Mount Andromeda
3450m (11319ft.)

Located between Athabasca Glacier and Saskatchewan Glacier. on the border of Banff & Jasper parks, Alberta Major headwaters Athabasca & Saskatchewan rivers.
Latitude 52; 10; 30 Longitude 117; 13; 50, Topo map 83C/03

Panorama viewpoint: Sunwapta Pass. Can be seen from Highway 93N

Named by Rex Gibson (a former president of the Alpine Club of Canada) in 1938. In Greek mythology Andromeda was the wife of Perseus who rescued her from a sea monster. It is also the name of the nearest galaxy to our Milky Way. The Andromeda Galaxy can easily be seen with binoculars Official name.

First ascended in 1930 by W.R. Hainsworth, J.F. Lehmann, M.M. Strumia, N.B. WafflJournal reference CAJ 19-152.

Photo: Mount Andromeda from the north on the Icefields Parkway a few kilometres north of the Icefields Centre
More photos

Other Information
 Photo: Looking across the upper Saskatchewan Glacier to Mount Andromeda from the south on Casteleguard Shoulder

Together with Mount Athabasca, this peak lies to the southeast of Athabasca Glacier and the northwest of the Saskatchewan Glacier. Mount Athabasca rises immediately above the Icefield Parkway and Mount Andromeda lies next to the Columbia Icefield between the points from which the Saskatchewan Glacier and the Athabasca Glacier flow from the icefield.

Mount Andromeda is made up of two summits (referred to as the northeast summit and southwest summit) of approximately the same elevation.

Climbing Routes
Skyladder II
 The most popular route to the summit of Andromeda and, for that matter, in the Columbia Icefields. It is very aesthetic and, as a bonus, the top affords great views across the Columbia Icefield region. In the early season one can kick steps all the way to the top. However, by August the route is mostly ice. Dougherty, Selected Alpine Climbs page 189

North West Shoulder Direct III
 To the left of Skyladder, the NW shoulder presents a face of mixed ice and rock. Technically, the most interesting route in the NW bowl. Dougherty, Selected Alpine Climbs page 189

North Bowl, Photo Finish III
 Very similar in difficulty to the N Face route but threatened by the serac-cum-cornice system at the top of the face. Dougherty, Selected Alpine Climbs page 190

North Bowl, North Face III
 A straightforward snow/ice slope, very similar in difficulty and character to Skyladder, though not as aesthetic. Dougherty, Selected Alpine Climbs page 190

Shooting Gallery IV 5.9
 A reasonably popular route by Rockies standards with a section in the middle providing the bulk of the interest. Its name says lots about rockfall hazard! In winter it is a good, though not easy, introduction to Rockies winter climbing. Dougherty, Selected Alpine Climbs page 190

Asteroid Alley IV 5.9
 An imposing chimney climb. The purity of line and excellent mixed climbing make a route that deserves to be more popular. The exposure is quite alarming! Though It has less objective hazard than Shooting Gallery, care is required not to dislodge too many rocks on your trusted belayer. Dougherty, Selected Alpine Climbs page 190

Andromeda Strain V 5.9 A2 W4
 This route takes the prominent gully system bisecting the NE face. One of the Rockies "grand cours" routes, it took six years of numerous attempts before it was eventually climbed. It is now the most popular of the hard routes in the Rockies. In difficulty it compares favourably with Grand Central Couloir on Mt. Kitchener. Although quite a bit shorter than the Grand Central it makes up for lack of size by having a sustained section of climbing near the middle. Rockfall is a major hazard in the summer months yet it has been climbed most often in August. If you decide to tackle it in summer there are two things to bear in mind: the exit ice pitch has been "missing" on several recent attempts and make sure you reach the rockbands in the middle of the route before the sun comes up - the rockfall can be watched quite safely from there! Dougherty, Selected Alpine Climbs page 192

North-East Face, The Practise Gullies III
 These three perhaps inappropriately named gullies are on the extreme left-hand part of the NE face. They are all similar in difficulty (45-55 degrees) and are often capped by large cornices that provide some fun. Rockfall is a hazard to take seriously on each of these routes. A summer ascent of any of these routes is not particularly recommended; there are far safer 45 degree couloirs to climb at this time of year. Dougherty, Selected Alpine Climbs page 192

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