Mount Grotto

Height Gain
1365m

Time to Reach Summit
3.0 - 5.5 hours

Degree of Difficulty
2 of 5

Scenery
3 of 5

Date of Most-recent Ascent
June 30, 2001

The northwest ridge approach is really just a long, steep hike.  Technical challenges are few.  This mountain is notorious for its windy summit.  If it's an overcast day you may want to consider an alternate scramble.

Heading west on Highway 1 take the first exit for Canmore.  At the end of the exit loop at a stop sign make a left onto Highway 1A.  Head east and follow signs to the ACC clubhouse.  Park in the lower parking lot (GPS reference 51d04m43s N, 115d18m30s W) on the left just beyond the first building.

The trail starts on the other side of the road almost directly across from the building.  It slopes up through a short stint of trees before turning left around a bump.  Below, you should see some riding stables.  In some 10-15 minutes on this wide track take the right branch (GPS reference 51d04m41s N, 115d18m27s W) down to a treed gully.  The trail climbs quickly back up another knoll.  20 minutes later keep straight at a fork (GPS reference 51d04m51s N, 115d18m06s W).  The trail that drops off to the right leads to a steeper alternate route up the mountain.  This is really all the directions you'll need.  Albeit steep, the path is clear, and for the next hour-and-a-half you'll toil up towards the northwest skyline ridge of Grotto.

As you gasp your way past tree line you realize just how far away the summit still is.  Nevertheless the angle relents finally, and you follow a line of cairns up to the ridge.  Once at the edge you have a marvelous view of Mt. Lady MacDonald to the northwest and Cougar Creek some 900 vertical meters below.

Although not obvious, the easiest line to the summit pyramid 1km away is by way of the ridge crest.  There are only a couple of places that you have to dodge down to the left side to avoid steep rocks.  The occasional short stretches of down-scrambling are without problems.

There is a mundane path which curves around to the right for the final 30 vertical meters to the top, but a direct frontal assault on large blocks poses little trouble for the intermediate scrambler.

The summit (GPS reference 51d05m17s N, 115d15m59s W) view features an unobstructed panorama of the Bow Valley, with Canmore below your feet.   Directly west of you is the 12km Rundle Uplift.  At the far end of the corridor is Mt. Cascade.  From where you are Ha-Ling Peak retains the distinctive ship's-prow shape.  The Three Sisters is the prominent trio of peaks to the southwest, although on a clear day Mt. Assiniboine can be seen in the distance.   Jagged Wind Tower stands below multi-peaked Mt. Lougheed to the south, followed by Mt. Allan.  To the southeast is Pigeon Mt., then Mts. McGillvray and Heart.   Turning your gaze north, Mt. Fable's summit pokes just above the connecting ridge to Gap Peak.

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Mt. Grotto
From northwest ridge approach trail

Mt. Grotto
View of summit from northwest ridge.

Access Map