Pilot Mountain Scramble

Lat/Lon: 51.18°N, 115.81°W
Pilot Mountain is part of the Massive Range along with Mount Bourgeau , Massive
Mountain, and Mount Brett (this group of mountains reveal the appropriate naming of
the range) located in the Bow River Valley of Banff National Park.   Banff National
Park is one of four connecting national parks in the heart of the Canadian Rockies.
Pilot is one of the most visible mountains along the TransCanada as it resides in a
bend of the Bow Valley, therefore, it can be seen from either direction for quite the
distance.    I photographed Pilot Mountain from a dozen summits before I finally
climbed Pilot itself.   Pilot Mountain was officially named such in 1884 by George
Dawson because it served as such a landmark to early Canadian Bow Valley
travelers.   Pilot Mountain was first ascended in 1885 by a geological survey team.

Alan Kane suggests in his guidebook, Scrambles in the Canadian Rockies, to climb
Pilot Mountain and Mount Brett together.   I concur with this strategy being an avid
peak bagger, but it makes for an athletic day in the mountains, gaining a total of
8400’ via my altimeter.   When investigating the climbs on the Internet and reading
the actual summit log on Mount Brett, I found no evidence of anyone else combining
the two.   However, it worked for me.

The key views from Pilot Mountain’s summit include Copper Mountain, Brett
Mountain, Mount Ball, Isabelle Peak, Castle Mountain, Storm Mountain, Massive
Mountain and of course Mounts Assiniboine and Joffre in the distance. The route
options are diverse therefore I will add the route I utilized and offer my two cents
worth as to what would probably work better. I found the description in the guide
book, as is common, to be considerably lacking in detail.

Getting There
The Trans-Canada Highway dissects Banff National Park east to west as you come
in from Calgary. Continue past the Banff and Sunshine Ski Resort exits. Trans-
Canada is a four lane interstate type of highway, but it will let you turn left across
traffic into several different trailheads. The second one you come to at 30+/-kms
beyond Banff is the Redearth Creek Trailhead. There are restrooms at this location.

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. Even if you use a hut, you will need this permit. 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. I advise checking with Parks Canada for any area and/or trail closures.

When To Climb
As with most climbs in the Canadian Rockies, the driest time is from June through
September. I did Pilot Mountain in August and the route was free of snow except for
the last 1000’ which had up to four inches of fresh snow. There are no published
backcountry ski routes on Pilot Mountain nor does it appear feasible to ski to the
summit.

Camping
The closest camp site would be the Lost Horse Creek, RE6, backcountry site in Banff
National Park and would make for a great base camp if you wanted to bag Pilot
Mountain, Mount Brett and/or Copper Mountain on separate days. It is 7.2kms in on
Redearth Creek Trail.   You could really live it up with a reservation at Shadow Lake
Lodge another 6kms west on Redearth Creek Trail. They feed you well and even
have a homemade sauna (live fire) which I have experienced on a winter ski trip.
There are several more backcountry sites in the area.   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.

Mountain Conditions
The Banff National Park 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
The full Brett Traverse from Pilot Mountain is an 8200’+/- ascent day. (I recorded 8400’
+ total on my altimeter.)   Where to begin? Bottom line is that there is more than one
way to scramble to the top of Pilot Mountain.   If you plan a two-summit day (Mount
Brett) you will want to nail the route as direct as possible. I can’t say I met that
objective as the beta available to me was limited. But I can share with you what I
observed and how I would approach it differently if I were to do it again. I followed the
guide book’s notes to bike in to the first avalanche slope off of Redearth Creek Trail
on the left. However, this avalanche slope is filled in with mature growth, so it is
difficult to recognize.

I prefer to give the following direction: Bike in approximately 3kms, under 30 minutes,
to a small bridge and drainage. There were no cairns or markings in 2005. Proceed
up this drainage, no trail, on the right hand side.   I went up the left hand side, which
is fine, but the climbing is more difficult and exposed as well as you will have to
traverse right a considerable distance once you exceed tree line and the first
steep rock band.    Another approach option is to bike in over 5kms past an active
avalanche slope (2005) on your left and onto the next avalanche slope. At this slope,
back up just a bit, you will see a cairn. I imagine this cairn marks a much more direct
available route up to the summit block of Pilot Mountain.

I went up climbers left of the first drainage, about 3kms in on Redearth Creek Trail. I
stayed high of the drainage for easier travel through the trees which led to a distinct
end of the forest and placed me in clear view of considerably steep rock cliffs. I could
see now, looking across the drainage to the west, the right handed ascent would
break through this impediment with more ease. However, at this point I opted to
challenge the rock in front of me to save time. It turned out to be fun, but exposed
scrambling.   I always turned right when I was dead ended and scrambled up
various cliffs and ledges until finally I topped out this obstacle.   I built several
cairns along the way.   Traversing right at this point still made no sense as the
intervening cliff cirque did not look inviting.   So I continued straight up on good
ground aiming for the right corner of a massive steep wall protecting any ascent up
Pilot’s northern flank.

Once at this corner, I could finally see the traverse Kane talked about in the guide
book. This is when it became apparent to me that I would have been better
served to have researched a more direct route further west.   Before I traipsed
across this talus cirque, I did ascend a chimney on the left wall trying to breach
another formidable fortress like slab of limestone protecting Pilot’s northwestern
flank. No dice. I retreated and did the traverse over large talus to the far (western)
edge of this upper cirque and contravened the wall at that end. Once on top of this
second obstacle of the day, you will be in clear view of the summit block, the crux of
Pilot Mountain.

From this vantage point, head up the scree and talus to the left corner of the summit
block. You are aiming for a large detached flake that you can’t quite make out from
this angle, but would have seen way back before you made the ugly talus traverse
below the impressive limestone wall.   As you near the left corner and the
detached flake is more obvious, turn the flake on its left for a relatively easy, but
loose chimney ascent.   Once on top of the chimney, move left on a narrow ledge to
find easier going up the northwest ridge. This section was marked lightly by several
cairns, not all corresponding to the same route.   If you want easier gullies to ascend,
turn everything difficult on its right. If you want to hit the ridge straight on, it is nothing
more than a difficult scramble. The exposed sections are not severe compared to
most ridge climbing. The most difficult spot comes at a small gap you must
traverse and then precariously climb loose rock to attain easier ground.   This, as
any of the cruxes on this route, can be bypassed to the right via a loose gully.
Eventually you land on a broad summit plateau that gives up tremendous views of
Copper Mountain to the north, Mount Brett and Massive Mountain to the south, Mount
Ball and Isabelle Peak to the west, Storm Mountain to the northwest and of course
Mounts Assiniboine and Joffre in the distance. Continue southeast to the summit
cairn. There was no summit register in 2005. This vantage point gives you great
reference for Mount Brett if in fact you are going to pursue a two-summit day. The
Bow Valley opens up below and you look down on Castle Mountain and Stuart Knob
across the valley.

For descent, it is prudent to use the skiers left options before mentioned to bypass
any downclimbing issues on loose rock. Most all of this summit block rock is very
loose.   There are two critical downclimbing spots, each with a gully descent to
the left. Once back to the detached flake, descend the chimney and make a
decision on proceeding to Mount Brett or return to Redearth Creek Trail.

Essential Gear
Alpine Ax (if snow prevails), Helmet, Bear Spray, Gaiters (for descent), Fairly Dry
Route therefore Plenty of Water.

Trip Report
I chose to combine Pilot Mountain and Mount Brett for an 8400’, 12.5 hour day. Not
recommended for the faint of heart, but worth knocking out Brett if you are already at
Pilot's summit. The descent route I chose from Mount Brett was a pain. However, I
enjoyed the summit ridge on Brett the most. Pilot’s summit block was a fun
challenge as well, just not as scenic. Kane’s book could really use some updating
and revising on this one. Cheers.