Page Type:
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Route |
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Lat/Lon:
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51.50500°N / 116.422°W |
Route Type:
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Scrambling |
Season:
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Summer, Fall |
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Time Required:
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Most of a day |
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Rock Difficulty:
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Class 3 |
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Grade:
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I |
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Approach
Park at the Wapta Lake picnic area which is on the North side of the TransCanada highway about .2 km west of the West Louise Lodge. The turn off is about 5 km west of the BC and Alberta border(also Yoho and Banff Park borders). This is the summer trailhead for the Sherbrooke Lake trail and also the Paget Lookout trail.Take the signed Sherbrooke Lake hiking trail past the lake and up through the forest slopes to Niles Meadows passing several waterfalls on the way.
Mount Niles and Sherbrooke Lake.
Route Description
Trip is about 24 km (15 miles) with about 1350 m(4430 ft) of elevation gain and took us about 9 hrs RT.The trail past the lake and up to Niles meadow is very good. Once at the meadows there is a trail up the right (East) side of the valley which can be used to get to the base of Niles but it is better/faster to take the drainage straight ahead.
Niles Meadows
There is a cairned trail through the boulder field but it may be easier to bypass most of boulder field on the west and circle around to left (NW) of lowest pinnacle and then right of big pinnacle. Reasonable up trail from there. Mostly hiking as only took my hands off the poles once on the upper ridge.
SW slopes on Mount Niles
Descend the same way.
Essential Gear
The usual scrambling gear plus bear spray. Ice axe may be useful early in season.Camera as the views of the icefield are spectacular