Lost Mountain

Overview

Lost Mountain is located in the rugged, windswept Canadian Rocky Mountains in stunning Waterton Lakes National Park. Waterton Park, in the southwestern corner of Alberta Canada, is a non-commercialized, beautiful piece of nature often referred to as the Crown of the Continent. Home to lofty mountain peaks, crystal-clear lakes, a superb variety of plants and animals, and calm gently rolling prairies, Waterton is a nature lover’s dream-come-true.

Lost Mountain resides in the North West corner of this 505 sq km (195 sq. mi) park, offering breath taking, panoramic, views in all directions. To the east, along the same ridge line is Mount Anderson. To the north, one may glimpse Goat Lake and the surrounding peaks. To the south Lone Mountain. To the west is Mount Bauerman.

Lost Mountain is one of the peaks of the Clark Range. The Clark Range forms part of the Continental Divide and also the boundary between the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. A small portion of this range extends into the far northwestern section of Glacier National Park, Montana, USA. The range is named for Captain William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

Lost Mountain is one of the peaks of the Lost/Bauerman/Anderson Massif, and is typically climbed along with it's neighbours. Also within this same Massif is the unofficially named Kootenai Brown Peak at N 49.13102 W 114.10203. This Massif is circumnavigated by a 25.1 km trail system (made up of the Blakiston, Tamarack, and Snowshoe trails) starting from, and returning to Red Rock Canyon. Most trail maps of Waterton Lakes Park should have the trail system clearly marked.

Getting There

Lost Mountain is located in Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada. This Park is situated 270 km (162 miles) south of Calgary, Alberta, 43 km (27 miles) west of Cardston, Alberta, and about 80 km (48 miles) from the St. Mary entrance to Glacier National Park, Montana. When driving to Waterton Lakes National Park it can only be accessed from its eastern side.

From Calgary take Highway 2 south to Fort Macleod, then west on Highway 3 to Pincher Creek, then south again on Highway 6. The drive requires about three hours.

From Cardston take Highway 5 west, through the village of Mountain View. The drive is less than 40 minutes.

From Glacier National Park, Montana, take the Chief Mountain International Highway (closed in the winter). From the St. Mary entrance of GNP it is approximately a 1 hour drive. In the winter take Montana Highway 89 to Alberta Highway 2 to Cardston, then Highway 5 to Waterton.

Once you pass through the toll both on Highway 5 continue going southeast a few kilometers until you notice a major road on the right (west). This is the first place you can turn right (west) and is just before a bridge over a creek. The road is the Red Rock Parkway and it travels 15 km (less than 10 miles) up the Blakiston Valley through rolling grasslands and ends at Red Rock Canyon where the hike to Lost Mountain begins. The Red Rock Parkway is gated closed from late fall to early spring.

Click here for a map.

Camping

Camping is not allowed on Lost Mountain, however there are 9 wilderness campsites in Waterton. You should contact the park to make reservations for wilderness campsites.

Additionally Parks Canada operates four campgrounds in Waterton Lakes National Park. Click here for details.

Routes

Lost Mountain is one of the peaks of the Lost/Bauerman/Anderson Massif, and is typically climbed along with it's neighbours. Also within this same Massif is the unofficially named Kootenai Brown Peak at N 49.13102 W 114.10203.

See the routes section of Mount Anderson for directions.

Weather

The summers in the Lost Mountain area are brief with some hot spells (high 35*C/94*F). Winters are long and relatively mild (high 10*C/50*F), with occasional warm spells caused by Chinook winds. This area is often one of Alberta's warmest places in the winter, despite ample snow and temperatures that can occasionally drop as low as -40*C/-40*F.

Wind is a noticeable element of this area’s climate, and shouldn’t be ignored. Gusts of over 100 km/hr (60 mph) are common, but thankfully they occur mostly in the fall and winter rather than the summer. Note that gusts of over 150 km/hr (90 mph) have frequently been recorded in the area.

This area receives Alberta 's highest average annual precipitation of 1072 mm (42 inches) per year.

Red Tape

In the spring, summer, and fall, one must pay an entrance fee in order to get into Waterton Lakes Park, home of Mount Anderson. There is no fee in the winter. As of summer, 2011 the Canadian dollar daily rates were $7.80 per adult or $19.60 for a family/group. Click here for the most up to date rates.

Also note the park has no gas or groceries available in winter.

When traveling to Waterton Lakes National Park from Glacier National Park in the US state of Montana one must be aware of the Canada Ports of Entry operating schedules. Chief Mountain port of entry is open seasonally (closed in Winter) from May through September and Carway/Peigan port of entry is open year round from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Interesting Facts

Trip Reports (Linked Externally)

explor8ion

bobspirko

Images

View Lost Mountain Image Gallery - 1 Images