Patience Mountain

Overview

Patience Mountain lies some 9 km due south of the Trans-Canada Highway where Flat Creek joins the Illecillewaet River. It lies between the South-flowing Slick Creek drainage to the east and the North-flowing Jumping Creek drainage to the west. The summit forms the high point of the ridge running North from Virtue Peak to the Illecillewaet River valley.

This peak offers a fun scramble up a generally gentle, but still crevassed, glacier to a fantastic position overlooking the heart of the Southern Selkirks. From its summit innumerable unclimbed routes can be seen on the steeper nearby peaks and you can gaze on miles upon miles of ice-clad mountains and ridges in all directions.

On its north slope a small glacier dips from the summit some 450 meters vertically in about a kilometer to about 2250 meters in elevation. It is lightly crevassed so poses little obstruction. The mountain drops precipitously to the West all the way to the valley floor of Jumping Creek and more casually to the East towards Slick Creek.

Getting There

This peak is at least a full day's journey from the highway and has a very remote feel.

From the Trans-Canada Highway about 16km west of the visitor's center at Rogers Pass, park on the North side of the higway at the Bostock Creek trailhead. Proceed to the South side of the highway and the decomissioned Flat Creek trailhead and parking lot.

Red Tape

Parks Canada requires permits for entry, backcountry travel, and overnight stays at Glacier National Park. These permits are available for pay at the Rogers Pass visitor's center and the extensive list of their availability and pricing can be found on their webiste which is linked in the External Links section. There is very little authoritative presence in the backcountry of the park.

Camping

Camping is allowed in all areas of the park more than 100 meters from any body of water or trail. There are no significant lakes and no maintained trails in the area of Patience Mountain so camp wherever you like. I would reccomend a site somewhere between Flat Creek Pass and the summit of Patience where open meadows can be found.

External Links

List of fees for entry to Glacier National Park, Canada is HERE.

The home page for Glacier National Park, Canada is HERE.

Images

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