoria (11,362') |
 |
| Mount Quadra (10,407') tucked into Consolation Valley as viewed from Highway 1a |
 |
| Beautiful view of Mount Fay, Mount Babel, and the 'Tower of Babel' dwarfed below the steep face of Mount Babel |
 |
| Last viewpoint along the Moraine Lake Road just before you arrive at the parking lot. Not all of the 10 peaks in the Valley of the Ten Peaks are visible at this point |
 |
| Mount Bowlen with the Fay Glacier running up onto its flanks |
 |
The 'Tower of Babel'. One of my favourite features in this valley. I have fond memories of climbing this tower of quartzite. The top, as you will see from later photos, is quite flat
with these huge quartzite blocks pieced together like a puzzle. You can jump across the pieces over the gaps in between them. |
 |
| Just arriving into Larch Valley with my objective Eiffel Peak looming above my sweaty head to the left! |
 |
| A magical little creek running down from 2 small lakes that form from the basin below Eiffel Peak and Pinnacle Mountain |
 |
Western Mountain Heather settling in for the long winter that lies ahead. Neat frost surrounding its winter home
|
 |
As I got onto the shoulder leading up to Eiffel, Wenkchemna Pass came into view. This the snowy saddle in front of Curtis Peak and Mount Biddle and it leads into
one of Kärolin and my favourite places in the mountains, Lake O'Hara. It isn't the preferred method to get into Lake O'Hara but it sure would be a fun adventure
to maybe take this route one day???! |
 |
Let the work begin! The slopes of Eiffel Peak. The scramble route picks its way up through the scree and then through a weakness (narrow gully)
at the last step before the summit mainly following the right hand shoulder of the mountain |
 |
View of Pinnacle Mountain (10,060') and the 2 small bodies of water feeding the creek I crossed on the
approach to Eiffel. The 'Z' shaped trail leading up to Sentinel Pass can be seen in the background |
 |
| Hikers spotted below in Larch Valley heading on their way towards Sentinel Pass |
 |
| Pinnacle Mountain 10,060' (3067m) |
 |
| Hikers in Larch Valley approaching Minnestimma Lakes just before they start the climb up the 'Z' switchbacks to Sentinel Pass |
 |
| Close up of the 'Z' trail switchbacks leading up to Sentinel Pass |
 |
| Pinnacle Mountain viewed through a notch on the way up Eiffel Peak. The shoulder of Mount Temple is just in view on the right |
 |
| Same notch but looking out passed Pinnacle over Paradise Valley (near and below Pinnacle), and the Bow Valley, in front of the mountains in the distance |
 |
Summit cairn on Eiffel with the snowy peak of Mount Temple in the background
|
 |
Looking down on an unnamed lake that's filled by melt water from the Horseshoe Glacier on the left
|
 |
| Some rugged terrain surrounding Horseshoe Glacier below these 3 giant peak |
 |
| Fulfilling my obligation to Kersti. They are now officially listed on the Eiffel Peak summit registry. (not that the girls needed to be but it motivated me to get up this peak!) |
 |
Great view back down at Moraine Lake with the intimidating Fay Glacier hanging high above
|
 |
| List of the peaks in The Valley of the Ten Peaks from east to west |
 |
| The remaining 5 peaks in The Valley of the Ten Peaks from east to west |
 |
Nice view from above looking through Wenkchemna Pass towards Opabin Pass in the Lake O'Hara area. Beyond this pass you are in
British Columbia and on the border of 3 National Parks. Kootenay NP to the south, Yoho NP to the west, and I'm standing in Banff NP |
 |
| A great view from this perspective of the Tower of Babel with its fortress like flat top extending over to attach to Mount Babel |
 |
| Looking over top of Panorama Ridge towards the famous Castle Mountain that's so distinguishably seen along the Trans Canada Highway west of Banff Townsite |
 |
Believe it or not the slopes directly below the Fay glacier are used sometimes to access the ACC Neil Cogan Hut
which can't be seen in the picture but it lies just out of sight where the glacier extends right, between the mountains |
 |
| Starting to come down the scramble route from the summit of Eiffel. It drops quite dramatically down to the moraines of the Wenkchemna Glacier in the valley below |
 |
| View of Larch Valley looking back towards Moraine Lake |
 |
| Gray-Crowned Rosy Finch. Apparently not very common to see this bird because of its remote, rocky alpine habitat. I guess I was lucky! |
 |
| Hikers can be seen coming down the 'Z' switchbacks from Sentinel Pass |
 |
| If Giants do actually exist, this could potentially be an arrow head from one of they're giant sized bows. |
 |
| Wolf Lichen (Letharia vulpine) decorating this worn out larch tree |
 |
| These Spruce Grouse are so beautiful and so photogenic. It didn't seem to be to concerned about my presence as it went about its business of consuming spruce needles |
 |
| Wenkchemna Pass as viewed from Eiffel Lake |
 |
| Impressive pocket glacier stuffed into this gully system on Deltaform Mountain. This route has been climbed |
 |
| West side of Eiffel Peak viewed from the Eiffel Lake trail heading back towards Moraine Lake |
 |
| Eiffel Lake looking back down the valley |
 |
| A huge block of quartzite peeled away from this cliff below Eiffel Peak some many years ago. |
 |
| You could actually come down this avalanche path from the scramble on Eiffel to connect with the Eiffel Lake trail. Great way to take in some more scenery and turn the hike into a loop |
 |
| Unknown fungus |
 |
| The familiar sight of Map lichen (Rhizocarpon geographicum) on the quartzite rock |
 |
| Beautiful contrast in colors with the larch, the snow, and the evergreens |
 |
This impressive snow chute on Mount Bowlen has been skied in the winter!
|
 |
| Three Pixie Cup lichen living in harmony on a bed of Moss Campion |
 |
| Moss Campion growing out of this rotted out log |
 |
| Yellow-red Gill Polypore (Gloeophyllum sepiarium) |
 |
| Cladonia Borealis Lichen |
 |
| Leafy lichen |
 |
| Foliose lichens |
 |
| Common Laccaria mushroom |
 |
| Western Mountain Heather |
 |
| Pixie Cup Lichen |
 |
| Relatively busy day at Moraine Lake despite it being October and a week day. Not surprising I suppose given the magnificence of this valley |
 |
| One more wildlife sighting on highway 1a to round out a great day of hiking in the mountains!! |
 |
| Hole-in-the-Wall Cave on Mount Cory. |
 |
| Access doesn't look to be too difficult. Maybe next weeks adventure!! |
