When you want to step up your hiking and reach the next level, try scrambling in the Canadian Rockies in Alberta. Here, an expert provides the upside of scrambling and the lowdown on making it work for you.
Check out Travel Alberta vacations, and read on for a primer on scrambling.
Finding the Right Course
Dave Sterk, Director of Operations at Yamnuska mountain adventures in Canmore, Alberta, says scrambling can be a notch up from hiking, but a step below mountaineering. Basically it involves using your hands and feet to climb, but you don’t use ropes or belays.
Yamnuska teaches two-day courses in scrambling in June, July and August. In this Travel Alberta Q & A, Sterk discusses scrambling in Kananaskis Country, which is about an hour’s drive west of the city of Calgary.
Q: What is scrambling?
A: You climb with your feet, and use your hands for balance.
We look at scrambling as a crossover between hiking and mountaineering, with some hands-on climbing but without using ropes for protection. The difficulty often lies in dealing with the environment, not the technical rock climbing.
Skills involved include route finding and keeping yourself safe. There are quite a few peaks for scrambling, but if you get off route you could get into dangerous terrain.
Q: Can you provide essential safety tips?
A: Sure. When climbing, ask your self, “What would happen if I slipped here?” Never go up a route that you didn’t think you could safely get down.
It’s important to be able to read the terrain and to know what gives you safe passage and what doesn’t. You need to be able to know what your risk is at any point.
Q: Where do you scramble in the Canadian Rockies?
A: We take some peaks in Kananaskis and some in Banff National Park. Some of the classics would be Heart Mountain in Kananaskis, the height is 2,135 meters and it is rated as an easy scramble. Big Sister in Kananaskis is 2,936 meters high and it’s a moderate scramble.
We assess the scrambles by time, hazards and difficulty in route finding. Easy would be mostly hiking with a little exposure to steepness, and moderate would be frequent use of handholds and more exposure to steepness.
Scrambles in the Canadian Rockies by Allan Kane is a kind of bible for scramblers. For more routes, check with the Kananaskis or Canadian national parks websites.
We try and do all our scrambles on durable surfaces so that we don’t destroy any vegetation. We try and go where we are not going to leave an impact.
Q: Why is Kananaskis such a great place to scramble?
A: Kananaskis has a great bedding incline with limestone tilted on its side, so you can use that to your advantage. The tree line is quite low so you can be up high quite quickly. Most of the peaks we use are close to the road so the access is exceptional.
Around here scrambles can be from a half-day to a full day. We are usually in between because we do instruction in the course as well.
A lot of the scrambles have trails but a lot are completely off trail, and some are on animal trails. A hazard would be encountering wildlife -- be it bears, moose or elk -- so we keep our distance and make lots of noise. We try not to travel near dusk or dawn when there is more animal movement and you are more apt to be surprised.
Q: How should you train for scrambling?
A: If you are a strong hiker you can scramble. To train, try running and stair walking and riding a bicycle, anything with a little cardio when you are working your legs.
Hands are mostly for balance but you’ll be carrying a pack when you scramble with emergency equipment, lunch and a camera.
Here’s a tip: If you are at the point you are using your hands to climb, then you are at the point you need a rope and you are into mountaineering.
Q: Why try scrambling?
A: If you are strong hiker it’s a new challenge and you can get to the top of a peak without mountaineering skills. So you don’t have to be an expert mountaineer to get up and enjoy the views.
Just the beauty of being in the mountains gives you a whole difference perspective from seeing it all from your car or on a trail hiking through the trees.
Q: Who is scrambling best for?
A: I’d say all ages but with kids you want really good supervision. Our scrambling course focuses on adults.
Q: What do you need to go scrambling?
A: In terms of attitude, you need to enjoy where you are. Liking the mountains is a big part of it, and also being up for a challenge. Otherwise, here’s a gear and clothing list.
With some of our scrambles you do need a helmet, which we provide. For footwear, use a good sturdy ankle-high boot, a really durable hiking boot or even a comfortable mountaineering boot that is comfortable and above your ankles.