This popular scramble is best left for late summer or autumn as the alpine meadows tend to hold snow and melt-water well into summer. Avalanche hazard prevents this approach from being used in winter or spring. Grizzly bear sightings are relatively common on this trail and the area is occasionally closed.
The approach trail is shared with Helen Lake and Dolomite Pass. The small parking lot tends to fill early, but I was able to park across the road at Crowfoot Glacier Viewpoint. Exercise caution when crossing the highway. Most of the day is an easy hike on a well-maintained trail.
I hiked through here in June 2017 and had to climb over fresh avalanche debris. Already in 2023 the avalanche path barely stands out.Looking back across the highway to the Crowfoot Glacier.Reaching the alpine, catching a first glimpse of Cirque Peak. This section of trail shows bad braiding from hikers avoiding mud in early summer. If you don’t like hiking through mud, it’s best to leave this one for September to avoid further damage.Reaching Helen Lake, Cirque Peak in the background. The trail zig-zags through the cliff to the right.Gaining the cliff and pausing at a tarn at the base of Cirque Peak. There are two obvious paths up: One trail through the scree can be seen here to the center/right and the other passes through the cliff band to the left (Look for a person wearing red). I took the scree path to the right, but it looks like the cliff band to the left is just as easy.Easy travel along the path. Looking back at the tarn, Dolomite Peak in the background.At the spot where the two paths meet. Plenty of people can be seen on both route options.Looking ahead to the final push up Cirque Peak. It gets a bit loose and steep near the top, but is never more than easy scrambling.At the summit! It’s quite smoky, but you can still make out Katherine Lake at the left (At the base of Dolomite Peak) and the Crowfoot Glacier to the right. Helen Lake and the approach trail are at center, behind me.Looking North at the glaciated face of Cirque Peak.Beginning my descent. There are two paths through the last few meters below the summit. Both paths are easy scrambling, but many parties seemed more comfortable using their hands for a few moves here.Passing Dolomite Peak on the hike out.
I made quick time back to the parking lot on the maintained trail and reached my vehicle in 5 hrs 20 min. There were plenty of people on the trail and I was rarely alone.
It’s obvious why this scramble is so popular. It’s an easy, beautiful day in the mountains. It’s a great choice for a beginner, but should only be done by this approach in late summer or autumn.
Appendix
The Icefields Parkway tends to hold snow later into summer. Here are a few photos from a hike to Helen Lake on June 27, 2017 to give an idea of early summer conditions.
Climbing over avalanche debris on the trail.This Hoary Marmot kept us company near the lake.Helen Lake was still partially frozen in late June. Cirque Peak is in the background.I did not choose appropriate footwear for such cold, wet conditions!As of June 2017 a bridge had not been built here yet. We crossed upstream, in the straight section, where the water was calf-deep. As of 2023, a bridge here makes this crossing trivial.
Peak Bliss 