Editing Mount Rundle (section)

== Scrambles ==
[[File:East End of Rundle and Whitemans Pond.jpg|thumb|The [[East End of Rundle]] and Whitemans Pond from the [[Ha Ling Peak]] trail]]
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At the [[East End of Rundle]] near Canmore there is a well-known scramble, the Goat Creek hiking trail, with its starting point at parking trailhead, which starts at the Smith-Dorrien/Spray Trail just south of the Canmore Reservoir above [[Grassi Lakes]]. This is also the beginning of the Mount Rundle Traverse, a demanding trek to mount all of Rundle's peaks from Goat Creek parking lot to the Banff Springs Hotel. Mount Rundle is one of the most popular [[scrambling|scrambles]] in the area, and is relatively straightforward for experienced hikers.

In Banff, the [[Spray River]] trailhead for the first peak taking the Mount Rundle Trail, is near the Spray River bridge on the road to the Banff Springs Golf Course. The all-day hike (from 8–10 hours) from the trailhead to the peak is about {{convert|5|km}} one-way and has an elevation gain of about {{convert|993|m}} to the cliff bank on the first peak and {{convert|1579|m}} to the summit.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.trailpeak.com/trail-Mt-Rundle-near-Banff-AB-1026|title=Mount Rundle|work=Trail Peak|access-date=29 January 2014}}</ref> Although it is called non-technical, it is considered gruelling by some. About halfway up there is a Central Gully, a huge watercourse with a well-worn path which is a dead end. Cliffs become higher and more vertical and there is no scrambling route. The real route crosses the watercourse and then immediately turns left (watch for markings). As one passes the treeline, the hiker ventures onto a feature called the "Dragon's back", where the route narrows between two steep gullies. The only real obstacle at this point is perseverance at the tread-mill like scree which slows progress to a two steps forward, one step back pattern.

The complete traverse from Banff to Canmore (staying always on the ridge) of the integral ridge was done "solo" in 1976 by the late Jean-Pierre Cadot. It required one bivouac, much scrambling, easy fifth-class rock climbing and one section was very involved and required lay-backing the ridge with a high degree of exposure. A long rappel was necessary to overcome a very steep section and it is most likely that the rappel station is still in place.