Roaming Around in the Rockies

July 19 - 24, 2020 we did six day hikes along the Icefield Parkway Hwy. The first 4 nights we stayed at the Mosquito Creek Hostel which is a 25-minute drive north of Lake Louise. And the last 3 nights we stayed at the Athabasca Hostel which is a 30-minute drive south of Jasper. Actually most of our group stayed in the hostels while Case & I parked our Sprinter close by.

Hike #1: Molar Pass -- 21.6 km / 610m gain / 2348m high / 6:45 hours MT

This hike started right across from our hostel.

The first 7 km the trail rose gradually along willow flats and subalpine flowers by Mosquito Creek.

1) Yellow Columbine 2) Fleabane 3) Anemone 4) Moss-campion

Mosquito Creek campsite is 5 km in.

Three small tributary streams are crossed within the first 4 km.

This rock wall reminded me of the Rockwall Trail in the Kootenays.

Five other members of our group had split off at the junction 7.4 km in, to do the North Molar Pass which is 4 km longer. The last 2 km before the pass the trail was muddy and rooty.

Looking back.

This steep slope was full of pale yellow Columbines.

A few patches of snow required careful steps.

On the pass.

Group shot minus 5. Dave & Val, me & Case, Cal, Irene, Anne + Claudine.

We walked another 300m through the pass on mostly level boggy ground to the true summit. New views opened up to us. Mt. Hector massif to the right, SW and the Slate Range to the south across the Pipestone Valley.

Alpine tundra.

Twin peaked Molar Mt. to the southeast.

Heading back down.

Val broke her finger while trying to cross this creek.

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Hike #2: Bow Hut + glacier crest -- 22.4 km / 854m gain / 2617m high / 6:20 hours MT

Historical Simpson's Num-Ti-Jah Lodge is located on the shores of Bow Lake at the foot of Mount Jimmy Simpson.

The south end of Bow Lake.

We had expansive views right from the get-go -- north.

Our destination was right below St. Nicolas -- that pointy peak in the distant centre.

Leaving Bow Lake behind.

Notice Bow Glacier Falls to the right. This is a much shorter easier hike (4.7 km return / 95m gain).

The first 4 km were fairly flat with only 170m gain.

3.3 km in this car-sized limestone boulder formed a natural bridge over the gorge.

Bow Glacier Falls.

Carefully placed steps on the bolder field -- east.

west

The Wapta Icefield and St. Nicolas Peak (right).

The slope on which the hut is perched.

The hut to the right.

Group shot: me, Nadine, Sue, Cindy, Dave, Irene, Brian, Andrew, Claudine, Anne, Lori, Case + Cal

Nine of us carried on to the crest of the glacier.

A wow moment overlooking the vast Wapta Icefields.

Heading back down.

Only the bathrooms were open in the hut (Covid).

Leaving the hut. A deep moraine left by the receding glacier.

Looking back at the headwall -- west.

High water.

We all met up back at Bow Lake and soaked our sore feet in the frigid lake.

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Hike #3: Helen Lake + Cirque Peak -- 14.6 km / 991m gain / 2993m high / 5:45 hours MT

We were all standing back watching Sue & Case approach this bear at the trailhead. Not so smart, we were thinking.

Arnicas in this pic.

1-2) Indian Paintbrush 3) Bog Laurel 4)Marmot 5) Indian Paintbrush

View south.

View west on Bow Lake.

We rounded the corner and got our first views of the valley leading to Helen Lake.

5 km in we crossed Helen Creek. Cirque Peak to the right.

Dolomite Peak - east. The meadowlands of the Helen Lake basin are ranked among the favourite six in the Canadian Rockies book.

Cirque Peak's panorama ranks among the best in the "Don't Waste Your Time in the Canadian Rockies" book.

Half of our group split off on the ridge and turned right. Seven of us summited Cirque Peak.

View from the ridge.

The others were standing on that lower peak in the foreground.

Northeast.

It doesn't look like it, but this was steep with small loose gravel on the lower half.

And it had larger loose rocks on the upper half.

Here we were only 20 minutes from the summit but it was getting pretty sketchy. Thanks to Sue we carried on. She was starting her descent and directed us to go further to the right.

Helen Lake to the right.

Bow Lake and Wapta Icefield.

At the top! Almost 3000m! By comparison, Mt. Baker is 3300m high.

Northeast.

East.

West.

This guy was not shy. He liked my bread crusts.

The descent was not as challenging as I thought it would be. It helped that I put my micro-spikes on.

East.

Back at Helen Lake.

Beautiful meadows.

Southwest - Crowfoot Mt.

We met up with some dear friends from our hiking club at the Lake Louise hostel restaurant.

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Hike #4: Wilcox Pass to Tangle Creek crossover -- 16.8 km / 661m gain & 781m loss / 2423m high / 5 hours MT

The first half hour it just poured. We almost turned back. Glad we didn't.

After the rain, the scents of the alpine flowers were so strong, at first I though someone was burning incense!

The Columbia Icefield.

2) Potentila 3) Beach Pea 4) Forget-me-nots 5) Mountain Aven 6) Brassica

South

Mt. Athabasca - 3493 m high

Wilcox Mt. is a technical climb.

Leaving the bad weather behind.

Standing guard - southeast.

The Columbia Icefields where just a few days before they had a horrific accident when the shoulder gave way on the road leading to the glacier and the tour bus rolled about 8x, killing 3 passengers and injuring the rest.

At Wilcox Pass.

Heading back, but only part way. Snow Dome Mt. - 3460m high.

Half of our group turned left onto the "Wilderness Trail" which led us northwest through this valley of rolling tundra meadowland.

Looking back.

Just over 7 km in and the trail turned left and down into Tangle Creek Valley.

Almost at Tangle Falls which were right by the highway.

Tangle Falls.

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Hike #5: Edith-Cavell -- 8.5 km / 570m gain / 4 hours MT

After 4 consecutive days of longer hikes, it was nice to do an easier one.

Mt. Edith-Cavell & meadows bear the name of a British nurse who helped soldiers escape German invasion during WW1.

Group shot with Angel Glacier & Cavell Pond inbetween.

This was a loop hike.

Then a short side trail led to the Cavell Pond & Angel Glacier.

Angle Glacier's tongue hangs down a 300m cliff.

Playing a lively game of Hearts in the evening.

Case & I stayed at Cavell Pond a bit longer than the rest because I wanted to walk closer to the glacier to photograph it. We ended up getting caught in a downpour. The stove in the hostel came in handy.

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Hike #6: Bald Hills -- 11.92 km / 643m gain / 2320m high / 3:30 hours MT

By this time our group had shrunk to 5. This was a nice moderate hike, hiking a more gradually graded gravel road up and a shorter steeper trail down.

The Queen Elizabeth Range above Maligne Lake. Group shot: me & Case, Dave, Anne & Val.

These peaks look like cresting waves.

The Bald Hills.

Views from the old fire lookout.

We did not linger there. Val stayed at the base of the final steep slope because of her broken finger. We were surrounded by bad weather.

Later we went to the restaurant by the boat launch.

A White-tailed deer along the road.

Maligne Canyon. We hiked the upper half which is the most scenic.

The water from Medicine Lake drains into this canyon. It runs underground for 16 km.