Smoke and Snow: Upper Kananaskis Lake, Part Two

On Tuesday, September 19th, Joan and I snacked for breakfast at the Market Café, which, hurrah, now had four flavors of  Le Chocolatier chocolate bars in stock. We bought two, plus two bananas. Side note: Delta Lodge at Kananaskis is now rebranded as Kananaskis Mountain Lodge.

Today we would continue exploring the trail around Upper Kananaskis Lake. When we pulled into the Interlake parking area, where we had turned around the day before, the temperature was hovering at the freezing mark, and some snow was falling, definitely a different weather drainage from Kananaskis Village.

And there were three moose! A female, her youngster, and a young male hanging around her and making noises, which she ignored. We quietly watched until they disappeared into the woods when a helicopter approached.

The chopper was ferrying supplies towards, we guessed, the Turbine Canyon backcountry campground, and bringing trash and debris back. Each round trip wasn't taking very long.

Here the helicopter is lifting away again.

Zooming in on this trip's cargo.

Driving to and back from the parking area we also saw six deer (groups of three, two, and a solo.)

Joan and I set out counter-clockwise again to add the north and west shores to our Upper Lake experience. We moseyed along, as neither of us was feeling 100%. The weather was very localized; snow might be falling on the north shore but not the south, or the reverse. Here's a view looking south.

This photo is centered on the strip of land that gives Hidden Lake, nestled between two mountains, its name.

Then the trail entered the Palliser rockslides, an area of geology research and a tumbled landscape.

The source of these millions of cubic meters of debris is the adjacent mountainside, unstable in the geologic sense.

The lithic outflow is clearly visible in satellite images. In this image the red dots trace today's hike, the purple, yesterday's; click on it to enlarge.

We bypassed the Point Campground turnoff on our outbound leg. Bicycles are allowed this far, no further, if they take the higher wider path when available; there are four concrete forms at the entrance for bike parking.

As the trail bent south we came across this inlet, with Canada geese, colorful grasses, and tree stumps.

There was a wonderful picnic bench at the bottom of Upper Kananaskis Falls, on a short side trail off the main trail. Here we had lunch.

The weather allowed the pigs to come out of our daypacks and enjoy the view.

Joan and I continued the short distance up to the bridge across the stream, rebuilt after the 2013 floods. Until this new bridge was installed there was no way to complete a lake circuit.

The reconstruction includes a stone wall held by wire mesh, anchored to the near bank, and a tree lashed in front of that!

From the other side of the bridge I could walk down to the water level and photograph the undercarriage.

This was our turn-around point. On the return we visited Point Campground, which was empty. It's a family-friendly campground with gravel pads, picnic tables, firewood, two biffies, and food storage lockers. Not primitive back-country stuff!

As we re-entered the Palliser rockslides we encountered a pika (and heard one more). He looked fluffed up and well-fed against the cold. At this altitude there was still greenery to harvest against the winter months.

 He looked a bit sleeker stretched out for a jump.

In recrossing the Palliser we saw this stone bearing red paint marks. I don't think it indicates anything useful ...

The weather reinforced its fickleness as we passed through the Palliser. Here, another panoramic view.

A closeup showing the variation in snow with altitude.

Back in the woods, Joan and I saw three pileated woodpeckers, and likely a fourth. They are not common here but flourish in suitable habitats. Joan spotted a varied thrush.

Drawing towards the end, we began to be hit by wind and soft ice pellets. In a strong breeze we tossed our gear into the car, trying to keep the weather out. Only then did it let up! 

We returned to the lodge to find that housekeeping had visited, even though we'd signed up for the "green" option and its small discount. Well, the lodge hadn't been open under the new management for long.

We planned to explore the new bridges on the lower reaches of the Galatea Lakes trail the next day.