Monday, June 2, 2025

Mount Glasgow North, Elbow, Kananaskis - May 31, 2025

Sam is back home after his first year in university. He is working for the City of Canmore this summer, Monday to Friday, and so will have limited chances to get out for hikes. He has surpassed me in abilities and willingness to scramble, so I was very thankful (and a little nervous) when he asked me to join him to do Mount Glasgow North this weekend. Mandy and I had made it to the second false summit back in 2020 before turning around (see here), and Sammy had made it to the third before turning around for a time constraint, so would third time be a charm?

We made it to the trailhead at the Little Elbow parking lot by 7:00 and got on our way. One of the advantages of living so close to where we love to hike is that we are able to get away before everybody else even arrives!  Today was no exception.  We did see another pair getting ready for what looked to be a trail run so we were pretty sure they would be staying low, while we were going high.  The approach part of the trail is very nice in that the first 3.5 km of the hike is on mostly flat ground following the Little Elbow River.  This is nice because you have a little time to warm up instead of heading straight up the moment you leave your car.  The challenging part of this approach is that because the trail is so close to the river it has become very braided and you can often find yourself a little off-trail.  No mind, with the river on our right and technology in our pockets we made our way to the start of the climb, and were gently warmed up for what lay ahead.

Sam And The First Few Steps

Crossing The Little Elbow River

Little Elbow From The Footbridge And Our Destination On The Very Right

The ascent starts on a very steep gulley that takes you to a well defined path that we would stay on all of the way to the treeline.  The trail through the trees is quite steep and a significant portion of the elevation is covered by the time you get out.  At this point the trail starts to play mind games with you due to the number of false summits.  The true summit is never really in sight until the final push at which point you start to doubt if the hike will ever end.  Sam and I took a short break on the last false summit to catch our breaths and for some quick water.

Break Time

The last little bit had some scrambly parts for which I was thankful Sam was there to keep me calm and coach me through.  Shortly after 10:00 we made the summit.  It was a great feeling for me to have done a new hike with my son, and I think we were both feeling pretty satisfied.  The views were spectacular and we spent a few moments taking it in, checking the summit register, and grabbing a few photos.  

Summit Shot #1

Summit Shot #2 - Checking The Summit Register

Summit Shot #3

The wind had picked up a bit so we found some shelter just below the summit for some snacks and more water.

Elbow Valley From Our Shelter Spot - Note False Summits Below Us

The sun was shining down on us at this point, and to our surprise we noticed one hiker making his final push to the summit, so we decided it was time to start our descent.  We actually passed about six groups (one to three people per group, plus one dog) on the way down which really surprised us.  On the way up we commented that we were probably not going to see anybody all day.  We were very wrong.  I was both happy to see so many people enjoying the day and this beautiful hike, and to see them all on our way down. 😁 

Approaching One Of The False Summits On The Descent

JM Descending Through A Rockband

With the sun beating down on us all the way down we made a small detour once we were back in proximity to Little Elbow River to splash water on our faces and refill our water bottle.  Refreshed and rejuvenated we made short work of the last few kilometers back to the trailhead.

As always when hiking with Mandy and the boys, I really enjoy the discussions that occur.  Sam and I covered a wide range of topics today including mountaineering, politics, engineering, plant operation, lawn care, and several others!  It was a great hike, with a great hiking partner, and I felt very lucky to be alive and living such a beautiful life. 💜

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