Boundary Peak - Glacial Sunrises in Jasper
Boundary Peak is a hike that honestly really took me by surprise. I personally hadn’t heard of it until shortly before I hiked it. I thought I’d seen a lot of the best views in Jasper in Banff having completed many summits. However Boundary Peak was hiding some of the best glacial views in Jasper national park in plain sight just off of a road I’ve driven endless times.
Standing atop Boundary peak with Mount Athabasca in the background
The stats
Time: 2.5 - 4 hours
Distance: 8 km out and back
Elevation Gain: 900 m
Access: This hiking trail starts at the the Columbia Icefields along the Icefields Parkway around a 2.5 hour drive from Banff heading north or a 1.5 hour drive heading south from Jasper. There’s a carpark just across the road from the Columbia Icefields visitors centre which lies closest to the trailhead. If this car park is full you can always park at the visitors centre and then cross over the road to start the trail.
The hike
Pre dawn at Boundary Peak
Now this hike is steep covering almost 900 m of elevation gain in just 4 km, so it’s steeper than something like Ha Ling peak and on much looser and more technical terrain. The loose scree means two steps forward followed by one step back. Hiking on scree can be pretty tiring so leave more time than you think you might need for plenty of breaks, bring hiking poles and a solid pair of boots!
Initially the trail runs along the access road used by Pursuit to access their large glacial buses that take hoards of tourists on to the ice each day. Because of this there can be a bit of traffic on this road so keep that in mind, it may be a little dusty! We did this hike for sunrise so didn’t have any issues with traffic.
After hiking up the road for 1 km you’ll need to take a left just before you cross over the little outlet formed by ice and snow melt. If you end up at the Pursuit bus staging area you’ve gone to far.
Map courtesy of AllTrails
Once you’ve found this section of the trail it isn’t particularly hard to follow! You can even see some of the trail braided in to the scree slope from the car park. From the ground it looks almost impossibly steep but it isn’t actually as bad as it looks.
Brook making her way up the scree at dawn with the glacier in the background.
The trail gradient remains pretty consistent and direct following along the gulley below to the right. At the last 500 metres there is one last push up a steeper section of scree before you get to the summit.
The summit views here are some of the best you’ll see anywhere in the Rockies with Mount Athabasca and glaciers behind and views down the parkway and Wilcox peak in the other direction.
Views from Boundary Peak Summit
Golden light splashing over Mount Athabasca
As for the way back down you can take a slightly different route through the scree if you so wish taking the path skiers right if you want to switch things up a little. Either way it’s always great fun scree skiing back down!
Things to know
Steep! This trail is pretty steep and relentless with a lot of the hiking done on loose scree slopes. Good boots and hiking poles are a must here!
Offline maps knowing where you’re going is super important as to not get lost on your way home. I recommend All Trails Plus for finding routes and offline mapping allowing you to safely find your way home.
Interested in other day hikes in the Canadian Rockies or maybe multi-day hikes?
Gear Recommendations
After 10 years living in the Canadian Rockies, years working in retail and years reviewing outdoor gear I’ve dialled in my backcountry kit! And on all day hikes there are definitely a few things I always take with me to make my trip safer, easier and more enjoyable.
Merino Socks
Merino socks are a must for any hike. They keep you dryer, warmer and smelling better!
Once you go merino you never go back!
My socks are now 100% Smartwool!
Get them at Smartwool.com
Hiking Poles
Poles are often overlooked by new hikers and seen as unnecessary. However once you use them you’ll never go back! They make you more efficient and take the weight of your knees!
Get it on Backcountry.com
Down Jacket
No matter what the weather I carry a lightweight down jacket. The Arcteryx Cerium is light and very warm! Perfect for keeping you toasty when you take a break or if you were injured and awaiting help.
Get it on REI.com
Comfortable Day Pack
The Osprey Mutant is my favourite day bag. Even though it’s designed more for scrambling or mountaineering this bag is one of the most comfortable bags I own and has enough space for everything I need.
Get it on Backcountry.com
Water Filter
A Katadyn BeFree has to be the easiest filtration system to use. When out on the backcountry you want to be able to filter and refill your water along the way.
This filter packs down small and filters fast. It’s in my bag on every hike!
Get it on Backcountry.com
Capture Clip
Another item that comes on every hike with me and a must own for every photographer.
Keeps your camera close at hand making capturing moments much faster!
Get it on Peakdesign.com
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The East End of Rundle, commonly know as EEOR has to be one of my favourite hikes close to Canmore. It also offers some of the best sunset photography in the Rockies.