Raven’s End at Mount Laurie serves stunning start to spring hiking

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Diet & Fitness

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By Jeromy Farkas

In July 2022, I found myself in the middle of Oregon’s remote high desert. After struggling to stay standing in the 105°F (40.5°C) heat, I was forced to accept the futility of my situation.

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I sat down on the side of the road, stuck my thumb out, and began to wait.

After what felt like an eternity, a station wagon pulled up. Hope swelled into relief as its driver gestured for me to hop in. Scrambling into the backseat, I learned that my rescuers were on their way home following an adventure at Smith Rock, a world-renowned rock-climbing mecca.

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No stranger to hitchhiking, I’ve found that conversation can be hit or miss. But upon learning that I was from Calgary, my companions immediately dove into stories of their climbing exploits at “Yam.”

Towering over the Bow Valley at 2232 metres (7323 feet), it’s the first mountain you’ll see on the drive out to Banff. But despite having witnessed Mount Laurie’s (Yamnuska) stunning cliff face hundreds of times – and having stood at its top a few times – I had no idea that it was such a revered climbing destination. That is, until I found out from strangers, thousands of miles from home. 

As we pulled into town, I offered the driver some money for gas. “Keep it,” they said. “Just give ‘Yam’ a hug for me the next time you see her.”

When my friend Dave Dormer pitched me recently on a last-minute weekend hike, I knew just the place to go. Leaving Calgary around noon, we pulled into the Yamnuska trailhead in less than an hour.

We set out on the East Ridge Trail. Known as Raven’s End, this hike gets you most of the way up the mountain, but without the need for equipment or to commit the whole day. The first stretch offers modest elevation gain and loss, making for an easy warmup. 

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Mud and softly compacted snow made for smooth travel under aspen and pines. Within a few hundred metres, the trail gets steeper and stays that way. At about the 1-km mark, Dave and I headed up a series of rock steps – a recent improvement made by Alberta Parks. Immediately after, we arrived at a trail junction. Rock climbers head left, straight for the cliffs. Hikers go right, up a more gradual route. 

We follow the hiker trail east, then north, up the side of the mountain. At one of the several viewpoints, we look back on the surprising amount of height we’ve gained in a short time. I spot a few familiar favourite peaks of the front range, including Doorjam and Heart Mountain.

At 2.8 km, the trail makes a sudden turn west, bringing the mountain prominently back into view. We arrive soon at another important trail junction, this time marking a choice between continuing straight for the mountain hike and scramble, or right for the descent into the CMC Valley. We go straight. 

We arrive at the rock wall at the 3.5-km point, which serves as the ideal turnaround for most. Travel beyond this spot requires navigating up and through the first “chimney,” a narrow and steep passageway leading to the mountain’s backside scramble route. To continue further is a more challenging “hands-on” experience, only for those who know what they’re getting into. 

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Mindful of time, we decide to call it here rather than attempt the much more challenging complete circuit. The incredible views from Raven’s End gave us a real sense of accomplishment for only a few hours spent. We descend the way we came and make it back to Calgary with plenty of daylight to spare.

(Thank you to Rob Shotclose, CEO of the Bearspaw First Nation, and Jennifer Bobrovitz of the Stoney Tribal Administration, for sharing research with me about this mountain’s importance. Its colloquial name is derived from “Îyâmnathka,” meaning “flat-faced mountain.” Its official name, at the request of the Stoney People, is Mount Laurie: in remembrance of John Laurie, an honourary chief, beloved teacher, and champion for Indigenous rights.)

  Where to start: Yamnuska Ridge & CMC Valley Trailhead    Drive time: 55 minutes from Calgary   Difficulty: Easy to moderate    When to hike: Trail is open year-round. Do not proceed to the backside of the mountain without essential equipment, training, and route knowledge.    Distance: 7.5 kilometres out-and-back, or 2-3 hours.    Elevation: 525 metres.    Don’t forget: Kananaskis Conservation Pass and backcountry preparations such as travel plan, bear spray, microspikes, layers, headlamp, and trekking poles.

Final verdict: Known far and wide, storied Mount Laurie (Yamnuska) and its dramatic limestone cliffs are not to be underestimated. Raven’s End makes for a straightforward and worthwhile early start to the hiking season, and a teaser for summer adventures to come.

Former city councillor Jeromy “Pathfinder” Farkas is chief executive officer at the Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation, with a mission to protect and promote one of Alberta’s signature provincial parks through engagement, education, and conservation. ceo@grpf.ca

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