Lyell Summit Week

A guided mountaineering week which will climb some of the highest peaks in the Canadian Rockies. This trip is entirely hut based. This allows for light packs while traveling between the 3 huts.

This is an intensive week of peak bagging which aims to climb 7 peaks in 6 days. 5 of the peaks are over 11,000 feet. This mountaineering trip starts in Icefall Brook, traverses the enormous Lyell Glacier, and finishes by hiking out through the spectacular Icefall Canyon.

Dates: July- September

Price: For 1 person $2150. For 2 people $1300/person, plus HST

Meeting Place: Icefall Lodge

Requirements: Good fitness and basic mountaineering skills. Although the peaks are not technically difficult, they do require good fitness, and previous experience wearing crampons. If you do not have previous experience, a training course before can be arranged. Also see Snow and Ice Weekend or Complete Mountaineering Course.

Course Agenda:
Day 1: Meet at Icefall Lodge at 5 pm, go over gear and trip plan. Dinner and accommodation in the Lodge included. For information on how to reach Icefall Lodge see getting to Icefall Lodge. If you prefer a guide to go up to the lodge, or need transportation, this can be arranged for an additional charge. Enquire for details.

Day 2: Start on a hiking trail to reach the toe of La Clytte Glacier, traverse this glacier and climb to Crampon Col. From here you get a panorama of the vast Lyell Icefield. After a short descent over the bergschrund on the west side of Crampon Col, it is a gradual climb up to the Lyell Hut. This is a new hut built in September 2009 and will offer a comfortable base. At 2870m (9400’) it is completely surrounded by glacier, it will be home for the next 3 nights.

Day 3: This day climbs Christian Peak(3398m, 11150ft), the 5th Lyell Peak. This day will allow time to go over technique, enjoy the scenery and get used to the altitude. The day finishes back at the Lyell Hut.

Day 4: This big day will traverse 4of the Lyell Summits. These are Walter Peak(3401m, 11160ft), Ernest Peak(3511m, 11520ft), Edward Peak(3514m, 11528ft), and Rudolf Peak(3507m, 11505ft) . The day finishes back at the Hut.

Day 5: This is a shorter day, moving to the toe of the Mons Glacier and climbing Division Peak(3030m, 9941ft). Traverse the long ridge down from th Lyells and up to the summit of Division Peak. This traverse travels on the crest of the Continental Divide, the border between Alberta and British Columbia. From the summit, descend to the Mons Hut at 2350m (7700ft) at the toe of the Mons Glacier. This is the newest mountain hut completed in September 2010.

Day 6: Climb Mons Peak(3083m, 10115ft), descend to the hut, pack up, and hike out to Icefall Brook. The hike out traverses above the spectacular Icefall Canyon, which features many glacier fed waterfalls tumbling over the cliffs, up to 450m(1500ft) high.