On the 10th Day of Hiking (Paradise Valley/Lake Annette)

By the morning of September 15th it had snowed another two or three inches. Joan and I decided over breakfast to go ahead with plan A, to hike up Paradise Valley to Lake Annette, which required a drive to the trailhead (click on the image to enlarge).

Again, we had to sweep snow off the Corolla by hand. When we arrived at the trailhead there were only a couple of other cars, plus a camper, which was odd because camping is forbidden there. Much later we met the owner of the camper, Matt, and his dog; he was working for Parks Canada one week on and one week off. He had a permit.

From the parking area, everything lies ahead. Some destinations are further than others.

Comparing old and new maps, Joan and I could see that the Paradise Valley trail had been rerouted in places, and perhaps this explained why various sources listed the distance to Lake Annette between 5.7km and 7km. The trailhead sign listed 6.3km. Whatever. We were going to the lake.

We crunched uphill through crusty snow and past two very early trail intersections. Ours were the only footprints. Then Joan and I met two young men headed down carrying skis; they had almost certainly made an early start from the Paradise Valley campground, and would be the only people we'd see while outbound, although our hike's total would be fifteen plus one dog.

We paused where the Paradise Valley trail departed from the Lake Louise to Moraine Lake trail. The wide road towards Lake Louise is nominally a horse trail.

No bicycles!

Up Paradise Valley, a footpath.

There was a bear warning.

Joan and I had put off visiting Moraine Lake for several years, because bears (a mom and two cubs) had taken up residence, and traveling in groups was mandatory. This year the ursine inhabitants hadn't been in evidence, and now groups were merely advisable. Plus winter was early this year. Still, we called out as we hiked on, alerting any bears that humans were coming.

The mountains played peek-a-boo with fog, drizzle, light snow, and times of no precipitation.

Crossing Paradise Creek

We followed the footprints of the outbound skiers as we gradually ascended the valley. On reaching the intersection for the Lake Annette loop we discovered that the part of the loop in the valley floor was closed for rehabilitation -- visiting Lake Annette was the only way forward, as shown on the map above. Up we went through multiple switchbacks and spots where the trail, now narrow, made us glad for a hiking pole in each hand. The footing became sketchier with a continuing light rain and snow mix.

Joan and I emerged onto the diminutive beach at Lake Annette.

Under these conditions there was no good place to sit for lunch, so we marched on, climbing westbound and higher on the ridge. The next destinations were some distance away.

The map indicated that eventually we would break out of the woods, which might, depending on the weather, offer us a viewpoint. That time seemed a long time coming. We did spot a woodpecker, an avian point of interest.

We decided to turn around, still in the woods, and finally encountered other hikers coming up the trail. After a brief repeat stop at Lake Annette

Scenic, but it didn't beckon us to linger.

we descended into the valley, and managed a standing lunch stop under a tree, which was a mixed blessing. The trees were dripping water and occasionally letting loose clumps of snow that might smack you on the head. Standing in the trail was not safe from bombardment, either, so we picked our lunch patch through trial and error.

Joan and I encountered a snowman on one of the bridges crossing Paradise Creek.

Standing guard on the railing!

We continued tromping down the valley. A break in the clouds and fog gave us a sighting of Fairview and Saddleback; the trail to those heights had no footprints.

On our return to Moraine Lake our first stop, and the first stop for many visitors, was the Rockpile, at the foot of the lake.

You can see why Moraine Lake has such a reputation for beauty.

The best view of the lodge and cabins is from the top of the Rockpile.

We also found this plaque honoring Don Gardner, whom we met last year on the Lake McArthur trail.

Visitors can rent a canoe as well as stroll along the lakeshore.

Later, it snowed some more during dinner.

After the evening meal we attended a talk by Joel of Great Divide Nature Interpretation. Great Divide does three talks per week at Moraine Lake; this was the only one we could catch. Tonight's topic was "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Ungulates," and it was very engaging. They also guide hikes, but again, their schedule and ours didn't align.

Then it was off to bed, wondering how much more snow the morning would reveal.

On the 9th day of hiking (Opabin Plateau)

September 14, the last day of our visit to Lake O'Hara, was gray but calm, with mists and low clouds.

Joan and I had signed up for the late (4:00 pm) bus, snaring us another hiking day. We took the East Opabin trail up to the Opabin Plateau, a change from our other hike there. On the way we saw some birds on the O'Hara lakeshore.

Before embarking on the east trail we looked back to the bluff formation we've nicknamed "lunch rock."

After the forested switchbacks of the east trail we took a staircased connector to the Cascade Lakes. We were breaking trail through the snow, except for animal tracks.

At the lakes we saw ducks and an american dipper, adapted and oblivious to the frigid water.

Another shot of mountains, lakes, and ice.

We continued on the West Opabin trail and headed towards Opabin Lake, skirting the edge of Hungabee Lake.

Looking east towards the Yukness Ledges.

There was a group of five photographers strung out along the plateau; we encountered them individually. In this image one of the photogs is scoping out a scene.

Hungabee Lake -- almost a black and white photo!

Soon Joan and I reached Opabin Lake, at the foot of the Opabin Glacier.

We descended to the other side of Hungabee, 

The track at right is the East Opabin trail.

and picked up the Highline trail. This gave us a fresh look down to the Cascade Lakes.

Out to the Opabin Prospect, where Lake O'Hara played peek-a-boo.

After our crisscrossing  of the plateau we headed down the West Opabin trail, and some precipitation began. It picked up as we chatted with a Parks Canada warden on the O'Hara lakeshore. It was time to go into the lodge and warm up with the fire and afternoon tea, followed by the bus ride down to the parking area, where I brushed snow off our rental car by hand.

We were on our way to Moraine Lake Lodge, which wasn't far, and where we would spend the next three nights. However, the explosive popularity of Lake Louise and Moraine Lake presented obstacles.

 

In particular, a left turn from the Lake Louise road to enter the Moraine Lake road was forbidden. Signs and barriers were up, and a guy was waving people on. We guessed that drivers were expected to drive to the Lake Louise parking and make a U-turn to approach Moraine Lake as a right hand turn.

But according to the literature/e-mail from Moraine Lake Lodge, as lodge guests with proof via printout, we should have been allowed to make the left hand turn. The barrier dude explained that his supervisor told him that nobody turned left, but he thought it was a stupid rule and since Joan and I had already turned in that direction to talk to him, we might as well go ahead. What about next time? we asked. "Give it a go," he said, shrugging.

We squeezed the Corolla into the last parking space at the lodge. We were staying in one of the cabins -- outlying structures fancier than the term "cabin" implies -- and ours was at the far end.

After dinner we chewed over our options for tomorrow's hiking; the weather forecast was not enticing. Joan and I decided on Paradise Valley and then we collapsed into bed. 

On the 7th/8th day of Hiking (Linda Lake)

Not every day can be a sunny day, especially so during September 2018. Today, the 12th, Joan and I first thought, given the patches of blue in the sky, that today could be the day to tackle Wiwaxy Gap/Huber Ledges, a climb to about 8,000 feet and much of it exposed. A few minutes after setting out we could see weather coming in, and reversing course, changed our destination to Linda Lake. We were too late to catch the 9:15 bus for a dropoff that would save a couple of kilometers on the outbound leg, and took the Morning Glory route towards the lake.

The MG route is rocky and rooty, but Joan and I plugged on, changing our outerwear every so often in response to the fluctuating conditions. We were glad to have donned our rain pants while in the cabin!

On the way we crossed paths with two grouse. Finally the trail curved sharply to the south-west and began a descent to the Morning Glory Lakes. From there Joan spotted a mountain goat on the flanks of Odaray Mountain, lifting our spirits. (Click on the image to enlarge.)

The next phase was a climb of many switchbacks up the Beeline trail, a warming effort. I had unzipped anything I could by the time we hit the top.

We reached the shore of Linda Lake and Joan was soon dispensing trail advice on routes both well-marked and incognito, using a map to assist a group of four and another of two, both new to the O'Hara trail system. The situation at Linda Lake is especially confusing ...

You can make a circuit around Linda Lake, but whether the leg on the eastern side exists or not is mystifying to the newcomer. The trail on the southern side is narrow and sometimes at the water's edge, but easy to follow, and takes the hiker to a rock pile that in better weather is a fantastic lunch spot with views of Linda Lake and resident pikas on parade.

Joan and I found a quasi-sheltered spot for lunch at the top of the rock pile among a thin stand of trees. There were waves of ice pellets, but none so strong as to accumulate or keep us from our sandwiches and cookies. I slipped when standing up from lunch, but no harm done!

One disadvantage of my point-and-shoot camera is that there is no lens guard, and when powered on it sticks its snout way out. Thus, I'm reluctant to use it in weather like we had this day.

Afterwards we hiked a short distance towards Vera Lake, and caught this view of the heights on the north side of Duchesnay Basin.

On our return we crossed the north side of Linda Lake and continued downhill to the crossroads with the Lower Morning Glory trail. The Lower Morning Glory was so free of foot snares (roots and rocks) that we must have traveled twice as fast as our incoming pace. We encountered a solo grouse, who was much warier of us than the pairs we'd met so far. Perhaps it was the survivor of a pair.

This route took us through the campground, and we admired the level gravel pads and supplementary tarps strung above many of the tents, covering much of the pad. Rather than continue up the road Joan and I crossed to the trail along the east side of Lake O'Hara's exit creek, which we'd done once before. We caught a few minutes of heavy rain before reaching our cabin and hanging our stuff up to dry. There were no bats. This was the view from our cabin; no mountains in sight.

The meteorological situation hadn't improved the next day. Snow had fallen overnight on the middle and upper altitudes, and ice pellets rained lightly before and during breakfast.

Joan and I decided to wait and see what developed. Soon after we returned to our cabin it began to snow intensely, but with light wind. By lunchtime there had been two waves of heavy snow bracketed by calm times and light precipitation. We caught up on some reading as our traveling companions, pig and frog, looked out the window.

We ate lunch on our porch, accompanied by pipits, a yellow-rumped warbler, various small mousy critters, and a hopeful squirrel that we discouraged by foot stomping. Later in the afternoon Joan and I circumambulated Lake O'Hara in the snow to get out of the cabin and get some exercise.

Then it was time for dinner, a first-class experience at Lake O'Hara. We arrived early and I captured this view from near the entrance of the dining room.

The sun began to make an apologetic appearance during the meal, sinking lower but offering a promise for tomorrow.

On the 6th Day of Hiking (Opabin Plateau, Yukness Ledges)

Who knows what the weather will bring? Sept. 11th started out OK if cloudy, with rare spots of blue. Joan and I finally shoved off at 10:00 and headed for the West Opabin Trail, much more interesting than the East trail. There were a couple of intersections before options other than West Opabin were left behind.

Looking back at the last intersection.

Interesting September foliage.

At first the trail was wide and low, passing Mary Lake, and then began to gently climb.

The route emerged from the forest and started scaling the edge of Opabin.

The view opened up immediately, an advantage the West Opabin trail holds over the East. We saw at least one pika on this climb, and heard others.

Looking back at Mary Lake.

Flagstones led the way after the trail crested, a short distance beyond the All Souls and Opabin Prospect intersections.

Following this trail, we reached the bridge at the head of the Cascade Lakes.

The view looking further south.

Ducks landed in the lakes and began diving and bobbing for food.

Through our binoculars we could see that hikers had reached All Souls Prospect.

Joan and I crossed the bridge and headed north, to catch the start of the Opabin Highline trail. Up on the Highline we had a close pika sighting.

The larches were yellower than down below.

We followed the trail past Hungabee Lake to the East Opabin trail,

not far from its junction with the Yukness Ledges route.

So far we had only one glimpse of anybody else! But three hikers were waiting at the Yukness Ledges intersection for something or somebody. Joan and I went up and up through the boulder field initiating Yukness, happy to traverse it headed up rather than down, and at the start of the ledges for a change. We paused at the foot of the less than unofficial route to Sleeping Poets Pool, but deferred to uncertain weather and left that for another visit. The view down to the Opabin Plateau was gratifying.

We sat on a suitable rock and ate lunch; now we were starting to meet hikers headed in the opposite direction. Lake O'Hara came into view as the trail bent around the slopes of Yukness mountain.

More hikers, including a Parks Canada ranger, came along headed the other way. Joan was excellent in dispensing advice and enthusiasm for O'Hara to those on the ledges for the first time.

She also spotted some intriguing seams and inclusions on one rock face.

Vigilance pays off. As the Huber Ledges came into view,

Joan spotted a mountain goat in the distance, our first of the visit. It settled down for a rest.

We reached the Victoria Lake cutoff and decided to keep going to Lake Oesa. Some of the hikers we now encountered seemed ill-equipped for the stony trail, wearing running shoes and such; at least, that was our opinion. Two guys posed us a difficult question: whether the Yukness Ledges are best described as carefully-picking-you-way, or a more even, if narrow, trail. The correct answer is "both!" We did tell them about the cutoff in case they decided early on that the ledges were not to their liking.

We stopped at Lake Oesa, but only to put on rain gear because weather was blowing in with disappearing views. Fortunately it never grew bad; a few ice pellets and some rain, just enough to force me to alternate keeping the hood of my rain jacket up versus down. We marveled at the turquoise color of Lake Lefroy under these conditions.

On reaching the O'Hara lakeshore Joan and I experienced a keyhole in the clouds that that sequentially allowed the sun to illuminate the Opabin bluffs,

Mount Yukness,

the Seven Veils waterfall at the far end of O'Hara,

and a stretch of cabins.

Today there was no bat in the cabin waiting for us. After another superb dinner at the lodge, Joan and I began mapping out alternatives for tomorrow, depending on the weather. We knew we could not predict it in advance.