Mt Burgess & Walcott Scramble on 14-Aug-2026

Participants: Sim, Tatyana, Stephanie, Mark, Serena

Distance: 12.2km, trip length: 8h37min, elevation gain: 1488m, start at trailhead: 7am, return to cars: approx. 4pm

The team decided to us the Field Centre Visitor parking as the trailhead, which worked out very well, and helped to cut off much of the distance and switchbacks in the trees. We crossed the road, and found a well-defined trail leading to the Burgess/Walcott trail. We steadily gained elevation, until we reached the turnoff for Burgess/Walcott on climbers left, marked by a cairn. Following along the well-defined trail, due to the “Kane effect,” until we reached the initial gully.

At the initial gully, which is roughly 400m in length (or more), we did our best to remain as close as possible to each other to reduce the risk of rockfall. Once out of the initial gully, we turned to climbers left to position ourselves below the col between Mount Burgess and Walcott. From here, the team decided that we would complete Mount Burgess first and then return to the col to complete Walcott Peak. We staying below the col initially, we side-hilled to the second gully, which is marked by a large pinnacle at the top of the gully. If coming from Walcott peak, it is the second gully, as Vern Dewitt describes in his write-up. There is also the option to stay along the ridge from Walcott to Burgess, but this requires a ledge traverse to get around the pinnacle which marks the gully, and the ledges are extremely exposed, as described by Sonny Bou and Doug Lutz.

At the gully, we decided that the best course of action would be to split the group up into two smaller groups to enter into the very loose gully. Rockfall in this gully is an extreme hazard, and should not be entered if there is a party above, as all rock funnels down into that gully, and there is no safe way to exit. The coordinator had brought along her Rockie Talkies to communicate, because we suspected that we would need to split the group up in the second gully. Once at the top of the gully, the coordinator radioed down to the second group that it was safe to come up the gully.

Once out of the gully, we turned to climbers left working our way up the summit block and to the ridge. Serena did an excellent job leading the way, and got us onto the correct line to the summit ridge, unlike poor Doug Lutz, who got sucked into the wrong line on his ascent to the ridge, resulting in him jumping across the ridge that did not connect to get safely to the other side.

Many parts along the ridge are exposed, and the rock was crumbly, resulting in extreme caution needing to be taken. Once we reached the final part of the ridge below the summit block, the ridge became very exposed, and we dropped to skiers right to traverse below the ridge, and then chose a short gully to regain the ridge. However, the rock on the side of the ridge, was exceptionally crumbly, so much so, that on the way back from the summit of Mount Burgess, this short section promoted Sim to suggest that this would be the last time she came up to Mount Burgess.

After a short summit stay on Mount Burgess, the team carefully retraced their steps to along the ridge and back to the loose gully. Sim carefully negotiating the rock on skiers left of the ridge. Note how loose and rubbly the rock is, again prompting Sim’s comment of not returning.

Once at the gully, the team again split into groups of two to descend into the gully, waiting for the other team to call clear over the radio. Once out of the gully, it was a short 50m ascent to the col between Burgess and Walcott, and then a short and easy walking traverse over to the summit of Walcott Peak. The views on Walcott Peak were lovely, and Emerald Lake was showing off its lovely colour.

Again, after a short stay on the summit of Walcott peak, the team began the decent along a fairly well-defined trail back down to the initial gully. The gully took some time to get through, as we had a larger group and was cautious to not knock rocks down on each other. Once out of the gully, we followed the well-defined trail back to the main Burgess/Walcott trail in the trees, and back to the vehicles at the Field Centre Visitor parking.