In looking through some old Edmonton Section trip reports that I recently acquired, I noticed how often section members have led trips to Mount Temple, starting in our early years to most recently, last fall. First climbed in 1894, Mount Temple is now an established but challenging scramble. It has an elevation of 3544 meters and is the highest peak in the Lake Louise area, dominating views.
From 1990 or earlier and into the 2000’s, section Treasurer Wayne Vibert published several reports for mountaineering or scrambling trips each year, frequently including Mount Temple. Wayne Vibert (1938-2012) moved to Edmonton in 1982, where he joined the ACC. He received the Don Forest Service Award from the ACC in 2006. Wayne was passionate about the mountains. He climbed approximately 30 peaks in British Columbia and Alberta, some more than once, and hiked to Everest Base Camp in 2000 and the Anapurna Circuit in 2002.
From a series of Wayne’s reports on Mount Temple:
The July 1997 trip included lessons learned – and being buzzed by a plane.
What a day!! The sunshine was blistering. The snow was, well…uncertain…
We started off from Moraine Lake Parking Lot at 8:15 AM, a few minutes late- but not too late for a last minute trekker who joined us on the two hour stroll to Sentinel Pass.
Yes, there was more snow than usual but we were undaunted, buoyed by the view of the 10 peaks. Deltaform and Neptuak gleamed spectacularly in their caps of new snow.
After a munch and a drink at Sentinel, we moved out onto the mountain, carefully watching for that trail that comes and goes. We soaked up the sunshine and the panorama but we were sobered by the upcoming snow in the major chimney that allows us to pass the cliff band. It was tricky and we strived to stay on the rock. Crampons had been used by predecessors who hit the slope very early in the morning. For latecomers, their kicked steps were already disappearing. Above the chimney, by 2 P.M.,the slogging was mushy–snow or scree take your pick, Always, the footing was tricky.
When we reached the summit ridge, the cornices prevented a view of Moraine Lake. But the rest of the valleys and peaks were aglow and Assiniboine beckoned to the south.
As I picked my way above the heavy cornices, I heard a plane and turned to watch it go by Deltaform. All of a sudden I was engulfed in the screaming motor as the plane flew straight at Temple. No doubt the pilot and passengers helped to lift the nose of the plane. I was certain it had touched the cornice. The pilot dropped into the Louise airspace and continued around to take a second run, this time straight along the summit ridge.
After lunch and schmoozing with fellow summitters, we began our return with trepidation. Some had no ice-axe or crampons and the snowfields we could not avoid were a shock to those clad in shorts. Hip-deep snow tried to cast a chill on this most wonderful of all days. But all went well and we were back at Sentinel at 5 PM to wait for the poor unfortunate soul who had been re-tasting sausage since the summit lunch.
Lessons to be learned include always insisting on ice-axes and crampons. Secondly, avoid a heavy intake of protein on a physically busy day. Oh yes, memorize the markings on the small red and white airplanes that try to brush you off the summit at 3 PM.
An attempt on Mount Temple in July 1999 found Temple not approachable. Larch Valley was closed by Parks Canada due to a huge snow dump and associated avalanche danger “plus hungry bears moving downward onto trails and perhaps into trekkers’ lunches.” Wayne writes that the group moved instead to Mounts Whyte and Niblock. After one of the trekkers was hit by a couple of rocks, the party split with some descending to the Beehive, Mount Fairview and the Teahouse. A more experienced group continued on to summit Mount Niblock, avoiding the cornices on Whyte.
The successful August 2000 trip was titled “No Bears or Snow”
At 8:30 AM, sunny skies accompanied us into Larch Valley bear country ([frequented by] Momma Grizz plus two two-year-old cubs). We spread out along the trail, finding varying rhythms and speeds. We re-grouped periodically, first at the bench/Y in the trail and later at Sentinel Pass (10:30 AM). It was a cool hiking day, with the breeze becoming very brisk as we moved higher.
Jim and an advance crew departed Sentinel Pass first while Larry, Darren and I donned wind-pants and munched some lunch. The trail from the Pass and on to Temple angles sharply up. At the first rock band, we climbed the rocks to the right and avoided the sloppy, snow-filled gully. The scree above the third band was not as loose as in other years. There were probably 60 people stretched out across and up the slopes, including at least one other ACC Section group.
The advance group summited at 1 PM. I summited and was downclimbing by 1:30 PM. I had met Jim, Karen, Jack, Dave and Frederick coming off the summit. Distant clouds now cut out the view of higher summits. There was very little accumulated snow on summit ridge but there were lumps hanging over the Moraine Lake side. The usual snowfield sat above Louise Townsite and some ventured out on the snowfield to take pictures. Just off the summit, I met Larry and Darren and we discussed the approaching dark clouds. Light snow had fallen sporadically, but initially, it appeared that the brunt of the storm would by-pass.
Jim, Frederick and I joined forces at the last rock band. We by-passed Sentinel Pass by cutting across scree slopes. Jim fell back to talk to a couple about hiking and GMCs and later caught up to us. Frederick counted the 10 switch-backs below Larch. To the cars by 5 PM. We took pictures of Moraine Lake’s spectacular aquamarine hue from a rockpile at the east end. We watched for Larry, Karen and the others, talked with Jack and said good-by to Frederick.
The rains arrived but they were too late. It had been a great day.
Trekkers: Darren B., Dave S(Calgary ACC), Frederick L. (Montreal), Jack S., Jim B., Karen H., Larry D, Wayne V.
Wayne Vibert
August 31, 2000
Even decades ago, trips were being affected by fires and smoke.
The August 2001 trip is titled “Smoke does not look good on Eisenhower Tower”.
The “Controlled Burn” signs along Hwy 1 were later contradicted by news reports stating that this was an uncontrolled fire threatening to burn down Kootenay Park Lodge on Hwy 93. It was the largest forest fire in the region in 80 years and was being fought by 75 firefighters at a cost of possibly $10 million. 100 people had been air-evacuated.
Moraine Lake parking lot is busy at 8 AM on a Saturday but we managed to find each other and, by 8:30, we were off. We passed numerous bear-warning signs while we worked our way up the switch-backs that we knew would seem interminably long on our return later in the day.
John sprinted ahead while the rest of us saved our best for later. We re-grouped at Sentinel Pass.
John was the first to head from the Pass onto the mountain and was proud to say he had summited 1 1/2 hours after his departure at 11 AM. After numerous water breaks, the rest of us had straggled to the top by 2:30. The 10 peaks’ smoky haze slowly dissipated throughout the day thanks to the brisk breeze that had us all reaching for wind-protection.
Summit snow was sparse and was concentrated on the north-side, facing Lake Louise townsite.
While Andrea arranged her camera for a group self-protrait, we munched on lunch, located the summit register, and acted as the welcoming committee for two climbers who appeared over the snow cap.
By 3:15, we were taking our aching knees back down the lovely scree slope. Anna and Vanessa had blisters in process and my well-prepared partners quickly doled out band-aids, saving me the trouble of digging through my pack. Most of us had the pleasure of twisting, turning, or scraping some part of our body during the day. The sunburn potential was wonderful.
We helped each other over the rock faces and above the rockbands. With the exception of Phyllis (and speedy John) who had departed earlier, the group met again at Sentinel at 5:30.
Frances’ knee was now causing much grief, necessitating a longer rest at Sentinel. The consensus from his sympathetic cohorts was that he could shorten the agony by sacrificing himself to the resident Grizzly. Frances registered a strong “No comment”.
Minimal smoke, maximum sunshine, major physical output. A great day.
Members of the Solared Temple Group:
Andrea L. Anna H., Frances R., JP S., John D., Phyllis D., Vanessa C., Wayne V.
A trip led by Wayne and Jim B was planned for August 9, 2003 but rerouted to Mount Niblock when Parks Canada closed the trails because of smoke. Despite the smoke, it was sunny in the Chateau area and Wayne reported that “Tea is $2.00 for two cups at Lake Agnes (named after John A. Macdonald’s wife) with scones at $2.00 extra. Also, sandwiches were offered for the chipmunks and birds to steal ($4.50). A great day, highlighted by wondrous leadership.”
A second, smaller group on a trip later in August, originally scheduled for Mount Niblock, switched to Mount Temple:
The fire ban kept many away but the trails were open, in spite of the bear-poster enroute.
Larch Valley still required 6+ to offset the bear (and its picture)…
Leader Jim led Jarrod, Jarrod’s wife Christine, and the Quebec (St.Laurent) couple, John and Valerie, up Mount Temple on the briskly cold day (not much smoke, a great view). They could hear the wind scream as they made their way through Larch Valley. No snow to speak of on Temple with -2 the camping temperature the night before. Time to layer!! Gloves and toque necessary!!
The Barrow (Kris, Spencer, Madison) group stopped after 2+ hours at Sentinel and hunkered down. They joined the two from Michigan to return to the parking lot which did not see Jim until 8:15 PM. The novices in Jim’s group made his downclimb from the top of Temple tough.
Continuous second-guessing all the way down. To top it off, Christine was hit by a large rock on the way up, which did not stop her. It’s time to invest in some proper hiking gear!!
This was Jim’s fourth trip up Temple so the route should have been straight-forward. Not to be.
Blisters and soreness led to a long trudge.
From Sentinel Pass to the summit 2+ more hours) the brisk wind followed them but they had plenty of company(30-40 on the summit). Lots of pictures taken by all groups.
Jim’s group met the Scouts from Utah at Sentinel Pass. Eight Scouts plus two Guides made their way over Sentinel, through Paradise Valley and back to the Paradise Valley Parking Lot for the bus.
A questionable day, made easier by knowledgeable leadership.
Trekkers
Jim B., Jarrod C., Christine, John S., Valerie – submitted by Wane Vibert
Wayne continued to lead Mount Temple scrambling trips – he was a co-leader on a 2010 trip. I rather wish I’d moved to Edmonton a few years earlier and been able to join him.
Photo Credit: Don Campbell
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