It has been over 6 years since we did it but I still reflex on this event with great fondness. On late August day we finally did it, we made it to the top of Mount Temple. It is one of the most enduring scrambles / hikes one can do around Calgary. Mount Temple is the highest peak in the Bow Range - 3540 m ( 11614 feet) and for many climbers it is often the first peak over 11 000 feet. We all gathered at Moraine Lake in the Valley of Ten Peaks parking lot early in the morning since we knew that Mount Temple takes long time to do. We didn’t know at the time that it was going to take 12 hours for me and Ryan who hang back with me. Let me recall who came with us that day - well, there was Lisa with her husband Denis, myself with Matt and Ela my (now) ex-wife, Ryan a guy who I worked with at the time. First we hiked to Larch Valley which is exceptionally beautiful in the fall. All larches turn yellow and the valley simply glows. From there the whole thing started first steep all he way to Sentinel Pass which runs across between beautiful Larch Valley and very mysterious Paradise Valley, mysterious because it is very inaccessible hence visited not too frequently. We had a nice long break there, replenished some sugar in our systems before getting serious. From there on it is steep and I mean steep. If you haven’t seen it it is had to believe that it is still doable just by scrambling. Many times I would feel more comfortable if I had ropes there. Eventually one has to negotiate three rock bands and we did it without ropes - sheer madness. Mount Temple is a big, hard slog. One takes 3 steps forward just to slide back at least step or two. It takes truly forever but as one gains altitude the views are just stunning. For every 10, 20 meters of vertical altitude gained one can see more and more, far and farther. The mountain is covered with ice/snow cap year around. Once on the top it does get cold quickly but since we had such a nice weather it was so hard to finally start on our way back. We must have spent at least 45 minutes up there freezing our rear ends and feasting on all the vistas around us. It took us for ever to crawl down since going up is ALWAS much easier even though much more physically demanding of course. But once you start coming down the very steep mountain side one constantly feels as any time one will simply would fall off the mountain. Ryan almost did when he stepped on small pebbles once on the bottom rock band but that is a different story. Anyway, once we got below the third rock bend we started scree skiing, that was fun - we got down fast although one had always to be careful not to fall and cut oneself into pieces. The rest of the group were ahead of us so we could see them sitting down there waiting for us. Matt came back third up the scree and offered help carrying my back pack - he does have good heart despite the choices he has been making last few years. By the time we got all the wayback to parking lot it was getting dark. We finished our day in Grizly Paw, place in Canemore where very many hikes in that area ended. It is sort of a tradition now, after whole day playing out there we go to Grizzly Paw for fish and chips and a pint or two of a cold one. By the way, they have there their own mini brewery so they beer is very unusual and truly lovely. My choice of a brew is called Rutting Elk Red, how about for beer name? It was very memorable day, I often come back to that day when playing in the great Canadian outdoors. You should try to do Mount Temple too when you get a chance. Check this link for the pictures. Aren’t Canadian Rockies magnificent ? Drop me a line and tell me what do you think.
