The Tower Scramble

Page Type Page Type: Route
Location Lat/Lon: 50.85556°N / 115.28472°W
Additional Information Route Type: Scrambling
Seasons Season: Summer
Additional Information Time Required: Most of a day
Additional Information Difficulty: Moderate
Sign the Climber's Log

Overview/Approach

The Tower

This is a 4150’+/- ascent day. An unmarked trail starts off of Spray Lakes Road directly across from where you parked (east side of the road). It angles right for a distance and then starts aggressively climbing the logged slope to the east, moving back left (north), until it finally enters the mature forest. The trail leads to Rummel Creek and finally crosses it to the north right before scenic Rummel Lake below Mount Galatea. From the lake, follow a trail north and then east as it works its way above tree line and towards the Tower and Mount Galatea col. There is a small lake or mud flat (bear tracks in 2006), depending on the time of year, right before you get to the col. Traverse the left side of this feature and start angling your way towards the Tower’s southern slopes. There was a decent sized cairn marking the start of the route in 2006, but in any case, you are looking to gain the slope via a line that stays just left (west) of a significant water runnel/drainage coming down the right side of the south face of the Tower.

After considerable gain and before you reach the upper ridge, look for some cairns that cut across the face back left through several weaknesses. Scramble left up a short climbing section and continue to the ridge from there scrambling on up to the summit in short order. Most of this scramble is a scree hike with few if any challenges when dry. There was a summit cairn and register in 2006. Return the same.

Climbing Sequence


Essential Gear

Helmet, Hiking Boots (tons of scree), Poles, Appropriate Clothing, Bear Spray

External Links

  • 100’s of Canmore and Banff National Park multi-pitch rock climbs, ice climbs, alpine climbs and scrambles, just scroll down to routes
  • OR: Best True Technical Clothing and Accessories in the Outdoor Industry
  • Scarpa, has surpassed La Sportiva in terms of quality, function, value
  • Osprey Backpacks, Not a Second Choice
  • Great Outdoors Depot
  • Mont-Bell
  • Cascade Designs (MSR; Thermarest; Platypus)



  • Parents 

    Parents

    Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports.

    The TowerRoutes