BANFF NATIONAL PARK - Canadian Rockies: Including Banff and Jasper National Parks - page 67

This enormous cirque and the subalpine meadows directly behind Cascade Mountain are
one of the most rewarding destinations for hiking in the Banff area. The demanding trail
begins by passing the day lodge, then skirting the base of several lifts and following an old
road to the floor of Forty Mile Valley. Keep right at all trail junctions. One kilometer (0.6
mile) after crossing Forty Mile Creek, the trail begins switchbacking up the western flank
of Cascade Mountain through a forest of lodgepole pine. Along the way are breathtaking
views of Mount Louis's sheer east face. After the trail levels off, it enters a magnificent U-
shaped valley, and the amphitheater begins to define itself. The trail becomes indistinct in
the subalpine meadow, which is carpeted in colorful wildflowers during summer. Farther
up the valley, vegetation thins out as boulder-strewn talus slopes cover the ground. If you
sit still long enough on these rocks, marmots and pikas will slowly appear, emitting shrill
whistles before disappearing again.
The most popular route to the summit of 2,998-meter (9,840-foot) Cascade Mountain
is along the southern ridge of the amphitheater wall. It is a long scramble up scree slopes
and is made more difficult by a false summit; it should be attempted only by experienced
scramblers.
C Level Cirque
• Length: 4 kilometers/2.5 miles (90 minutes) one-way
• Elevation gain: 455 meters/1,500 feet
• Rating: moderate
• Trailhead: Upper Bankhead Picnic Area, Lake Minnewanka Road, 3.5 kilometers (2.2
miles) beyond the TransCanada Highway underpass
From a picnic area that sits on the site of an abandoned mining town, the trail climbs stead-
ily through a forest of lodgepole pine, aspen, and spruce to a pile of tailings and broken-
down concrete walls. Soon after is a panoramic view of Lake Minnewanka, then the trail
reenters the forest before ending in a small cirque with views down the Bow Valley to Can-
more and beyond. The cirque is carved into the eastern face of Cascade Mountain, where
snow often lingers until July. When the snow melts, the lush soil is covered in a carpet of
colorful wildflowers.
Aylmer Lookout
• Length: 12 kilometers/7.5 miles (4 hours) one-way
• Elevation gain: 810 meters/2,660 feet
• Rating: moderate/difficult