Crystal Ridge
Banff Park
February 20, 2010

While shopping at Mountain Equipment Co-op last week, Dinah and I ran into Zora, a hiking friend we hadn't seen in years. She planned to lead a snowshoe trip up Crystal Ridge with the HOGs (Hostel Outdoor Group) and invited us to come. Dinah and I had snowshoed this ridge in 2001 with the HOGs where we discovered football-sized crystals (hence the derived name for this unnamed ridge) but never reached the crest. Since we had always wanted to return, we accepted.

Dinah and I met Zora and her three companions – Craig, Becky and Adrian – at the Lake Louise info centre. We piled into our cars, drove up Hwy. 93 and parked at the Crowfoot Glacier view point.

Having snowshoed Crystal Ridge many times, Zora knew the area but had never attempted the summit. She led us up the main trail before leaving it to follow old snowshoe tracks. After stopping for lunch above the treeline, we pushed on to the ridge top.

A steep, rubbly slope discouraged a direct ascent, so we veered left and headed to a col. After the col, Craig hung back while the rest of us followed the ridge to the summit. The clear skies allowed superb views of several recognizable peaks.

It was a beautiful winter day to climb Crystal Ridge made even better with an enthusiastic bunch of snowshoers!

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