The Lyells
The Lyells area may as well be considered the Disneyland of Canadian Rockies Alpine climbing. The place is absolutely majestic, and offers something for just about any level of alpinist / mountaineer. The main Lyell glacier contains 5 beautiful peaks, all within climbing reach 1 day from a high hut location on a rock shoulder (The Lyell Hut). Some may choose to climb all 5 in a single push, normally done from North-South (Lyell 1 to 5).
The Approach
You have a few options, one of which includes a long march in from Saskatchewan crossing near the Columbia Icefields. That one is fairly well documented - but not the one we'll recommend or will discuss here. The much better approach to the area is to head in from Golden BC, turning off ~20min west on Donald Rd, and follow the Bush Forest Road for ~90km. We'll explain the drive in, as well as 2 different hike in options for you below. The area is ripe with black bears, and 'bear-awareness' and caution should be exercised.
The Drive - 2hrs from Golden
From Golden, head west for about 20 minutes to Donald Rd. This road is immediately following the truck weigh-in station, and will be on your right (see map). There's a sign pointing you in the right direction. Once you turn right, follow this road until the first stop sign. Turn left here, and then make a right about 200m down the road on the main Bush Forest Service Road - you'll see a sign for the Chatter Creek Heli stating area.
Once on the main Bush FSR, you'll notice KM markers - keep driving on the main Bush FSR until KM 68.5 - make a right onto Valentienne RD.
Once on Valentienne RD, the KM markers reset. Stick to the main road, passing over a few creeks, bridges. and switchbacks to KM 13, where you'll notice a bridge that used to be a little straighter I'm sure. It has collapsed (see picture), and as of 2015, is in very rough shape. I'm not sure that it'll remain driveable in 2016 as it's deteriorated surprisingly rapidly from 2014 to 2015.
Once over the bridge, you'll come to a road washout but is easily passed. Keep on the main road (trending left at any fork) to KM 22. Park here - you'll have no choice as the road is completely washed out. Not to worry though, you're close enough. There is chicken wire laying around - barely enough for 3 vehicles.
The Hikes - 2,000m elevation gain
Hike option # 1 - Icefall Brook (7-9hrs)
This is by far the best approach to the Lyell Hut, and on 2015 trip up in the area, we took 9hrs to the hut from the car despite knee deep snow the entire way up the glacier! In better conditions, the approach can easily be dropped to 7hrs. I find this option to be more direct than the Lodge/Tivoli option discussed above, and is much more scenic. The trail isn't as well maintained in areas, and somewhat disappears in others - but the scenery is amazing, and you gain elevation in 2 very separate stages. You have the option of bivy'ing out before getting on the glacier, or staying at the Mons Hut to split up your approach, but being that the approach is relatively short, this is really not necessary.
From the car parking area, follow the road on foot for approximately 800m where it takes a sharp bend to the right. At the end of this bend is a drainage on your left, where the trail starts. Simply bushwack our way up into the rocky drainage above (short-lived). See picture of where the trail and switchbacks start in the woods. There is old orange flagging tape to mark it's beginning.
Once in the woods, follow a good trail leading up. Once you are out of the trees, cross 2 gullies on the faint trail, scrambling up easily over a small waterfall. Trend upwards to a good trail easily, and follow it into the alpine (see picture). You may loose the trail in the bigger treed area, but keep in the general direction where you'll soon pop out of the trees and simply get back on track. The canyon rim never too far away. You will be aiming for a large moraine splitting the bench at the head of the canyon.
Reaching the glacier required some route finding and general scrambling over good slabby rock, but your general direction should be to the right side, on the upper glacier. It'll be fairly obvious not to head straight for the giant icefall in front of you for too long.
Once you get to the point of least crevasses on the glacier where it connects to the rock, hop on up, and start your ascent towards the Lyell Hut. In short order, you'll be able to see the hut on a rock outcrop high above you. Negotiate the glacier, stay roped up (!) and enjoy the scenery on your 2hr march towards the Lyell Hut.
Option #2 - Parking to Icefall Lodge to Tivoli Shoulder to Lyell Hut (~12hrs)
This is probably the most common approach due to the Icefall Lodge being en-route. It provides a nice break before heading up above treeline, and is approximately half-way in the way of vertical gain distance is concerned - ~1,000m gain over 6km. If you've decided to stay at the lodge for a night, then this approach is the one you want to take for obvious reasons.
Once parked, simply pick your way through the washout to the road on the other side. 5 minutes later, you'll notice an open area to your left where there is evidence of previous camps. Head straight across towards the river (no obvious trail, august 2014) and find the log bridge crossing. Once you get to the river, it'll be easy to spot. Cross the log bridge, and follow the trail. It's unrelenting for the next 3-4 hours.
Once you finally get to the Icefall Lodge - take a break! You have another 2hrs to get to Tivoli shoulder / good bivy sites.
Leaving the icefall lodge and getting on the Tivoli trail isn't as straightforward as you would think. There are numerous trails starting from the lodge, none of which have a sign/map/indication of where they head. With that said - the trail you are looking for starts between the staff hut, and the lower lodge. It essentially parallels the trail you came up, but instead of heading down, it heads straight across (see picture). Follow this good trail until you get to a fork. At the fork, go straight (DO NOT GO UP/LEFT!) - you'll notice a trail sign saying "Tivoli". Keep going on a good trail, no longer possible to veer off-route.
The trail up to Tivoli shoulder is now followed in an alpine environment, giving you ample perspective on where to go. It switch-backs it's way up, until eventually you have reached the top where disappointingly, you'll not yet have the view of the Lyells you were hoping for.
Head down over the Tivoli shoulder (more of a col) to an actual shoulder about 100m down trending left. You'll notice cairns on it - it's important not to miss this as if you head down to far, you won't be happy.
The Tivoli should is fairly straightforward, although exposed. It's extremely well protected - starting with 6 bolts with draws on them, then leading into a long, well bolted steel cable all the way down to 20m from the glacier's edge. Once at the end of the steel cable, there's a 1 bolt + rap ring setup for you to use to rappel the 20m to the snow/glacier.
The Lyell Hut should now be visible on the rock shoulder of Christian Peak - Lyell 5. Head to it using the safest path possible (see picture of hut location and path of ascent we took via this approach).
The Approach
You have a few options, one of which includes a long march in from Saskatchewan crossing near the Columbia Icefields. That one is fairly well documented - but not the one we'll recommend or will discuss here. The much better approach to the area is to head in from Golden BC, turning off ~20min west on Donald Rd, and follow the Bush Forest Road for ~90km. We'll explain the drive in, as well as 2 different hike in options for you below. The area is ripe with black bears, and 'bear-awareness' and caution should be exercised.
The Drive - 2hrs from Golden
From Golden, head west for about 20 minutes to Donald Rd. This road is immediately following the truck weigh-in station, and will be on your right (see map). There's a sign pointing you in the right direction. Once you turn right, follow this road until the first stop sign. Turn left here, and then make a right about 200m down the road on the main Bush Forest Service Road - you'll see a sign for the Chatter Creek Heli stating area.
Once on the main Bush FSR, you'll notice KM markers - keep driving on the main Bush FSR until KM 68.5 - make a right onto Valentienne RD.
Once on Valentienne RD, the KM markers reset. Stick to the main road, passing over a few creeks, bridges. and switchbacks to KM 13, where you'll notice a bridge that used to be a little straighter I'm sure. It has collapsed (see picture), and as of 2015, is in very rough shape. I'm not sure that it'll remain driveable in 2016 as it's deteriorated surprisingly rapidly from 2014 to 2015.
Once over the bridge, you'll come to a road washout but is easily passed. Keep on the main road (trending left at any fork) to KM 22. Park here - you'll have no choice as the road is completely washed out. Not to worry though, you're close enough. There is chicken wire laying around - barely enough for 3 vehicles.
The Hikes - 2,000m elevation gain
Hike option # 1 - Icefall Brook (7-9hrs)
This is by far the best approach to the Lyell Hut, and on 2015 trip up in the area, we took 9hrs to the hut from the car despite knee deep snow the entire way up the glacier! In better conditions, the approach can easily be dropped to 7hrs. I find this option to be more direct than the Lodge/Tivoli option discussed above, and is much more scenic. The trail isn't as well maintained in areas, and somewhat disappears in others - but the scenery is amazing, and you gain elevation in 2 very separate stages. You have the option of bivy'ing out before getting on the glacier, or staying at the Mons Hut to split up your approach, but being that the approach is relatively short, this is really not necessary.
From the car parking area, follow the road on foot for approximately 800m where it takes a sharp bend to the right. At the end of this bend is a drainage on your left, where the trail starts. Simply bushwack our way up into the rocky drainage above (short-lived). See picture of where the trail and switchbacks start in the woods. There is old orange flagging tape to mark it's beginning.
Once in the woods, follow a good trail leading up. Once you are out of the trees, cross 2 gullies on the faint trail, scrambling up easily over a small waterfall. Trend upwards to a good trail easily, and follow it into the alpine (see picture). You may loose the trail in the bigger treed area, but keep in the general direction where you'll soon pop out of the trees and simply get back on track. The canyon rim never too far away. You will be aiming for a large moraine splitting the bench at the head of the canyon.
Reaching the glacier required some route finding and general scrambling over good slabby rock, but your general direction should be to the right side, on the upper glacier. It'll be fairly obvious not to head straight for the giant icefall in front of you for too long.
Once you get to the point of least crevasses on the glacier where it connects to the rock, hop on up, and start your ascent towards the Lyell Hut. In short order, you'll be able to see the hut on a rock outcrop high above you. Negotiate the glacier, stay roped up (!) and enjoy the scenery on your 2hr march towards the Lyell Hut.
Option #2 - Parking to Icefall Lodge to Tivoli Shoulder to Lyell Hut (~12hrs)
This is probably the most common approach due to the Icefall Lodge being en-route. It provides a nice break before heading up above treeline, and is approximately half-way in the way of vertical gain distance is concerned - ~1,000m gain over 6km. If you've decided to stay at the lodge for a night, then this approach is the one you want to take for obvious reasons.
Once parked, simply pick your way through the washout to the road on the other side. 5 minutes later, you'll notice an open area to your left where there is evidence of previous camps. Head straight across towards the river (no obvious trail, august 2014) and find the log bridge crossing. Once you get to the river, it'll be easy to spot. Cross the log bridge, and follow the trail. It's unrelenting for the next 3-4 hours.
Once you finally get to the Icefall Lodge - take a break! You have another 2hrs to get to Tivoli shoulder / good bivy sites.
Leaving the icefall lodge and getting on the Tivoli trail isn't as straightforward as you would think. There are numerous trails starting from the lodge, none of which have a sign/map/indication of where they head. With that said - the trail you are looking for starts between the staff hut, and the lower lodge. It essentially parallels the trail you came up, but instead of heading down, it heads straight across (see picture). Follow this good trail until you get to a fork. At the fork, go straight (DO NOT GO UP/LEFT!) - you'll notice a trail sign saying "Tivoli". Keep going on a good trail, no longer possible to veer off-route.
The trail up to Tivoli shoulder is now followed in an alpine environment, giving you ample perspective on where to go. It switch-backs it's way up, until eventually you have reached the top where disappointingly, you'll not yet have the view of the Lyells you were hoping for.
Head down over the Tivoli shoulder (more of a col) to an actual shoulder about 100m down trending left. You'll notice cairns on it - it's important not to miss this as if you head down to far, you won't be happy.
The Tivoli should is fairly straightforward, although exposed. It's extremely well protected - starting with 6 bolts with draws on them, then leading into a long, well bolted steel cable all the way down to 20m from the glacier's edge. Once at the end of the steel cable, there's a 1 bolt + rap ring setup for you to use to rappel the 20m to the snow/glacier.
The Lyell Hut should now be visible on the rock shoulder of Christian Peak - Lyell 5. Head to it using the safest path possible (see picture of hut location and path of ascent we took via this approach).
