Mount Edith
Mount Edith

Mount Edith Scramble

Banff National Park
View Photos
Hikers approaching the mountain hiking Mount Edith trail Banff National Park

Mount Edith Scramble

Distance: 7.8mi
Elevation: 4,449ft
Time: 5-6h

Difficulty Rating:

User Ratings:
10 Overall Rating
Technical Difficulty
Physical Difficulty

Mount Edith scramble begins with the unsuspecting Cory Pass hike before branching off to the right to begin gaining Mount Edith. There is a north and south route that each have their own great features. Mount Edith is a gripping adventure for those who are ready to take on something more technical.

Mount Edith Scramble Map

Getting there

From the Town of Banff, take the Trans-Canada Highway westbound and take the exit for the Bow Valley Parkway (1A). Turn right off the exit, and take your first right to Fireside Picnic Area. Park here, and find the trailhead on the east side of the parking lot at the bridge. Your route starts on the Cory Pass trail.

I’ve done this 1 people have done this
I want to do this 2 want to do this route

About

When to do

June-September

Backcountry Campsites

No

Pets allowed

No

Family friendly

No

Route Signage

None

Crowd Levels

Low

Route Type

Out and back


Mount Edith
Elevation Graph


Mount Edith Trail Description

From the Fireside Picnic Area, head to the east side of the parking lot, where you will find a trail sign. Cross the bridge to the old fireplace and take a right. You will follow the signed trail for Cory Pass. Make your way through the forest before taking a left turn and beginning your climb. It starts steep here, so be ready to work for your views right away! Gain the ridge here and travel across the ridgeline to the right. You will encounter a small scramble section with a few hands-on moves before continuing on the well-maintained path.

Continue towards Cory Pass, where Mount Edith will come into view on your right. As you arrive at the rocky pass, a trail will lead off to the right. This is the Mount Edith Scramble route. Once you leave the pass there will no longer be any trail signs, so make sure you know the route. You’ll be approaching Mount Edith North from the pass. The best route here is to traverse the North, Centre, and South Peaks of Mount Edith.

Gain the col and find yourself at the famed Mount Edith North chimneys. Follow the cairns up the correct chimney to gain the North Peak. Head down and traverse over to the centre peak from the col. This is a less technical section and will seem much easier to gain the centre peak than the north. From there, continue your traverse to the South Peak. You will have to squeeze through a tunnel here that has good holds and looks more daunting than it is. After the tunnel, you’ll be able to scramble up to the South Peak easily.

Take in the views of Mount Louis and Mount Cory from all three summits if you handle looking up after all the exposure. It is highly recommended to wear a helmet on this route. From the South Peak, head back through the tunnel to the col and make your way back down to the Cory Pass trail making a small circuit on Mount Edith. Return the way you came on the Cory Pass trail.

Comments

courtney.ledden 2 years ago

This scramble is 8-10hours car to car to do all three peaks (as described in Alan Kane's Scrambles book).

10.0 Overall Rating
Technical Difficulty
Physical Difficulty
9h 30m Time Taken
1 Comment

Similar Scrambles to the Mount Edith Scramble

Eiffel Peak Trail

Eiffel Peak

Difficulty:
7mi
4167ft
6-8h

Eiffel Peak isn’t frequented by many who make their way to Moraine Lake. It is a difficult scramble with less…

Mount Rundle

Mount Rundle

Difficulty:
9.4mi
5702ft
8-10h

Locals stare at Mount Rundle day in and day out, enough to acquire a personal relationship with the impressive feature.…

Caldron Peak

Caldron Peak

Difficulty:
12.6mi
5328ft
8-10h

Caldron Peak is a scramble that requires a lot of effort. There are creek crossings, glaciers, multiple alpine lakes, and…