Routes in Mt Temple

One of the best alpine rock routes on one of the most impressive mountains in the southern Rockies!

From Lake Annette, head up and right towards the buttress right of the Sphinx Face, and find a waterfall draining the face.

At the base of the buttress, climb a short pitch of ~5.5 on a steep quartzite cliff just left of the waterfall draining the Sphinx Face above. Cross the creek and scramble up and right on shale-covered ledges aiming for a left-trending gully, about 200m. Follow the gully up and back left to gain the crest of the rib to a ledge on the crest below where the buttress steepens. Follow the rib for about 12 pitches, starting in or just left of a short chimney. Simulclimb or solo as possible and appropriate, following a line of least resistance and wandering left and right of the ridge crest. The best climbing is just right of the crest.

Near the base of the final headwall, good quartzite turns to poorer-quality chocolate-coloured rock. At this point, move right and scramble up a depression before trending back left into a cave-like chimney. Exit the chimney on the left and climb up and left to a ledge on the crest of the buttress. Either climb the steep corner crack on the right or move around to the left side of the crest and go up an easier groove, with the two options converging at a loose ledge below a steep chossy wall.

Traverse left along the ledge (1 rope length) to a lower-angled groove, and climb this to a large scree ledge. Either trend left (poor rock and protection but easier) or right (steeper but good rock and pro). Above, traverse right 1 rope length along another loose ledge to the base of a break in the headwall. Climb one pitch up and right past fixed pitons (optional belay at small pinnacle) to a loose red alcove (fixed angle on right). Exit the alcove up a steep left-facing corner on the left, followed with sustained climbing to a hanging belay (second of 2 fixed belays, ignore tat higher) 20m below a roof. Traverse around the arete on the right (fixed pins) to a slab of perfect limestone. Work up and right across the slab (fixed pins) to a crack, and follow the crack past a roof to a position below a larger roof. Step right again to gain the top of the wall.

Once off steep rock, walk up easy scree to the East Ridge, and follow the corniced ridge and glacier to the summit. From the summit, descend via the Southwest Face scramble route. From Sentinel Pass, descend the Paradise Valley trail to the trailhead.