Door Jamb Mountain
Loder Peak Scramble – Canmore Exshaw
As viewed from the TransCanada
As of 2019 there is a new trailhead
parking lot just west of the old in the ditch parking pictured here. It's the
Jura Creek Trailhead with washrooms providing access to Jura Creek and Door
Jamb Loder Peak trails
Picture taken from location of base of
the ridge ditch parking looking west
New Jura Creek Door Jamb Loder parking
north side of highway only moments from the old base of the ridge parking and
directly opposite the Graymont Exshaw Plant entrance on the south side of the
highway. Washrooms in the parking lot.
After 15 minutes or so a look back at
the cement plant
Typical terrain steep and fairly
sustained
On the trail view of the ridge and slabs
of Door Jamb Mountain
A short steep slab climb moving to the
right
Another bigger slab climb moving to the
right, not quite as scary as it looks
Approaching the slabby area just before
Door Jamb summit
A closer view of the terrain just before
the summit of Door Jamb
The summit of Door Jamb Mountain
The remaining route over to Loder peak.
Loder Peak summit cairn is just beside the light brown area
The last bit of elevation to Loder Peak,
circle around on the light brown terrain
Looking back at Door Jamb Mountain from
the summit of Loder peak
Yours truly on the summit of Loder peak
with Mt Fable to the right
Yours truly on the summit of Loder peak
with Door Jamb behind to the left
Down climb area to access the first
gully to do the Jura Creek loop. To find this spot, look north from the Loder
Peak summit area and move to the right side edge of the summit area and head
down along the slope looking for this drop down spot
Descending the first gully with the
black dirt at the top
Typical terrain down the gully
The gully narrows near the bottom
Once at the bottom of the gully you head
left to intersect Jura Creek
Water worn pools on Jura Creek
Jura Creek terrain
More Jura Creek terrain further down
Entering the big wash area of Jura
Creek. You can access the road back to the trail head by the power lines seen
in the distance
If you skip the Jura Creek loop and
return back the same way
Might have to bum scoot in a few spots
Generally working your way to the right
when easiest
Door Jamb Mountain Loder Peak
Scramble - Canmore Exshaw
Scramble: Moderate scramble, route finding, rock slabs to
ascend
Altitude: 1975m Door Jamb; 2,100m Loder Peak Approx Only
Elevation Gain: approx. 675m to Door Jamb approx. 125m to
Loder
for a rough estimate of 800m in total (2,624ft total)
Ascent Time: about 2 hours give or take 20 min
Best Season to Scramble: May to October or whenever the
route is snow free
Highlights
This scramble because of its easterly location often
escapes much of the snowy weather that Banff and Lake Louise get. It is an
interesting early season scramble with a bit of route finding, some short
stretches of climbing up slabs and good views for the effort. A good training
climb for bigger objectives later in the summer.
It can be scrambled much earlier than July but if you do
you must be aware of "tick" season. May and June are the months where "ticks
are most active so you must learn about them and take proper precautions.
Getting There
Head west out of Calgary on the TransCanada highway # 1 to
the Seebe turnoff (approx 63.5km from the Canada Olympic Park intersection to
the Seebe turnoff), head north for 4.2 km to the old 1A. At the intersection
of the old 1A highway head left (you’ll be travelling west) for about 5-6km
until you see the first Exshaw cement facility. The new
Jura Creek
trail head parking is a little bit west of the old
in the ditch parking. The new parking lot is on the north side of the highway
directly opposite the entrance for the Graymont Exshaw plant.
Parking for up to 50 vehicles and washrooms.
Route Description
So you have to head back east from the
new Jura Creek parking lot for a couple of minutes. Might be advised to warm up and stretch in
the old parking area right at the
ridge start as the route is fairly sustained in its
steepness. Lots of little rock steps and as you approach the last part to Door
Jamb Mountain there is at least 3 places where you have to move up by climbing
slabs to your right. Route finding skills are required on this peak to keep
things to a moderate level of difficulty per Alan Kane’s classification in his
book Scrambles in the Canadian Rockies. Once you attain the Door Jamb summit
enjoy a nice break with great views. From here you can see whole route for the
next objective Loder Peak, approx. 400 feet more elevation gain but well worth
it. From Loder peak there is the option to descend down a gully to Jura Creek
and make it a loop. If that is your plan, looking north head to the right hand
side of the Loder Peak summit area and move down the slope until you see a
short down climb spot which allows you to access the first gully. From here
descend the gully, not much of a trail, just steep descending, pick your best
way. At the bottom of the gully you head left for a time until you intersect
Jura Creek. Head left down Jura Creek and it brings you back to a big wash
area just before the 1A highway. Access the road back to the trail head near
the power lines.