CR2013: Last Larch Prospect

Today's plan is to hike to Last Larch Prospect, which we had not done since 2009. The first portion of this trip visits Linda Lake and Cathedral Lakes, which we have hiked to several times, most recently in 2011 and in 2012. Given the distance to Last Larch Prospect, we opted to hitch a ride on the morning lodge bus as far as the Linda Lake trail, which saves a couple of uninteresting kilometers on the way out.

Here we see the Parks Canada bus, not the lodge bus, but the photo illustrates the early post-breakfast light.

Looking in the other direction, towards Wiwaxy Peaks, there's a wonderful reflection.

This map section shows the Linda Lake trail near center top. Just remember to tell the bus driver that you want a drop-off there!

Less than half an hour after leaving the bus Joan and I crossed a footbridge, and every time I see this view, I am compelled to take a photo.

Here's a closer look at Odaray Mountain.

As you can see from the above map, after passing the Four Way Junction you soon arrive at the northeastern end of Linda Lake. Let's pull in another section of the map, covering the ground between Linda Lake and Last Larch Prospect.

We wind around the far side of Linda Lake and continue on the Duchesnay Basin trail, walking through a mixture of meadow and woods.

The trail crosses a footbridge at the head of Cathedral Lakes.

After a couple of meadows and woods the trail splits, ahead for Duchesnay Basin and right for Cathedral Basin/Prospect.

Joan and I head straight, and shortly thereafter we arrive at a long meadow. Here it is in 2013 ... an easy stroll ...

and here it was when we first visited in 2009. The guidebook claimed it was almost always dry, but it wasn't back then! This year we didn't have to bash along the shoreline.

The trail gradually climbs, with an occasional short but steep pitch over a hillock or moraine.

The last section is all uphill; this view is looking back.

The cairn in the center of this photo kept us on track until it was time to climb the slight ridge on the left. We're almost there!

The prospect is marked by a black-and-white striped pole. We ate our lunches here, and I discovered that I had picked up the wrong lunch bag part-way through the self-serve lunch-fixings line. Fortunately my sack had the famous Lake O'Hara cookies that I'd picked out, the most important part of the meal.

This video scans from the prospect, taking in the passes and peaks lining the Duchesnay Basin, plus the view back towards Lake O'Hara. At the end it zooms in on the black-and-white pole.

Joan and I decided to repeat our adventurous return route from 2009. Rather than retrace our steps, we headed further out and down to the left, in order to cross the creek at the foot of the mountains while it was still small. This off-trail option was described to us by Bruce, at Lake O'Hara lodge, back in 2009 as a possibility if time and energy permitted.

Here's our farewell glimpse of Last Larch Prospect.

As soon as we left the heights the land was cut by gullies curving down towards the creek. We picked one -- further up the basin than in 2009, when we had difficulty crossing the creek with dry feet -- and began working our way downhill. The sides of the gully rose.

We switched from side to side of the gully, sometimes abandoning one gully for another, through low spots. Lower down we also maneuvered along stream banks. Here is a photo from 2009.

We arrived at Duchesnay Creek and crossed it. After following the stream for a while I looked back towards the head of the basin.

This initial stretch, labelled Odaray Lakes Flat, is fine for walking, but the other side of the creek is choked with brush and mud. After we reached the Odaray Lakes the margin between the mountain's edge and the water disappeared. We were to begin rock-hopping.

For a while we could still follow Duchesnay Creek. 

The best way forward was to hop from rock to rock; otherwise you are smashing through dense woods or climbing the mountain's flanks. Sometimes the rocks are flat and cooperative, but most often you must calculate a path of small leaps on rocks of many shapes: ridges, indented tops, flat surfaces sloping the wrong way. Losing your footing could mean a nasty sprain or worse, miles from the road, so progress was slow. 

After the creek veered away we were left to traverse the Rutherford Moraines. Here is one section. More rocks.

After the first hundred meters rock-hopping became tiresome, for the feet as well as the mind. This route wasn't as exciting the second time around, somehow, and it seemed to go on forever. With each new turn hope rose in my heart that it would reveal Linda Lake, but it failed to do so time after time. When would the lake show up?

Finally Linda Lake appeared on the left, reachable by a short downhill stretch blissfully free of rocks. We were back on a trail! Linda Lake, beautiful as ever, demanded a pause.

The walk back to Lake O'Hara lay ahead of us. First, switchbacks down the Linda Lake Beeline trail, reaching the Morning Glory Lakes. Then, regaining the lost altitude on the Lower Morning Glory trail, with a couple of last opportunities to scan for marmots and pikas in modest rockfalls, followed by a 120º turn and a long trudge through the viewless woods, which we had avoided in the morning with the bus drop-off. If hiking earlier in the year there is the possibility of at least hearing hermit or varied thrushes, but not today (September 4th). Joan and I felt great relief when we reached the Alpine Meadow pond and Elizabeth Parker Hut. Almost done!

Our cabin was a welcome sight. We were both footsore, and while glad to have visited the Last Larch Prospect again,  we find the off-trail return to Linda Lake has lost its charm. We are unlikely to repeat it.