Mount Forbes 11,850ft - 3,612m (Part 1)

Mount Forbes 11,850 ft / 3,612 m Banff National Park April 17 to 19, 2026 Mount Forbes Day 1 – Approach We met in Cochrane at 5 am at my friend’s place. Lots of coffee, quick talk about logistics, fast gear check, and we were on the road to Saskatchewan Crossing. Parked at the Glacier Lake lot around 9 am. Got ready quick and started moving. The approach began woth skis on and off, with a long, flat skin across the frozen Glacier Lake fast and straightforward. Route finding through the trees just right of the creek entrance, heading toward the Mons Glacier, was probably the crux of the whole trip. Isothermal tree wells everywhere, followed by bulletproof sidehilling on exposed slopes. In a few sections I had to switch to bootpacking. No videos here I was fully focused on getting through that terrain safely. By the time we broke out onto the first flat at the lower moraines, we were running out of time. The original plan was to push to the Mons tarn, but we called it and set up a bivy there. Day one done over 20 km. I was exhausted. Honestly, while setting up my tent I was thinking about quitting. That section almost broke me—physically and mentally. After dinner, I crashed with no worries about tomorrow 😅 Day 2 – Summit Day Woke up early with a bit more motivation. Everyone was moving fast. In the dark we started skinning, then suddenly had to drop down, more like bootpack down, before climbing back up again. Big slop terrain. We reached the entrance of the canyon that drains the Mons into the lower cirque, skied through it, then moved left toward the Forbes North Glacier. From there we skinned up the face steep, but with great snow supporting the track. Eventually the snow ran out and we hit bulletproof alpine ice. Time to switch to crampons and axes. From there, straight bootpack to the summit. The summit was windy. A mandatory 360 video, a couple of photos, and we were out of there. Reversed the route, bootpacked down past the schrund. From here Even though it was steep terrain for me, we switched to ski mode. Then after this steep section it became mostly smooth skiing until we got past the canyon and back to camp. Day two was long, physically, technically, and mentally demanding but I was happy. We got the summit. But it wasn’t over yet… the crux descent still ahead. Day 3 – Exit We followed our track back until the end of Glacier Lake. From there we took the Glacier River trail, eventually linking into the Howse River. Then came some bushwhacking until we reconnected with the main trail and made it back to the parking lot. Then the drive back to Calgary. Once again, super grateful to have strong climbing partners like Ryan and Allen. Without them, I probably wouldn’t have made it 👊 Disclaimer The content in this video is for informational and entertainment purposes only. Climbing mountains involves inherent risks and dangers. Please conduct your own thorough research, evaluate your skill level and physical condition, and consult with experienced climbers or professionals before attempting any climb. The information shared is based on my personal experience and perspective and is not intended as advice or a recommendation for others to follow. If you choose to climb this mountain after watching my video, you do so at your own risk.