May 31st to June 8th 2025
Old mine shafts, crumbling ruins, a forest that gets darker before it opens up—C-Level Cirque has main character energy. For this week’s challenge, you’ll start low and finish high, scrambling through rocks and roots all the way to the ridge above the cirque. Swear a little. Look back, enjoy the views and wonder how the hell you got up there.
Getting There
Park at the Upper Bankhead day use area on the way to Lake Minnewanka.
The Route
Start your watch at the "Danger" sign.
The C-Level Cirque trail starts in the old mining townsite of Bankhead, winding through dense forest on a well-worn but rooty path. It climbs steadily with a few steep pitches, passing old mine ruins and relics before breaking into a massive alpine cirque filled with boulders and loose rock. As you push beyond the usual turnaround/official viewpoint, a scrambly route leads up to a high ridge with panoramic views of Lake Minnewanka, Cascade, and the Bow Valley.
Stop your watch when you touch the red "X" at the base of the cliff. It is a proper dead end as you will not be able to go further.
- Distance: 4.8 km
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Elevation Gain: 700 meters
- Where to Park: Upper Bankhead Day Use Area
- Surface: Semi-Technical and Technical Trail
- Challenge GPX Track
- Strava Segment