Mount Head East Ascent
Don Getty Wildland Provincial Park
Trail score 39 out of 100, from popularity, scenery and trail quality
About this trail
Mount Head East Ascent is a 9.2 km out and back trail in Don Getty Wildland Provincial Park. It runs 4.6 km each way. The route gains 1,257 m in total and tops out at 2,762 m. Hike Alberta rates it hard. Allow about 7 hours 45 minutes of moving time. It meets Trapezium Peak Route at 60 m and Mt Head SE Descent at 0.4 km, and passes one other mapped junction. Along the way you pass the summit of Mount Head. Also used for mountain biking.
- Length
- 9.2km
- 4.6 km each way
- Elevation gain
- 1,257m
- Estimated time
- 7h45min
- Moving time
- Route
- Out and back
- Highest point
- 2,762m
- Lowest point
- 1,715m
Elevation profile
1,715 m to 2,762 mHighest point 2,762 m, lowest 1,715 m, 1,257 m of climbing in total. Steepest sustained grade about 75% over 100 m.
Predicted coverage: 100% of route
0% LTE · 100% 5G
- Longest modelled gap
- 0.0 km
- Model
- 2024 · Natural Resources Canada
Predicted coverage is not guaranteed. It varies by carrier, terrain, weather, device and network load, and it does not guarantee emergency service.
Along the way
- 4.5 kmMount HeadSummit · 2,782 m
Good for
- Hiking, Mountain biking
- Dog friendly (on leash)
- Summit, Views, Alpine
Trailhead
The trail starts at 50.4363° N, 114.5967° W.
Kananaskis Conservation Pass
Vehicle pass required when parking
Pass details
Vehicles parked at provincial park and public land sites in Kananaskis Country and the Bow Valley need this pass. It is registered to the licence plate. People arriving without a vehicle do not need one, and official exemptions and free days may apply.
$15 daily for one vehicle · $90 yearly for up to three vehicles
Information and prices checked October 21, 2026.
Before you go
Carry an offline map and plan for no service in backcountry areas. Trails close for wildlife, fire, weather and construction. Check the official sources:
Nearby trails
- Mount Head SE DescentHard · 7.3 km · 900 m gain · 0.4 km away
- Holy Cross Mountain RouteHard · 4.8 km · 708 m gain · 1.7 km away
- Holy Cross Mountain Approach TrailEasy · 2.1 km · 182 m gain · 1.9 km away
- Holy Cross Mountain Descent RouteHard · 3.0 km · 662 m gain · 1.9 km away
- Gunnery Mountain TrailHard · 3.7 km · 298 m gain · 2.1 km away
- Trapezium Peak RouteModerate · 5.8 km · 423 m gain · 2.6 km away
All 103 trails in Don Getty Wildland Provincial Park
Trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL
Elevation © Mapterhorn from NRCan HRDEM (Open Government Licence Canada) and Copernicus GLO 30