Canadian Rockies Trip Reports

July & August 2014

Canada Photos

In 2014, Christy and I returned to the Canadian Rockies. I spent the first two weeks backpacking with my friend Dave in Jasper National Park. Afterwards, I picked up Christy at the airport in Calgary. First we took a mountaineering class with Yamanuksa Adventures. We spent the next two weeks car camping, dayhiking and backpacking.

Dave and I started out with a 4-day backpacking trip in Tonquin Valley in Jasper National Park. The first two days in Tonquin Valley included a long hike from Portal Creek over MacCarib Pass to Amethyst Lake, and a dayhike to Moat Lake. Photos. The final two days featured an afternoon hike to Eremite Valley before we hiked out to the Mount Edith Cavell Trailhead. Photos. Next we did a 7-day backpacking trip combining the classic Nigel Pass / Brazeau Lake / Jonas Pass loop with an extension over Cataract Pass and on to Pinto Lake and Sunset Pass. The first three days of that trip took us to Nigel Pass, the Brazeau River, Brazeau Lake, and Poboktan Pass    Photos. Over the next two days, we climbed over Jonas Pass, hiked to the headwaters of the Brazeau River, and crossed Cataract Pass.    Photos. The last two days featured an off-trail descent of the Cataract Creek valley, followed by a hike up the Cline River to Pinto Lake. From there we continued to Sunset Pass and back into Banff National Park. Unfortunately, one of my all-time best backpacking trips ended in disaster    Photos.

Christy and I continued the trip by relocating to the Icefields Campground and dayhiking to the Saskatchewan Glacier.    Photos. We then spent 3 days taking a mountaineering class with Yamnuska and climbing Mount Athabasca.    Photos. The next day, I hiked up Tangle Creek, continued cross-country to Wilcox Lake, and finished by traversing Wilcox Pass.     Photos. The next day, Christy and I dayhiked to Bow Glacier Falls. We also visited Panther Falls, Peyto Lake, and several other lakes.     Photos. Next, we went to Yoho National Park and backpacked Yoho Valley.     Photos.

After our backpacking trip we spent a few more nights car camping at Lake Louise. On the first day, I dayhiked to Burstall Pass in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park.     Photos. The next day I did a hike and scramble to the summit of Bow Peak above Bow Lake in Banff National Park.     Photos. The next day I did a solo dayhike to the summit of Fairview Mountain above Lake Louise.     Photos. We finished our trip with 3 days and 2 nights of camping at Lake O'Hara in Yoho National Park. On the first day, Christy and I hiked to Lake Oesa and the Opabin Plateau.     Photos. The last two days included hikes to Odaray Grandview, Lake MacArthur, Morning Glory Lakes, Linda Lake, and Wiwaxy Gap.     Photos.

Highlight video: 4 minutes of Glory, with music by Umphrey's McGee.







Climbing Mount Athabasca



Banff & Yoho dayhiking
July 2005

Banff Dayhiking Photos

In July of 2005, Christy and I left the United States for the first time. We traveled to the Canadian Rockies, where we spent 4 weeks dayhiking and backpacking. We began the trip in Calgary, where we toured the city and Christy competed in a triathlon. From there, we headed to Banff, where we car camped for a week and did dayhikes. Our first hike started at world-famous Lake Louise. We climbed to the Plain of 6 Glaciers overlook where we watched glaciers calving. On Tuesday, we climbed Cirque Peak, near Bow Lake off of the Icefields Parkway. Cirque Peak provided what may have been the best views we've ever seen. We took it easy on Wednesday, with only a short hike to Johnston Canyon. On Thursday, Christy went for a bike ride, while I hiked 18 miles along the Iceline and the Whaleback in Yoho National Park. Christy took another bike ride on Friday, while I hiked with some new friends from Moraine Lake, over Sentinel Pass, and through Paradise Valley. We took Saturday off to prepare for our weeklong backpacking trip in Banff and Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park. We did stretch our legs a little though, on a short hike to Silverton Falls.







View from Cirque Peak



Backpacking Banff & Mount Assiniboine
July 2005

Banff Backpacking Photos

The following week, Christy and I did a week-long backpacking trip along the Continental Divide through Banff National Park and Provincial Park. We started at the Vista Lake Trailhead on highway 93 near Vermillion Pass, and hiked south to the Mount Shark Trailhead near the Spray Lakes Reservoir. Highlights of the trip included Shadow Lake, Whistling Pass, Healy Pass, Citadel Pass, Lake Magog and Mount Assiniboine, Wonder Pass, Marvel Lake, and a thrilling wildlife encounter near the Golden Valley.







Mount Ball from Shadow Lake




Backpacking the Rockwall, Kootenay National Park
August 2005

Rockwall Photos

After backpacking in Banff, we headed west to Kootenay National Park. We spent four days in the park backpacking The Rockwall Trail. Highlights of the trip included colorful wildflowers and fantastic views of mountains, cliffs, glaciers, and one of the highest waterfalls in the world.







The Rockwall



Car camping and dayhiking, Jasper National Park
August 2005

Jasper Dayhike Photos

Next we headed to Jasper National Park. We car camped for 5 nights at Wapiti Campground just outside of town. The first day, Christy relaxed at Miette Hot Springs while I dayhiked to the Sulphur Skyline. The next day, we visited Icefields Center and dayhiked to Wilcox Pass. The following day, Christy went shopping while I dayhiked to the the Bald Hills above Maligne Lake. We took it easy the last day, with some swimming at Pyramid Lake and a brief visit to Cavell Meadows.







View from Wilcox Pass



Backpacking to Berg Lake, Mount Robson Provincial Park
August 2005

Mount Robson Photos

We spent the first 3 days of our final week in the Canadian Rockies in Mount Robson Provincial Park. We backpacked through the Valley of a Thousand Falls to Berg Lake. From our basecamp at Berg Lake, I dayhiked to Snowbird Pass.







Mount Robson



Backpacking the Skyline, Jasper National Park
August 2005

Skyline Photos

We spent our final 3 days in the Canadian Rockies backpacking The Skyline Trail in Jasper National Park. The Skyline provided a fitting climax to our trip, as 16 of the trail's 28 miles are above treeline.







Hiking the Skyline






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