Mount Aylmer
August 31, 2004

Two days after climbing Mount Akamina, we set out for Mount Aylmer, the highest peak in Banff National Park. This was a shorter trip than I expected. Less then ten hours including 20 minutes on the summit. Time goes by quickly except for the last 400 m where the endless talus slows the pace.

First we had to bike 8 km of rough trail along Lake Minnewanka to a campground. After stashing our bikes and changing, we headed up the trail that goes to Aylmer Pass. Before the pass, however, we left the trail and headed up a gully. Although it wasn't in the forecast, it started raining. As we climbed higher, it would eventually turn to snow. We kept adding layers as we climbed.

At about 400 m below the summit, visibility was reduced to a few dozen metres and we reached the first snow patches. Here we were hit by strong winds. At this point we doubted we could make the unseen summit; if the weather didn't stop us snow on the summit might.

With about 200 m to go, miraculously it stopped snowing and the summit cloud began to quickly dissipate. Soon we were greeted with blue sky. The snow on the slope became abundant and unavoidable but it was soft and easy to kick-step up the final, steep few dozen metres to the top.

It was too cold to stay long on the peak and we soon headed back down. From the summit to our bikes it took only 2 hours, 10 minutes including a 20-minute break below the peak. As we quickly dropped nearly 1700 m we shed layer after layer until we were in shorts and t-shirts when we reached our bikes.

Cycling back, Dinah was stopped by a chatty parks interpreter, the same one she spoke to on the phone a day earlier about snow conditions on Mount Aylmer! The interpreter became defensive and said she had cautioned Dinah about snow conditions. But when Dinah explained we had summited, the interpreter was surprised and replied, "You have my complete respect!"

MOVIE (1:15)
Download path for Google Earth