Trail Running Cirque Peak

Cirque Peak Trail Run
September 4, 2025
Distance: 16.95 km (GPX)
Elevation gained: 1,101m
Highest elevation: 2,978m
4:47:27 C2C

If I absolutely had to choose from a favourite objective from my two weeks in the Rockies, I thiiiiink I would say Cirque Peak.

This peak was recommended to me by a woman I met at the summit of Sky Pilot back in August, and I'd been looking forward to it ever since. True to form during my Rockies adventure, I squeezed it in as an after-work objective, racing against the clock to make the most of the remaining daylight.

The trail began with a casual incline winding up through the forest. From there, it traversed across a ridge before opening up to Helen Lake. The real challenge came at the end—a much steeper climb up dust and scree that had me going slowly. I made it to the peak with just five minutes to spare before my soft turnaround time.

The 360-degree views from the peak were absolutely worth it because they were stunning and so much more dramatic than I was expecting. There were mountains on mountains, fascinating rock features, and even glacier features tucked in behind the peak. It was one of those moments where you’re thankful to pause and take it all in.

I ran the trail down, chasing the fading light and catching bits of the sunset across the sky. I made it back to my carhouse without even needing to pull out my headlamp—the perfect end to another memorable mountain adventure.