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Panorama Ridge | 2010-09-18
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I went to solo hike at Panorama Ridge in Lake Louise area. Kane’s book touches one of 3 noticeable peaks on this long ridge and other 2 peaks were only briefly mentioned which I found out after I came back home and briefly reading the book.
I parked my car at ever-so-popular Morarine Lake parking lot. After a quick photo session with Morarine Lake and Valley of the Ten Peaks, I headed out to Consolation Lakes trail. After 3 km on the trail, I could see there were few gullies that I could choose to get to ridge top of Panorama. I followed the trail until near the lakes where I saw a good spot to crossover shallow but wide creek to the other side of Babel Creek to gain access to a gully. To the first peak (waypoint “Panorama Ridge”) was the easiest. I simply went up the gully and follow the ridge to the summit. There were no technical difficulties.
Routefinding was the key from 1st peak to 2nd peak (waypoint “GR611844”). For a while ridge had small ups and downs, but after 1.5 km from the 1st peak, I came across a big steep wall after a bit of down hill. I thought this wall can be done (maybe) if dry and if you are ok with exposure, but with snow covered condition I had to find a safer way. I went to the left (east) of the wall for 30 m or so then found moderate scramble terrain to get up the ridge top. I could not stay on ridge for too long though because of pinnacles. I elected to go down to right side (west) and lost elevation. I stayed about 20 to 40 m below ridge and traversed side hill often using ledges until near the 2nd peak where cliffy ridge disappeared and became more gentle terrain that I could easily go up.
From 2nd peak to 3rd peak (waypoint “GR613841”) was easier in terms of routefinding. Perhaps it was straight forward and also unlike 1st to 2nd the distance was much shorter. However scramble wise, probably the most difficult. Last 40 m, there were few spots of moderate scrambles.
For descent, I took a gully between 2nd and 3rd peak. This gully was very fine ground that at top I could dip my feet in snow and at lower bottom I could dip my feet in soft dirt. Very nice. Once at the bottom, I had to bushwhack little bit until I got to moraine. Despite of my hope, there wasn’t much trail on moraine or around lake shore… I did find 2 cairns while I was walking on moraine but I quickly lost it. Darn tourists they don’t even bother walk around the lake I guess… I only found half developed trails along lake shore which wasn’t too pleasant especially at the end of the day.
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