PART SEPT:
BACKPACKING THE SKYLINE
JASPER NATIONAL PARK
Christy and I concluded our
month in the Canadian Rockies with a 3-day backpacking trip on the Skyline
Trail. The Skyline is a Canadian
classic, as it stays at or above treeline for approximately 16 of its 28
miles. We saved this hike for last, as
it promised to be a fitting climax to our trip.
For anyone that thinks I
plan hikes that are too difficult, note that this hike is mostly downhill.
Over the course of the hike, we’d experience a net decrease in
elevation of nearly 2000’.
THE SKY IS CRYING
The French word of the day is “pluie”, which translates to “rain” in English. As in, The weather forecast made no mention of pluie, but pluie it did, on Thursday, Thursday night, and on into Friday.”
We were up at 7am the next
day. The Skyline Trail is a one-way
hike, and we had to catch the shuttle bus ($15 per person) to the trailhead at Maligne Lake at 8:30. We broke camp and left the Wapiti Campground
at 8 and ate bagels in the car. As we
drove, we eyed the sky. It was a
chilly, cloudy morning. The morning’s
forecast called for “times of sun and times of clouds” over the next couple of
days. Presumably, this morning was “a
time of clouds”. I was looking forward
to a time of sun, perhaps that afternoon.
Unfortunately, we weren’t aware of the real forecast, which was a 100%
chance of complete incompetence. After 3 weeks in the Canadian Rockies, we
should’ve been used to the utter unreliability of the weather forecasts. For some reason, I kept checking them
anyway. I hate to be a whiner, but
really, the only thing the weather forecasts ever told us was what the weather
WOULDN’T BE.
We reached a small parking
area at the north end of the Skyline Trail, which was nearly full. We arrived at 8:15, which was plenty early
since the bus ended up being 30 minutes late.
While we were waiting, we organized our gear and assessed the chances of
the sun making an appearance. It didn’t
look good. We also met another couple
that was doing the same hike. They were
on vacation from Saskatchewan, and were planning on taking 4 days to hike the
trail. We talked with them for a while,
knowing that we’d see them again. They
had reservations for the same campsite we were staying at the first night.
The bus eventually arrived,
and loaded us up along with a whole vanload of dayhikers. Initially we couldn’t figure out what the
dayhikers were doing. Later, we
discovered that they were hiking the first half of the trail to a backcountry
lodge near Curator Lake. Then they’d
finish the trail the following day. It
sounded like a pretty good strategy, as they’d get to hike the whole trail in 2
days without having to carry heavy packs.
The bus dropped us off at
the end of the road near Maligne Lake.
We picked up the Skyline Trail, and began a gentle climb through the
woods. The first couple of miles
featured easy hiking, which was a nice way to warm up. Short side trails provided access to a pair
of small lakes. The trip to the second
was a bit nicer, as there were views of distant mountains from shore, despite
the heavy clouds.
We crossed a bridge over
Evelyn Creek, passed a decent campground, and began a steady but gentle climb
on switchbacks out of the valley. This
section of trail passed through a damp forest featuring spectacular collections
of mushrooms.
We were still below treeline
when we reached the Little Shovel Campground.
This campground is a short distance below Little Shovel Pass, and seemed
to be an ideal lunch spot. The campsite
is fairly scenic, or it would’ve been in better weather. We had just gotten lunch out when the sky
fell. It was a cold rain, and
unexpected, at least according to the forecasters. Somehow, they had failed to mention “times of rain”. Did you know, if you look up “incompetent”
in the dictionary, you’ll find a photo of a Canadian weather forecaster?
I was a bit grumpy as we
packed up and resumed the hike. After
all, we were about to begin a 16-mile stretch of one of the most scenic trails
in the world, but because of the weather, we may as well have been walking
through a car wash.
An easy climb brought us to
the crest of Little Shovel Pass. From
there, we endured a steep, slippery, muddy descent into the Snowbowl. There wasn’t much snow in the snowbowl, but
there was plenty of water. Small
streams were running in every direction, including down the middle of the
trail. We slopped our way along, and were
relieved to reach the Snowbowl Campground by mid-afternoon. We wandered around in the rain for a time,
in search of a campsite that wasn’t underwater. Eventually we settled for site #1, and used a nearby stand of
Whitebark Pine for shelter as we set up camp.
We spent most of the
afternoon reading in the tent. That
evening, we took advantage of a lull in the storm to make dinner. Spicy chicken jambalaya may have been the
highlight of the day, but the rain returned while we were cleaning our
dishes. We retreated to the tent, and
went to sleep early. Our hike on the
Skyline wasn’t off to a great start, but most of the best scenery was still to
come. If the weather cleared overnight,
we’d be in for a treat the next day.
SKY WALKING
The French word of the day is “ciel”, which translates to “sky” in English. As in, “The trail followed a ridge that was so open and high, it felt as though we were walking across the ciel.”
The next day started the
same way the previous one had ended – with rain. In fact it rained all night, before finally letting up at
8am. This was our cue to get up. We emerged from the tent to see an
incredible amount of water and mud – and a hint of blue sky. It looked as though the storm was blowing
through.
We headed over to the picnic
area for breakfast. While I was cooking
our eggs, the clouds regrouped, and the rain came again. Sigh.
I had just started eating my breakfast, standing there in a downpour,
when my awkward pot gripper caused me to spill my eggs. At that point, I may have used some impolite
language, directed towards Canadian weather forecasters. Can you blame me?
I cleaned up, re-hung the
food, and followed Christy back to the tent.
We had a fairly difficult 12-mile hike ahead of us, so we probably
should’ve gotten started. Screw it. Wake me when the rain stops.
An hour or so later the rain
quit. We broke camp, and started
sloshing up the trail at 11am. The
Snowbowl, which had turned into the Rainbowl, was now the Fogbowl. The rain had stopped, but heavy clouds and
mist continued to obscure the view.
After some easy but muddy hiking, we began a long, pesky climb to Big
Shovel Pass. This climb was harder than
I anticipated, but it wouldn’t be the only one of the day. As we neared the pass, the clouds lifted
enough to permit views of the surrounding mountains. It was a cold day, but we were still surprised to see fresh snow
covering the peaks to our east. The
snowline was only a little higher than we were, so we hadn’t missed the snow by
much.
The temperature continued to
drop as we climbed. We had been above
treeline ever since leaving camp, but now we were in true alpine
territory. At the pass, we endured a
harsh wind as we paused briefly for a late lunch. The sun made a brief appearance, and then it began to snow. Were we going to experience every
conceivable type of weather in a single day?
Our friends from
Saskatchewan caught up to us while we were eating lunch. We hadn’t seen them at the campground, since
we’d both been confined to our tents.
They had delayed their start that morning because of the weather, much
as we had. We were heading out as they
arrived, so we wished them luck on the rest of their hike. Fortunately for them, they only had a couple
of miles to go. We still had more than
9 miles ahead of us.
We hiked quickly along an
open, barren slope towards Curator Lake.
Despite the snow, the clouds lifted enough to permit fine views of the
terrain ahead. Beyond the lake rose a
massive wall that looked impassable. I
knew it couldn’t be impassable though, since our trail went that way. Beyond the lake was the hardest climb of the
hike: the steep, demanding grunt to the notch.
The Notch is the gateway to one of the most spectacular stretches of
trail you’ll find anywhere – an airy, gentle stroll along a knife-edge ridge
with unsurpassable views in every direction.
First though, we had to get up there.
First we stopped at the lake
for water. Suddenly, the snow stopped,
the clouds parted, and the sun came out.
The day warmed by about 20 degrees.
The change happened in a matter of minutes, and it couldn’t have come at
a better time. There’s nothing like
sunshine and blue sky to provide inspiration for a tough climb.
The climb was as tough as
advertised. The Notch is one of the
highest passes traversed by a maintained trail in the Canadian Rockies, and the
path didn’t fool around with a bunch of leisurely switchbacks to get
there. It may have been the most
difficult pass to obtain during the entire vacation. The climb was steep, but at least it was short. Near the top, a lingering snow cornice forced
us to angle higher to obtain the pass.
Finally we reached the crest, after only 30 minutes of pain. It was worth it. From the crest, we had a dramatic view back to the south. We traced our route back past Curator Lake,
over Big Shovel Pass, and through the Snowbowl. Beyond were Maligne Lake and the multitude of glacier-mantled
peaks surrounding it. To the west was
even more dramatic scenery, topped by Mount Edith Cavell. In the distance to the northwest, I think I
spotted the pyramid shape of Mount Robson, where we had been only a couple of
days earlier.
We took a lengthy
break. The trail ahead promised more
wonders, but what was the rush? While
we were relaxing we met Brian. Brian
climbed up in our footsteps, and paused to take in the view we were
enjoying. Brian was from somewhere in
British Columbia, where he works in forestry.
He had come to Jasper for a quick overnight backpacking trip. He’d obtained a permit to camp in the
Snowbowl, but when he reached the muddy camping area, he had decided to press
on. It was now 4pm, and he was planning
to hike the rest of the way out. In
other words, he was carrying a full pack on a 28-mile dayhike! We talked with Brian for a time before he
resumed his hike. After all, he still
had 13 miles or more to go before dark.
We followed him across an
airy traverse with non-stop views.
Initially we were hiking along the side of the ridge, but before long,
we found ourselves on the spine. The
view was of endless mountain ranges in every direction. The walking was so effortless, it almost
felt like we were flying. At the very
least, we were walking across the sky.
I wanted that sensation to last forever.
After three miles the trail
finally left the ridge for an open valley dotted with a pair of small lakes far
below. It was hard to leave, but camp
was calling. We stalled by taking
another unnecessary break before beginning our descent. After a series of lengthy switchbacks we
reached the bottom of the valley. We
continued downstream, and the first trees we’d seen since early that morning
loomed ahead. We descended into the
woods, where we found the Tekerra Campground near a small stream. The campground features 2 groups of 4
campsites. The sites are located next
to each other, so unless you’re traveling in a large group, plan on camping
next to strangers.
We got into camp late,
thanks to our delayed start, but still had plenty of time to feast on pasta and
crab cakes. As we ate, we reflected on
a truly magical day of hiking. Then the
sun disappeared and the moon rose above the head of the valley. The next day would bring our final hike in
the Canadian Rockies.
THE LONG ROAD
The French word of the day is “route”, which translates to “road” in English. As in, “The last 5 miles of the hike followed an old, rocky route. Once we reached the car, it was back on the route again, for the long drive back to Calgary.”
We endured another cold
night, and woke to find heavy frost on the tent and our packs. Oatmeal and hot cocoa helped us warm up for
the hike out.
We got an early start, as
we wanted to eat lunch in Jasper before we began the long drive back to
Calgary. We broke camp at 8:30 and rock
hopped the stream. A gentle climb followed,
as we curved around Signal Mountain.
The sun rose like a great ball of fire, and the morning chill was
quickly forgotten. We passed through a
brief stretch of forest before we climbed once again above treeline. More great views were waiting for us, as the
wild country of Jasper’s northern extremes stretched out into the
distance. This scenery was the
exclamation point on the trip. All too
soon though, the trail ended at a junction with a fire road. We followed the fire road downhill, and back
into the trees. From this point a short
side trip to the Signal Mountain fire tower is possible, but we decided to skip
it. After all, cheeseburgers were
calling!
A long, tedious slog down
the eternal fire road followed. One
gradual, rocky switchback followed the next as we plodded along. As I hiked, thoughts of home began to
surface. We had been gone a month. Would Wally, the squirrel residing in our
living room wall, still be there upon our return? More importantly, I was looking forward to seeing our dog. I couldn’t wait to see her reaction when we
walked in the front door. Meanwhile,
Christy was looking forward to an assortment of medical care. Her biggest dilemma was deciding which
doctor to see first.
As we hiked, we passed a
few backpackers heading up. Didn’t they
know that the hike was mostly downhill starting from the other end? Perhaps they wanted the exercise. We also saw a couple of mountain bikers
slowly working their way up the mountain.
It looked like a grueling climb, but at least the screaming downhill to
come would be worth it.
After an eternity or two
we finally began hearing cars in the distance.
A few more sweeping curves later, and the parking lot finally came into
view. What a relief! We couldn’t wait to get our aching feet out
of our boots. We headed back to Jasper,
and had lunch at the Ded Dog Brewery.
Afterwards, we stopped at the visitor’s center, where we donated 2
canisters of bear spray, some stove fuel, and some other random supplies to the
park service. Then it was on the road
again, back along the Athabasca River Valley.
As we drove, we couldn’t help looking up towards the Skyline, where we
could almost make out our footprints across the sky.
The
trip in review:
Starting
trailhead: Maligne Lake, at the end of
Maligne Lake Road.
Ending
trailhead: Maligne Lake Road near
Maligne Canyon.
Day
1 – Maligne Lake to the Snowbowl, 7 ½ miles, mostly uphill, but not difficult.
Day
2 – The Snowbowl to Tekarra, 12 ½ beautiful miles with 2 tough climbs.
Day
3 – Tekarra to Maligne Canyon, 8 miles, mostly down a tedious fire road.
The
campsite ratings (on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being paradise).
Snowbowl
** - Wet and muddy, but might be scenic in better weather.
Tekarra
** - Busy and cramped, but near a
pleasant stream.
And
a few we didn’t stay at:
Evelyn
Creek ** - Along a nice stream, but buggy.
Little
Shovel ** - Might have nice scenery in better weather.
Highlights: Pretty much the entire trail from the Little
Shovel Campground to the fire road below Signal Mountain.
Low
points: Rain, mud, rain, fog, rain,
clouds, and rain.
If
I had it to do all over again…I would do it the same way…or maybe I’d do it
like Brian in a 28-mile dayhike!
The
official pest of the trip: Rain
Christy and I will
definitely return to the Canadian Rockies.
The area is so huge, we feel like we barely scratched its surface during
our 4 weeks. The next time we visit,
we’ll probably focus on some areas we didn’t get to, like Lake O’Hara in Yoho
National Park, Skoki Valley in Banff, And the Tonquin Valley and Jonas Pass
areas in Jasper. Of course, there’s
bound to be a few places we’ll want to return to, like Mount Assiniboine,
Cirque Peak, Wilcox Pass, Floe Lake, and Berg Lake. With that in mind, here are a few of our favorites from the 4
weeks we spent in the Canadian Rockies:
Favorite: Andy
Christy
Backpack Berg Lake Undecided
Dayhike Cirque Peak Undecided
Waterfall Emperor Takkawaw
Lake Floe Floe
Campsite Floe Lake Floe
Lake
Mountain Athabasca Assiniboine
Tourist hike Athabasca glacier Athabasca
glacier
Wildlife sighting Grizzly
Bear Baby Moose
Backpacking meal Jambalaya Crab cakes
Town Canmore Jasper
Restaurant Grizzly Paw Ded
Dog Brewery
Beer Rutting Elk Red Kokanee
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