Mount Edith Pass Lookout
Mount Edith Pass Access: Hike from Cory Pass Trail.Views: Jagged limestone peaks and deep valleys between Mount Cory and Mount Edith.
Mount Edith Pass Lookout Highlights: Dramatic and remote with few visitors.
Mount Edith Pass Lookout, often reached via the thrilling Cory and Edith Pass hike, sits nestled on a high mountain saddle between Mount Cory and Mount Edith in Banff National Park. This dramatic vantage lies at more than 2,300 m in elevation, offering breathtaking views down rugged, U-shaped valleys, through the iconic "Gargoyle Valley," and back toward the Bow Valley far below. From this alpine perch, jagged peaks tower on all sides and glaciers glint in the polar sunlight, while high-mountain meadows - often brushed with spring snow - display early-blooming wildflowers in July and August. The trail to the pass is steep and rocky, climbing sharply through dense forest and subalpine slopes before transitioning to scree fields and boulder-strewn ridgelines that require careful footwork and a head for heights.
At the actual saddle, the air feels expansive and still, broken only by the distant thunder of scree slides or the call of a marmot. On clear days, the panorama stretches from Mount Rundle and the Vermilion Lakes to the east, across the vast corridor of Banff's backcountry, and into the rugged ranges that define the Alberta–British Columbia border. This remote-feeling spot is usually reached after a challenging 6–8 hour circuit - often tackled in a clockwise loop via Cory Pass up and Edith Pass down - but the payoff is sublime: an immersive high-alpine vista that rewards perseverance with solitude, scenic drama, and an unforgettable taste of mountain grandeur.
Mount Edith Pass Lookout is a remote and awe-inspiring high-alpine viewpoint tucked deep within Banff National Park's rugged terrain, offering a true backcountry experience for hikers willing to tackle the challenging trail that leads to it. The lookout is typically accessed by hiking the full Cory and Edith Pass loop - an advanced 13 to 15-kilometer circuit that climbs over 1,000 meters in elevation. The loop begins at the Fireside Picnic Area along the Bow Valley Parkway and ascends sharply through dense forest before reaching the dramatic heights of Cory Pass. From there, the route traverses alpine ridges and descends toward Mount Edith Pass, where the viewpoint opens up with spectacular force.
Mount Edith Pass Lookout
The Mount Edith Pass Lookout sits at the base of towering limestone cliffs, flanked by the craggy bulk of Mount Edith to the east and Mount Cory to the west. As you approach the pass, the forest gives way to vast fields of scree, wind-blown tundra, and patches of hardy alpine wildflowers. The landscape feels stark yet incredibly vivid - sweeping ridgelines, knife-edged peaks, and sculpted rock walls stretch out in every direction. The Gargoyle Valley, a surreal and rocky bowl beneath Cory Pass, lies behind you, while ahead the view toward Mount Louis and the distant peaks near Castle Mountain and beyond seem to extend endlessly under the open sky.At the lookout itself, hikers often pause on large flat rocks to rest, take in the silence, and absorb the scale of the surroundings. The wind is often steady here, carrying the cool scent of alpine stone and snow even in midsummer. Wildlife sightings can be rewarding - marmots whistle from the rocks, golden eagles soar overhead, and mountain goats or bighorn sheep may be spotted navigating the high slopes. Because the area is so exposed, weather can change rapidly, and hikers must be prepared for wind, sudden cold, and even snow flurries, even in late summer.
From Mount Edith Pass, hikers either descend through the gentler trail that leads back into forested valleys or complete the loop by continuing into a longer backcountry descent, which reconnects with the original trailhead. The pass itself, however, remains the emotional and visual high point of the journey. Its sense of remoteness, elevation, and raw mountain grandeur gives it a feeling of discovery - like stepping into a secluded amphitheater carved by time and shaped by the relentless forces of nature.
For those who reach it, the Mount Edith Pass Lookout offers not just a view, but an experience: the feeling of standing alone in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, surrounded by wilderness and stone, where every gust of wind and shift of light adds new dimension to the timeless peaks.
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