Rundle, Mount (Attempt)

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On July 4, 2025, I arrived in the town of Banff, and started analysing Rundle’s jagged ridgeline before I’d even moved into my new apartment. I spent the evening organizing and moving my belongings inside, and then started packing for the next morning, after checking Kane’s guide and confirming that Rundle was only a moderate summit.

I could only fit so much in my tiny Fiat 500, and so my bike was still in Edmonton. Not wanting to pay for parking either, I walked all the way to the trailhead, and started out towards Rundle proper at 0852hrs on a decently wide and well-used OHV trail.

I’d recently upgraded my phone to a Pixel 8 Pro with surprisingly decent image sensors, and started snapping the odd photo here and there, trying to get a feel for this photography skill thing after years of disuse. It would take a few more trips before I’d really start to nail that down again…

Working my way towards the trailhead on foot, just past Bow Falls. Working my way towards the trailhead on foot, just past Bow Falls. ✕

Leaving the OHV track and working my way towards Rundle. Leaving the OHV track and working my way towards Rundle. ✕

Getting some practice in with my new camera. Getting some practice in with my new camera. ✕

At 0904 hours, I reached the route up Rundle, conveniently marked by Parks with a sign. The route leaves the trail and starts working its way up the mountainside with a mellow slope. I forged ahead and made good time here, reaching the notable on-trail switchbacks by 0955hrs. These I likewise worked my way up with ease, and I continued on my merry way until 1053hrs when I suddenly felt very, very humbled. Rundle’s grade skyrockets with little warning, and goes from an easily traversible trail compared to Sulphur Mountain to an unrelenting up. I was simply not prepared for this and my pace dropped massively.

It took until 1124hrs for me to reach treeline, covering just over 200 vertical meters in half an hour - not bad for a flatlander! At this point I started to become concerned, though - Rundle’s upper slopes was composed of smooth slab with the occasional bit of scree dashed on top. Scree on slab, marbles on ice, yada yada - considering Rundle was my 6th attempted summit, I was suitably “sketched out” by the whole thing.

I reluctantly continued upwards, albeit even slower - I took my time, and made generous use of features in the slab to keep my feet firmly in place! I was admittedly new to the concept of approach shoes, and didn’t quite trust the rubber to stick the way I wanted it to.

Starting up the route's switchbacks, easily noticeable on the map. Starting up the route's switchbacks, easily noticeable on the map. ✕

Looking back from partway up the Dragon's Back Looking back from partway up the Dragon's Back ✕

What particularly concerned me, as I gained altitude, was incoming rain from the southeast. I had zero trust in my own abilities to get back down Rundle’s upper slopes if they ended up soaked, and didn’t even want to take the chance that I’d get lightly rained on! Add to that the fact that I was already feeling pretty bagged thanks to the humid weather, rapidly running out of water as a result, and had a ways to go at just 2550m, and I decided to call it quits.

Rain rolls in to the southeast. Given this was my first time on a slope as open and smooth as Rundle's, I was unwilling to stick around and see what would happen.

Rain rolls in to the southeast. Given this was my first time on a slope as open and smooth as Rundle's, I was unwilling to stick around and see what would happen. ✕

I didn’t mind heading back - while I’m certainly a bit disappointed in my past self as I write this, at the time I was feeling done, no longer enjoying the upwards grind, and about ready to turn back. Descent was uneventful; I stopped for lunch at treeline, then worked my way back down, snapping photos and taking a bit of time to experiment with my new fixed-aperture optics.

Long ways to go yet. I decided to call it quits here. Long ways to go yet. I decided to call it quits here. ✕

More camera practice. I started to get the hang of things nearer the end. More camera practice. I started to get the hang of things nearer the end. ✕

The rain arrived at 1517hrs, just as I made it back to the trailhead. Given that I had run out of water around ten minutes prior, I was now especially glad I’d made the call to turn back. I kept my hood down and enjoyed the cooling rain, arriving at my new home at 1548hrs.

I haven’t been back to Rundle since. I’m probably going to get to it this year (2026), but for most of 2025 I had more interesting summits to bag, with far better views and more engaging ascent routes than just grinding up bare slab. Even now I wonder whether it’s worth it - and if I didn’t have an unfinished ascent that I want to go back and complete, I’d probably leave it be. It’s just not all that great a route, and there are far better scrambles to be had near the townsite such as Cascade, Norquay, Aylmer, Inglismaldie, and Girouard.

I’m planning on going for those latter two this coming season as well; I’ve devised and scouted a route that should entirely bypass the Fairholme closure that normally keeps people away from those peaks for most of the year…