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Alpine Climbing Expeditions

Private alpine guiding is available either as 1 day ascents, multiday ascents, or as road trips of any length where multiple routes may be done.

Some of the best multiday outings in the Rockies are described below along with information about difficulty and required experience. This is just a sample list, just about any peak is available for guided ascents.

More information About COE Guides.

Prices listed with each trip include guides, all group climbing and camping gear, and food. Transportation to trailhead generally provided by guests but can be provided for an additional fee. Complete gear lists and other logistics information will be sent out as required. Our guides are more than happy to answer questions via phone or e-mail at any time regarding these trips.

Mt. Cline - SW Ridge Height: 3361m / 11027ft Difficulty: Beginner: II 5.4 Length: 3 days (2 with Helicopter) Season: May - October Prerequisites: Reasonable fitness level. Guide to Guest Ratio: Max 1:4, up to 8 people total on trip. Route: The SW Ridge of Mt. Cline is an excellent introduction to the big mountains. It offers a little bit of everything including scrambling, glacier travel, a short rock climb, a rappel, and some moderate snow slopes. On day one we hike to a camp beside a beautiful alpine lake. Day two we get up early and start the ascent as the sun rises. The ascent takes 6-10 hours to the summit and another 3 or 4 to descend back to camp. After a well deserved sleep-in, we hike back out to the highway. If fitness and weather allows we often summit Mt. Owen (10300ft) on our way to the top of Cline. Cost: 1 person: $1200; 2 persons: $750/each; 3 persons: $600/each; 4 persons: $525/each Helicopter option available to reach basecamp, contact us for pricing.

Whitegoat Valley Height: 3080m(SW Whitegoat); 3200m(Middle Whitegoat); 3120m(NE Whitegoat); 3361m(Cline); 3120(Lion) Difficulty: Beginner to Advanced: Various Snow and Rock Routes Length: 4 or more days. Less days possible with helicopter access. Season: Late May - Early October Prerequisites: Routes for all abilities and experience levels. Good physical fitness required. Guide to Guest Ratio: 1:4 for beginner routes, 1:2 for intermediate/advanced, 1:1 for first ascents. Routes: A number of excellent mountaineering options exist in this remote alpine valley. From the straightforward ascents of Lion/Lioness (II) and the Middle Whitegoat(II 5.6)(More info...) to long hard rock ridges, to the moderate mixed climbing on the N. Ridge of Mt. Cline(III WI3, 5.6). Access is a long day hike to basecamp or via helicopter. There are many first ascents waiting to be done in this region that can be attemped with a 1:1 ratio if guests are sufficiently skilled. Cost: (4 Days) 1 person: $1600; 2 persons: $1000/each; 3 persons: $800/each*; 4 persons: $700/each* *If routes requiring 1:2 ratios are desired, the cost for 3 or 4 persons will be $1000/each as a second guide will be required. Helicopter option available to reach basecamp, contact us for pricing.

Mt. Wilson Height: 3260m, 10700ft Difficulty: Easy/Intermediate Length: 3 days Season: June - September Prerequisites: None, good physical fitness. Guide to Guest Ratio: Max 1:4 Route: This is a great introduction to glacier travel and expedition climbing. Hikers and scramblers who want to push themselves on a more adventurous outing will find this a highly enjoyable trip. Two different ways to basecamp can be used depending on conditions. One is up a long snow/scree coulior, the other via Owen Creek. A camp is made at the edge of the glacier amidst spectacular quartzite towers. Summit day involves a long trek across a low angle glacier to the final summit ice/snow slopes which offer a challenging finish to the climb. Cost: 1 person: $1200; 2 persons: $750/each; 3 persons: $600/each; 4 persons: $525/each

Mt. Robson - Kain Face Height: 3954m, 12969ft - highest in Canadian Rockies! Difficulty: Difficult: IV ice Length: 7 days, (5 with helicopter access) Season: Mid July - Early September Prerequisites: Glacier Travel and Crevasse Rescue Training, Ascents of other glaciated peaks such as Athabasca or Andromeda. Must have a high level of fitness. Guide to Guest Ratio: Max 1:2, up to 6 guests total on expedition. Route: Mt. Robson is known as the King, anyone who has seen it's incredible size knows why! This is a major undertaking but COE guides can put it within reach of determined intermediate mountaineers. A two day trek with a night at Berg Lake gets us to our glacier camp below the Kain Face. The ascent from here is via a 300m glacier ice face to the ridge. The ridge is then followed with some steep ice sections to the summit. Descent is via the same route. This is a long and demanding day, a high level of determination and fittness is required. Since Mt. Robson is so large, the weather can often be uncooperative. 7 days leaves us time to wait out a couple of days of bad weather. If weather is perfect for the whole week, nearby peaks such as Resplendant or Whitehorn may also be attempted. Be aware that on a big mountain such as Robson, success is never guaranteed. COE guides have completed ascents of Robson in Winter and Summer and are currently the only team to have ever climbed the Kain route in a single push (39 hours) car to car(in Winter!). They have also ascended the very difficult Emperor Ridge in a single 25 hour push. Their intimacy with the mountain helps ensure that all guests have the ultimate Mt. Robson experience. Cost:1 person: $2800; 2+ persons: $1750/each Helicopter option available to reach basecamp, contact us for pricing.

Mt. Cline - East Face Height: Difficulty: Very Difficult: IV 5.10b Length: 2 days Season: July - Early September, rock must be dry to make an ascent. Prerequisites: Extensive rock climbing experience to 5.10 and alpine rock experience with a COE Guide. Recommended training routes for this climb would be Mt. Abraham Shoulder Route (III 5.8); Mt. Temple East Ridge (IV 5.7); Mt. Wilson Becky Tower (IV 5.10a A1). Guide to Guest Ratio: 1:1 only Route: On day one hike up Thompson Creek to a high Col below the face. Early to bed an early to rise will see us starting up the lower scrambling slopes by headlamp. At first light we will put on our rock shoes and begin a series of 10 pitches of 5.6-5.9 rock climbing on mostly excellent rock. Above this a spectacular summit tower dishes out a difficult pitch of 5.10b and a final tremendously exposed 5.9 traverse above a 2000ft vertical and overhanging wall! Not for the faint of heart! Our guides made the 1st ascent of this route and there knowledge of the climb combined with the good quality of the rock, make this a safe yet very challenging ascent. For those who are up to it, this is one of the finest hard alpine rock routes in the Rockies. More about this route... Cost: $1000

Other Great Alpine Expeditions The Rockies have hundreds of excellent multiday alpine routes. Talk to one of our guides to find a route that matches your ambitions and skill level. Some of the best routes include: Nordegg Area Mt. Peskett (IV 5.9) - 3 days (Picture) Triangle Peak (II 5.3) - 2 days (Picture) Jasper Area Mt. Colin - Traverse (III 5.6) Mt. Fryatt - West Ridge (III 5.6 or 5.8) (Picture) Roche Miette - West Face (III 5.10) Icefields Parkway Mt. Forbes - N. Face (III, ice): Highest peak in Banff National Park (Picture) Murchison Towers - numerous grade III rock ridges. Lake Louise Area Mt. Victoria - Various Routes (III, ice) Mt. Fay - Various Routes (III, Ice + Rock)