The Inkpots Trail

Sat. 12 March: The Inkpots Trail

This mountain trail in Banff Park is a popular destination, year round. A steep snow-packed trail up into a remote Rocky Mountain valley will not guarantee that you will have the place to yourself. As usual, however, it always helps to make an early start.

J and I left Calgary at 6.30 a.m., a good half hour ahead of sunrise. We enjoyed the orange glow to the east, and the pink color of the clouds ahead. It promised to be a sunny day in the mountains, and close to the freezing point. An ideal day for downhill skiers who, even this early, were racing westwards in large numbers to the mountain slopes.

After almost getting stuck in the Johnston Canyon motel parking area, we were first to arrive at the proper parking lot just across the river, and were soon marching up the icy path into Johnston Canyon. We carried our snow shoes, but did not need them as the path was packed down. Our cleats (my MICROspikes and J’s Yaktrax) were ideal for these conditions.

Johnston Canyon at any time of year is justifiably popular. It is an exciting stroll up the canyon, on walkways suspended to the sides of the cliff, and the waters racing down the twisting route below. In winter, it has its own magic. The river is mostly frozen over, but with many open sections. The cliffs are plastered with snow and ice, hanging in sheets. At the waterfalls, the extent of the ice was breathtaking. There were huge walls of what looked very like pipes from some gigantic frozen church organ. The steep slopes of the canyon walls were littered with dangerous avalanche paths of rocks and stones falling from above.

At the Lower Falls (“chutes inferieur”) the waters had fallen almost, but not quite, silent, the falls now one huge slab of ice. The tunnel to the front of the falls was coated in a layer of frost. Higher up, the Upper Falls (“chutes superieur”) were even more spectacular. Huge columns of ice stretched up to the cliffs high above. It was obvious that people come here in large numbers to climb these ice mountains, and it would be a grand sight to see them pull themselves up the soaring columns with their ice axes.

Finally at the top of the upper falls, we stood on the dangerous platform looking far down into the pool below, where water still made its way to the bottom. Here we felt very much like explorers in a world of ice.

Now most people will turn around at this point, returning down the canyon. It would be rare to have the place to oneself, as we had today.

The Inkpots Trail made its way up the forested slopes, and away from the canyon. There had been several hikers up this snowy path since the last snowfall, and so we found it easy going with our boots and spikes. But if you stepped even slightly off the path, you would sink into deep and soft snow.

Like most of the classic trails in the National Parks, this one was thoughtfully graded, following a gentle angle as it twisted and turned up the huge mountainside, but with very few views through the trees.

A high point was reached, and somewhat to our surprise – since we had not carefully studied the guidebooks – the trail now descended into the valley ahead. This would add some effort on the way back, we thought. It was at this high point that we were a little surprised to be overtaken by a group of four young Brits – unmistakable by their accents – possibly army judging by their haircuts. They were making good time.

We dropped down into a grand mountain valley, surrounded by enormous jagged peaks, half hidden in the cloud. There was deep snow lying on the valley floor, which was a very pretty scene with scattered trees and open meadows. Here were the Inkpots, several small open pools of water, surrounded by deep snow. There was a stream running through some of the pools, and at the bottom of each pool, spring water was bubbling up through the mud.

This was an ideal place to stop for a picnic lunch. The valley stretched to the north, looking very grand and remote. To the east was a jagged peak which apparently has not yet been named. J very kindly suggested it could be called after The Passionate Hiker, but I doubt we would have the final word on that!

The 115 uphill metres to the high point on the pathway were accomplished easily enough. After that, it was plain sailing downhill the whole way. I put on my snow shoes for more fun – and to beat down the path for upcoming travelers. And soon enough, they started to appear, in growing numbers. First an elderly couple on skis, then several snow-shoers. Further down Moose Meadows trail, we passed about 20 kids on snow shoes with their teacher at the back, who smilingly proclaimed that he had the “smaller group” with him today.

It was a fast descent, and an enjoyable trip down through the trees on an old fire road, then down and down gentle slopes until finally we came out at Moose Meadows car park. From here it was a fast 1.8 km stroll along the snow-packed Highway 1A which mercifully was not very busy with traffic. Behind us the ramparts of Castle Mountain soared into the now blue sky.

Back at the car park, we found a lively scene, with streams of tourists heading up the slippery snow-packed trail into Johnston Canyon, some dressed as if ready for a shopping trip to the mall. By now, at least, it was a relatively warm sunny day.

It was a smooth ride back out of the mountains and into the city, where the sun was shining, and the mountains looked grand on the western horizon.


Statistics
Johnston Canyon/Inkpots
Sat. 12 March

Total Dist. 8.9 km (hike) + 4.8 km (snow shoe) = 13.7 km
Height Gain 1,460 ft.
Max. Elev. 5,774 ft.
Time on trail 4 hrs. 56 mins.

Snow Shoe Trail

Fri. 17 December: Taylor Lake

Talk about a good work-out. Try snow-shoeing up 2000 vertical feet of wintry, snow-covered, forested Canadian mountainside in minus twenty degrees C!

Taylor Lake had been on my list for a hiking trip this summer, but due to the massive road-twinning construction works between Castle Junction and Lake Louise, the trailhead was closed. Now a new trailhead has been built, a couple of hundred metres to the east, and once more the trail is open for business. Not that I was expecting to see anyone today, as the Taylor Lake trail is not on the Banff Park list of winter trails.

It was overcast and snowing lightly as I left the city, in the early rush-hour. By the time I reached the Kananaskis turn-off on the Trans-Canada Highway, there was enough light to show me that I had left the clouds behind, and was heading into a sunny day in the mountains. Canmore was mostly hidden in a low mist, and the mountain scenery was spectacular and wintry. Several elk stags were grazing by the side of the highway, as I passed the Banff airstrip. There was a good flow of traffic, probably a mix of the Banff rush-hour and ski-hill employees heading to work.

There’s now a brand new sign about 8 km west of Castle Junction, marking the new trailhead, and a large area beside the highway has been ploughed. To reach the trail, you make your way through the fence into the forest. It was a cold morning, with mist hiding the lower slopes of the towering Castle Mountain. Checking the temperatures later, it showed that at 9 a.m. it was minus 26 degrees C in Banff, and minus 17 in Lake Louise, so I reckon that here below Taylor Lake it was in the low minus 20’s.

I was well dressed for this trip, and had soon strapped on my snow shoes and was heading through the fence into the wintry wilderness. I could tell that nobody had been along here since the recent light snowfall this week. But I was glad that there had been an earlier traveler along this trail since the first heavy snowfall, as they had packed the snow down on the trail, making the journey much easier. Whenever I strayed off this narrow path, I would find my snowshoes sinking into deeper snow. It was a demanding trail, after the first kilometer or so of gentle slopes meandering through the trees. The trees were all snow-covered, and it was a very pretty scene, although wintry and remote.

After crossing Taylor Creek on a small bridge, the long uphill test began. The lower section of the trail twisted uphill, with some blind corners. At this time of year, I wasn’t worried about meeting a bear head-on, and I knew by the undisturbed snow that I was alone on the trail. But nevertheless, I speculated, there just might be something unexpected around the corner. I did meet a snow-covered bush which as you see I turned into a happy snowface – now at least I had one friend on this lonely trail.

The trail, although steep, did not try to head directly up the mountainside. There were several switchbacks, making it a reasonably straightforward, but long, journey. I kept thinking that I must be near the top, but I wasn’t even close, as I kept finding yet another section of uphill trail ahead of me.

This was not a trail for good - or any - views. Nor did it catch very much of the low sun, until I was much higher up the slopes. The trail and lake lie on the northern side of the mountain range, and so, with only 3 days to go until the shortest day of the year, there was very little sun to be had, even when the skies were, as today, clear.

Finally I reached another small bridge, across Taylor Creek. The lake lay ahead of me, hidden behind the trees. First, however, I turned right, climbing some way up a gulley, in deeper snow. A mountain skier had been this way before the last snowfall. I think this is the summer route up to Panorama Ridge – a possible future trip. Turning around, I came back to the trail, and plodded the last few hundred metres through foot-deep snow to the edge of the frozen lake.

Taylor Lake is a magnificent, and large, mountain lake, in some ways as impressive as Lake Louise. It is ringed by towering mountains. In summer I would be standing in gorgeous wildflower meadows, not deep snow. To my right was a small back-country campsite, romantically known as Ta-6, which was buried under the snow. In fact, I couldn’t get off the trail to sit down, so I just had a brief snack where I stood, then started back down the trail.

There was a sign pointing towards another lake, about 2 km away, above Taylor Lake. It is called Lake O’Brien. I knew at once that this would have to wait until another time, as the snow was deep and I had taken enough exercise slogging up through the snow as far as this.

My return journey, as is usually the case, was a lot easier. Snow shoes work really well down the slopes, as long as you remember to keep a slightly wider gap between your feet! Otherwise you can get into a terrible tangle. I noticed with surprise that a skier had come up the trail behind me and was now, I suppose, somewhere higher up the mountainside. The ski tracks were wide, being made by a pair of rugged mountaineering skis. I never saw the person.

It was a long way down the mountain trail. If I had known it was this far, I may not have been so keen to attempt it today. On my way up, I had thought I was near the top when in fact I wasn’t even halfway up. I made great time down the hill, and so back to the car. Here the temperatures had risen to perhaps around minus 13 degrees C and the sun was shining on the high ridges of Castle Mountain across the valley. My balaclava and jacket were coated with ice.

I was glad to get back in the car and warm up. It was an easy journey out of the sunny mountains The Bow Valley around Canmore was full of smoke from some controlled burns on the hillsides below the Nordic Centre. Not far east of the Kananaskis turnoff I was back in the cloud. In the city, people had been suffering all day from low cloud and snow flurries. As for me, I was ready for a good night’s sleep.


Statistics
Taylor Lake
Fri. 17 December

Total Dist. 13.8 km (snow-shoe)
Height Gain 2020 ft.
Max. Elev. 6880 ft.
Time on Trail 4 hrs. 39 mins.
Temperature around minus 20 degrees C

Travels with Joe

Fri. 22 - Wed. 27 October: Travels with Joe

This week my godson Joe, 16, has been visiting from England. This gave me the perfect chance to show him some of my favorite corners of the Alberta foothills and mountains. We wasted no time getting out there, despite the often wintry weather.

Friday 22nd: Elbow River Valley

Starting close to home, we explored the Elbow River valley, along with his mom (and my “oldest” friend) S. We enjoyed the reflections of Forgetmenot Pond, the swirling waters of Elbow Falls, and then a short stroll part way up the Fullerton Loop Trail to the first viewpoint.

It was mostly overcast but not particularly cold. There were some skiffs of snow in places, and more on the mountainsides, but no heavy snowfall warnings in the forecast – yet. On the way back we enjoyed an unseasonal ice cream in the village of Bragg Creek.

Statistics
Fullerton Loop
Fri. 22 October

Total Dist. 4.0 km (hike)
Height Gain 300 ft.
Max. Elev. 4900 ft.
Time on trail 1 hr. 10 mins.

Saturday 23rd: Banff and Lake Louise

Next day Joe and I headed west to Banff National Park. Here we took the gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain and then strolled up the boardwalks to the observatory on Sanson Peak. Being a partly sunny Saturday, it was quite busy with tourists. After a burger at Bruno’s in Banff we turned westwards to Lake Louise. We drove up to the Lake Louise ski hill, and stood on the balcony of the Lodge, looking across to the front slopes. There were just a few patches of man-made snow. Yet the season will probably be in full swing by mid-November.

At Lake Louise itself, the lakeside was of course busy with sightseers, even a wedding party. The lake seemed to be colorless today, but as we climbed the switchback path, looking down we could see that wonderful duck-egg blue color of the water from above. It looked unreal, almost as if it was filled with blue PowerAid, we thought.

There was a steady procession of people coming back down the path: people of all ages, in assorted clothing, some more suitable for a high street, but everyone happy to exchange a cheery “hello” as we passed.

Mirror Lake was frozen over, but the path up to Lake Agnes only had a trace of snow on it. So Joe was not able yet to try out his new MicroSpikes, care of Mountain Equipment Co-op in Calgary.

Lake Agnes was also frozen over, and people were wandering about on the ice, some with skates on and hockey sticks. The ice looked a little thin to me, but nobody fell through so it must have been safe enough. We returned down the steps and along the pretty trail to Mirror Lake and then down to Lake Louise, detouring through the lobby of the Chateau to warm up a bit. It was dark by the time we reached Canmore. It had been a full day.

Statistics
Sulphur Mtn. Summit
Sat. 23 October

Total Dist. 1.0 km (hike)
Height Gain 184 ft.
Max. Elev. 7667 ft.
Time on trail 0 hrs. 38 mins.


Statistics
Lake Agnes
Sat. 23 October

Total Dist. 8.0 km (hike)
Height Gain 1300 ft.
Max. Elev. 7000 ft.
Time on trail 2 hrs. 28 mins.


Monday 25th: Upper Kananaskis Lake

Off to the Kananaskis Lakes – despite a wintry look to Calgary this morning. A thin cover of new snow had fallen and it was spitting snow. But we ignored this and happily jumped into the car for the journey west along the Trans-Canada Highway and then south down the Kananaskis Valley. Clouds hung around the mountains, and there was new snow on the front ranges.

We stopped at Canoe Meadows and the Widow-maker to see if anyone was on the river – there was nobody there. Today was a colder day, with a promise of snow showers. Arriving at the Interlakes parking area between the Lower and Upper Kanananskis Lakes, we bundled up well, before setting off along the north side of the Upper Lake. There were no other cars parked here, and we did not expect to find anyone on the trail – and there were none. Sadly there were no large moose or elk or bear to be seen either. A year ago I had seen a huge moose at close range, but not today.

We hiked along the upper trail before dropping down across the boulder field and down to the western edge of the lake. Soon we were within the sound of the Upper Kananaskis Falls, which tumble down into the Upper Lake, with the high cliffs of Mt. Lyautey half hidden in the mist above. Here we stopped for a picnic at a convenient bench, before returning down the trail.

I thought Joe might like to have a look around a typical Canadian backcountry campsite, so we wandered through the Point campsite. There were huge piles of newly chopped logs, and even a large axe left for the use of campers. We thought that the two new, circular green loos might have been time machines in disguise. But opening the door, one sniff told us that they certainly were not. Campsite #20 would be my choice for the perfect campsite award, and I will return one day soon to stay there for a night or two.

Joe is a strong hiker and so it didn’t take us long to stride back up the boulder field, and along the lower route through the forest by the lake, back to our car.

We were not finished yet. I was curious to see the new footbridge that had just been installed at Sarrail Creek. So we drove to the eastern end of the Upper Lake, and strolled the 1.2 km around the edge of the lake to the creek. It was a nice bridge, but when I was here a year ago, the old one looked strong enough. Perhaps it had been damaged by a falling tree? Anyway, we stopped to admire the tumbling waterfall before returning back along the trail. There had been some isolated sunny breaks, but it had generally been overcast and quite cold, with a westerly breeze. So we were glad to climb back into a warm car.

Our return journey took us over the Highwood Pass, where the wind was blowing snow across the road, and then down the Highwood Valley. There were a few cars parked here and there – horse riders, hunters, and a few hikers – perhaps surprising for a Monday in late October. In the Cat Creek picnic area was a covered wagon – I had heard that you may come across these on the trails west of the Highwood, but had never seen one before. There were a few trailers parked in the Strawberry winter campsite – probably hunters. As we drove east we left the patches of sunshine behind us and entered a cloudy, overcast landscape. We were soon back in Calgary.


Statistics
Upper Kananaskis Falls
Mon. 25 October

Total Dist. 9.0 km (hike)
Height Gain 160 ft.
Max. Elev. 5800 ft.
Time on trail 2 hrs. 57 mins.

Statistics
Mt. Sarrail Creek Bridge
Mon. 25 October

Total Dist. 2.4 km (hike)
Height Gain 0 ft.
Max. Elev. 5700 ft.
Time on trail 0 hrs. 36 mins.

Wednesday 27th: Sheep River Valley

A cold, foggy morning in Calgary didn’t deter us from confidently heading out on our next adventure – which turned out to be a very good decision.

Driving south out of Calgary I tried to point out my office, half enveloped in fog. After finding a way across the blocked railway line in Okotoks, we turned west towards Big Rock. Here it was several degrees below freezing, there was a fog, and the snow and ice covered the interpretive sign. But we walked around the glacial “erratic” and had fun imagining how this huge rock made its way down from the distant mountains – was it carried by the glacier, or did it chase a Blackfoot Indian across the prairie, or perhaps was it carried by The Flood? All options I have heard!

Continuing west, we passed through Turner Valley and up onto the Sheep River road.

We were in for a big surprise. Suddenly the fog dissipated, and we entered a sunny mountain world. If we had been in an aircraft, the prairie would have appeared as a sea of fog. Up here it was perhaps around freezing or a degree or two above, but the atmosphere was clear and the mountains stood out sharply along the western skyline.

Driving to the far western end of the Sheep Valley, we saw a group of horses being readied for a back-country expedition, and a guy preparing to offload a quad vehicle perhaps to go hunting up the Sheep River. We dropped our bikes off at the Indian Oils picnic area, then returned a little way east to Gorge Creek. My bear warning sign was still taped to the Indian Oils trail sign, over five weeks after I had put it there. I removed it.

Our first task was to cross an active Sheep River. Using our plastic bag technique we were mostly successful, except for a slightly wet sock which we quickly replaced. The Teskey Road trail is not marked on any maps but I knew where to find it. We picked up this old logging road by pushing our way to the back of the forested meadow on the other side of the river. After a straightforward ascent up a slightly clogged trail, we reached the Sheep River gorge and swung south through pleasant meadows into the forest. Joining the Sheep Valley trail, we continued along a wide, muddy trail, but it was frozen enough to allow us to stay dry. Dropping down to Dyson Falls, we sat by the Dyson Creek and enjoyed the sausage rolls which L had bought for us.

The next leg of the journey was familiar territory to me, as we strode along the Sheep Trail in a westerly direction. High above us to the left, on a distant ridge, we could see the Junction fire lookout – now closed up for the winter. The sun shone out of a mostly clear sky, although we could see some clouds bubbling up just over the mountain tops. In summer this might mean afternoon rain, but today they did not threaten.

The gradual descent through the forest brought us to the Indian Oils bridge and Tiger Jaw Falls. Back at our bikes, we relaxed in the sun, before speeding eastwards down the road. On the way, we stopped to walk across the meadow to the edge of the spectacular river gorge – a dangerous spot to stand. One final whiz down a steep hill and we were back at the car.

Reluctantly we returned to the foggy, cold world of the prairies, as the perfect Fall day was swallowed up in an icy mist.

Statistics
Teskey Road to Indian Oils
Wed. 27 October

Total Dist. 8.5 km (hike) + 4.7 km (bike) = 13.2 km
Height Gain 600 ft.
Max. Elev. 5410 ft.
Time on trail 3 hrs. 10 mins.

Late Season Hikes in the Canadian Rockies

Sat. 16 October: Little Beehive Lookout => Hector Lake

Another fire lookout to add to my 2010 haul. And then a visit to a rarely visited but spectacular Rocky Mountain lake – all in one day.

Every trip at this time of year is an added bonus to the hiking season. A year ago I had faced deep snow and temperatures way below zero. This weekend called for endless sunshine, but cool. So of course I couldn’t wait to leave the city and head out to Banff National Park in the mid-afternoon.

The day had started differently. It had snowed a couple of inches in Calgary during the morning, and the skies were still overcast as I left the city. But it was starting to clear up, and the further west I drove, the better the weather became.

The road-works west of Castle Junction were proceeding at full pace – it looked as if they were trying to get a lot of it finished before winter, and that they knew they were already on borrowed time. The Jasper/Icefields junction was particularly frantic with paving crews.

Mosquito Creek campsite, about 30 km north from Lake Louise, is open all year. It is a grand setting, in the Bow River valley along the Icefields Parkway. It surprised me to find that it was high enough here that the site was covered by two inches of new snow.

There were a handful of other campers here. Interesting that there were no large RVs, just – it seemed – younger couples towing small trailers, or sleeping in the backs of their cars. Then there was the author with his tiny tent.

I scraped the ground clear of snow with my boots, then quickly had the tent up, and the picnic table scraped off.

Before lighting the fire and settling down to supper, I drove back down the road, map in hand, to try to figure out the trailhead for Hector Lake. I thought I had it right – I was wrong.

It was a cold evening, with clearing skies. A half moon rose in the sky and the stars came out. I was early to bed. This time, my sleeping bag didn’t feel too warm. The extra blankets kept me warm, as long as I kept my nose under the covers. Some time in the middle of the night, a young couple quietly moved in to the campsite next to mine and erected a tent – safety in numbers I suppose.

Saturday morning was cold. There was a good covering of frost on my tent and on the car. My plan today was to drive back down to Lake Louise to hike up to the Little Beehive lookout, then to return north to explore Hector Lake.

Little Beehive is one of the most popular hikes in the Lake Louise area, and so I expected to share my travels with weekend tourists. In the end, there were not really many people on the upper pathways. What a start to a hike – the beautiful gardens of the Chateau Lake Louise, with the breathtaking lake to my left, as I strolled past the early tourists enjoying the cool morning air.

To reach the Little Beehive one takes the well-graded trail to Lake Agnes, high above Lake Louise. It was this trail which L and I first took our two girls in backpacks in the 1980’s. I made good progress and was soon at Mirror Lake. A little further up the snow-covered trail, I turned right and followed the path up to the Little Beehive summit. Of course the views of the mountain scenery were superb. Lake Louise always lives up to its reputation as a world-class destination.

The summit of Little Beehive is a flat, forested ridge, and on the end of the ridge is a square concrete foundation, the remains of the fire lookout. It seemed quite tiny, but it would have supported a comfy lookout building, before it was removed in the 1980’s. There are grand views of the Bow River Valley, but one can only just see the front end of Lake Louise and the Chateau, far below. Mt. Fairview and mighty Mt. Temple (11,624 ft.), and the soaring cliffs of Big Beehive, dominate the views. The good thing about this trip is that you have options on the return. I turned right and dropped down to Lake Agnes and the teahouse. Sadly the building was boarded up for the winter and the lake was mostly frozen over. I dropped back down to Mirror Lake via a set of steep stairs and a pretty mountain trail.

Back at Lake Louise the day had really started to get going, with crowds of tourists having their pictures taken, and a tour guide giving a talk to a group of attentive guests. Time to leave one crowded lake for another much less frequently visited.

The Bow River flows through Calgary on its long journey across the prairie to Hudsons Bay. The source of the river is the Bow Glacier, just north of my campsite along the Icefields Parkway. Below Bow Glacier sits the spectacular Bow Lake, and from the outlet of the lake, the river runs south towards Lake Louise. This roughly 50 km stretch of river runs through an almost inaccessible and remote valley floor. Hidden below the wall of glacier-capped mountains lies Hector Lake. It is just visible from the Icefields Parkway, but there are no obvious trails to reach it. There is just one viewpoint where tourists can stop to look down to the distant lake. It is the major feeder for the Bow River.

My recce the previous evening had uncovered what I took to be the start of a trail down to the lake, which lay about two kilometers from the highway. Someone had tied a red tape to a bush at a clearing by the road, and there seemed to be a snow-covered trail heading into the thick downward-sloping forest. So I parked my car and set off into the wilderness.

This seemed more to me like a game trail than a well-used path, and it appeared to be heading south, parallel to the hillside instead of downwards to the hidden river. So I decided to make my own path. The next kilometer or so was a crazy bushwhack down through a forest choked by fallen trees and a tangle of bushes. Just to be sure that I could return if I needed, I made a very thorough job of blazing the trail, using half a reel of red tape. Some future explorer will not thank me for the trail I blazed, as it wandered haphazardly down the mountainside.

Eventually I could hear the sound of a river below, and soon reached the edge of the shallow Bow River. Here a vague path followed the riverbank, and using common sense I turned left to follow the river as it wandered in a generally southerly direction through the forest. It was a typically lonely Canadian scene, which in a few weeks will be snow-covered and silent.

After about a kilometer I was relieved to come upon the correct trail leading down from the highway. I had started too far north along the road. A small sign pointed to the Hector Lake campsite, which lay across the river, on the other side of a small forested hill. I continued to head in a southwesterly direction on vague trails, across a wide valley floor consisting of dry riverbeds and a more open forest. In the distance I could now make out the edge of a large lake. A short time later I was standing on the edge of Hector Lake. There is something weird about the scale in this wilderness. What might typically be a kilometer seems about two or three times further down here. I was perhaps only two kilometres from the start of the hike here, but it felt very much further from civilization.

Hector Lake would be as popular as Bow Lake or even Lake Louise if it was more accessible. But I would suspect only a handful of people venture down here in a typical year. The shoreline is made up of either gravel or mud, with a few tree trunks lying on the edge, but generally very open. The glacial blue waters are ringed by the magnificent mountains of the Continental Divide, snow covered, and with glaciers in the high valleys. A biting, cold breeze blew across the lake, which measures about 5.3 km long and 1.2 km across. Soon it will be frozen over. I felt slightly uneasy standing in such a remote place, especially when I discovered an empty beer can on the beach. But then things looked up when I discovered a full can of beer a little further along the beach.

I followed the edge of the lake in an easterly direction, seeking the trail and the river crossing. My first plan had been to cross over the river and then follow the south shoreline to a smaller mountain lake called Margaret Lake – I had been intrigued by the name, and the setting, of this lake. But the southern shoreline was already in shade, and this looked to be much more of an adventure than I was equipped for today. When I finally reached the exit to the lake, across boggy ground, it was clear that the volume and depth of water flowing out of the lake were too much for a simple crossing. And there must have been huge floods in past years which made the whole area a tangled mess of tree trunks and streambeds and watery inlets. So I was happy enough to turn north and pick my way along a dry stream back to the trail junction.

Relieved not to have to retrace my steps up the hillside which I had so carefully blazed, I turned instead onto a good trail. This led me safely back up to the Icefields Parkway, and so back northwards up the road to my car. It was a cool day, perhaps just a few degrees above zero, but it was sunny and the mountain scenery was the best. In fact, I decided to take a short drive northwards beyond the campsite to enjoy the views around Bow Lake. In summer this is a very popular tourist spot, with views of the Bow Glacier. Today one tourist coach was leaving, and I was then alone beside the magnificent, but wintry lake. The sun was shining across the rippling waters, which must surely be frozen over in a few weeks from now.

Back at the camp it was a cold evening. Most of the campers had left during the day, and there were only three other people left, including my tenting neighbors. I walked down through the lightly snow-covered trails to the point where Mosquito Creek joins a young Bow River. It’s a great place for some classic Canadian Rocky Mountain snapshots. Getting a good fire going, I stayed warm, but was in bed early. The temperatures continued to drop overnight. My guess is that it was close to minus ten degrees C by dawn. The skies were filled with stars, with Orion and the Plough being prominent. The half-moon was bright in the sky. But it was too cold to hang around, so shortly before dawn, I was up and it didn’t take me long to pack away the tent and jump into the car. It took a bit longer for the heater to make headway on the frosty windscreen. Driving back east I turned onto the quiet Highway 1A and stopped for an impromptu breakfast in the car (a version of a “walk in the car”?).

From here it was a leisurely return to Calgary along roads which were only just starting to get busy with day-trippers out for a last trip to the mountains before the winter snows start to fall.


Statistics
Little Beehive
Sat. 16 October

Total Dist. 9.0 km (hike)
Height Gain 1675 ft.
Max. Elev. 7350 ft.
Time on trail 2 hrs. 19 mins.


Statistics
Hector Lake
Sat. 16 October

Total Dist. 5.0 km (hike)
Height Loss/Gain -/+ 200 ft.
Lake Elev. 5906 ft.
Time on trail 2 hrs. 31 mins.

Around the mountains of Banff

Sat. 25 September: Circuits of Mt. Rundle and Sulphur Mountain[continuation from Tent Ridge/Tryst Lake blog]

All night the wind roared through the tree-tops, swirling through my Tunnel Mountain campsite in Banff, buffeting the tent. The bright moonlight reflected the dancing pine branches on the inside of the tent. This wind blew all day, often with violent gusts. But it was a warm wind, and welcoming to a biker wanting to travel eastwards from Banff to Canmore, as I will relate.

Today was quite a marathon. In one busy day, I made a 48 km circuit of Mt. Rundle, and then a trip over and around Sulphur Mountain. Along with the shapely Cascade Mountain, Rundle and Sulphur are perhaps the best known mountains in the immediate vicinity of Banff townsite.

Rundle is actually a long range of high ridges running along the south side of the Bow River valley between Canmore and Banff. Its most famous profile is seen from a position due north of Banff, where its razor-sharp ridgeline soars above the Banff Springs Hotel. My plan today involved some complex logistics. I would start above Canmore, using my mountain bike to travel down Goat Creek to the Spray River and so into Banff. Changing to my road bike, I would then bike all the way back to Canmore beside the Trans-Canada Highway on the new “Legacy Trail” bike path.

The one tricky bit was to figure out how to get from Canmore up to the start of the Goat Creek Trail, without having to slog over a thousand vertical feet up a gravel road from the town below. Good research had revealed that there is just one taxi company in Canmore that will take you up there for a fee, and this worked perfectly.

The red sky over the Bow Valley was breathtaking as I drove east from Banff to Canmore early Saturday morning. Having dropped off my bike up at Goat Creek, I returned down the hill and parked at a handy hotel, the Rocky Mountain Canmore Inn. My Cougar Creek taxi driver arrived within five minutes and we had a great chat about the local trails as he drove me back up the rough gravel road.

It would probably be a rare day – especially a warm sunny Saturday - for a person to bike the Goat Creek trail and never encounter another person. I achieved this today. This is almost the perfect trail for amateur mountain bikers, since it is downhill all the way. Of course, nothing is that perfect, and there were a few uphill sections along the 19 km route, but it was a fun ride down a steep-sided mountain valley.

There were a few small bridges along the way, with pretty streams or rivers running under them. The occasional splash of autumn color from some of the trees added a beauty to what might otherwise be a green corridor.

I was soon crossing the Spray River, and onto a better forestry road, making very good time the whole way. Reaching the second Spray River junction – which I had visited this time last year - I kept on the west side of the valley, below Sulphur Mountain. I was almost at the Banff Springs Hotel when I met a long string of horses carrying an assorted collection of tourists. I dismounted and politely let then amble past, before continuing on into Banff.

The town was alive today, with what I later learned were 4,500 runners competing in the annual Melissa's road race. Thousands more people were collecting along the roadside, barriers had been erected, a band was playing in front of the museum, and everyone looked to be having a wonderful time. Runners with numbers pinned to their vests were heading down to the pleasure grounds for the start of the race. I negotiated this happy crowd safely, and detoured up onto the Tunnel Mountain road for a long uphill journey through Banff. It was then a pleasant downhill glide past the trailer campsites back to my tent. The 25.5 km journey by bike through the mountain valleys had taken me only two and a quarter hours.

After only a short break at my campsite, I changed bikes and set off down the road to Canmore. With a blustery wind at my back, this was one fast trip. The Legacy Trail bike path was really only just completed yesterday. On my journey west I had noticed the final touches being made to the half dozen bridges and the last sections of paving were being finished off. So I was one of the very first people to travel the length of this brand new trail.

What an improvement from hugging the shoulder of the frantic Trans-Canada Highway. The path follows the highway closely but stays off the shoulder. Thanks to the wind, I was pedaling in the highest gear as fast as my speedy bike would go. There were quite a few people coming in the other direction, struggling against the wind, as I raced past them at lightning speed. As a result, my journey from one end of the trail to the other, ending at the Banff Park gates, took me only 34 minutes, and the whole 22.5 km trip from Banff campsite to my car in Canmore took only sixty four minutes.

Biking time for the 48 km journey from Goat Creek to Canmore town centre, via Banff, was a mere three hours forty two minutes.

But I was far from finished for the day. Back at my campsite in Banff, I changed into my hiking gear and was soon off in the car to the Sulphur Mountain gondola. Sulphur Mountain is a long, high forested ridge which overlooks Banff. Sulphur and Rundle form the two sides of the Spray River valley. The Spray River and the Bow River meet just below the Banff Springs Hotel.
The gondola up Sulphur Mountain is a major Banff tourist attraction, and sure enough it was a busy place this afternoon, especially on such a lovely sunny day. But it didn’t take me long to buy my ticket and there were no line-ups for the cable cars. My plan was simple – to take the easy route to the top of Sulphur Mountain, and then explore the “back side” of the mountain where a fire road would take me back down to the original Banff Hot Springs (called "Cave and Basin") and from there back to the gondola.

A gale was blowing on the mountain top. I joined the crowds of international tourists as they shuffled along the sturdy boardwalks connecting the circular restaurant with the observatory on the summit of Sanson peak. They have gone to a lot of trouble to erect an extensive network of broad wooden steps and viewing areas which was impressive to observe, and nice to walk along. The fierce wind tried to blow everyone off the mountaintop, but the views were spectacular today, with perfect visibility.

This observatory has also, in the past, acted occasionally as a fire lookout, which is why I wanted to visit it this year. It is a tiny stone building which sits right on the highest point of the ridge. There is a glass door so people can look inside. They have recreated the cabin as it once used to be – a bunk bed, table and chair, stove – a minuscule room but actually quite cosy. It would be a better place to have lived than the typical wooden lookout buildings which were (and still are) the usual home for lookouts.

Halfway down the boardwalk I now turned off onto the old fire road for my return journey down the west side of the mountain. I instantly left all the tourists behind me, and passing a middle aged couple, I had the trail to myself from top to bottom of the ridge. This road was in good shape and mostly free from undergrowth at the higher elevations. Lower down, some bushes had grown along the surface, but this was a luxurious descent compared with many of my fire roads this year. The road descends to the Bow Valley in one main diagonal cut down the mountainside – a route plainly visible from the Trans-Canada Highway as one approaches Banff from the west. A few trees in Fall foliage made this a colorful scene, with spectacular mountain views the whole way down.

At the base of the mountain, about 3000 vertical feet below the ridge-top, I joined the paved road leading down from Sundance Canyon to Banff. It is closed to traffic and so was a quiet route along the forested valley floor. This road runs between the northern edge of Sulphur Mountain on the right, and the Bow River on the left. It’s a wonderful place for a stroll. The path leads to the famous Cave and Basin, site of the original Banff hot springs. It closed this July for some major renovations, and won’t be open again until 2012. Quite a long but leisurely stroll took me through the woods back into Banff townsite and up to the Banff Springs Hotel. The town had quietened down a bit from this morning’s bedlam, but it was a lively place with people enjoying the scenery or hurrying to their next shift at one of the hotels.

The final part of my trip took me up the steep forest trails back to the gondola car park. This was the same route I took last year on my way up Sulphur Mountain the hard way. It had been an active day and so I was glad to return to my campsite and relax in front of a fire. All day the wind had been blowing strongly in the treetops, and it was only during the night that it finally died down a bit.

After a good sleep I was on the road early next morning. Today the red sunrise was even more spectacular than the previous morning. Luckily the traffic was light as I snapped away with my camera. I was home shortly after 9 a.m.


Statistics Mt. Rundle Circuit
Sat. 25 September

Total Dist. 48 km (bike)
Height Loss (1100 ft.)
Max. Elev. 5450 ft.
Time on trail 3 hrs. 42 mins.


Statistics Sulphur Mtn. Circuit
Sat. 25 September

Total Dist. 13.5 km (hike)
Height Gain 700 ft.

Height Loss (3000 ft.)
Max. Elev. 7486 ft.
Time on trail 3 hrs. 13 mins.


Statistics - TotalRundle/SulphurSat. 25 September

Total Dist. 13.5 km (hike) + 48.0 km (bike) = 61.5 km
Height Gain 700 ft.
Height Loss (4100 ft.)
Max. Elev. 7486 ft.
Time on trail 6 hrs. 55 mins.

A "Trilegy" in Banff National Park

Sun. 2 May: Castle Lookout


What’s the word for three hikes in a day? A trilogy on foot? A tripedy? Anyway, today I headed for Banff National Park, making use of my annual Parks pass, to conquer two more lookouts plus one other trip I had been meaning to do for many years. A watery sun was shining through the clouds as I left Calgary behind me. As I headed west, the clouds started to thin out, and there was hope for a sunny day in the mountains. There had been showers earlier this morning, and the road through Banff Park was still damp. Traffic was very light.

Turning off the TransCanada Highway at Castle Junction, I crossed over the railway line, then turned left on the old 1A highway. Soon I was in the empty Castle Lookout car park, hidden in the trees below Castle Mountain. This mountain dominates the skyline as you drive west from Banff, and here I was directly underneath the towering cliffs.

My hike today would take me 1800 vertical feet up the lower forested slopes to the site of an old fire lookout, directly under these cliffs. Being an old fire access road, the grade was ideal for hiking, but climbed relentlessly up the forested mountainside. The pathway was wide and obviously well used. With a few minor exceptions, the path was dry and snow/ice free. After about 1.5 km I came across the ruins of an old cabin, which apparently dates back to the late 1800’s. It is now sadly just a pile of wood.

Soon the road ended, and the narrow trail started to switch-back up the mountain, up a cliff-band, and across a rocky gulley.

Then up on more switchbacks, across steep, open slopes, until finally the path emerged from some trees onto an open ledge, directly below the vertical mountainsides. Here the lookout building once perched, on the edge of a cliff, with an unobstructed panorama of the Bow River valley below. It surprised me how small this flat space was. The foundation of the building was still there, but there were no other signs of the old lookout, which was abandoned in the 1970’s then accidentally burned down by hikers in 1983.

A pathway ran up through the trees to the bottom of the towering cliffs, where there is apparently a climbing hut. Some light snow was spitting down, and there was a light snow cover on the ground up here.

All around were mountains smothered in layers of cloud, but there was some sunshine too. It seemed as if a shower might be sweeping in from the west, so I did not stay very long.

Soon I was racing down the switchbacks, with the confidence that only MICROspikes can give you that I would not slip and fall over the cliffs below! I met one guy close to the top, who had hoped to catch the sun, but now thought it would snow. In fact it stayed dry all day. It didn’t take me long to get back to the car. Except for that one hiker, I had Castle Mountain to myself this morning. That was the end of my solitude for the day.



Sun. 2 May: Johnston Canyon



A short 6 km drive east along route 1A from Castle Mountain Lookout brought me to one of the tourist hot-spots of the Canadian Rockies: Johnston Canyon. The guidebook warns that the only time to get any solitude here is early in the morning. But it was already late morning, and there were quite a few cars and a mini-bus parked, with a handful of warmly clad tourists heading up the path to the canyon.

As it turned out, this was never overpowering, as it would probably be in the summer. I suspect that today was almost the first day that the path was entirely ice-free and safe for people to walk along.

And what a path! It follows the canyon for over two kilometers, largely clinging to the sides of the canyon on metal walkways connected to the rock walls.

The views of the river below are grand. And there are two awesome waterfalls. Everyone makes it to the lower falls. This is a worthy destination. A hole has been drilled in the rock to allow you to stand directly in front of the falls.

As I continued up the path towards the upper falls, the tourists started to thin out. The upper falls can be viewed from below and from above.

By the time I reached the upper viewing platform, I was on my own! Simply spectacular! The water plunges down into a deep pool far below, with a great thundering roar. There was still plenty of snow and ice clinging to the cliffs all round. Here the interpretive trail ends, and the hikers path carries on up to the Inkpots, some bubbling springs in a meadow a further 3 km up the valley.

I turned back and followed the path all the way down to the start. By now there were several groups of tourists enjoying the views, but never too many to become overwhelming.

It was a perfect day to visit this popular destination. To this point, I had always avoided Johnston Canyon as simply another tourist destination, to be missed because of the crowds, but I am glad to say that I have now “been there and done that”!



Sun. 2 May: Tunnel Mountain Lookout

Now for the final hike of the day. It doesn’t take long to get from Johnston Canyon to Banff, along the scenic forested route 1A, then onto the Trans-Canada Highway. I was lucky enough to be stopped by a goods train at the crossing in Banff. The town was bustling with shoppers as I drove along Wolf St., crossing Banff Avenue, up to Grizzly St. A car park on St. Julien Road is the official starting point for the Tunnel Mountain hike. Elk were happily grazing on the grassy slopes just above the parking area.

The Tunnel Mountain path is one of the oldest in Banff, and popular with the locals. It switchbacks at a gentle angle up the wooded hillside to the site of the old fire lookout on the rounded summit. Today it felt almost Mediterranean, with the wind now warm, and the smell of the pines. There was a steady flow of people enjoying this beautiful trail: someone with a baby stroller, older couples, family parties with young kids and dogs, people jogging up the hill. But well spaced out, so I still felt as if I almost had the place to myself.

Reaching the forested summit ridge, the views of Banff and the Bow Valley were already superb. This hill sits right in the middle of the wide Bow Valley. It was called Tunnel Mountain as the railway builders originally thought they would have to tunnel through it, but then found a way around its flanks. The back side of the mountain is a steep cliff. Here the views of Rundle Mountain, the river, and the golf course spread out below, are fine.

Soon I was on the summit, where a large family party was enjoying a lunch in the warm wind.

Here a lookout tower once stood, long since removed. Apparently back in the 1930’s, Queen Elizabeth (The “Queen Mother”) and King George VI stood on this summit, which seems rather surprising!

The Tunnel Mountain trail has remained one of Banff’s most popular trails – for very good reason.

The smooth rocks are ideal for sitting on and admiring the views directly down into Banff townsite, as well as to the Banff Springs Hotel, standing all alone in the forest.

My return journey was speedy! It took only 22 minutes to whizz back down to the car, an enjoyable fast hike! Plenty of people were still making their way up the hill on this warm, mostly sunny afternoon. A shower was always a possibility, but I stayed dry all day.

More traffic on the road as I returned to Calgary, but beautiful blue sunny skies. The clouds over Calgary showed that there were showers over the city and prairie. I had made the best of this narrow weather window, and had managed to climb over 3000 ft today on my “Trilegy”! YES – that’s the word.

Statistics
Total for all 3 Banff Hikes
Sun. 2 May

Total Dist. 17.6 km (hike)

Height Gain 3047 ft.
Max. Elev. 6600 ft.
Time on Trail 4 hr. 33 mins.