September 11th 2015
Mount Bourgeau Scramble has alluded me due to poor weather a couple of times, but not this time. A beautiful cloudless day was ahead of me. There had been snow earlier in the week but only a little remained on the upper slopes. The trail starts from the signed parking just past the Sunshine Village turn. On a weekend this is a very popular hiking area and the cars overflow onto the road. The trail not only leads up to Bourgeau Lake but also to Harvey Pass. From Harvey Pass, Bourgeau Mountain and a long hike over to Healy Pass with option of coming out at the Sunshine Ski Resort parking. I have also turned before Bourgeau Lake into a hidden area under the Massive Range.https://willski.ca/massive-range/ Today only the summit of Mt Bourgeau would do. The first 7.5km up through the trees I find to be a boring trudge. Once at the lake the scenery improves and improves dramatically at the upper lake and onward. Harvey Pass is spectacular in good weather. At the top of the pass the views are wonderful and only get better on the way up to Bourgeau summit. The summit views give you a good look south across into Sunshine Village and beyond to Mt Assinaboine. To the west onto Mt Temple. The north over to the Sawback and Vermillion Ranges and to the east into Banff and the Sundance and Rundle Ranges.
Distance return 24.0 km Time return 8:30 hrs ( inc 30 min lunch ) Elevation Accumulated gain 1500 m Elevation to Summit 1500m Summit height 2930 m
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