Mt. Fairview - Lake Louise
You can still take your vehicle to the actual lake at Lake Louise but parking is limited in the high season and you must get up the road very early to get one! High season recommend taking the shuttle.
Unfortunately for 2023 there is now paid parking at the Lake Louise lake parking lot. It is in effect from May 10th to October 10th from 7 am to 7 pm each day at a cost of $12.25 per day.
New in 2021: Parks Canada is offering daily shuttles from the Lake Louise Park and Ride (6km east of Lake Louise village) to the Lake Louise Lakeshore and Moraine Lake. Available from May 21 - October 11, 2021. Shuttles must be reserved ahead of time to guarantee a seat. Walk up seats are not available.
Banff Lake Louise Transit and Shuttles Link
SB - Saddle Mtn
Lake Louise Hotel upper parking lot West end
Upper parking lot washrooms to the right of the start of the trail
First intersection take a left for Saddleback Pass not Fairview Lookout
Pay attention at this intersection
Shortly thereafter the sign for Saddle Mtn and Saddleback Pass
After 20-25 minutes on the trail the views open up a bit
Take a right here as the trail steepens considerably
After the steep section of trail keep right as this trail takes you up to Saddleback Pass
Everything opens up with Saddle Mountain on the left and Mt Fairview cliffs on the right
A look at the trail heading up to Saddleback Pass
Great scenery comes into view
Saddleback Pass and the trail up the open slopes of Fairview
Looking back at Saddleback Pass from above
Fairly steep trail up the open slopes
Views getting even nicer
Trail higher up
Looking down at the Pass from the upper slopes - some descend here
One of the steeper sections, slope is foreshortened as what you see here is not the top
Now one crests and see the distance yet to go
The summit appears at last, only a few minutes now
Blue sky day but a bit windy
Lake Louise ski hill
The always eye catching Mt Temple!
Lee with Victoria Peak and glacier in the background
Lee caught some interesting light on a trail for the horses near the sign for Saddle Mtn
Mt Fairview - Lake Louise
- Scramble: Class 1 – Steep Hiking
- Altitude: 2,744m (9,000 ft)
- Elevation Gain: 1,000m (3,280 ft)
- Ascent Time: 2 1/2 – 3 1/2 Hours
- Best Season to Scramble: June to September
Highlights
This scramble offers a great viewpoint for some of the best big mountain scenery in the Rockies and is aptly named. The first two thirds of the route is on a wide well maintained trail.
Getting There
Head west out of Calgary on the TransCanada highway # 1 to the Lake Louise town-site 187km (116.9 miles). If your base is Banff head west on the TransCanada for 56km (35.0 miles) to the Lake Louise town-site. There is only one exit so keep your eye out for it. Go straight through the town- site and up the hill to the Lake Louise hotel parking lot (around 4-km more). Park in the lower or upper parking lot. Washrooms are in the parking lot.
Route Description
You need to access the Saddleback trail either from the boathouse near the lake or through the upper parking lot. From the upper parking lot there is a side trail that intersects with the Saddleback trail. Once on the Saddleback trail it is 3.7km (2.3 miles) to Saddleback Pass between Mt Fairview and Saddle Mtn. At .4 km go straight ahead and do not take the right hand trail to Fairview lookout. At .8km keep right and at 2.4km the trail splits again, keep right, then right again on the trail up to Saddleback Pass. From the Pass head right on the well-worn path as it winds its way up the southeast slopes to the summit.