Mt. Nestor

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Mount Nestor

Trip No. 127

Elevation

2980m

Height Gain

1254m

Distance (one-way)

8.04km from parking area to trailhead

3.37km from trailhead to summit

Time to Reach Summit

0.5 - 1.0 hours from parking area to trailhead by bike

3.0 - 4.5 hours to summit from trailhead

Degree of Difficulty

2 of 5

Scenery

3 of 5

Date of Most-recent Ascent

July 12, 2003

Download GPS Track

Drive south from Canmore on the dusty Smith-Dorrien Spray Trail. Shortly after the ranger station turn right at Three Sisters Dam and cross Spray Lake to the west side. At the camp site entrance (GPS reference 50d59m39s N, 115d22m39s W) turn left. Head down the dirt road passing numerous campsites for 4.5km to a gate and information kiosk (GPS reference 50d58m16s N, 115d19m59s W). Leave you car here.

From the gate it's another 8.04km to the trailhead. If you've brought a bike it's 30 minutes of fast riding. If you're hoofing it count on 1.5 hours. (Don't forget the return trip!) The road winds its way above Spray Lake and at 7.85km you come across a reclaimed campsite on the left with a red "133" tag (GPS reference 50d54m19s N, 115d21m12s W). The road is slightly uphill at this point. In 200m as you go over the rise and down a curve there is a large cairn (GPS reference 50d54m16s N, 115d21m20s W) on your right at the edge of a left-hand turn. After all that distance you've gained 8 vertical meters.

The steep trail leads into forest and quickly gains the shoulder of a ridge. The angle from here on is quite relaxed as you make your way up towards treeline. As you emerge from thickets in some 30-40 minutes you should be at the toe of a rocky ridge (GPS reference 50d54m36s N, 115d21m36s W). Follow the faint trail left and up grassy slopes. You are in the gully which drains the south side of Mt. Nestor. The summit will remain out of sight for the next hour or so.

Continue forging your way up easy slopes moving from grass to rubble. Keep an eye on the ridge to your left. When the bank tapers down to meet the gully it's time to head over to more grassy slopes. The grade increases from this point on, as you should also have clear view of the rest of the route up the mountain's south ridge.

Once you gain the upper reaches of the mountain you'll notice fossilized coral everywhere. If you're going to pick up souvenirs do it on the way down - no sense lugging rocks up to the summit and back! When you're just beyond the last vegetation higher up you loose sight of the summit. There are faint trails winding up the scree but you'll probably find better footing elsewhere. Aim for a pair of peculiar-shaped (look like wings) rocks sticking up at the top of the ridge above. As soon as you come over this point the summit ridge is in sight.

The first highpoint is a false summit. You'll have to scramble down some 8-10 meters on large boulders and then back up a chute to reach a second false summit. Clamber along the ragged ridge crest for a short distance to finally set foot on the true summit (GPS reference 50d55m45s N, 115d21m50s W). This last section is the only real scrambling that you have to do all day.

At the top you have an unobstructed view of the entire Spray corridor. Familiar landmarks to the east include Three Sisters, Mt. Lougheed, Mt. Sparrowhawk, Mt. Bogart, and Mt. Buller. Directly north is Old Goat Mt. To the south are Mt. Shark, Smuts, Birdwood, and Commonwealth, while Mt. Sir Douglas, Mt. Joffre and the Royal Group dominate the distance. In the west the view is highlighted by pyramid-shaped Mt. Assiniboine, with pointy Mt. Eon to its left.

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