Plan for next time!! The Trek to rock bound lake took about 2hrs 15mins, it’s a long gradual incline but not too bad. people call it moderately difficult. This is a very challenging hike, do not attempt unprepared, bring at least 3L of water (I drank 4L). Cairns are essential to stay on the trail. 8hrs40mins moving time. It’s owned and operated by skiers who are driven by adrenaline, not profit. I lightened my load by leaving my teeth in the jar at home. Here is our ascent of #CastleMountain between Banff and Lake Louise in the Bow Valley. The trail is primarily used for hiking and backpacking and is best used from June until September. You are closer to the summit than it looks. We could only see the Bow River and Rockbound Lake below us. When you finally reach the meadows, the landscape gets your attention as the backside of iconic Castle Mountain slowly comes into view. You first get to Rockbound Lake and then keep walking along the lake on its right where you'll see a flag and a cairn. Eisenhower Peak and Castle Mountain is a 28.6 kilometer moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada that features a lake and is only recommended for very experienced adventurers. Having done my research on this one, I knew going in that it didn’t involve any scrambling or crazy elevation gains within short distances, both of which I love. It sits east of the Trans-Canada Hi… The final ascent to the summit is a steep hike. The top of Eisenhower Peak can be seen right across the summit. It was a steady incline the entire way, with hardly any flat surface. Have fun. The horseflies and mosquitos are awful at the lake so be prepared! Tunnel Mountain. For the first 5 or 6km, it’s a boring forest walk, but then the forest canopy opens up to reveal a glimpse of the impressive Eisenhower Peak and the sheer north wall of Castle Mountain. Beautiful view from the top. We traversed the col to Stuart Knob. Castle mountain, so named for its fortress-like shape, is a quick hop away from the town of Banff. It is quite steep, and you will be gaining roughly 436 meters (1430 feet) in elevation. The other two we were with had a bit more difficulty with it but still did it just fine! We did the loop traverse to Castle summit South and North. Lowest prices for your stay. it is only for those who have very strong legs & lungs , work out regularly & have no other health issues. The Castle Mountain Resort shouldn’t be confused with Castle Mountain in the Banff National Park. This is the first hike … We did 4 full days at Banff & Yoho. It’s a short walk from there to the Rockbound Lake trailhead, where I start the hike. By the time we summited, the smoke from California and Oregon fires had reduced visibility to less than 5km. Poles are strongly advised for stability. Camping in Banff ; Castle Mountain Chalets; Search. Total elevation gain: 1,500m And then the LONG return back to the lakes and out. The trek down to the lake took a little over 2hrs. Very rocky and fun hands on scrambling throughout. I would recommend this hike for beginners looking for a bit of a challenge with some incline! Check In — / — / — Check Out — / — / — Guests 1 room, 2 adults, 0 children Guests 1 2. Castle Mountain Lookout Trail is a 4 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. We returned to west end of Knob and side sloped the shale across the front of Stuart Knob towards the col to Helena Peak. Day hikes in the Castle Junction area Along the spine of the North American continent, the Rocky Mountains poke high into the clouds and blue glaciers cling to their slopes. Also a surprising amount of bugs for this time of year. If you’re looking for a fun, non-technical hike near Banff, hiking up to the Castle Mountain Lookout is a fantastic option. Table Mountain: For a slightly bigger challenge, with an elevation gain of about 690 m, tackle Table. With the Bow Valley Parkway closed off, parking can be found opposite the Castle Mountain Gas Station off the Banff-Windermere Hwy. It is a \"castellate\" type of mountain in which the flat-lying layers feature near vertical cliffs alternating with flat or gently sloped terraces which have been sculptured by glacial and other forms of erosion. Book 9+ rooms . Large boulders, scattered larch, a couple of streams and some lovely distant mountain … Distance perception is almost completely lost as there are no common reference points (trees give distance perception). Views are worth it at the top! It’s very scenic at the end. I personally really enjoyed this hike even though, yes, the majority of the time you are hiking in the trees; but you encounter some really interesting terrain including some rock to scramble up towards the top, and cross a couple of dried creek beds. Summiting Castle Mountain took just under 5 hours. Distance – 3 kilometres. Very enjoyable route finding following cairns to most southern point of Castle overlooking Eisenhower Peak. Was good for our dog! Rained hard overnight so was a bit wet but didn’t cause any problems. I was wearing very aggressive trail runners (not running shoes!) The distance is 30.8km Show Prices . Ensure you take the upper route if your intent is hiking. Start / Finish – Bow River Bridge. Ramble on about the hike. Due to this trip being 8 days I’ve decided to do 2 separate posts. We started in the dark and it was fine, the trail isn’t rooty or rocky at the beginning. Trail finding tricky in the rocks, but just follow the cairns and you'll see the odd trail appear. The hike finishes at an old fire lookout. Good climb to the top, nice view of The Valley and peaks. This is a list of my peaks, ridges, high points and lookouts in Alberta and British Columbia. Hiking experience is essential. One for Banff and Yoho and then one for the Icefields Parkway and Jasper. Amazing! Getting to the summit from the Beaver Mines Lake Campground takes … To reach the peak you climb over 1,700 meters or 5,600 feet and nearly 22km in a … Fantastic day on Castle Mountain. We still took some great photos though and came home feeling tired and satisfied. The backside of Castle Mountain. The only reason I'm not rating this hike as a 5 star is because the lookout at the top was not what I was expecting. To get to the trail head from Calgary, follow Hwy 1 to the Castle mountain junction (Hwy 93) it is past the banff townsite, it taks better than an hour to get there. Castle Mountain Chalets . Amazing views in the amphitheatre and the peak! My GPS watch tracked 31 km. Make sure to sign the book tucked in the water bottle in the rock pile at the top! hardly any flat portion .......always rising........no relief for your legs. The trail guide in Alltrails is excellent to follow when cairns are not easily seen. … With 81 years of history deeply rooted at the base of Castle Mountain we continue to provide a relaxed mountain experience to travellers from across the globe. Instagram for pics/DM: rootyhiker. We spent an hour here because it was so peaceful with barely any wind and we were the only ones up there! The Castle Mountain Lookout hike is relatively short at only 3.7km (2.2 miles) one way. It's a LONG one. Castle Mountain Banff & Yoho National Parks. It took about 4 hours total with a stop at the top for lunch and photos. Once above the lake and starting to round it, follow the cairns!!! Half way between Banff and Lake Louise, HI Castle Mountain is just off the Bow Valley Parkway (Highway 1A), a quieter highway where wildlife is a bit easier to spot. Hiking trail: Eisenhower Peak and Castle Mountain From the lake to the peak took about 3hrs, lots of cairns and inukshuks to follow along the way. Within view of the iconic Castle Mountain, the hostel gives you a taste of wilderness living with some of the comforts of home, like a cozy lounge … On such a hot day we decided to go for a swim in the lake, was freezing!! Try not to slip, it’s a long drop. But worth every step. We are average shape hikers with lots of experience, and we clocked at 10.5 hours. If you don't have time to hike to Rockbound Lake (at the base of Castle), head to the viewpoint just off of Highway 91 and snap some pictures of this epic mountain. Strava clocked the route as 8.2km (4.1km to the lookout). The summit was incredible with amazing 360 degree views of the mountains around! Not much of a view until the very top. *Bow valley parkway was closed so we had to park across from the castle mountain chalets to starts our hike* Hiked up onto Castle Mtn on Labor Day. The trek will start at 08:00 at the Castle Mountain gas station parking lot on highway 1a 20km East of Lake Louise or 25 km West of Banff, the group will meet their ACMG Mountain Guide and begin an easy hike through the forest to the old fire lookout, from there you will leave the beaten path and follow a faint climbers trail to the … The extra kilometres are very rocky with an intermittent trail - so give yourself lots of time. To less than 5km your intent is hiking above the Lake and to... Try not to slip, it 's very steep, and is in the Castle Mountain Gas Station off Banff-Windermere. Close to Stuart Knob and I didn ’ t cause any problems such as Silverton Falls and Johnston Canyon closer. Slow incline for the cairns!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!... 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