The Mitre Alpine Climb

Lat/Lon: 51.36°N, 116.26°W
The Mitre is located at the head of the Lefroy Glacier between the extended ridge of
Mount Aberdeen and Mount Lefroy in Banff National Park, one of four connecting
national parks located in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. The Mitre was officially
named such in 1893 as it was thought to resemble a Bishop’s mitre (pointed
headdress worn by a bishop during church ceremonies). It is one of the most
aesthetic mountains in the Lake Louise group. The Mitre was first ascended by
Kaufmann and Pollinger in 1901.

The only published route up the Mitre is an Alpine II, 5.5 route that utilizes the
Paradise Valley approach option.   There is another approach option from Lake
Louise on the Plain of Six Glaciers Trail.   Although the first approach is considered
a safer route, the Paradise Valley Trail has been subject to closure and/or restriction
due to bear activity for the past several years. The Lake Louise approach does not
typically suffer from the same circumstances. The most immediate view from the
summit of the Mitre is the slow movement of massive ice being pushed off of Mount
Lefroy’s eastern face.

Plain of Six Glaciers refers to the valley that drains six glaciers into Lake Louise's
crystal blue waters (Aberdeen, Upper-Lower Lefroy, Upper-Lower Victoria and Popes
Peak). The valley runs east-west and is surrounded by peaks on three sides: Mount
Aberdeen, The Mitre and Mount Lefroy to the south, Popes Peak and Mount Whyte to
the north and Mount Victoria to the west. The Mitre rises above the southern end of
the lower Mount Lefroy Glacier that joins the Lower Victoria Glacier to the north.
These glaciers form part of your approach.

Getting There
The Trans-Canada dissects Banff National Park east to west as you come in from
Calgary. Travel to the Lake Louise exit and turn left through town and follow this road
5 km to its end at the Lake Louise parking area.

Red Tape
You will be required to purchase a national park pass as you enter the park. This
pass is good for all four national parks. If you plan many visits to Canadian National
Parks within one year, you should purchase an annual pass. There are no permit
requirements to climb in Banff National Park, but all camping is regulated. There is
also a backcountry permit required if you plan on spending a night in the backcountry
versus the town campsites. This can be obtained via the parks website which is
included in the camping section below. Park headquarters are located in Banff and
you will drive through the manned kiosks as you enter the park.

This is active grizzly country, therefore, you should always have bear spray on your
person. We just had a grizzly fatality in Canmore, June, 2005. This approach trail is
rarely restricted as it leads to the Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House. However, I advise
checking with Parks Canada for any area and/or trail closures

When to Climb
As with most rock alpine climbs in the Canadian Rockies, the driest time is from
June through September. I climbed The Mitre in July and the route was in condition.
There are no published backcountry ski routes on this mountain, nor would it be
conducive to ski to the summit.

Camping
The closest camp site would be back in town at the Lake Louise Campground. You
can go on line at Banff National Park to pick a camp site and obtain your camping
permit. You will also be required to obtain your backcountry permit which is separate,
but can be obtained simultaneously if you plan on camping at a backcountry site. The
Lake Louise Alpine Center Hostel is a great place to eat and has been recently
renovated, but is more expensive than your average hostel. Of course those with the
big bucks can camp out at the Chateau itself.

Mountain Conditions
Banff National Park’s website has weather, wildlife reports, trail closures, etc.
Outside of the parks web site, Canadian Avalanche Association is also useful,
particularly for winter travel.

Route
This is a 3800’+/- ascent day.   I recorded 4000’ on my altimeter for accumulated
elevation.   Beware, as this is not a common objective, the route is not clean and
loose rock is the norm.   Don’t let this deter you however, The Mitre is a fun route
with great views of hanging ice coming off of adjacent Mount Lefroy.   There are two
approaches, the least technical, but longer approach through Paradise Valley, or the
glacier approach from Lake Louise. Sean Doughterty’s book recommends the
Paradise Valley approach.   I recommend the Lake Louise approach. My
recommendation is based on various reasons, but the primary limiting factor to the
Paradise Valley approach is the year after year trail restriction/closure due to bear
activity.

From the Lake Louise trailhead parking lot, catch the Plain of Six Glaciers Trail and
circumvent the lake on the north shore. You have two options here, we used both.
You can continue on the trail until the Mitre comes into view and then gain the
moraine heading into Victoria, drop down and climb back up to the Lefroy Glacier
aiming straight for the Mitre at the glaciers south end.

The optional ascent/descent is to leave the trail shortly after the reaching the west
end of the lake and proceed through a short bushwhack up and onto the Victoria
Glacier moraine, following the right side of the drainage until you reach the ice.
Utilizing either option will put you at the eastern edge of the Victoria Glacier where
you will cross the drainage in several places and gain the Lefroy Glacier heading into
the Mitre.

Stay fairly centered as you progress on the Lefroy Glacier, eventually angling left to
the base of the ice/snow couloir up to the left col between the Mitre and the extended
ridge of Aberdeen.   Use crampons to ascend this couloir staying away from the
wall and potential rock fall hazard.   As you approach the upper slope, take the right
fork via a narrow band of snow/ice to finish to the col.   For a fit team, it should take
approximately 3 hours to reach the col from the parking area.

From the col, drop down slightly on the south side and traverse ledges approximately
300’-400’ over to a fairly wide, wet, and probably snow filled gully. This route was
somewhat marked by cairns in 2005, but there are quite a few cairns in different
locations, so beware of getting into more technical terrain. Once in the wet gully, you
might want to rope up for some firm (by Mitre standards) rock (5.5) that leads up
about 150’ to optional features.

A significant sized keyhole is directly above you and to your left is a 15” crack. We
chose to squeeze (hope you ate a light breakfast) through the crack and bypass the
keyhole to the west. After you are through the crack, keep moving left on some ledges
up and over a rappel station. This area was well marked with cairns in 2005.
Continue up back right until at another rappel station directly across from the top of
the keyhole via some exposed ledges. Cross these ledges and you will be at the top
of the keyhole, which has its own rappel station.

Continue up a loose gulley, staying close to avoid rock fall hazard.   Eventually you
come to a small cave to your left, ascend the firm rock to your far right and continue to
the eastern ridge of the Mitre opening up to tremendous views of Mount Temple over
your left shoulder and Mount Lefroy and its hanging ice straight away. In fact this ice
avalanched off of steep walls twice while we were on the ridge.

Continue along the ridge having to do some climbing on the right side fairly
immediate to regain it.   Then the ridge goes easy on the left side until you reach a
significant buttress.   Proceed on its right side to one of two options.   Either climb up
and over a boulder in a chimney or continue on around a few meters further to a
crack climb.   Neither are overwhelming objectives (5.5). We took the crack climb
and roped up.   Once at the top of the crack and on the ridge, continue on to the
summit with one more tricky hands on move in between.

The register was missing in 2005. It took us less than three hours to reach the
summit from the col, but that is moving along. On descent we found all rappel
stations in decent shape in 2005. The 1st short rappel station is one that takes you
back over that last “hands on” move you did. It is located on the south side of the
ridge. The 2nd short station is back down the chimney, even if you used the crack on
ascent, descend through the chimney with a boulder in it. The 3rd short rappel
station is down the north side of the ridge as you are about to head off the ridge on
the south side. Down climb until right above the small cave and find the 4th longer,
but low angled, rappel station on your left. This puts you back down to the top of the
key hole. There is a rappel station here, but we returned the ledges back to our 5th
rappel station southwest of the keyhole and descended to just west of the crack.
Then a 6th rappel (without returning through the crack) puts you down to the snow
filled firm rock gully where you started your technical climbing. Traverse back the
ledges on return to the col and descend the ice/snow slope and Lefroy Glacier. Move
right as you exit the glacier and cross a significant drainage cut into the ice to find
softer ground leading down the moraine to the edge of the Victoria Glacier. Cross the
drainage here and follow the left side of this drainage all the way back to the lake
where you will have a short bush walk left to regain the trail leading back to the
parking lot.

Essential Gear
60 meter Rope, Helmet, Harness and Related Belay Gear, Crampons, Alpine Ax,
Medium Sized Nuts, Few Smaller Cams, Few Knife Blade Pitons, Gaiters

Trip Report
Had a great day with Doug and Everett. My kind of crew. Typical stormy day in 2005. I
recommend this Lake Louise approach over the Paradise Valley option. It works like
a charm. Just stay away from the northeast wall of the Mitre on ascent of the snow/ice
gully to the col. I did not feel the hazards in this area were as overwhelming as Sean’
s guide book might suggest. Oh and don’t forget your crampons as I did, might make
you feel a tad more secure descending from the col.