Mount Tyrwhitt – Highwood Pass Area

GC - Grizzly Col

Route up to Grizzly Col

Mount Tyrwhitt

Scramble: Class 2 – Steep Hiking, Use of Hands

Altitude: 2,874m (9,425 ft)

Ascent Time: 2 – 3 Hours

Elevation Gain: approx. 650m (2,130 ft)

Best Season to Scramble: Mid July to September, best when final slope from Grizzly col is dry

Highlights

This scramble starts at the Highwood Pass. For the small elevation gain it offers high alpine hiking, beautiful views of the upper and lower Kananaskis Lakes as well as Mount Rae.

Bears frequent this area, check with the Barrier Lake Information Centre on Highway 40. Rangers post warning signs when necessary. Make lots of noise when hiking.

Getting There

Head west out of Calgary on the TransCanada highway # 1 for 79km (49.4 miles) and take the Kananaskis Country Highway 40 turnoff and head south. If your base is Banff head east on the TransCanada for 52 km (32.5 miles) and turn south on route as above. Drive south for 69.5km (43.4 miles) to the Highwood Pass (Meadows) parking lot. Toilets here.

Route Description

Head north on the interpretive trail for the Highwood Meadows parking lot for a couple of minutes then veer left on a narrow footpath which passes by a sinkhole. This trail continues on into the trees up over a ridge then into a high alpine valley called Pocaterra Cirque. Once at the end of cirque head left or south up to Grizzly col. Distance to this point is around 3.2km. From here you have around 250m (820ft) to the top with much use of all fours.