Pinnacle Peak

Overview

Follow the Windfall Lake trail for 50 metres to a log crossing of the creek on your left. Then follow the deactivated road up through the cutblock. The start of the flagged route is at the top of the cutblock where a white sign at the edge of the trees marks the start of the route. Follow the flagging as the path climbs through open subalpine fir forest, then through a thicket of stunted krummholz fir. Soon the route breaks into the open at the bottom of an avalanche chute. Climb up the gully (this section is very steep and slippery), heading for the ridge on the skyline. Once above the chute, the route is less steep. Follow the rock cairns, heading south along the ridge. Many wildflowers can be found along this stretch. The bedrock making up the ridge is limestone of the Rundle Group, and is of Mississippian age (350 million years old). Looking back to the north, the mass of Mt. Crum can be seen, with a distinctive fold in its rock layers. After some up-and-down travel on the ridge, the dramatic mass of Pinnacle Peak comes into view. It may look impossibly steep from a distance, but can be ascended by following the ridge until it narrows, then moving to the left. Simple scrambling is necessary in a few places. Near the summit, a notch in the ridge reveals a steeply tilted slab with a promontory beside it (cover photo). This is the Pinnacle.
Views from the summit include Mt. Crum to the north and the peaks at the headwaters of Windfall Creek. Windfall Lake is set in lush meadows beneath a rock wall, and the cave near the summit of Tunnel Mountain can be seen to the northeast. The dark rocks surrounding Windfall Lake are siltstones of the Sulphur Mountain Formation, which is of Triassic age. The return trip is best done along the ascent route. In good weather, the hike can be extended by continuing south from the summit of Pinnacle Peak to an unnamed peak or to a ridgetop to the west, or even to Windfall Lake. These options are rugged walking and are only for fit, well-prepared hikers, but provide first class ridgewalking and more views of the peaks to the south and west.

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