Mt. Temple - Lake Louise - Moraine Lake
Just announced for 2023 that Moraine Lake will be closed to private vehicles year round. Shuttles will be available from June to Mid October. Walking or biking the 12.8 km road is an option.
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
Parks Canada Mt. Temple Scrambler's Guide Link
From Moraine Lake its a fairly steep hike up into Larch Valley where the trail curves right and give you a view of Sentinel Pass. Hike up to Larch Valley/Minnestimma Lakes is about 4.3km and 1,750 ft of elevation gain to that point.
Good trail all the way to Sentinel Pass
S - Sentinel Pass
Photo from Larch Valley courtesy of Angela Ovens
The view from Sentinel Pass courtesy of Granticulous
Upper slopes of Temple above Sentinel Pass, Photo taken from top of Eiffel Peak
After traverse around to the ascent point of the gray band
Gray band terrain, steep and loose, up to exit point above onto yellow band area
You can go this route but an easier but narrower slot is back to the left
Here is the narrower slot route to the yellow area above the gray band
More loose terrain up to the hands on climb through the yellow band rock outcrop You can go around it to the right but leads to more faint trail loose footing to gain the main trail again
A look at the terrain you climb through on the yellow band rock outcrop
A look at the terrain just above the yellow band rock outcrop
Looking back at yellow band area from above the rock outcrop courtesy of Granticulous
Once above the yellow band rock outcrop it is only a short time before the final long summit slope comes into view, go straight up keeping right
View of final summit slope courtesy of Granticulous Watch out for cornices to your right on the summit ridge and the summit itself, be careful
These two obviously did not have enough elevation gain :-)
Enjoying the thin air and coffee. One of the guys said he thought he might upgrade his skater shoes for his next scramble. Agreed!
Mountaineers doing the East Ridge approach the summit
Al heading home, albeit it is a long way down!
Finally back on stable terrain at Sentinel Pass!
Minnestima Lakes sits below Sentinel Pass - Photo Courtesy of M. Stavric
The North Face of Mt Temple from Mt Fairview
Mt. Temple - Lake Louise - Moraine Lake Area
- Scramble: Class 2 – Steep Hiking, Use of hands, Route finding, Some exposure
- Altitude: 3,543m (11,621 ft)
- Elevation Gain: 1,690m (5,543 ft)
- Ascent Time: 4 – 5 1/2 Hours
- Best Season to Scramble: Mid-July to Mid-September, Ice axe and possible crampons depending on final slope conditions, Lake Louise Visitor Center can provide this info
Highlights
This scramble offers a big mountain experience without the technical aspects usually associated with an 11,000-ft peak. It’s been said that this is "An unscary way up a very scary mountain." Nevertheless this is the "Classic Scramble of the Rockies". Ideal conditions are usually the second and third week of August. It is wise to check with the Lake Louise Visitor Center as to final slope conditions and the availability of the route. The area currently ie 2009 requires minimal group of 4 people to access this scramble. This has been due to bear activity and park impact policy.
Getting There
For 2023 private vehicles are no longer allowed to drive up to Morain Lake. There is the Lake Louise shuttle service and parking just east of the Lake Louise townsite on the south side of the TransCanada. See the link above for schedules and details.
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.
Route Description
From the parking lot walk along the right side of the lake walk past the lodge watching for the Larch Valley trail. Follow this switch-backing trail as it takes you high above Moraine Lake. As the trail levels off in the upper valley follow it around to the right to a couple of small lakes, then straight up more switchbacks to Sentinel Pass (col).
From Sentinel Pass head right up a steep slope. Near the top of this slope traverse right on a path till you come to the third gully in the black/gray rock band. Ascend here and make your way up ledges to the gully, which breaches the upper band to the yellow section above. You can either continue up the gully or just right of it there is a spot behind a rock flake that affords access to the next level. See route photos above.
From here the route is straightforward with some use of hands and takes you to a spot just below the final slope. Straight up the slope is the summit ridge with a short plod along it to the summit. The right hand side of the final slope steepens near the summit ridge so move a bit left as you near the summit ridge. Watch out for cornices on your right also. An ice axe is recommended if this slope has some snow on it perhaps even crampons depending on slope conditions. I have used an ice axe and kicked steps up this final slope when it had about 4-6 inches of crusty snow on it with verglass underneath. Verglass is ice on the rock underneath arising from daytime melting and nighttime freezing. I had to keep moving left and right to avoid the verglass. We successfully completed the slope but crampons would have lessened the degree of concern. Watching an apple my friend dropped speed its way down the slope and off a 4,000-ft drop also added food for thought.
I have also climbed the final slope when there wasn’t a stitch of snow anywhere, which greatly eased any concerns. Anyway that is why it is wise to check with the Lake Louise Visitor center as to final slope conditions so you know ahead of time what to expect.
The Purpose of this web site
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- Scramble: Class 1 – Steep Hiking
- Altitude: 2,590m (8,495 ft)
- Ascent Time: 2 -3 Hours
- Elevation Gain: approx. 1,000m (3,280 ft)
- Best Season to Scramble: May to September