Miner's Peak

Elevation: 2474 m
Elevation Gain: 820 m
Miner’s Peak is an unofficially named high point on the Mount Lawrence Grassi massif high above Canmore, AB. Like adjacent Ha Ling Peak, Miner’s Peak was named in honor of the mining community that once worked below the mountain. Indeed, Canmore was one of the most important coal mining centers in southern Alberta for close to a century. When Canmore Mines Ltd. ceased coal production in 1979, Canmore was the last coal mining centre in the Bow Valley to permanently shut its doors.
My Ascents:
May 13 2016.
Trailhead: Goat Creek Trailhead
GPS Track: Miner's Peak

She’s back in the game! Seven months after Mera joined our peak-bagging clan, Brianne and I finally secured a full day’s baby-sitting to get out for some high quality suffering together; and having not bagged a proper peak in over a year and half, suffer poor Brianne did (I may have promised her that the peak was only 600 vertical meters; turns out that it’s closer to 800…whoops)! ;-)

With a sizable dump of snow the day prior, we decided to stick to a reasonably tame outing with a good trail. Miner’s Peak shares the popular Ha Ling trail up until the final ridge crest which separates the peaks. We, therefore, knew that we’d have a good trail broken most of the way (despite the impressive May snowfall)!

Having not been subjected to steep hills during her pregnancy or the first 7 months thereafter, Crux was happy to provide Brianne with a tow on Ha Ling’s steep trail.

Breaking tree line as the Three Miners appear ahead. Miner’s Peak is just out of sight below these peaks to the left. By this point, Brianne was trudging through occasional knee-deep snowdrifts on an overcast afternoon and wondering what exactly she missed about this peak-bagging hobby of ours.

Miner’s Peak (left) appears from the Ha Ling – Miner’s col. From here, the route simply follows the ridge crest through scree (and in this case, SNOW).

Despite the popularity of nearby Ha Ling Peak, Brianne, Crux and I were the only scramblers that made our way towards less-popular Miner’s Peak.

Ha Ling (and the hordes of running shoe-clad hikers on it) rises steeply in the background while Crux breaks trail for Brianne.

I couldn’t be happier to have my favorite climbing partner back by my side! Love you Boss!

A gray-day panorama of Canmore and the Bow Valley below. Click to see larger.

A closer look at Ha Ling Peak and more distant EEOR: popular Canmore scrambles.

Brianne and Crux hunker down on the summit while cold gusts throw clouds up and over nearby Mount Lawrence Grassi (left). Click to see larger.

The imposing north face of Mount Lawrence Grassi, veiled in cloud.

After a very brief summit stay, it was time to retrace our steps back to the Ha Ling – Miner’s col. The ridge to the final summit contained some very mild exposure; most scramblers should be comfortable with this level of exposure but hikers may find it a little disconcerting.

Back down and out of the snow at the trailhead. That can only mean that it’s time for…

...The Grizzly Paw! Does that look like a happy wife or what?!

The best part of any day in the mountains these days – coming home to that smile!