CR2015: Three Lakes Hike at Mistaya

I put my camera into burst mode and tried to get some hummingbird pictures before we left on today's hike. The feeder on the east side of the lodge is visited by swarms of rufous hummingbirds, who will buzz each other and contest each other's presence at the feeder. We were told that when the birds are very young, they tolerate each other well, because they are typically raised more than one to a nest. Then suddenly they are territorial and there are waves of frantic, buzzing "dogfights" followed by brief truces at the feeder.

Another photo.

It was another handsome day, making four in a row since we left Lake O'Hara. Today most of the lodge guests are taking the guided Three Lakes Hike, vigorous but not as strenuous as yesterday's climb of West Peyto Peak. This map shows the key locations of this wide loop (click to enlarge).

We started climbing straightaway after leaving the lodge.

Our first major stop, not visible in the above map, is the Karst Hole, where the water leaving Stonebird Lake (bottom right corner of the map) disappears into the porous terrain.

It was a good spot to stop and switch from huff-and-puff to a moment of contemplation. Stonebird Lake is beyond the near horizon.

Over the rocks and up a draw we hiked.

Stonebird Lake hove into view below the peaks that define the continental divide and the boundary between Alberta and British Columbia.

We continued around the lake to the left; in the grassy slopes fireweed was blooming.

We climbed further, past the lake,

and here Sandra, our guide, pointed out the namesake bird image in the cliff face. It took me a few moments, but I finally spotted it. The degree of difficulty recognizing it varies with the lighting and the amount of water cascading down the cliff. This photo zooms in on the rocky avian, smack in the center and filling most of the space from top to bottom.

We quickly came up to Longshadow Lake, and decided it was a good place for first lunch.

The next photo looks back as we left the lake, post-dining.

Twenty minutes later we encountered young hoary marmot, full of curiosity about us.

We continued up to the top of the "Mista-Vista" knob, 8,300 ft. altitude, and stared at the panorama.

I walked over to the southern edge, and spotted the third of our three lakes, Leprechaun Lake, below. This lake has no visible outflow.

Our group came down from Mista Vista and walked along Heather Ridge, where we stopped for a snack, or, if you budgeted your food carefully, your second lunch. We learned from Sandra that fir trees have cones that point up, while spruce bear cones that point down. ("Fir fingers; spruce sag.") Descending from the ridge we entered the woods again, and saw some flowers that had recently boomed, including butterwort.

We arrived back at the lodge and settled our pigs back in the window.

Dinner was early tonight, to give everybody time to pack for tomorrow's departure. Afterwards, Joan and I visited the helipad to check out the evening sun,

and one of the best images was looking south towards the Sceptre Spire.

Joan and I also took a few minutes to visit the greenhouse close by the lodge. Much of the lettuce, spinach, and other greens used by the lodge come from the greenhouse.

Then it was time to turn in, our last night at Mistaya Lodge.