Distance
This avalanche channel has two easy obstacles to manoeuvre. Two small rock walls in quick succession require a little bit of handwork for about 15 to 20 m. Beyond the rock walls, continue up the path and you will eventually encounter a fork. Both trails will bring you to the same place. The right-hand one is shorter but steeper. Regardless which one you choose, you will arrive below the summit ridge. Continue ascending but begin to traverse to the right until you reach a reasonable approach that will get you to the summit ridge.
Once up on the ridge, most of the work is done and the rest is an easy walk on a well-trodden path that straddles the ridge to the summit. About 100 m shy of the cairn-marked true summit is the well-marked “popular” summit where most scramblers seem to stop due to exposure and sudden drops down either side. It is up to you. Assess your confidence and comfort and do not just go on pride.Vermilion Peak history
Vermilion Peak derives its name from the river and valley of the same name. Vermilion is one of the brilliant colours of the pigment the Ktunaxa (Kootenay) First Nations discovered in this area. The Ktunaxa would extract the stuff from the region’s ochre beds and heat it over large fires to smelt out the pigmented powder. They would then mix this with animal grease and use it for colouring their clothing, painting their bodies and making pictures on rocks. The most common colours were red (vermilion) and yellow.
Directions
From the Castle Mountain junction on the Trans-Canada Highway follow Hwy. 93 (Banff–Radium Highway) 21 km south to 4.1 km south of the Marble Canyon parking lot and 1.5 km south of the Paint Pots parking lot. The trailhead is unmarked but you can recognize it by an opening in the forest creating a bit of a meadow on the east (left) side of the highway. It’s your choice whether to park your vehicle here and leave it alone or park instead in the Paint Pots parking lot and walk the 1.5 km to the trailhead.
Gerry Shea
“Gerry Shea moved to Kamloops from Vancouver at the age of nine, which is when he became enchanted by the nearby hills. It was on a family vacation many years later that he discovered the mountains and began hiking and climbing in his spare time, gathering knowledge and experience that he has since used to help beginning hikers, scramblers and backpackers to trek safely. Gerry lives in Kamloops with his wife and children.”Excerpt From: Gerry Shea. “The Aspiring Hiker’s Guide 2: Mountain Treks in British Columbia.” iBooks.
