Gap Peak

April 26, 2004, fairholme range, kananaskis country

Summit
8257 m
Gain
1200 m
Distance
9.5 km
Technical
SC5 YDS (3rd)
Activity
scramble
Quick 'n dirty
Class 2/3 - you fall, you sprain or break something
Difficulty
Mostly hiking and easy scrambling with some very loose terrain and minor exposure along the summit ridge. Only attempt if dry.
Route
GPS trackMap

For some reason this peak became quite popular as of late and a number of scramblers, including me, decided that since the weather has been so nice of late we would get a jump on the season and bag a peak. This one took two tries for me due to lingering snow and questionable conditions on the first try. My brother from Toronto came out for the Easter long weekend and we decided to make this the first peak ever for him.

Gap Peak Route Map
Gap Peak Route Map

Considering that Rod had never seen a mountain till the day before (at the Ink Pots) he did very well indeed! Especially when I decided to go around the rock pinnacles on the upper slopes to the left, but off of the scree. My suggestion is that if you’re a competent scrambler you will enjoy going straight up the pinnacles and over rather than around any sides. We came back over top of them and found this to be much more enjoyable.

Looking up at Gap from the parking area.
Looking up at Gap from the parking area.
Near tree line, looking up at the first cliff band.
Near tree line, looking up at the first cliff band.
Rod traverses under the second cliff band.
Rod traverses under the second cliff band.
Almost there!
Almost there!
Rod comes down the summit ridge - the red line is where we went up.
Rod comes down the summit ridge - the red line is where we went up.
Fable seen from the summit. Kane has a route from Fable to Gap that many of my friends have done over the years.
Fable seen from the summit. Kane has a route from Fable to Gap that many of my friends have done over the years.
Cool summit ridge.
Cool summit ridge.
Rod comes along a snowy summit ridge with familiar Kananaskis peaks in the background including Windtower, Lougheed I, II and III, Wind, Allan, Collembolla, Pigeon and McGillivray (R to L).
Rod comes along a snowy summit ridge with familiar Kananaskis peaks in the background including Windtower, Lougheed I, II and III, Wind, Allan, Collembolla, Pigeon and McGillivray (R to L).