East End of Rundle (EEOR)

Length: 3.5 miles (5.6 km)

Elevation Gain: 2,877 ft (876 m)

Date Hiked: September 5, 2020

Disclaimer: This is NOT a hike. This trail is a scramble. Don't attempt unless you have scrambling experience, and bring hiking poles and a helmet for safety.

Finding the trailhead to EEOR is a little confusing. The coordinates from All Trails take you to the same lot where you'd start Ha Ling, but you can save yourself some uphill walking in the road by parking at the lake just before that lot. The trail begins right across the road from the west (ish) end of the lake and goes straight up. You'll want to make sure you have this trail's map handy because while it's fairly simple to navigate your way up, it is very easy to get lost in your descent once you're in the tree line.

After hiking through the trees, you'll come upon giant rock slabs that have a couple of routes to get you up. The trails are only marked by where it's clear people walked so, again, resort to your map! You can choose to make your adventure a little more challenging by climbing the giant boulders along the right side of the trail. We did that—with helmets on—and it was a lot of fun!

Don't be afraid to take breaks when you need to. This is an extremely challenging climb and the rocks become very loose the further you ascend. It's also a popular hike and tends to draw those who aren't experienced, which could accidentally kick rocks down on you. Be aware of the trail you're on and how close you are to the other climbers. You don't want to be too close, but if you feel comfortable, you can carefully climb around.

You'll get to a point where you feel like you've made it, but jokes on you! It's just a little grassy spot with a few trees to rest or grab a snack before your climb continues. Past the grassy spot is what looks like an open field at the base of the mountain—if that field were on a slant. You'll see many different paths to go up, but you'll want to make sure you're heading toward the sketchy large rock path west of the edge. The rocks are big and loose through there, so having boots that cover your ankles will be a huge help to keep you from twisting them. I have a pair of Vasques that have been a dream on these types of hikes—all my hikes actually.

The rock path is extremely dry in the summer so every single rock is loose. BE CAREFUL, and take your time. You'll eventually reach a point where you have to put one pole away because you'll for sure need at least one of your hands to guide you along the side of the rock cliff. Be aware that this section is super tight so communicate with other hikers as you come around corners so they aren't caught off guard.

The summit is unbelievable! Standing at 8,300ft, you're on the east side of Mount Rundle—one of Banff's most iconic mountains. We walked a bit down the ridge to find a spot to rest, dreading our descent. The weather was great that day, and the wind was super low, so we stayed up there for 10-15 minutes or so just enjoying the view.

Descending a mountain like this can be extremely difficult and scary. You'll want to have your poles ready to go to avoid slipping. I saw people on this hike with no poles or helmets, and while that's their decision, it's an unsafe one to make. Hiking poles can be expensive, but they're an investment worth making for hikes like this. They will also help ease the tension on your knees.

It was fairly easy to find our way down until we got back to the rock slabs in the tree line. Somewhere along the way we got off the trail and found ourselves a little further west than we wanted. Luckily, we found a trail that was on the map so we made our way, east and it met back up with the original trail we needed. I cannot stress enough the importance of having a map and knowing how to read it.

This scramble was one I'm so glad we did, but I have zero desire to tackle it again. It's another one that you want to get to early to beat the crowds of people making the attempt. If you do make it to the summit, you'll be one of few, so be prepared and come ready for a solid physical and mental challenge!