Canadian Rockies: Mount Columbia

0 ft

Elevation

Canada

Country

Days

Easy

Difficulty

Early July

Start

Mid Sept

End

About the Mountain

WHY CLIMB IT?

Mount Columbia (12,293 ft) is the second-highest peak in the Canadian Rockies and an iconic ski mountaineering objective. Located in the famous Columbia Icefields between Banff and Jasper National Park, Mount Columbia features an approach unlike any other, right through the Athabasca Glacier, which is part of the colossal Icefields. The glacier is one of few in the world that melt off into 3 different oceans – the Arctic, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans.

“The mighty Mt. Columbia is the second highest peak, also the grand prize of ski mountaineering in the Canadian Rockies.”

- Steven Song

Those used to climbing Colorado ‘Fourteeners’ might be surprised that a mountain of this height usually takes a few days to climb. While it’s feasible to climb Mount Columbia as a day trip, most allocate extra days for a more relaxed pace up the tough terrain, and also to account for variable weather conditions. It’s also a relatively long climb, being a roughly 26-mile round-trip journey from the car park.