My primary alpinism mission is to climb (or walk) all of the highest points in each of Canada’s provinces and territories. Canada has ten provinces and three territories, however there are 12 unique high points in total, as Québec and Newfoundland & Labrador share the same high point (Mont D’Iberville / Mount Caubvick).
Anyone familiar with the US state high points may look at the elevations in this list and think this isn’t too difficult of a challenge, with only two peaks over 4000m tall, seven being lower than 2000m, and the highest, Mount Logan, being lower than Denali. It’s a little more than meets the eye – many of these peaks are in very remote areas, requiring multi-day approaches on foot, canoe, ski, or even plane. Jack Bennett, the author of a great book Not Won in a Day – Climbing Canada’s Highpoints who has summitted all these points as well as the 50 US state highpoints comments:
A little research soon told me that the Canadian highpoints would be a bigger challenge than I had first imagined. No one had ever succeeded in climbing all of the Canadian highpoints, and for good reason. At least four of the summits are difficult world-class mountain climbs. The most difficult Canadian highpoint is actually harder from a technical viewpoint than any of the seven summits. Others are in wild and remote places. Only three of the Canadian highpoints are relatively easy to approach by road. The rest are untamed, mysterious places of snow, ice and polar bears!
– Jack Bennett
I’ll be updating this page as I complete each highpoint, along with links to all my trip reports. When I began this mission in 2021, I had no mountaineering experience but was very proficient in backpacking. My approach was to roughly tackle the highpoints that are feasible based on my experience level, while in parallel gaining the requisite skills to tackle the rest. For example, Mount Logan, Mount Fairweather, Mount Columbia, and Barbeau Peak all require a combination of mountaineering, ski touring and ski mountaineering. Mount Nirvana requires strong alpine rock skills. Mont D’Iberville/Mount Caubvick requires the climber to be a confident and experienced scrambler in exposed terrain. All of these, save Mount Columbia, also require an immense amount of money, logistical management, and time to access.
My plan (Updated July 28, 2025) for the remaining high points is tentatively as follows:
– Mount Columbia (Alberta) – April or May 2026
– Mount Logan (Yukon) – June 2026 (with the Canadian Explorers Heritage Society)
– Assuming the above go as planned (optimistic I know!), the next high point will likely be either Mount Fairweather (British Columbia) or Mont D’Iberville/Mount Caubvick (Newfoundland & Labrador), likely in 2027 or 2028.
– My target is to finish the set before I turn 50 years old (2039).
Progress: 6 of 12
Progress and Trip Reports:
| Name | Province / Territory | Height (m) | Date Climbed |
| Mount Logan | Yukon | 5956 | |
| Mount Fairweather | British Columbia | 4663 | |
| Mount Columbia | Alberta | 3747 | |
| Mount Nirvana | Northwest Territories | 2773 | |
| Barbeau Peak | Nunavut | 2616 | |
| Mont D’Iberville / Mount Caubvick | Newfoundland & Labrador / Québec | 1652 | |
| Cypress Hills High Point | Saskatchewan | 1392 | June 20, 2023 |
| Baldy Mountain | Manitoba | 832 | June 17, 2023 |
| Mount Carleton | New Brunswick | 817 | September 3, 2021 |
| Ishpatina Ridge | Ontario | 693 | July 3, 2021 |
| Western Barren | Nova Scotia | 532 | September 26, 2025 |
| Queens County High Point | Prince Edward Island | 142 | September 6, 2022 |
Veg 'n' Alpine 