Mount Athabasca - Bugaboo Alpine Adventures

Mount Athabasca

This is a three day course which teaches a broad range of mountaineering skills and culminates in the ascent of Mount Athabasca. Skills covered include, snow climbing, snow anchors, crevasse rescue, prussiking, crampon technique and ice climbing. Also covered will be roping up techniques for glaciers, rope management, route finding and navigation. These are the skills can form the basis for many future mountaineering trips. The climb of Mount Athabasca on the last day will give you the opportunity to put those skills to use.

Mt Athabasca (3491m / 11450 ft) is one of the classic Rockies peaks. It is not overly technical but it is a long day and good fitness and stamina are required. We will have a pre dawn start and will be well up the mountain when the sun rises. It is over 4500 feet to the summit and we aim to be back down in the early afternoon before the snow softens too much.

The setting is the Columbia Icefields, whose vast glaciers pour off in many directions and form the triple divide of the continent. From the road the north face and north glacier are clearly visible over 5000 feet above the campground. There are several options for accommodations nearby including camping, hostel or hotel. This venue gives us quick road access to high mountains and glaciers and is perfect for a shorter trip.

Dates: May - September
Price: $500 Canadian
Meeting Place: Icefields Campground

Includes:

Technical Gear (ropes, harness, ice axe, crampons)

Internationally certified IFMGA mountain guide

emergency equipment (first aid, radio)

Does not include:

food

accommodation

transportation

rescue insurance (rescue costs are covered by Parks Canada when you buy your park pass which is required to enter the park. Make sure you buy it)

boots, clothing, pack

Requirements:

No previous mountaineering experience is required for this trip. Good physical condition is required for the ascent of Mount Athabasca. This will involve climbing at a steady pace for up to 9 hours.