Duration: 4 hours round trip
Distance: 13km round trip
Total ascent: 833m
Maximum elevation: 2827m
A friend told me that Wilcox is one of his favourite hikes in the Jasper area. I unfortunately did not have the chance to hike Mount Wilcox the last time I was in the Rocky Mountains, but I made sure to put it on the itinerary for this trip. With the recommendation from my friend, I approached this hike with high expectations.
It was drizzling when we pulled into the parking lot, so we were less than inspired to leave the car and go out into the wilderness. The parking lot was packed, so I knew the trail would be busy.
The beginning of the trail is packed dirt criss-crossed with tree roots, which reminded me of hiking on the West Coast. I did not notice any bugs in the forest section, and I welcomed not having to douse myself in bug repellant. My hiking partner took off down the trail at an impressive speed, and I trudged some yards behind.
When we burst out of the forest and into the meadow, the views were spectacular. The Athabasca Glacier on the left in between snow-capped peaks is the most eye-catching feature of the landscape. On this day, it's details were blurred by a light haze of cloud.
Once we reached Wilcox Pass, we were unable to find a distinct path over to the mountain, so we treaded carefully across the meadow trying not to step on any wildflowers. There was one group ahead of us making their way up the mountain, but nobody else from the masses of people was attempting the summit.
The path up the mountain is gravelly switchbacks. At first, the steepness was easily manageable; however, it suddenly increased dramatically, and we found ourselves quite out of breath. We came to the top of a ridge overlooking the Athabasca Glacier. We still had a few peaks to traverse before reaching the summit. Here is where the scramble began. The path was undulating and I found myself repeatedly climbing up to one cairn and then down to the next. My body felt a little shaky as a result of my unease with this more technical terrain.
When we finally reached the peak after around 2.5 hours, I felt exhilarated at having completed my first real scramble. We had the summit to ourselves for a little while before a solo hiker came and sat nearby. We enjoyed a snack with a view at the summit and then headed back down once it began to lightly snow.
I was more concerned about the scramble on the way down than on the way up. I worried that the loose rock would give way under my feet and I would slide to my death, so I proceeded very cautiously.
The clouds had lifted somewhat around the Athabasca Glacier, so we stopped to revel in its grandiosity and take some photos.
The bonuses to hiking late in the day are that you avoid the crowds and you have the opportunity to view the mountains in the golden hour light. We arrived back at the car just before 7pm, having not seen a single other hiker on the trail the entire way back.
I understand why my friend said this is one of his favourite hikes in the Jasper area. The hike to Wilcox Pass is easy and then the scramble to Mount Wilcox is a lot of fun and a little scary. The view of the Athabasca Glacier is stunning and visible for the majority of the hike, so you do not have to reach the summit to reap the reward.