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Guinn’s Peak

Summit Elevation (m): 2619 
Trip Date: October 03 2024
Round Trip Time (hr): 5.5 
Elevation Gain (m): 1100 
Total Trip Distance (km): 18.5
Quick ‘n Dirty Rating: Class 2 – you fall, you sprain your ego.
Difficulty Notes: A nice easy family hike.
Technical Rating: TL2 to OT2
GPS Track: Gaia
Map: Google Maps


After a disappointing last weekend of September (let’s just say some big plans didn’t work out even a little), I was more than ready to get out and enjoy the mountains before they would once again be out of shape for hiking and scrambling until 2025. Unfortunately the weather forecast was proving quite unreliable and there was already a fresh coat of snow covering anything that excited me. I was left with a hike that’s been on my list for a long time now.

Guinn’s Peak Route Map.

Guinn’s Peak isn’t going to get any kudos as a particularly spectacular objective but it was perfect for the day that I had. I started out from the parking lot alone and stayed that way until descending later in the day. There was just enough fresh snow to make me happy I hadn’t pushed things on harder and bigger objectives but not enough to ruin this easy outing. Click through the following slideshow for more details.

Crossing the Kananaskis River.
Hiking a well traveled trail up Galatea Creek.
Hiking a well traveled trail up Galatea Creek.
The trail is lovely, if a little boring in the trees.
Breaking out of trees along the trail on an open avalanche slope.
Back in the forest.
Lillian Lake is a lovely green with The Tower looming over it.
Starting up to the Galatea Lakes.
Views back over Lillian Lake to The Tower (R) and the trail to Guinn's Pass at left.
Hiking steeply up to the Guinn's Pass Trail.
On the Guinn's Pass Trail.
Views to Guinn's Peak from the trail.
Lovely position on the Guinn's Pass Trail with Lillian Lake at lower right.
Views to The Fortress (R) over Lillian Lake.
On fresh snow with Guinn's Peak visible ahead.
Nearing Guinn's Pass with the peak rising to the right.
Finally on Guinn Peak's lower west ridge above the pass.
Views to Mount Bogart from the west ridge of Guinn's Peak just below the summit.
Summit views include Mount Bogart (L) to South Kidd (C), Fortress and The Tower (R).
Summit views include The Tower (L), Galatea, Lillian, Red, Bogart(R).
Gorgeous views over Lillian Lake to The Fortress, The Tower, Gusty and Mount Galatea.
A few larches on a ridge below Fortress Peak.
Mount Bogart over Ribbon Lake.
Lillian Lake far below Guinn's Peak.
Red Peak over the headwater valley of Ribbon Creek.
Fortress Mountain and larches.
Larches on Fortress Ridge with Spoon Needle at left.
Descending back to Lillian Lake.
Galatea Mountain over its namesake lakes.
Views to Fortress Ridge over Lillian Lake.
Back in the quiet forest.
There are many bridges over Galatea Creek.
Hiking out between Kidd South (L) and Fortress Ridge (R).
A beautiful fall day.
Lovely Galatea Creek.
Lovely Galatea Creek.
Crossing the Kananaskis River.

There isn’t much else to say about Guinn’s Peak. For a simple hike with some great Kananaskis views and a short drive from YYC, it’s one of those peaks that is perfect for either a family hike or one of those days when everything bigger feels like a suboptimal idea.

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