Last updated on March 8th, 2023 at 04:02 am
Scrambling The Tower of Babel has been on my to do list for a long time but over the last few years Moraine Lake has grown in popularity and the small parking lot fills fast, making a day trip here, one to be completed by parking before sunrise! With the pandemic still going on and construction happening in the parking lot, Parks Canada kept the Moraine Lake Road closed until Mid June in 2020, rather than Mid May. This meant the only way to access the lake area was to cycle or hike the 11km road in!
I can tell you right now, cycling up the road was considerably harder than I anticipated as a non seasoned cyclist! The empty lakeshore and rockpile viewpoint made the cycle alone absolutely worth it. If the stars align again, I’d recommend the cycle before the road opens, to anyone!
As we sat enjoying some snacks and taking in the view we looked up at the Tower of Babel and realised we would never have a quiet time to summit this again. We had discussed completing the scramble before we headed out so we both cycled in prepared for the fact that if we felt we had the energy we would go for it. Taking in the empty surroundings we decided we would be crazy not to get up there!
The scramble up the Tower of Babel is notorious for it’s rockfall hazards with many a news article detailing unfortunate injuries and their consequent rescues on this route. If you don’t have scrambling experience and aren’t prepared to wear a helmet, this trip is not for you! The lack of people around, made the scramble up the Tower of Babel all the more appealing to us. The main cause of rockfall on this route is, after all, people above you. Take them out of the equation and the risk is considerably reduced!
Getting To The Trailhead
Parking for the scramble up the Tower of Babel is located at the Moraine Lake parking lot. To get here, you need to exit Highway 1 at the Lake Louise junction and follow signs for the lake. On the climb up to Lake Louise, Moraine Lake is signposted on the left.
It’s just over a 10 kilometer drive up this road to reach the main parking area. In summer parking is extremely limited and when it’s full they close the road. Parks Canada offers a shuttle service; in 2022 parking for this will be near the Lake Louise Ski Resort. You can reserve a seat on the shuttle ahead of time here.
How To Scramble The Tower Of Babel
Like most scrambles, the route up to the Tower of Babel is not an official trail, therefore it isn’t signed or maintained. From the parking lot, follow the trail towards Consolation Lakes. Shortly after the rockpile, the trail enters some trees. Many trails can be seen through these trees on the right of the trail, this is the start of the route up.
The trail accends quickly, over bigger boulders and rocks. Watch your footing here. The trail can be difficult to find as well, keep right and you should pick it up. The trail goes up though the gully, so head in that direction and you w=can’t go wrong.
The well beaten trail makes for easier and faster travel. We missed this on the way up and it led to a slow grind up towards the summit of the Tower of Babel, with lots of loose rock, meaning we went one step forward two back for most of the way. The more well worn trail is compacted and less loose, making it faster and easier.
Once in the gully, it narrows quickly and this is where the worst of the rockfall hazards exist from people above on the trail. We stuck to the right of the gully on the harder rock where we could, which made for a bit more hands on scrambling at times.
Towards the top of the gully there is a short section of unavoidable hands on scrambling over some hard rock. Nothing unobtainable and it’s done quickly. Always remember that ascending is typically easier than descending, and on the way down this section, I did a bit of butt sliding to keep things safe and low to the ground!
Once you pop up, you can see over the backside to Consolation Lake. The route to the summit of the Tower of Babel is obvious from here. The right is a steep rock face, so the left is the way to go. Mostly flat and wide, the trail goes right to the end of the ledge, offering beautiful views of Moraine Lake, the reason so many people want to head up here.
It was warm and windless and we had the summit to ourselves, a rare occurrence at the summit of the Tower of Babel.
The descent was easier than the climb up, the loose rock allowing us to ski down and the lack of people under us due to the road being closed reduced the risk of us throwing rocks onto others below.
What You’ll Need To Scramble The Tower Of Babel
As I’ve mentioned this is a scramble, not a hike. Wear appropriate gear and you’ll have a happier and safer trip. You’ll want sturdy hiking boots, I recommend boots so falling rock doesn’t hit your bare ankle and they also mean you get fewer smaller rocks in your shoes! You’ll need a helmet in case of a rockfall and you will want poles, it is steep and they will save your knees on the way down even if they feel wasted on the way up!
Don’t forget plenty of water, there is little to no shade when scrambling the Tower of Babel. With that in mind, sunscreen and a hat are excellent to have in your pack as well. The summit can be windy, so a shell to protect from the wind or the rain….we are in the mountains after all, the weather can change in an instance.
This trail took us just over 3 hours, we still ate plenty of snacks, it’s a hard and exhausting trail, so make sure you have the fuel you need!
Other Trails Around Moraine Lake
The Tower of Babel is just one of many popular trails and scrambles around the Moraine Lake area. While many make it to the rockpile and call it a day, there are plenty of other, longer trails to explore.
Check out my scramble up to Eiffel Peak, which also starts at the Moraine Lake parking lot, here. You’ll also find the trailhead for the highly popular Larch Valley and Sentinel Pass trail in the same area.
For those looking for a little less elevation, instead of climbing up the Tower of Babel, continue along the trail to Consolation Lake, for a much less technical and steep day!
