YO-YO YOHO

 

 

Editor’s Note:  We apologize for the increasingly silly nature of the section titles.  In this case, it’s also inaccurate, as Fungi’s hike in Yoho National Park was a loop, not a “yo-yo”.  Let’s start over, shall we?

 

 

THE ICELINE

 

 

The French word of the day is “a oublié”, which translates to “forgot” in English.  As in, “Fungi a oublié his camera, so he doesn’t have any photos from his hike in Yoho.”

 

This should not be confused in any way with the French professional tennis player Guy Forget (pronounced Gee For-gay).

 

 

Most people wouldn’t consider 17 miles a reasonable distance for a dayhike.  Particularly when those 17 miles include nearly 3000’ of elevation gain.  My wife is one of those people.  So, while I hiked in Yoho National Park, Christy went for a bike ride.  This suited her just fine, since she wanted to keep in tune for the upcoming fall triathlon season.

 

We got up early on Thursday and drove to Lake Louise, where we picked up bagels at the bakery there.  From there, we headed to Yoho.  We followed the highway across the continental divide into British Columbia.  Before long, we were driving a narrow, winding road up the Yoho Valley.  Christy dropped me off at the trailhead near the Whiskey Jack hostel, and headed back to the bike shop in Lake Louise.  As the car disappeared around a bend, I realized I had left my camera sitting on the floorboards!  I tried to call her, but of course there was no cell service.

 

My guidebook tells me that “Yoho” is a Cree Indian exclamation of wonder.  Even after spending a few days in Banff, I could see why.  Even down in the valley, I was surrounded by rugged cliffs and sparkling glaciers.  A deep blue sky promised great weather for what I expected would be a very scenic hike. 

 

I headed up the trail at 8:45, climbing rapidly out of the Yoho River valley.  I wandered in and out of forest, with occasional views back across the valley to Takkakaw Falls.  “Takkakaw” is also a Cree word, and apparently it translates to “Holy crap, will you look at that.  Helen, where’s the camera?”  Well, that’s one interpretation.  After all, Takkakaw is very popular.  There is a large parking area where I’d be ending my hike, and a short trail to an overlook of the falls.  I wouldn’t need to hike the nature trail though.  I had a great view of it tumbling  more than 1000’ from the cliffs into the valley.  The waterfall is fed by melting glaciers, so the water volume is intense, especially on a sunny day.  I haven’t been to Yosemite yet, but I’ve seen photos, and this waterfall looked to be every bit as spectacular as Yosemite Falls, if not more so.  After all, it doesn’t dry up in the summer.

 

Frequent views of the falls helped take my mind off the climb out of the canyon.  Before long, I cleared the final trees and continued to ascend through a barren, rocky landscape.  The view continued to improve.  Aside from the falls, which were my constant companion for the first few miles of the hike, I could now see the glaciers feeding them.  Behind me, the peaks and glaciers around Lake O’hara towered over the valley.  Ahead, the trail traversed a ledge high above the canyon, but still at the base of yet more peaks and glaciers.

 

I was still climbing when I heard voices behind me.  Before long, a couple had caught up to me.  It’s not often I get passed while hiking uphill, but these two practically left me in the dust.  The guy was from Australia, and the girl was from Washington, DC, though she was born and raised in the Canadian Rockies.  It turns out that they were doing basically the same hike as I, except they were planning on skipping a shortcut I intended to take.  They were planning on going closer to 20 miles.  It just goes to show that even when you’re attempting something difficult, there’s bound to be someone else doing even more.

 

The trail leveled off somewhat, though it still wandered up and down at the base of the cliffs.  Before long, I was passing directly below a series of glaciers clinging to the mountains above.  I rock hopped several streams, before reaching a junction with my shortcut trail.  It would take me down past Lake Celeste and into the Little Yoho valley.  From there, I would climb the Whaleback and descend past Twin Falls into the Yoho Valley. 

 

Instead of heading down, I decided to tack on a side trip.  I guess 17 miles wasn’t enough, after all.  I continued ahead another ½ mile to the crest of a minor ridge, where I was rewarded with a view to the glaciers at the head of the Little Yoho valley.  From that point I scrambled a short distance up a minor peak, which improved the view even further.  At the top, I found the same couple that had passed me earlier, as well as two guys backpacking.  They were on the final day of a 3-day trip.  One guy was from Calgary, while the other was from somewhere in British Columbia.  We talked for a while, before hiking together back to the Lake Celeste junction.  We parted ways, as they were heading back the way I had come.

 

I descended steadily through lovely meadows and forest before reaching the lake.  It was noon, so I stopped for lunch.  My feet were already achy, so I took off my boots and waded out into the water, which wasn’t nearly as cold as I expected.  The lake provided a pleasant place to rest, but bad flies and mosquitoes chased me back onto the trail before long.

 

I descended the rest of the way into the valley, and crossed the Little Yoho River on a sturdy bridge.  On the far side, I crossed the valley trail and picked up the steep path up the Whaleback.  The day’s first climb had been bigger, but this one was steeper.  I was glad I was only carrying a daypack as I climbed out of the valley.

 

I reached the crest of the ridge in less than 30 minutes.  Several people were milling about, including the same couple I had already met twice during the hike.  I took a long break, and enjoyed perhaps the best views of the day.  Once again, I was surrounded by mountains and glaciers in virtually every direction.  It would’ve made a great photo.

 

I descended into aptly named waterfall valley, where dozens of streams cascade down from the surrounding glaciers.  I crossed a bridge over the main creek, just above the brink of Twin Falls.  Once on the far side, I hiked downstream until I reached the brink of the falls.  This vantage is stunning.  Twin Falls is one of those rare waterfalls that is better appreciated from the top than from the base.  I was at the edge of a cliff, looking out over the canyon to the mountains beyond.  The creek spilled over the cliff only a few feet away with a deafening roar.  Then the wind shifted, and all of the incredible spray from the falls was blown back on me.  I was instantly drenched.  Maybe it was good thing I forgot the camera, after all!

 

I thought it was all downhill from here, but I was wrong.  Instead, I had to tackle the first of several puds (pointless ups & downs).  Puds were a recurring theme throughout our vacation.  A small, yet significant climb finally led to a long series of switchbacks down the face of the cliff.  I finally reached the bottom, and wandered through the woods to the side trail to the base of the falls.  At the base, I would’ve had a nice view of the 260’ waterfall, except the sun was directly above the falls.  I could’ve gone blind trying to look at the falls.  I did get water, and soaked my aching feet again.  Only 5 miles to go! 

 

I left the falls at 4pm, passing the Twin Falls Chalet.  I have very few complaints about the hiking in the Canadian parks, but here’s one:  There are way too many chalets and tea houses and lodges and helicopter tours in the backcountry.  The Canadian National Parks could contain a vast stretch of spectacular wilderness.  In most respects they do, with the exception of these annoying and all too frequent intrusions.  I suppose some of that sort thing might be ok, particularly in appropriate places (for example, near Lake Louise).  But three of our four backpacking trips and many of our dayhikes passed near these backcountry hotels.  That’s too many.

 

I headed down the trail, and before long passed a group that was obviously staying at the chalet.  They were distraught, as they had gotten separated from another couple.  A few minutes later, I found the missing hikers, heading in the wrong direction.  I redirected them, and suggested they call their friends on the radios they were carrying.

 

The next stretch of trail was enjoyable, as it passed near the creek, which was still roaring down the mountain.  At one point, the creek raced through a short slot canyon only 2’ wide.  Just beyond I passed the Twin Falls campground, which looked nice though it wasn’t particularly close to the falls.  Beyond the campsites, I climbed a short pud to join the Yoho Valley Trail. 

 

The rest of the walk was a breeze.  It was on mostly flat trail through the woods.  Occasional views of the Yoho River provided some distraction from my tired feet.  I reached the confluence with the Little Yoho River, and enjoyed a nice view of Laughing Falls just upstream.  The next hour of hiking was pretty boring, as short side trails to two other waterfalls were less inspiring.  Finally I reached an open meadow, where I was greeted with another view of Takkakaw Falls.  Beyond the meadow, the trail passed through a walk-in campground.  I reached the parking area at 6:15, which was 15 minutes early.  I spent that time soaking my feet in the icy river.  Christy found me a few minutes later.  She had been up at the Takkakaw Falls overlook taking pictures – with my camera.




Continue reading about our adventures in Canada, as I meet some new friends on a hike from Moraine Lake to Paradise Valley.

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