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Mount Chester |
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Trip No. 118 Elevation Height
Gain Time to Reach Summit Degree of Difficulty Scenery Date of Most-recent
Ascent |
Drive south from Canmore on the Smith-Dorrien Spray Trail. At the south end of Spray Lake keep going past Mt. Engadine Lodge for another 6km or so and park at the Chester Lake parking lot (GPS reference 50d47m26s N, 115d17m56s W) on the east side of the road. Alternatively, you can drive south on Kananaskis Trail (Hwy 40) until the Kananaskis Lakes turn-off. From there follow signs for the Smith-Dorrien Spary Trail and head north for just under 20km. If you're coming from Calgary this later option is less dusty, but longer in distance. At the north end of the parking lot behind the information shelter follow the road for Chester Lake. For the first 2km the trail is shared with mountain bikers. Be on the lookout. A leisurely half-hour stroll puts you at a trail sign and some bike racks (GPS reference 50d48m17s N, 115d17m58s W). You've gained 200 vertical meters up to this point. Take the left branch at this junction and head into forest. The road narrows to trail, but the going remains easy. Chester Lake is 2.4km away. The trail takes you past three small meadows as you get closer to Chester Lake. Finally you arrive at a clearing. The lush green slopes on the southwest ridge below Mt. Chester is ahead on your right. The rest of the mountain resembles a stack of tilted pancakes. As you proceed you can clearly see the approach route for Mt. Chester summit via the open gully. A hundred meters or so past the sign leave the trail (GPS reference 50d48m28s N, 115d16m51s W) and head right. As you near the small stream you should be able to pick up a narrow trail that heads towards the gully (GPS reference 50d48m24s N, 115d16m31s W) through bush. The lower part of the gully is relatively easy, but the angle gets steep quickly. The ground is hard like concrete, forcing you to be on your toes most of the way. Broken shale scattered everywhere add to the frustration. By the time you reach the saddle (GPS reference 50d48m07s N, 115d15m58s W) you've covered most of the elevation. Turn left on faint trail traversing up rubble. In less than a hundred meters a recognizable path intersects from above. You can take this branch which goes up dark-coloured scree or just keep straight ahead. Regardless of which path you choose, as you ascend you will encounter numerous slabs. The shorter ones are easily scrambled, while taller sections will require you to traverse along ledges to get around. The true summit is hidden from view until the very end. Make your way towards the false summit while angling to the right-hand skyline ridge. The first thing you notice when you come up to the summit (GPS reference 50d48m24s N, 115d15m41s W) is the stunning view to the northeast. Mt. Chester's ragged northeast ridge extends all the way to meet up with The Fortress. To the north are Gusty Peak and Galatea. Directly east, a line of cliffs tower over Headwall Lakes. Turning your gaze south, glaciated Mt. Joffre is prominent. Equally impressive to the southwest is Mt. Sir Douglas. Mt. Assiniboine is present as usual to the northwest. In the foreground across the valley to the west are familiar peaks: Tent Ridge, Mt. Shark, Commonwealth Peak, Mt. Burstall, Cegnfs, and Mt. Murray.
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