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Rockies :: Banff-Louise :: Pumpkin Traverse / Unity Peak

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Terrific Panorama north from Unity - Redoubt col.  Secluded out of radar "Pumpkin" valley center right;  Redoubt Lake in the distance

September 1, 2024

Pumpkin Traverse is well known ski-touring Trip.  (Parks Canada used to train staff here in orange ski-parkas, hence unofficial name).   Classic line follows Lipalian - Purple Mound - Unity Peak ridgeline, before dropping in secluded Alpine valley east of Mt. Redoubt then closes the loop by following standard Skoki Lodge access.  This page describes such loop around Redoubt Mountain in summer conditions; It can also be used as beta for easiest Unity Peak access from head of Purple Valley.

First order of business is to reach low col north of Unity Peak. Leave Skoki Trail 10-15min past end of Temple Lodge road;  junction is unmarked, but it will be just before the bridge across creek draining Purple Valley - see first Photo in Gallery.  Trail is fairly well defined for short time only and vanishes after climbing out of forest.  Rest of the journey is entirely off-trail before reconnecting with Skoki Trail at Boulder Pass.  Cross somewhat boggy meadows and head towards talus slope below Redoubt - Unity ridge.  There are many possible routes, but by far the easiest climbs up patches of grass and rubble towards obvious gendarme above.   Stay on vegetation as much as possible as rubble and boulder fields are horribly lose.  You can go either side of the gendarme;  I went left, then after scrambling up angled diagonally to low point of Unity ridge - about 3hrs from Fish Creek Parking lot.  This line is good choice in summer only;  in winter these slopes are big avalanche trap.  I've witnessed huge release during Wolverine Ridge snowshoe trip.

"Pumpkin" Valley is directly on the other side, but dropping down immediately will not work as there are cliffs below.  Two routes exist: 

1. Scramble up Unity Peak, taking care near the top as there are large shifting quartzite boulders.   Feasible line then drops down east ridge and angles towards head of Purple valley lower down.  This is longer variation, but has added benefit of tagging official peak if you care about such things
2.  Shorter variation I followed drops down east talus slope interspersed with short peeling cliffs just as Unity Ridge starts steepening up.   First part is fairly steep, but manageable - this is the crux.  Lower down angle eases - pick any line to obvious boulder slope below which is then easily crossed to start of Pumpkin Meadows.

Next hour or so is the most delightful hiking one can have in Banff National Park.  Soft meadows, gurgling creeks and abundance of larches - probably largest concentration I've seen in Skoki.   In 2nd half of September this entire valley must literally be on fire.  Eventually angle left and hike up somewhat steep grassy bench that tops out near south end of Redoubt Lake.  Very scenic hike around east side of the lake (easy rock hop of outlet around the middle that creates sizeable waterfall lower down) leads to Ptarmigan Lake viewpoint;  you can then drop on either side to intercept Skoki Trail.   Going right will be longer but entirely on grass, while shorter left side has some boulders to navigate but is short and won't present problems.   Final bit is standard hike from Boulder Pass down Skoki trail to Temple Lodge access road.

This loop could be done in either direction, but I believe CCW as described here is considerably better option.  It is easier to climb Unity Ridge above Purple Valley than to descend it, and overall route-finding is simpler.  Regardless, be ware of grizzlies in Pumpkin Valley;  on my first attempt way back in 2017 I was turned back by two huge grizzlies just below Redoubt Lake.

Gallery