September 14th (2019) was a transfer day. After breakfast at Cathedral Mountain Lodge we drove into Field, to check out the Visitor Center and to buy some to-go lunches. In town we discovered that the Siding, where we planned to make our purchases, is now open "every day 12-7," not "open after 10 except Sunday." No lunch fixings here. But next door was the ceramics shop where Bob and Val, our Canmore hosts at Canadian Artisans B&B, found their dragons. After browsing and debating Joan came away bearing a mug with mountains incised on it.
Up and up we drove over the Kicking Horse Pass, and switched to the Highway 1A at Lake Louise for a pleasant tootle down to Castle Junction and Highway 93. A few miles up 93 we checked out the Storm Mountain Lodge and bought carryout there, forming an initial impression of the place, which we hoped would be suitable for a stay next year. It reminded us of the early version of Cathedral Mountain Lodge, which had the same ownership until CML was sold, and passed our brief inspection.
Returning to the 1A we stopped at a lookout and gazed back at Storm Mountain.
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Those mountains straddle the continental divide.
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Joan and I paused at the Sawbuck Creek picnic area for lunch.
We continued south and noted the location of the Moose Meadow trail before encountering the immense crowds parked along the road for miles before and after the bucket-list hike to Johnston Canyon. Only two cars were parked at Moose Meadow, whose alternate route to the canyon is only a little longer than the main one. A little research would help a lot, especially if you were one of those fated to show up at noon pushing a baby stroller.
The 1A fed into the Trans-Canada and after Canmore we exited at Highway 40, in Kananaskis country. We pulled into a modest parking area for the Barrier Lake forestry trails, across the road from the jammed Barrier Lake parking.
A sign provided an overview of the loop. It's a modest hike but a great leg-stretch.
Autumn flowers were still out. Click on the image to enlarge; some ants are exploring this paintbrush.
What a path some leaf miner drew. Topo map or race course resemblance?
Happy happy fungi.Off and on during our walk Joan and I would hear roaring sounds, as if someone were drag racing up and down Highway 40. When we finished the loop we walked over to another, larger parking area, for what's been preserved of a WWII prisoner-of-war camp that was staffed by veterans of the First World War.There we discovered that there was a rally going on, with lots of roaring, farting sports cars covered in decals. Contestants were armed with a checklist of questions -- it was a puzzle hunt. At the colonel's cabin there were, so far, just a few answer seekers.
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Foundation of a barracks.
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Along the way we encountered a large mound, several feet on a side, of plant matter swarming with ants.
A closer look.Most of the rally had moved on by the time we returned to the parking area. We drove down Highway 40 to the Pomeroy Kananaskis, our base of operations for the next three days. The resort was crowded, it being a Saturday, causing dinner to take 2½ hours. At the Market, a coffee and sandwich shop, we discovered Le Chocolatier chocolate bars, one of our favorite trail snacks. We bought four.The forecast for tomorrow was good, and our hiking goal would be Jumpingpound Mountain and beyond. Joan and I had climbed up Jumpingpound last year, but snow had cut the visit short.
This is a short hike with some switchbacks and altitude gain, revealing views up and down the valley. I didn't take any photos today, and we drove on to Canmore and our hotel.
At the far end we entered the forested area, at first on a gentle grade, and then on the extensive series of switchbacks. (The "trail" begins as an old unpaved road.) At the one-hour mark, we encountered this Western coralroot in bud,
and a foraging red squirrel.
After slogging uphill another three-quarters of an hour, views began to open up.
But look at the way ahead!
We hiked along the ridge to the spot where, we knew, some less-than-ideal stones headed steeply up. We'd done them twice in years before. But when we reached that section, it now looked sketchy, slick, and polished. Handholds were scarce. After taking a few cautious steps, we decided to walk back as far as a great view and have lunch there. Another gentleman hiking with us made the same decision.
