I am a glutton for punishment. Why would I hike Mount Sparrowhawk for a third time??
Well, Sparrowhawk probably has the best summit views that I have ever seen in the Canadian Rockies, so even though the hike is quite epic, long and exhausting, it’s worth it. At 3121 metres (10,240 ft), it’s the highest peak in the area. The third time around, I was hopeful I would beat my time of 8.5 hours, but alas, we did not.
I have certainly been tired this past week. After Dan and his brother left Calgary, I didn’t really have a chance to relax. Here we are, a week later. I’ve had a very relaxing weekend with no hiking gasp. And I’m finally getting a chance to reflect on Labour Day’s hike of Mount Sparrowhawk.
When I was thinking about a good hike to end the weekend of hiking, I narrowed it down to two: Mount Bourgeau in Banff, and Mount Sparrowhawk in Kananaskis. Bourgeau would be new for me, but I wanted to be sure that Dan and Aidan would have stunning views from the top of a mountain. Sparrowhawk has one of the best (if not THE best) summit view that I’ve experienced since hiking in Alberta. Aidan was also drawn to the name “Sparrowhawk”, so in the end, we were off to Kananaskis!
For me, it was really cool to hike Sparrowhawk again. Two years ago, Paul and I decided to do this hike as a tough one for the season. I remember a really steep start, lots of rocks and scree, rocks sounding like broken glass, fossils, and a sketchy scramble to the top. It was really long, epic, and we were a bit hysterical and exhausted by the end. This time around… I thought and experienced the exact same things. It was like I was reliving the hike with different company, but the same sunny weather as last time! Sparrowhawk 2.0. But not.
Similar to before, the ascent alone took about 4.5 hours with much of that time over talus fields and scree. After hours of concentrating on my step due to rocks or the really steep incline, I was mentally shot. Done. But it was all worth it. Sparrowhawk amazed me all the same, and this time, the wind wasn’t too fierce at the top. It was nice to rest at the summit, step onto crazy ledges for crazy photos, and take in the incredible panoramic views all around us.
After the long day, we took a break at Spray Lake, gazing over the peaceful water as the sun set behind the mountains. I continue to realize this, but I never get tired of the mountains. There’s a beauty about it that just calms me down every time I go. I feel so fortunate to be living in a city so close to amazing summits, snow-capped peaks and glacial lakes. It’s something I don’t take for granted.
Based on the feedback from Dan and Aidan, it’s safe to say that the hiking weekend was a success :). Until next time guys. There are too many mountains to hike, so visit again soon…
Stats:
Elevation: 3121 m; Elevation gain: 1350 m; Distance: ~10 km (?); Start: 10:40 am; End: 7:20 pm (a long hike!)
On Sunday, my friend Paul and I completed an epic hike. We decided that we would attempt to conquer Mount Sparrowhawk in the Smith-Dorrien Area south of Canmore. It looked like a good one to do after reading about it in ‘Scrambles in the Canadian Rockies’ by Alan Kane, but we also chose it based on a glowing recommendation. Continue reading “To the Summit of Mount Sparrowhawk”
HIKES & HAMSTRINGS 