Solo on the Yamnuska Scramble

Mount Yamnuska Scramble
September 2, 2025
Distance: 10.20 km (GPX)
Elevation gained: 880m
Highest elevation: 2,224m
3:15:14 C2C

Mount Yamnuska is famous in the climbing world, known for its distinctive limestone face and chossy quality. While I still haven’t done any rock climbing on Yamnuska, I did get to tackle the scramble route late in the summer.

The timing wasn’t ideal, I’ll admit. It was my fourth day of big objectives in a row, but with limited time to explore in the Rockies on this trip, I felt like I couldn’t afford to take a rest day. My legs were heavy along the entire trail. In addition, smoke from nearby wildfires had rolled in, covering everything in that eerie haze we’re becoming all too familiar with every summer.

But starting the scramble at 4pm on a weekday meant that I was granted solitude. Once I started the scramble section, I didn’t see anyone else for the rest of the afternoon and the mountain was mine to enjoy. There’s something profound about knowing that you’re the only one in a wild place for kilometres around.

I sat at the summit for a little while to eat some snacks and take in the smoky layers of mountains in every direction. I stayed conscious of the time though, since I was hiking in the afternoon with day’s end closer to me than usual. Making my way down the mountain back to the parking lot, the tiredness in my legs persisted and I barely did any running. Instead, I savoured the views of the stunning south face, the gullies, and the birch tree forest.

I’m looking forward to returning to Yamnuska one day to try a few climbing routes, but for now, I’m happy to have taken the chance to do the scramble route on such a legendary mountain.