On May 13, 2023, we summited Grotto Mountain, bringing the total number of mountains climbed this year to five!
Grotto has a reputation for being a long, steep, unrelenting uphill grind. Some call it “The Grotto Grind.” And while the long section up through the trees certainly lived up to the reputation, the final summit ridge was absolutely heavenly!
Once we were up above tree line and hiked up the scree slopes, the hike along the top of the ridge to the summit was the most enjoyable hiking we have done yet this year.
In fact, when we got to the summit, we had the option of continuing down another route and completing a loop but we chose instead to return across the ridge. We just had to do it one more time!
What an underrated scramble! So cool. Highly recommended.
Someday, I will own a phone with a battery that lasts a whole day!
Beta:
- This is an out-and-back trail the way we did it. There are other routes to the top that could be used to make a loop.
- Park near the ACC Clubhouse on Indian Flats Road in Canmore.
- Elevation gain: 1,400 meters
- Distance out and back: 13 km
- Difficulty: a very steep hike with an obvious trail most of the way
- Gear: consider bringing micro-spikes if there is snow
Permit Required
A Kananaskis Conservation Pass is required to park at the trailhead.
Helpful Apps
- AllTrails
- FATMAP
Books
- SCRAMBLES In the Canadian Rockies by Alan Kane
- Rockies Central, The Climbers Guide to the Rocky Mountains of Canada by David P. Jones
Trip Report
The route starts in a network of trails around the base of the mountain, some used for mountain biking.
Uma rests on the trail near the start of the hike through the forest. Our route goes up through the trees ahead and then gains the ridge on the left side of the photo. The trail traverses the top of the ridge in the distance.
Maps at trail junctions help navigate through the labyrinth of mountain bike trails.
Looking back across the valley at the Three Sisters. Dan and I have climbed Big Sister, the furthest away. We want to climb Middle Sister this year. Little Sister is the most technical climb requiring ropes and will have to wait for a future year when our skills are more developed.
Our route goes up through the trees on the left side of the gully. Beyond the trees is a large scree slope out of sight from here.
The trail climbs steeply through the forest. Switchback after switchback after switchback….
Emerging from the trees, the trail winds across the scree slope to the top of the ridge. The scree is steeper than it looks in this photo.
I am partway up the scree slope looking back across the valley.
From the top of the scree slope, looking out across the summit ridge. We will hike along the top of this ridge to the summit on the right in the distance.
Partway along the summit ridge. There was some fresh snow but it was melting fast.
Not far now, Dan heads up towards the summit. Another hiker is further up, coming down toward us.
The summit register is in the blue box. Great views looking west at Mount Lady MacDonald and Mount Charles Stewart.
That’s five peaks done. The next peak in the Scramble Plan is Sparrowhawk Mountain, south of Canmore. It is another higher peak with a similar technical difficulty rating.
Reach the peak!
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