Robertson Peak, 2 March 2013

Click for larger image — Tallon Peak is on the left and Robertson Peak is on the right. **We had to receive landowner permission to hike to both of these little mountains.**

⚠️ Hiking and scrambling are inherently dangerous activities. Please read my Disclaimer. ⚠️

Tallon Peak and Robertson Peak (left) and the Livingstone Range (right) as viewed from the hamlet of Lundbreck. With the avalanche hazard quite high, Jeff and I decided to stick to the smaller hills. Tallon Peak is named after L. Tallon who was a survey assistant for the CPR in the Crowsnest Pass in 1888 & 1892.

Another view of Tallon Peak (middle left) and Robertson Peak (middle right) from the hamlet of Lundbreck. When you drive into the Crowsnest Pass from Lethbridge, they will be on your right hand side.

Our starting point. I stopped in at a house to ask permission to hike and a wonderful guy named Terry supplied us with a wealth of local knowledge, including the story behind this old homestead. He also told us that he couldn’t remember when there had been such a small amount of snow at this time of the year. He added that he had not seen any deer for a few weeks and that usually means that a big cat or some wolves had moved into the area.

After receiving permission to hike, our approach was to go up the ridge that connected to the high point between Tallon and Robertson. From there we would ascend the higher Robertson Peak (1905m) before heading back to Tallon Peak (1844m). We chose to follow our route back because Terry had warned us that his neighbour, whose land was immediately below Tallon, was not as welcoming to hikers as he was.

This was a fairly short hike which makes sense since both Robertson Peak and Tallon Peak are fairly short mountains. Our total distance was 10.8 km with a total time of 4 hours and 28 minutes. Our total elevation gains were 882 m.

A bald eagle soars overhead as we set off. This area is a major eagle migration route in the spring, particularly for golden eagles.

Fortunately these were the only bears that we saw on this day.

After gaining the connecting ridge, some nice views of the Livingstone Range begin to appear. I climbed the South Peak (left of middle) in May 2012.

Jeff heads up the gentle ridge toward the high point between Robertson and Tallon.

Part of Robertson Peak. The true summit is hidden.

Looking south from the ridge toward Tallon Peak. Even though it looks like an eagle’s talon and is located on an eagle migration route, Tallon Peak is named after a 19th century CPR surveyor’s assistant. You can see the extremely large cairn on the summit even from here.

On the high point between Robertson and Tallon and looking north to Robertson Peak. The true summit is hidden.

Jeff works his way down to the col before ascending Robertson.

There were a few patches of snow to work through but nothing too bad – though I look like I’m ready for K2. 😉

Part way up Robertson Peak looking back to Tallon Peak.

A cairn comes in to view but it is not on the true summit. The depressions in the foreground are perhaps ancient vision quest sites used by the First Nations. I’m not entirely sure about these ones, but there are definitely vision quest sites on the true summit. These depressions do look like they were made by humans though. I’m not sure why Robertson’s cairn is not on the actual summit. The true summit is still a couple hundred metres away.

Jeff plods through some snow.

A First Nations’ medicine wheel on the summit of Robertson Peak. If any of my Native friends have any more information on this, please feel free to comment. Robertson Peak is obviously a sacred place.

Looking north from the summit of Robertson at the Livingstone Range. Bluff Mountain is on the left, “The Dog” is left of centre, and Morin Peak is in the centre.

Looking south from the summit of Robertson. Tallon Peak is in the left foreground. In the middle left is Burmis Mountain and to the right is Byron Hill. Victoria Peak can be seen in the far distant centre.

Looking southwest from the summit of Robertson. Hillcrest Mountain is on the right, Poker Peak is in the centre, and Carbondale Hill is on the left.

Jeff and I on the summit of Robertson Peak.

Looking west from the summit of Robertson Peak. Turtle Mountain is in the centre and Hillcrest Mountain is to its left. Part of the Piitaistakis Eagle Watch Site is in the foreground.

A vision quest site in the foreground and the Livingstone Range in background. For thousands of years, people came to this place to find their purpose and connect with the spirit world. Though Robertson is a diminutive peak to hike, it is obviously a very special one.