Burstall, Mount

September 2, 2009, spray mountains, kananaskis country

Summit
2760 m
Gain
950 m
Distance
11 km
Round trip
3 hr
Technical
SC7 YDS (4th)
Activity
scramble, bike
Quick 'n dirty
Class 4 - you fall, you break something or worse
Difficulty
The crux is exposed and a fall will kill you - only do if dry and confident.
Route
GPS trackMap

After scrambling Mount Pilot and Brett the day before and driving all the way to Elkwood campground in Kananaskis I was ready for a shorter and easier day. I chose to finally do Mount Burstall since it had been on my radar for a long time already.

Mount Burstall Route Map
Mount Burstall Route Map

There is no magic to getting this peak. Make sure you’re far enough up the trail before venturing up the valley - you should be on a faint trail the entire way. When I did this peak there was an obvious cairn and some flagging. I’ve read of people venturing up the climber’s right side to access the col but this is usually regretted by those who attempt it. The terrain is steeper and more exposed than it looks from below. I went on the rock rib that you see between the two black scree slopes and this worked really well.

The faint trail leads you through a short stand of trees and onto an avi slope where you can see up to the col. I went on the obvious rock rib running between the two black scree slopes on the left side of the picture. People have been suckered onto steep, exposed terrain on climber's right and most regret it.
The faint trail leads you through a short stand of trees and onto an avi slope where you can see up to the col. I went on the obvious rock rib running between the two black scree slopes on the left side of the picture. People have been suckered onto steep, exposed terrain on climber's right and most regret it.
Steep and loose terrain above the col.
Steep and loose terrain above the col.
Steep and loose terrain above the col.
Steep and loose terrain above the col.

I was surprised by the loose and steep terrain after the col. This is certainly a difficult scramble with no room for error pretty much from the col to the summit. I thought the crack was safer than a lot of the terrain that proceeded it simply because I didn’t feel like I was going to slip out of the solid rock in the crack!

Panorama north and west includes, Leval, White Man, Vavasour, Snow, Warre, Eon, Birdwood, Pig's Tail, Smuts, Commonwealth, Tent Ridge, Commonwealth Ridge, Fortune, Nestor, Engadine, Tower, Galatea, Gusty and Fortress.
Panorama north and west includes, Leval, White Man, Vavasour, Snow, Warre, Eon, Birdwood, Pig's Tail, Smuts, Commonwealth, Tent Ridge, Commonwealth Ridge, Fortune, Nestor, Engadine, Tower, Galatea, Gusty and Fortress.
One more pano includes Burstall Lakes, Hogarth Lake and Mud Lake - and Mount Chester at far right.
One more pano includes Burstall Lakes, Hogarth Lake and Mud Lake - and Mount Chester at far right.

The summit was nice but with a rain cloud heading my way I felt a little rushed the whole time I was on Burstall.

Looking down the upper crux.
Looking down the upper crux.
Looking down the upper crux.
Looking down the upper crux.
The lower part of the crux crack - don't slip here!
The lower part of the crux crack - don't slip here!

My round trip time was just over 3 hours and it did end up raining just to the east - and you really don’t want rain on this little peak. Great views from the top and interesting scrambling with a very short round trip time - I highly recommend this peak to competent scramblers.

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