3155m (10352ft.)
Located in the Vermilion River Valley opposite Tokumm Creek. Ball Range, Kootenay Park, Major headwater Kootenay River.
Latitude 51; 10; 15 Longitude 116; 03; 20, Topo map 82N/01
Panorama viewpoint: Vermilion Pass. Can be seen from Highways 1 and 93S
Named by Edward Whymper in 1901. Stanley, Frederick Arthur (Frederick Arthur Stanley who was Canada’s sixth Governor General but is probably best known as the person responsible for the Stanley Cup.) Official name.
First ascended in 1901 by Edward Whymper, guided by J. Bossoney, C. Kaufmann, C. Klucker, J. Pollinger.
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| Photo: Looking southeast up Stanley Creek to Stanley Peak from Highway #93(S) More photos |
Other Information
Photo: Looking through Vermilion Pass to Stanley Peak from the northeast on the Bow Valley Parkway, 7.7 kilometres northwest of Castle JunctionWith an elevation of 3155 metres, Stanley Peak rises 1600 metres above the valley bottom and is always accentuated by snow and ice. Despite the fact that it is part of the Ball Range which forms the Continental Divide, Stanley Peak lies entirely in British Columbia. However there is an excellent viewpoint from the Bow Valley Parkway, just west of Castle Junction where it appears beyond Vermilion Pass. Stanley Peak is the hightest mountain that can be seen from Vermilion Pass.
Frederick Arthur Stanley was Canada’s Governor General from 1883 until 1893. During his term, he travelled widely throughout the country, visiting western Canada in 1889, shortly after the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway. He gained a lasting appreciation of the west’s great natural beauty as well as the people of Canada''s First Nations and those who were establishing cities, ranches, and farmers. During his visit he dedicated Stanley Park, which is also named after him. He is probably best known as the person responsible for the Stanley Cup after his sons became avid players. The mountain was named in his honour by Edward Whymper after he completed the first ascent of the mountain in 1901.
| A difficult, exposed scramble requiring much routefinding. As seen from Kootenay Parkway, Mount Stanley''s glaciated north face is impressive. This face presents a superb alpine climb and most parties summit by this elegant route. A far less esthetic line is to thrash up Haffner Creek, ascend avalanche gullies on the backside and routefind your way up rubble, ledges and steep rock bands. This approach to Stanley Peak shares part of the same tedious approach as for Mount Ball and it is not a trek that one would rush to repeat. Although Stanley is closer, more routefinding is required on the actual peak, so like Mount Ball, it, too, will be a full day. Purists will undoubtedly label a "slog" route up this beautiful peak sacrilegious, potentially opening the floodgates to the hordes. Realistically, though, the tedious approach combined with intricate routefinding and a short ascent season will ensure that only a few parties will ever actually get up it. If you are serious about scrambling up Stanley, it is worthwhile first going up nearby Vermilion Peak for a view of the approach and possible routes up the south side. As conditions for Stanley must be snowfree, the feasible ascent window will probably be limited to August and part of September. Start early and carry an ice axe. Kane, Scrambles in the Canadian Rockies page 218 |
| North Face, Kahl Route III A very popular route which is an excellent introduction to climbing ice faces. Not a technically demanding route except for a sometimes problematic ''schrund. Dougherty, Selected Alpine Climbs page 80.
North-East Face, The Y Couloir III |