Scrambling up the scree
September 25th 2015
Ha-Ling is one of the most popular scrambles in Canmore. Going up the front bowl not so much. Ok it does look impossible when viewed from Canmore. Doug said he had done it a couple of times and it is the only way to go.I was glad to accept his invitation to give it a try. I would go again on this route. I found it far more interesting than the back way up. It is not for everyone and vertically challenged individuals with no previous scrambling experience should not try this route.
We started from the parking above Grassi Lakes that the climbers use on the Spray Lakes road before the Goat Creek parking. Head towards the Riders of Rohan trail and find the trail with a log across the entrance. This leads up to the scree under the rock wall of Ha-Ling. Past the rock wall under the summit leads to the front bowl. Pick your best route up through the slabs. A zig zag or a big Z works best. See you at the Col for Raclette dipped in fresh bread Yum. Return via the normal route but stay off the road and use the old wooden canal route above the Goat Creek parking.
View of Canmore in the fall
Looking back to the dam above Grassi lakes, The Bowl is now in view
Working up the bowl
Ha-Ling summit
Raclette cheese fondu at col. Thanks Angie & Hendri
Walking back along the old wooden canal
Distance return6.0 km Time return 6 hrs ( inc 30 min lunch ) Elevation Accumulated gain 690 m Elevation to Summit 670 m Summit height 2375 m to Col
[recaptcha_form]
[…] from the front. This looks impossible when seen from Canmore, but is just class 3 scramble. See here. It must be snow free & this is main reason I haven't been up that way because by the time snow […]