Yamnuska Mountain Adventures

09/09/2026

Mt. McArthur Climb - Yoho National Park - September 2

A 5:30 a.m. start had the group making their way toward the isolated Whaleback Col, with good trail conditions and a mostly dry glacier lower down.

Higher on Mt. McArthur, the terrain steepened and the team climbed a 40-metre pitch of snow on the North Ridge before reaching the summit around 11 a.m.

From there, the adventure continued with a descent through the valley between McArthur and Pollinger.

The group made it back to the hut ahead of the rain, wrapping up another full day of mountaineering in one of the most spectacular corners of Yoho National Park.

📷 Jean Gamilovski

09/02/2026

Some skills are always worth dusting off. 🏔️

Angela and Dan had a great day on the Athabasca Glacier, getting back into glacier travel, refreshing plenty of old skills and adding a few new ones along the way.

Angela has been climbing with Yamnuska since around 2007, so it’s especially great to have her back out with us and continuing to build on all those years of mountain experience.

Today they’re taking advantage of the good weather and heading up A2!

08/31/2026

A snowy end to summer on Mt. Hector! ❄️

August 30 looked a lot more like winter for Ihor and Kurtis as they headed up Mt. Hector with guide Nick.

With fresh snow reaching down to around 2,600 metres and 10–20 cm accumulating near the summit, it certainly didn’t feel like the end of August. Despite a less-than-promising forecast to start the day, the weather held off just enough for the team to keep moving and make a successful summit.

A little fresh snow, a lot of winter scenery, and a great way to wrap up August in the Canadian Rockies.

Congratulations Ihor and Kurtis on the summit—and thanks to Nick for guiding the way!

📷 Nick Baggaley

08/29/2026

Valley of the Ten Peaks Traverse

The skyline above Moraine Lake is one of the most recognizable mountain landscapes in Canada—but travelling through those peaks is an entirely different way to experience it.

Managing Director Jesse recently joined longtime guest Gonzalo for an ambitious alpine traverse through this spectacular corner of Banff National Park. It’s serious Rockies terrain, with technical climbing, exposed ridges, rappelling, complex route finding and plenty of loose limestone.

Jesse and Gonzalo climbed the regular route on Deltaform, reaching the summit in just under four hours—with the route entirely to themselves.

The descent toward Tuzo proved much more involved, with loose rock, difficult route finding and challenging anchors. From there, they continued across the lower flanks of Tuzo and Mt. Allen before climbing Mt. Allen’s South Ridge.

A good reminder that moving through big alpine terrain is about much more than climbing ability. Route finding, efficiency, judgement and adapting to changing conditions are all part of the experience.

Another memorable adventure for Jesse and Gonzalo in one of the most spectacular corners of the Canadian Rockies.



📸 jessedemontigny

08/29/2026

Valley of the Ten Peaks Traverse

The skyline above Moraine Lake is one of the most recognizable mountain landscapes in Canada—but travelling through those peaks is an entirely different way to experience it.

Managing Director Jesse recently joined longtime guest Gonzalo for an ambitious alpine traverse through this spectacular corner of Banff National Park. It’s known for serious alpine terrain. Technical rock climbing, exposed ridges, rappelling, challenging route finding and the notoriously loose limestone of the Rockies can all be part of the experience.

Jesse and Gonzalo climbed the regular route on Deltaform, one of the more technical peaks in the valley. Conditions were good, several bolted stations were in place, and they reached the summit in just under four hours—with the route entirely to themselves.

Getting down was another story.

The descent toward Tuzo was considerably more involved, with endless loose rock, difficult route finding and challenging anchors.

Their adventure continued by traversing the lower flanks of Tuzo and Mt. Allen before climbing the South Ridge of Mt. Allen.

It was a great example of just how much goes into moving through big alpine terrain: climbing ability is only part of the equation. Route finding, efficiency, judgement and the ability to adapt to what the mountains give you are just as important.

Another memorable adventure for Jesse and Gonzalo, and a pretty spectacular place to spend a few long days in the mountains!

08/26/2026

This September take your first steps into mountaineering.

Before the snow starts to fly, alpine ice conditions can be at their best—and our September 12–14 Snow & Ice Long Weekend is a great opportunity to get out there and learn.

Over three days on the spectacular Columbia Icefields, you’ll get hands-on experience with the essential skills needed to start exploring alpine terrain:

🧊 Movement on rock, snow and ice
🪢 Rope systems and belaying
🏔️ Glacier travel and crevasse rescue
🧭 Route finding and hazard management
⛑️ Mountain safety and decision making

Then it’s time to put those new skills into practice with a summit bid on a classic objective such as Mt. Athabasca, Boundary Peak, Mt. Wilcox or A2.

No previous mountaineering experience required—just a good level of fitness and an eagerness to take your mountain adventures higher.

📅 September 12–14
👉 https://yamnuska.com/mountaineering/beginner-mountaineering-courses/beginner-mountaineering-course/

Fair warning: three days might be all it takes to spark a lifelong passion for the alpine.

Learn mountaineering on this beginner course in the Canadian Rockies. Develop snow, ice, crampon, ice axe, and glacier travel skills.

08/26/2026

Enjoying the steep snow and alpine ice on the Silverhorn. 🧊⛏️

A little steeper, a little more technical, and a whole lot of fun.

08/24/2026

❄️ It’s never too early to start planning for next winter.

Whether you’re new to the backcountry and looking to take your Avalanche Skills Training 1 (AST 1), or you’re ready to build on your experience with AST 2, now is a great time to start planning.

Our avalanche skills courses combine practical, hands-on learning with the knowledge you need to make more informed decisions in winter backcountry terrain.

🏔️ AST 1 – Build a strong foundation
🏔️ AST 2 – Take your skills and decision-making further

Winter will be here before we know it. Start planning your avalanche training now and be ready when the snow arrives.

👉 Explore our Avalanche Skills Training courses and upcoming dates.
https://yamnuska.com/avalanche-courses/

Learn how to recognize avalanche terrain in one of Yamnuska Mountain Adventures' avalanche safety training courses. Reserve your spot today!

08/19/2026

Climb Mount Hector – August 30

Looking for one more big alpine adventure before summer winds down?

Join us August 30 for a guided ascent of Mount Hector, one of the Canadian Rockies’ classic 11,000ers. It’s a big day out, with glacier travel, steep snow, an exposed summit scramble and incredible views across the Wapta and Waputik Icefields.

Learn more & book:
https://yamnuska.com/mountaineering/canadian-rockies-11000ers1/mount-hector/

This is a great objective for those with some previous glaciated mountaineering experience and the fitness for a full day in the mountains.

These shots from this summer give a pretty good idea of what makes Hector such a memorable climb!

📷 MB Board (7/28/26)

08/17/2026

Big adventures, shared together. 🏔️

Recently, a longtime guest brought his two kids, ages 11 and 14, out to the Wapta Icefields with their guide Jean to learn some mountaineering skills and experience the mountains together.

They had loads of fun learning new skills, travelling on the glacier, exploring, and simply enjoying a great adventure together.

There’s something special about sharing experiences like this as a family. Beyond learning the technical skills, days in the mountains build confidence, teamwork, trust, and resilience. They give kids a chance to challenge themselves, solve problems, and discover what they’re capable of—with a parent right there sharing the experience.

And best of all, it’s uninterrupted time together, away from the usual distractions of everyday life.

📷 Jean G

Passing along a love of adventure and the mountains to the next generation—and creating some great memories along the way. 🏔️🥾