01

Coffin Mountain & Mount Livingstone | 2010-04-24

Coffin Mountain II
  • Location: Cowboy Trail (Highway 22)
  • Activity: Scrambling
  • Height: 2,407 m (7,897 ft)
  • Elevation Gain: 800 m (2,625 ft)
  • Distance: 7.8 km / Round Trip (4.8 mi)
  • Avg Steepness: 11.6°
  • Estimated Time: 3-5 hrs
  • Technicality: Intermediate
  • Fitness Level: Moderate

Above stats is only for Coffin Mountain. For stats for Mount Livingstone traverse, please see page 12. If you do both Coffin and Livingstone traverse, it will be 13.5 km distance and 1375 m elevation gain.

Because of winter road closure from Dec 10 to April 30, we parked at the gate. Otherwise you can park at waypoint "Park 3". If access road to park 3 is not good condition, you can still park at waypoint "park 2" and walk about 20 to 30 min to the bottom of mountains.

The route is pretty easy and straight forward to Coffin Mountain. We started ascending on hill where a lot of dead trees were collapsed (page 6). After above treeline, nice talus awaits for you. As you go higher you will be able to see both true and north peak (page 7). If you feel like it you can go up to the north summit first. A benefit of going to the north summit is you don't have to walk sidehill to the true peak. You can walk on leveled ridge and it is easier that way. However that will add extra elevation. If not then aim the true peak and take sidehill. To descent you can go back the same way or you can take one of gully and bushwhack at near bottom (see page 5 for route line).

To Mount Livngstone, we started ascending at vegetation area right after the bottom of massive scree terrain towards a long rock band (page 13). Find a weakness in the rock band and scramble up. With proper route finding, it should be moderate scramble. After that stay on top of the ridge and aim for obvious false summit (page 16) until you see another rock band in north (page 19). The rock band looks ugly from distance, but once you get close it is not bad at all (page 20). Rest of the way is hike. Like its neighbor Plateau Mountain, summit is rather a long flat field. There were two cairns I found. The closer and smaller cairn is actually the taller peak. Farther north there is a huge cairn (waypoing "Peak 3", page 25), which was taller than me, is actually lower peak according to my GPS. To descent, we went west from the big cairn. I wished I could walk on scree but there was a big rock band, we walked toward trees and bushwhacked (page 26). Once at bottom, you can go farther west to access the road. We kept walking on logged area until near the gate.

02

Coffin Mountain & Mount Livingstone | 2010-04-24

Road closure from Dec 10 to April 30. We were lucky because when we were getting ready, a truck stopped. Apparently the driver had the key to open the gate, so we hijacked his truck and drove away.

03

Coffin Mountain & Mount Livingstone | 2010-04-24

The driver's dog tried to catch us up, but the dog couldn't keep up for 4 km. It became smaller and smaller.
(Photo By Ali Shariat)

04

Coffin Mountain & Mount Livingstone | 2010-04-24

The dog had huge palm.

05

Coffin Mountain & Mount Livingstone | 2010-04-24

Route of Coffin Mountain.

06

Coffin Mountain & Mount Livingstone | 2010-04-24

We were originally planed to go to Fable but considering snow & weather condition in Canmore, we came to Mount Livingstone instead. Since we got free ride up to here we decided to go up Coffin as well.

07

Coffin Mountain & Mount Livingstone | 2010-04-24

North peak (left) and true peak (right).

08

Coffin Mountain & Mount Livingstone | 2010-04-24

I didn't like sidehill so I quickly aimed the top of ridge.

09

Coffin Mountain & Mount Livingstone | 2010-04-24

Group picture at the summit. From left, Ali, Marc, So, Andrea, and Philip. It had been a while since I scrambled with others.
(Photo By Ali Shariat)

10

Coffin Mountain & Mount Livingstone | 2010-04-24

Going back to where we started to start over again.
(Photo By Ali Shariat)

11

Coffin Mountain & Mount Livingstone | 2010-04-24

Suddenly we got hit by a short storm. Luckily we were close to treeline. I can only imagine how it would have been if we were higher elevation.

12

Coffin Mountain & Mount Livingstone | 2010-04-24

Mount Livingstone
  • Location: Cowboy Trail (Highway 22)
  • Activity: Scrambling
  • Height: 2,436 m (7,993 ft)
  • Elevation Gain: 800 m (2,625 ft)
  • Distance: 9.6 km / Traverse (6.0 mi)
  • Avg Steepness: 9.5°
  • Estimated Time: 3.5-6 hrs
  • Technicality: Advanced
  • Fitness Level: Moderate

Route for Mount Livingstone.

13

Coffin Mountain & Mount Livingstone | 2010-04-24

Going up again.

14

Coffin Mountain & Mount Livingstone | 2010-04-24

The crux of the day. The rock band to gain access to ridge top.
(Photo By Ali Shariat)

15

Coffin Mountain & Mount Livingstone | 2010-04-24

Marc was fast despite of carrying snowshoe.

16

Coffin Mountain & Mount Livingstone | 2010-04-24

Finally we came out of treeline and kept ascending towards the false summit.
(Photo By Ali Shariat)

17

Coffin Mountain & Mount Livingstone | 2010-04-24

But that didn't last long. After 50 m up from treeline we got hit by a blizzard. We were suddenly on Neptune.

18

Coffin Mountain & Mount Livingstone | 2010-04-24

We hasted to rock band to protect us from freezing wind. We were quite serious going back, but fortunately the blizzard left.
(Photo By Ali Shariat)

19

Coffin Mountain & Mount Livingstone | 2010-04-24

Walking towards rock band before the summit.
(Photo By Ali Shariat)

20

Coffin Mountain & Mount Livingstone | 2010-04-24

This rock band was defiantly easier than the first one.

21

Coffin Mountain & Mount Livingstone | 2010-04-24

Andrea scrambling up the band. Coffin behind.

22

Coffin Mountain & Mount Livingstone | 2010-04-24

The last step to the plateau.

23

Coffin Mountain & Mount Livingstone | 2010-04-24

Andrea enjoying her cornices obsession.

24

Coffin Mountain & Mount Livingstone | 2010-04-24

This area is always windy and this day wasn't an exception.

25

Coffin Mountain & Mount Livingstone | 2010-04-24

Ali taking picture at big cairn. Why do you have to disturb me eating? This cairn protected us from strong wind very well.
(Photo By Ali Shariat)

26

Coffin Mountain & Mount Livingstone | 2010-04-24

Time to go home. We got all kinds of weather but didn't rain.

27

Coffin Mountain & Mount Livingstone | 2010-04-24

Another successful trip. Score!!

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