Kananaskis, AB, Canada
17 May 2020
With Trevor & Richard
Steep, simple and too short
Packenham Junior is the unofficial name of the small western outlier of much more impressive Mount Packenham in the Opal Range. While Mount Packenham is a technical climb (at least 5.5 on the easiest route), Packenham Junior is a mere hike on a faint trail and grassy slopes.
The western side of the outlier is basically one big triangular slope that has about the same incline throughout. The route is pretty straightforward and there’s not much that can go wrong here – you just head up, mostly on steep grass, a bit of light forest, and a few patches of rubble higher up. On our ascent we initially veered a little too far left with more (light) bush than we wanted to see, while on the way down we stuck to the shoulder on the southern side where a faint trail can be followed most of the way.
The weather didn’t play along today so we missed out on the fantastic views you can normally enjoy in this area. Mount Packenham and nearby Mount Evan-Thomas were shrouded in clouds and the snow cover made it look like the middle of winter. Only the lower lying King Creek Ridge and Mount Wintour to the south showed up nicely.
On the way down we ran into a pair of mountain goats, the only other visitors today. This isn’t a popular objective, but for something super quick it’s worth the minimal effort required. Just make sure to pick a sunny day.
|
Elevation: |
2307 m (my GPS) |
|
Elevation gain: |
640 m |
|
Time: |
3.0 h |
|
Distance: |
4.1 km |
|
Difficulty level: |
Easy (Kane), T2 (SAC) |
|
Reference: |
Own routefinding |
|
Personal rating: |
2 (out of 5) |
NOTE: This GPX track is for personal use only. Commercial use/re-use or publication of this track on printed or digital media including but not limited to platforms, apps and websites such as AllTrails, Gaia, and OSM, requires written permission.
DISCLAIMER: Use at your own risk for general guidance only! Do not follow this GPX track blindly but use your own judgement in assessing terrain and choosing the safest route. Please read the full disclaimer here.
