| MOUNT TEMPLE 3543 m Difficulty: A moderate scramble via southwest scree/snow slopes Round trip time: 7-12 hours Height gain: 1690 m Map: 82 N/8 Lake Louise Mount Temple is the ultimate scramble. Towering majestically over Lake Louise, this hulking giant, third highest in the southern Rockies, presents a dauntingly impregnable wall of vertical rock capped by perpetual snow and ice. This impression is a facade. Hidden away on the southwest side lies the heavily-used "tourist" route. Temple is the most accessible 3353 m (11,000 ft.) peak in the entire Canadian Rockies and probably the most often climbed. With an apparent blessing by Mother Nature one summer's day in 1996, the sun shone while a small wedding ceremony was performed on the top. It is believed the wedding night was spent elsewhere. Since 1894, when three intrepid members of the Yale-Lake Louise Club clambered up this face, hundreds of adventurers have uneventfully wheezed their way to the snowy summit. However, in 1955 seven teen-aged American boys, poorly equipped and inexperienced, perished here in Canada's worst-ever mountaineering accident. Ironically, adults supervising the group attempted to hold Parks Canada liable in the aftermath. They stated their own ignorance was owing to inadequate information from Parks Canada. Sadly, such irresponsible behaviour is even more prevalent today. Therefore, anyone doubting the conditions (either their own or that of the mountain!), should consult the Lake Louise Warden Office before heading out. In a typical year, the route is in condition by mid-July. Carry an ice axe. If the weather looks even halfway promising, it is highly unlikely you will be on the route alone. From the Lake Louise townsite, drive 15 km to Moraine Lake parking lot. Hike along the right shore of Moraine Lake to gain the Larch Valley trail, just past the lodge. Relentless switchbacks rise past a junction (keep right) and continue to open meadows at Larch Valley. Above tree line is a foreshortened view of the route as you hike past the two Minnestimma Lakes. More switchbacks lead to Sentinel Pass where you should have no trouble finding a path beaten into the scree of the southwest ridge, just right of the pass. Churn your way up the scree. Below the first towering wall, traverse horizontally right on a path dotted with cairns and ascend the third gully to the right to overcome the black rock band. The first two gullies are much more demanding. Continue up more gravel-strewn black ledges, angling right to reach an easy spot to scramble up the next rock band, grey in colour. Cairns are abundant and seem to multiply yearly. Although the rock is generally firm, rubble on ledges and slabs requires caution. Well-trodden paths coax you up the slope to the ridge to a final band of firm, cream-coloured rock. Handholds are plentiful and ascending this short band is pleasant. The rest of the way up the ridge is straightforward, but the terrain is still steep and rubble is precarious. Even without snow, an ice axe helps immensely. As you heave upward through the ever-thinning air, myriads of deep channels worn in the scree testify to the popularity of the peak. The angle finally relents for the final plod to the summit cairn. Stay well left of cornices on your right that project over the steep east face. On a clear day you can see the stark, granitic spires of the Bugaboos, 80 km away. During late September golden larches, a dusting of snow and the characteristic smoke-free fall horizon make this panorama particularly beautiful. Although the ascent is a simple undertaking in dry conditions, it is a major peak and should be treated seriously. Sufficient warm clothing and an ice axe are strongly advised. Runners, of course, are useless. On the first ascent in 1894, scholar-come-mountaineer Walter Wilcox surmised that given the temperature at Lake Louise and that which he recorded on top, he felt it would never exceed 40°F (4°C) on the summit. It actually does occasionally, but prepare for cool temperatures anyway. Sir Richard Temple was president of the Economic Science and Statistics Section, British Association, 1884.
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Photo: Tony Daffern
