Burstall Pass is Awesome!

Hiking the Bustall Pass trail should be on everyone’s bucket list and the scenery is so amazing that it’s difficult to describe. We’ve done it multiple times and it’s always mind blowing. Winter or summer, it’s just as awesome. There’s little wonder that it rates as one the best must-do hikes in all Kananaskis and given there’s so many great ones out this way, that’s a tall order.

It takes a bit of effort to arrive at the pass, but it’s well worth it. There’s two steep pushes, one about halfway in and again near the end (bonus – it’s all downhill on the return leg). Otherwise, it’s pretty easy going and in many place the trail is rather flat. It begins as a forest hike, but later on they thin and views open up. There’s big towering walls of limestone all around and they’re starkly beautiful.

The Burstall Pass trail is along the Smith Dorrien/Spray Lakes road, a dusty, gravely affair, and is a little northwest-ish of the Kananaskis Lakes. It’s an official trail, meaning it’s marked and maintained. You can bike it for the first few kilometres, if you so wish, but have to do the rest on foot. There’s a place to lock-up them up part way in.

Bringing sandals is a good idea as there is often an unavoidable water crossing a few kilometres in. Across the glacier outflow and damn, can it be cold.

From the Burstall Pass parking lot head west and pass aptly named Mud Lake. Follow the signs to an old logging road, enter the trees and turn right (west). A second trail heads south and takes you to French Glacier and a lower road goes somewhere else but we’ve never followed it. Take neither. The road is wide and the hiking pleasant.

It gains a little elevation but it’s subtle and you’ll barely notice. At times you can hear a stream gurgling in a deep gorge below but it’s rarely seen. Along the way, there will be many side roads heading off in various directions and these date back to when the valley was logged. Avoid them and head west on the most obvious route.

At a break in the trees, you can see one of the Burstall Lakes off to the right. Take some time to visit it, and another a bit further west, both via side trails.

The logging road soon peters out (at the bike locks) and reverts to single track. It’s still a very easy stroll and in short order, you’ll come to a broad gravel expanse that is the glacier outflow flats. There are many braided streams along here and sometimes (like this visit) a person can pick their way through without getting wet. But most times you’ll need to don sandals, go barefoot (if you have tough souls) or deal with soaked footwear.

The dense brush here means it would be easy to get lost, but fortunately a number of markers are in place to guide one along. From here there’s fantastic views of surrounding mountains – on the left and flanking Robertson Glacier in the west, is oddly named Piggy Plus. That’s Whistling Ridge on the opposite side but Google calls it Whistling Rock Peak and others named it Whistling Rock Ridge.

On the north side of the valley there’s Snow Peak, Mt Birdwood, Pig’s Tail and Commonwealth Peak. All are are stunning! Robertson Glacier is a small one, relatively speaking, but still a huge mass of ice and snow. It’s seems to be shrinking too and we’ve noticed it’s smaller when comparing it in photos from many years ago.

On the return leg of this hike, we were passed by some folks that climbed up and skied the glacier. They looked rather odd flying past on bikes with unwieldy skis strapped to their backs. It was a hot and very summery day.

On hitting the woods, follow the trail as it tackles a headwall and this is the first serious elevation gain. Huffing a puffing along, enter a nice sub-alpine valley and here the trail levels out for a time. Nice and pleasant. The trees thin again and this affords one the first view of Burstall Pass, at the base of Snow Peak in the west.

The trail turns left into the trees and again heads up steadily for a time. On arriving at the pass, finally, the trees thin again and prepare yourself for some spectacular views. Burstall Pass is awesome! Up there in the alpine, it’s stark and the rock mostly barren limestone. Yet at the same time it’s of an incredible beauty and you’re sure to be in awe.

A few hardy larches grow here and there. It’s a tough environment, doubly so in winter (and we’ve visited it then) and only the hardiest of plants are able to survive here.

A ledge allows a good look at the valley you just came up and beyond. The smooth slabs of Whistling Ridge (west side) really stand out. To the north is Mt Sir Douglas and then South Burstall Pass. To the right is a modest ridge (unnamed) which one day, we keep telling ourselves, we’ll visit. By the time we reached the pass it was well over thirty degrees and this had us worried it’d be too much. Hot is our kryptonite. This happened on other visits too, so for now it’s eluded us.

That’s Snow Peak to the north and it’s a moderate scramble route. At its base a deep sinkhole is seen and which likely was created when a cave system collapsed. This area has many underground voids and that this one drains of water means there is an outlet somewhere down there. Over time groundwater dissolves the rock and creates fissures, passages and caves.

Many karst formations can be found near here and these were also created by groundwater reacting with the rock. Precipitated material from long ago has created odd formations and while spectacular, one should be careful around them. There are in fact lots of possible dangers in karst areas. Cracks can twist your ankle and sharp edges could cut you good. Trust us and a certain unnamed Team member suffered the consequences of inattention on a previous visit. Gashed up a leg real bad and learned a lesson.

Making one’s way to the west side of the pass opens some new vistas. We noted not every hikers up here walked the short distance to this side, oddly, even though it takes minimal work.

The views overlooking the Spray River Valley are stupendous and at this point you’re close to the border with Banff National Park. To the south, among others, is Mt Leman. Below it is a lake of the same name and it’s a brilliant deep blue/green colour. There is a back country campground on its shores and they can be reach from a connecting trail down from Burstall Pass, among others.

To the north are Mounts Leval, Vavasour, Warre and Currie. Peaking out from behind another summit is Mt Assiniboine. It’s called Canada’s Matterhorn and is the tallest peak in this part of the world. Sometimes and that’s when there’s some now up there, it almost looks like the Egyptian Sphinx. There’s a few groves of trees here and there, on this side of the pass so it’s less barren.

Leaving is the hardest part but at some point hikers will have to head back. The same way. This day the temperature had risen by the time we left Burstall Pass and as a result water levels at the glacier outflow had increased considerably since the up leg. Cool, cool water, and this case, we liked it. The rest of the trip back was rather uneventful and quick. We’ve included a photo from 2014, when it was really flowing.

It should come as no surprise this hike is quite popular and we saw perhaps a dozen other people this day. On earlier visits we’ve sometimes seen many more than that.

The parking lot for the Chester Lake and Headwall Lakes hiking trails are directly across from the Burstall Pass trailhead. Both are fine destinations in themselves and truth be told, most trails in the Smith Dorrien area lead to stunning places.

Know more: (new window): Burstall Pass Kananaskis Hike.

They’re saying…

”These two are amazing!! I love following their adventures and the photography is…jaw dropping. Enjoy your working vacation, Chris & Connie!!… Dayna Kent. (this job really is like a vacation).

More hikes…
Grass Pass to Fir Creek Point & More.
Devil’s Hole (East Kootenay BC).
James Walker Creek.

If you wish more information about this adventure or if you love to chat don’t hesitate to contact us!

Date of adventure: August, 2023.
Location: Smith Dorrien area, Kananaskis.
Distance: 18km there and back.
Height gain maximum: 465m (a previous trip said 485m)
Height gain cumulative: 550m.
NOTE: all distances and heights are approximate and may differ slightly from other trip reports (including our own).
Technical stuff: none to speak of.
Reference: The Daffern’s Kananakis Trail Guides.

Mud Lake at the start.

Interesting patterns in the mud.

Long shadows of morning.

One of the Burstall Lakes.

You can bike to here but no further.

Almost at the glacier outflow.

On the gravel flats.

It’d be easy to get lost, but fortunately there’s signs.

The first of two steep pushes.

Burstall Pass dead ahead centre.

Mushrooms, mushrooms everywhere.

Heading up again – South Burstall Pass in the distance.

You’ve arrived! Snow Peak in back.

The Burstall Pass sinkhole (circled).

Leman Lake in Banff National Park.

We’ve studied many guide books, but still can’t properly ID them.

The rock here is comprised of Limestone.

A few hardy trees have somehow managed to survive.

Hikers below.

Lunch in a sheltered spot.

Mt Birdwood, Pig’s Tail and Commonwealth Peak.

Not in trademark yellow this day.

Back at the glacier outflow.

Almost at an end.

The Burstall Pass trail goes wonderful places.

Burstall Pass 2011…

The smooth slabs on Whistling Ridge (Whistling Rock Peak).

A winter’s view.

2014…

Mt Assiniboine takes on the appearance of a sphinx.

The water was flowing this day.

2008…

Robertson Glacier has shrunk a bit since this photo.