A Canadian Rockies classic that offers excellent views out to the rolling foothills of Southern Alberta. With views that stretch out easily to Calgary on a clear day, this short but high-value adventure is not to be missed! Although navigating the trail is quite straightforward there is some exposure and challenging terrain that is not to be underestimated. Expect to use your hands to scramble through a few challenging sections. Trail markers were updated in 2021 and are now much easier to see from afar on the backside of the mountain.
Begin at the Yamnuska Trailhead and follow signage for the hiker’s trail up the lower benches. The trail gently switchbacks until you reach a saddle overlooking the valley. From there, follow the trail heading west until an obvious chimney feature marked with a blue square. Go up and through this chimney. Continue following this trail until you reach a short exposed section with a chain and traverse across. From there, it’s only a little ways further to the summit.
To descend, follow the scree slopes headed west until you reach the col between Goat Mountain and Yamnuska. From the col, you can either take the easy way down that contours around the frontside slopes, or wrap around the West end of Yamnuska and run down the scree. Continue to follow the trail past some boulders and a small waterfall feature until you rejoin the first section of the hikers trail which will take you back down to the parking lot.
- Distance:11 km
- Elevation: 900m
- Where to Park: Mount Yamnuska Trailhead
- Surface: Dirt, Rocks, Scree, Boulders, Well defined and Marked Trail
- Difficulty: Challenging
Download the GPX File Here (2022 update)
