Storm Mountain

This is without doubt the toughest climb in this guide. This is the challenge that will graduate you from an aspiring scrambler to an accomplished one. There are countless kilometres of deadfall to climb over, bushwhacking to endure, route-finding to navigate, a boulder field to crawl over and a stream to splash across. But the best prize of this challenge is 1000 m of the nastiest scree you have ever encountered. This could possibly be the most exhausting day of your life.

Upper scree slope

ELEVATION GAIN: 1521 m

Storm Mountain Trailhead:

GPS: N51 13 06.1 W116 03 25.7
Elevation: 1644 m

Storm Mountain Summit:
GPS: N51 12 27.6 W116 00 17.9
Elevation: 3165 m
Trailhead: From the crossroads of the Trans-Canada and the Banff–Windermere highways (Hwys. 1 and 93), travel south for 11.4 km to a small gravel pull-off on the east (left) side of the highway. This is readily recognized, as there is a steel gate inside the pull-off. This parking area is 1.2 km south of the Continental Divide marker, also on the east side of the parkway. The Continental Divide point of interest is 10.2 km south of Castle Junction.

Walk around the steel gate, follow the road and immediately enter a large field. Stroll through the middle of it and make your way to the far left end. Here there is a short, narrow gully taking you down to a stream that is barely too wide to step across. A makeshift bridge of old logs is apparent but slippery. Be careful. Waist-high brush presents the first obstacle for a trail-less beginning.

Past the thick brush, the way opens to the horrific remnants of the 2003 forest fire season and the repetitive deadfall that must be climbed over. This alone becomes exhausting after the first 40 or 50 of these natural obstacles. The stream remains on your right as the trail ventures upward through burnt forest with green undergrowth. Stick close to the stream while searching for a faded track. It is there, so keep an eye out as you continue upward, because about 20 minutes into the trek you’ll find a stack of cairns approximately knee high close to the stream. This marks the beginning of the recognizable trail.

Vermilion Peak

Vermilion Peak is best described as a straightforward, relatively quick scramble that starts ascending almost immediately. There is no warm up here, just right down to business. The drawback with this type of climb is that there is no break in it; it is just straight upward with no levelling off until you reach the summit.

Elevation Gain: 1207 m

Trailhead:

GPS: N51 09 35.6 W116 09 09.0

Elevation: 1419 m

Vermilion Peak Summit:

GPS: N51 09 37.3 W116 07 00.5

Elevation: 2586 m

Trailhead: From the Castle Mountain junction on the Trans-Canada Highway follow Hwy. 93 (Banff–Radium Highway) 21 km south to 4.1 km south of the Marble Canyon parking lot and 1.5 km south of the Paint Pots parking lot. The trailhead is unmarked but you can recognize it by an opening in the forest creating a bit of a meadow on the east (left) side of the highway. It’s your choice whether to park your vehicle here and leave it alone or park instead in the Paint Pots parking lot and walk the 1.5 km to the trailhead.             

Cross this sometimes muddy field and follow the small slope up to the remnants of the old highway. Turn south (right) here and walk for about 75 to 100 m, reaching a wide opening in the forest on your left. This obvious, broad gap makes its way up to the gully, which you will remain in for the better part of this scramble. In fact, this gully is visible from the highway and is clearly the only choice up this side of the mountain.

This avalanche channel has two easy obstacles to manoeuvre. Two small rock walls in quick succession require a little bit of handwork for about 15 to 20 m. Beyond the rock walls, continue up the path and you will eventually encounter a fork. Both trails will bring you to the same place. The right-hand one is shorter but steeper. Regardless which one you choose, you will arrive below the summit ridge. Continue ascending but begin to traverse to the right until you reach a reasonable approach that will get you to the summit ridge.

Once up on the ridge, most of the work is done and the rest is an easy walk on a well-trodden path that straddles the ridge to the summit. About 100 m shy of the cairn-marked true summit is the well-marked “popular” summit where most scramblers seem to stop due to exposure and sudden drops down either side. It is up to you. Assess your confidence and comfort and do not just go on pride.

Stanley Peak is unmistakable to the east at an impressive 3155 m, while the less impressive Mount Haffner is slightly south (right) at 2514 m.

Vermilion Peak history

Vermilion Peak derives its name from the river and valley of the same name. Vermilion is one of the brilliant colours of the pigment the Ktunaxa (Kootenay) First Nations discovered in this area. The Ktunaxa would extract the stuff from the region’s ochre beds and heat it over large fires to smelt out the pigmented powder. They would then mix this with animal grease and use it for colouring their clothing, painting their bodies and making pictures on rocks. The most common colours were red (vermilion) and yellow.

Helmet Falls Campground

If not for the overall distance, the journey to these wondrous falls would be reasonably effortless. As Kootenay National Park does not possess the notoriety of the neighbouring Banff and Yoho parks, it is often less travelled. So it is not too surprising to come across such a gem as this without any fanfare or very much human traffic. The place is remarkably unknown and amazingly easily accessed. Helmet Falls has a total height of 352 m that spills over two tiers. The single drop forms from two streams which join at mid-fall. The two streams originate from two separate glaciers in the massive Washmawapta Icefield.



Distance: 15 km

Elevation Gain: 319 m

Trailhead:
GPS: N51 10 12.3 W116 08 50.1
Elevation: 1443 m

Helmet Falls Campground:
GPS: N51 11 46.6 W116 18 17.8
Elevation: 1762 m

Trailhead: From Castle Junction drive south on The Banff-Windermere Highway for 19.6 kilometers to the Paint Pots parking lot on the west side of the parkway. The trailhead is well marked, entering the forest on the west side of the parking lot.

The trail leaves the parking lot in a non-eventful fashion. A straight level path accommodates wheelchair access within the first minute, diverting to the left of the main trail. Both trails descend gently, joining shortly prior to crossing The Vermilion River by way of a short suspension bridge. On the other side of the river, the astounding 360° panoramas include peaks of the Vermilion Range dominating the west and north-west horizon, while the Ball Range tower over the span of the eastern sky. If you can stop yourself from this engrossing encounter, follow the trail along the stream, and into the forest to arrive at the lower paint pots. This should take no longer than ten minutes.
The Paint Pots are a rare find, and should be explored, at least for a few minutes. The trail through this mud lover’s paradise is distinct and well worn. Sections that are excessively dirty are laid down with wooden planks. The muddy path inclines slightly to gain the upper section of the Paint Pots, where the water in the lower flats originates. At the top of the ochre beds, the path becomes indiscernible, and you will be left standing at the top of the beds, wondering where to go. If you look straight over the small mud flat up here, you will see that the path picks up again at the far end of the outlet of the main bed. The trail is visible as it enters the forest beside an aged trail marker. Either walk across the mud (it is really quite firm and shallow), or follow a faint path to your right that circumnavigates the small mud flat and ochre pond.
The trail into the forest narrows where an old, rough looking sign guides you to Helmet/Ochre Creek, Tumbling Creek, and Helmet Falls Campgrounds. A stairway of railway ties assists the entrance into the woods. Within another five minutes, a sign steers you to stay straight on the path and a mild elevation gain is felt. A couple of small streams are crossed as the journey through forest of spruce and pine levels off. At about the three and a half kilometer mark on the trek, a magnificent avalanche slope of shrubs, wild berries, and flowers is crossed.
After crossing the slope, the trail pierces the forest for another 6-8 minutes, coming across signs in a small cleared intersection at 3.9 kilometers from the trailhead. The Helmet Creek Falls campground is another 11.1 kilometers straight up the main trail. As the trail departs the junction it begins a slight uphill climb, and the forest becomes sparser with thicker trees. Two kilometers from the intersection, the trail opens up, to a small field of Red paintbrushes, yellow and purple daisies, and a variety of grasses. Views of north and west laying peaks are accessible from the engaging little field.
The next ten minutes of the hike takes the trail down to the river basin where tributaries join Ochre Creek making for some minor rock hopping. The Helmet/ Ochre Creek Campground is situated on the far bank of the Ochre Creek. From here, 8.8 kilometers remain to the Helmet Creek Campground. Stroll through the campground as the trail continues along the eastern shoreline of Helmet Creek and crosses it over a sturdy bridge. The trail leaves the riverbank to climb a series of switchbacks for about 0.5 kilometers. For the next three kilometers, up here, the journey continues through avalanche slopes, and a rolling forest with views of Helmet Creek down far below. Eventually you drop down to the river, skirting it for about two kilometers, crossing it over another suspension bridge.
Leaving the river and entering the forest brings a welcome silence for a short time. Within the next 1.5 kilometers, the first glimpse of Helmet Falls will grab your attention. This site really caught us by surprise during our first hike into the campground. It is still far away from here, but is incredibly spectacular. The falls are 352 meters high, seem to fall forever, and are back dropped on a massive limestone wall. Amazing. The trek finishes on a fairly level circuit of trees and meadow, and finally descends over a bridge into the campground, after passing a Parks Canada Warden cabin.