CR2012: Wiwaxy Gap, Huber Ledges, and Hail

Our next hike was climbing to Wiwaxy Gap and following the Huber Ledges. I documented this in detail last year, here and here, so this time I took pictures of whatever caught my eye.

Early morning photos of Lake O'Hara are common, but I can't resist sharing this one with you, taken on our way to the Wiwaxy Gap trail junction.

One of the joys of an early-season visit is the profusion of flowers making the most of a short growing season. In this next photo, spot the beardtongue everywhere in the right-hand third (click to enlarge). Also note the alpine trail blaze in the lower right-hand corner; two yellow bars on a blue field.

And then there were these, stonecrop and fringed grass of parnassus.

On an ultra-steep trail such as Wiwaxy Gap, you will pass some people and be passed by others. A cheerful word, even if you're out of breath, and spectacular views remove any embarrassment.

We continued to move higher, taking frequent lung breaks. Another half hour, and we were able to see Sleeping Poet's Pool, which we had visited two days before. This picture was taken at full zoom.

We reached Wiwaxy Gap, cooled down, and caught our breath. I didn't take any photos from the gap this year, but this is such a milestone  that it must be noted, so I'll include the video I shot from Wiwaxy Gap last year.

Scanning Wiwaxy Gap, Sept. 4 2011 from Ben Branch on Vimeo.

Then we began to traverse the Huber Ledges. We nearly ran over a hoary marmot who was intent on eating the dirt in the trail, perhaps for minerals. As long as we stayed more than three feet away he ignored us. After a moment of observation we were forced to disturb him, in order to press on.

Drawing closer and closer to Lake Oesa, we came to a spot that offered us an excellent angle for scanning, with our binoculars, the tilted tableland that forms the corner of the Yukness Ledges trail.

Even on the high ledges we would run across flowers, such as this moss campion, particularly on damp spots where water would be running down from the heights.

This picture, taken as we drew closer to Lake Oesa, shows not only the lake itself but the extensive rocky shelf on its shore. This is a favorite lunch stop and picnic ground, with room to absorb dozens of people. Click to enlarge the photo, and if you squint, you might be able to spot hikers scattered about.

Researchers from the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary are conducting various studies in the Lake O'Hara region, both geological and hydrological. We've seen them up at Opabin Lake, and today some were out on Lake Oesa. Two were in an inflatable craft -- how would you like to carry that up to the lake?

This fellow was definitely not a researcher. He also didn't stay in the lake very long.

We left Lake Oesa by the outflow, planning to take the initial section of the Yukness Ledges trail, and then take the Victoria Lake cutoff to rejoin the Lake Oesa trail for our return.

At the foot of the outflow another team was taking some measurements.

In the next photo, we're looking forward on the cutoff trail, near the unnamed pond in the map above.

The clouds threw down rain and hail twice on our walk back. The hailstones were large and fast enough to hurt when they hit. The white spots you see in this picture aren't flowers, they are hailstones.

Here is a closeup.

Sometimes the smaller hailstones would be stuck in the fingers of a tree.

Twice we sought shelter under large trees when an intense shower swept up the lake, a strategy that helped. We sought a tree on the side of the trail with a dry, or nearly dry, ring around its base. Good ones were not common, and the Lake Oesa trail has many sections open to the sky, so we had little shelter from the first storm. Nonetheless Joan and I made it back to the cabin without any bruises from the hailstones, and ready for dinner.