Mount Temple Scramble
easiest way to get great views in the Canadian Rockies
Mount Temple Scramble
Notable Visited Landmarks
Introduction
Mount Temple is an 18.7km, 1675m elevation gain out and back trip to the highest peak in the Lake Louise area. Because Mount Temple is so high and is easy to climb, there are tonnes of people who will do Mount Temple every single day that there is good weather in August. When we were there, I think I saw more than 50 people doing the scramble.
Technically Temple isn’t anything special, there is 1 class 3 section and a couple class 2 sections but since there are so many people do this I would estimate that there is some kind of a trail for about 99% of the way to the summit. Obviously if you go earlier in the season you will have to bring alpine equipment, this is a high mountain, but later in the season when people are going all the time there is little to worry about, we went on August 5, 2020 (year 1 of the covid).
Because the views are so good I expect that Mount Temple is done almost as soon as possible in a scrambler’s career but since I like my scrambles a bit less traveled it took me a couple years of convincing before I finally did Temple.
GPS route from the day
Ascent
You’ll want to get a really early start, not because the day will be super long but because you have to compete with hundreds of people trying to get a sunrise photo of Moraine lake to get parking. We got to the Moraine Lake parking lot at about 5am. From the parking lot start walking towards the lake and get on the trail leading towards larch valley.
After a bunch of switchbacks there will be a fork in the trail, one way leading to Wenkchemna Pass and one leading to Sentinel Pass, you want to go to Sentinel Pass. One of the benefits of starting so early is that we got some very interesting pictures with the alpenglow from the sunrise. On the way to Sentinel Pass you will pass a couple snow patches, likely with hard snow.
Reflection of alpenglow in a small body of water on the way to Sentinel Pass
Kayla and Dad crossing the larges snow patch on the way to Sentinel Pass
From Sentinel Pass start going North-East along a series of trails that will lead you onto and up the scree on Temple. There are so many trails since there are so many people who do Temple, just pick the one that looks best and if you want to change your mind there is plenty of opportunity for that. As you get higher the trail will start to cut climber’s right and it will level out.
Kayla and Dad heading climber’s right as the trail starts to level out
There are 3 main obstacles impeding you from getting to the summit of Temple. The first grey rock band, the second grey rock band, and the brown rock step. If you stay on the trail (they should accumulate into 1 trail higher up) you should start passing by the first grey rock band, if you go far enough East there will be a break in the rock band so obvious that you are going to wonder why I mentioned this rock band as an “obstacle” or why it is mentioned in the Parks Canada scrambling guide to Mount Temple. The answer is because there are a lot of people who are doing Temple when they shouldn’t be, the first rock band is basically just stairs except not as steep as normal stairs. When we were there, there was a group of 2 on the rock band and it took them so long that we decided to find a different way up. One of them was obviously a guide since they were roped up for class 2.
Alternate route up of the first grey rock band, actual route is just behind me
Above the first rock band head straight up on what seems to be almost stairs and eventually to climber’s right. We then came to a snow patch which I assume is there year-round, but it is possible that it would melt later in August. Unless you go really early in the season there should be footsteps already in the snow that you can use to assist your ascent. We did this and there was no need for microspikes, but you should bring some anyways in case you need them, the snow is hard and steep and without the steps a fall is plausible.
Easy terrain above the first grey rock band, snow patch to ascend at climber’s right
Kayla and Dad coming up the tracks in the snow patch
After the snow patch go East about 10 or 20 meters and you will be at the class 3 scramble up the second grey rock band which if I can remember properly is marked by a blue square. We were not aware of this, so we ended up ascending close to the snow patch which worked out fine as well. The rock here is pretty polished so be aware of slipping.
Kayla ascending the second grey rock band close to the snow patch
Above the second grey rock band continue up on trail in scree until you gain the ridge just below the brown rock step. I believe there are a lot of potential routes up the brown rock step, most of them class 2, so with some minor route finding this shouldn’t be a challenge. Kayla and I stuck really close to the ridge where there was more exposure, most people stay lower on climber’s right.
Kayla making the scramble more fun by sticking close to the edge where there is more exposure
Off route on the brown rock step, you can see someone on the correct route below
Above the brown rock step we continued on trail and got to a small snow patch which we went under (on trail) and the trail continued on the other side, though there were some wet sections close to the snow patch. After that it is basically just a trail up to the summit ridge and then a couple minute walk to the summit. The views up there get really good really quickly.
Dad and Kayla following a trail under a snow patch
Views really start to open up higher on the mountain
When we went, we had a 15-16h sun day, so we didn’t see a cloud in the sky until we were down, we spent a whole hour on the top of Temple. Our favorite spot on the summit lies just South of the summit, we were separated by a bit of snow, but it wasn’t dangerous to get there and we had a good view of Moraine Lake from there.
Dad and Kayla on the summit of Temple, I am standing on the glacier
Kayla on the summit of Temple
I am on that ledge separated by snow just South of the summit looking at Dad
Descent
On our way back we went the way we came except we went the proper way at the 2 grey rock bands and the brown rock step. Even with our hour of break on the top it only took us 8:20h to get back to the parking lot. Most of the way is just trail so you can gain elevation fast.
Mount Temple is a nice scramble, and for the quality of views you get you don’t have to work very hard. Obviously don’t do this unless you are capable of class 3 and a little route finding. I think there are some people who try this mountain before they are ready.
Video footage of descending the summit ridge of Mount Temple
Descending the brown rock step on the normal route
Descending the second grey rock band on the normal route
Descending the first grey rock band on the normal route
GPS stats for the trip