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Rockies :: Banff-Louise :: Gibbon Pass - Little Copper

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Gibbon Pass with Memorial Cairn and Mt. Storm in the Background

August 18, 2021

Gibbon Pass is one of several high alpine passes traversed on well-known Bow Valley Highline route. It is named by John Murray Gibbon, publicity agent for Canadian Pacific Railway between 1913 and 1945. He discovered the pass, which now has memorial cairn in his name. This pass is also exceptional alpine environment; in summer of 2021 dominated by wildfire smoke any clear day that are few and far in between needs to be taken advantage off. In the past I visited the area from Banff-Radium Highway via Arnica to Lower Twin lake, but did not have enough time (or energy) to continue to the Pass. This time I approached via official "Twin Lakes Trail" starting near Castle Junction.  Although far less scenic, this approach is also considerably shorter & allowed enough time to continue on Bow Highline South to Gibbon Pass.  From the Pass unofficially named "Little Copper", sometimes also called "Gibbon Pass Peak", is simple walk-up.   This terrific viewpoint was more than enough reward for fairly long and generally view-less approach.  Alpine area is brimming with larches and is probably great autumn golden larch destination.  

Trailhead is at Castle Junction and bit hard to find.  Take Hwy 93 (Banff-Radium Highway) exit off Trans-Canada, but immediately after crossing overpass, do a U turn and onto side road by the fence on right (south) side  This road leads in ~200m to fairly large parking area, with usual Parks Trail Table.  (In winter gate will be closed, so you will have to walk this bit).  Trail crosses Altrude creek and turns right;  keep straight at next junction, then after crossing back to right side settle down for long forested hike to lower Twin Lake. This section has fairly bad rap as being boring, but I didn't find it too bad - forest was nice enough, and last 2km before Lower Twin lake were in alpine meadows.  This bit was also very muddy, rocky and rooty requiring concentration in order not to lose balance.  After intersection Bow Highline by the sign, turn left and cross Lower Twin Lake outlet at good bridge.   Lake is further ~100m to the right - it is a good spot for lunch break;  being familiar from previous trip I left it for return.  Bow Highline then ascends semi-open mature forest for another 2.9km to Gibbon Pass with Memorial Cairn.  You can call it a day here, but it would be a shame if weather is nice, not to hike up Little Copper - it is straightforward easy ascent,  1.5km and 300m vertical from the pass.  You can go anywhere, easiest is to head straight up through meadows and larch forest, then diagonally up bits of trail slanting right-left to summit ridge (On return beeline to treeline is great fun here!).  Delightful hike on open ridge then leads to rocky summit, which on my visit also had nowdays ever-present pink register.  Views on clear day are phenomenal;  I had real problems leaving and only knowledge I'd be hiking out by headlamp if lingering too long eventually made me leave.  I plan to return sometime in larch season as backpack trip, for pure photography reasons.

Photographer Note:  Due to position of the sun,  Gibbon Pass is best photographed in first part of the day. Later in the day sun moves above Storm Mountain Massif and by mid-afternoon area is in shade.  But as approach is fairly long, backpack is probably best strategy in this case, with overnight either by Shadow Lake (Re 14) or upper Twin Lake (Tw 7), followed by short day hike to the pass in the morning

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