CR2012: Wiwaxy Gap, Huber Ledges, and Hail

Our next hike was climbing to Wiwaxy Gap and following the Huber Ledges. I documented this in detail last year, here and here, so this time I took pictures of whatever caught my eye.

Early morning photos of Lake O'Hara are common, but I can't resist sharing this one with you, taken on our way to the Wiwaxy Gap trail junction.

One of the joys of an early-season visit is the profusion of flowers making the most of a short growing season. In this next photo, spot the beardtongue everywhere in the right-hand third (click to enlarge). Also note the alpine trail blaze in the lower right-hand corner; two yellow bars on a blue field.

And then there were these, stonecrop and fringed grass of parnassus.

On an ultra-steep trail such as Wiwaxy Gap, you will pass some people and be passed by others. A cheerful word, even if you're out of breath, and spectacular views remove any embarrassment.

We continued to move higher, taking frequent lung breaks. Another half hour, and we were able to see Sleeping Poet's Pool, which we had visited two days before. This picture was taken at full zoom.

We reached Wiwaxy Gap, cooled down, and caught our breath. I didn't take any photos from the gap this year, but this is such a milestone  that it must be noted, so I'll include the video I shot from Wiwaxy Gap last year.

Scanning Wiwaxy Gap, Sept. 4 2011 from Ben Branch on Vimeo.

Then we began to traverse the Huber Ledges. We nearly ran over a hoary marmot who was intent on eating the dirt in the trail, perhaps for minerals. As long as we stayed more than three feet away he ignored us. After a moment of observation we were forced to disturb him, in order to press on.

Drawing closer and closer to Lake Oesa, we came to a spot that offered us an excellent angle for scanning, with our binoculars, the tilted tableland that forms the corner of the Yukness Ledges trail.

Even on the high ledges we would run across flowers, such as this moss campion, particularly on damp spots where water would be running down from the heights.

This picture, taken as we drew closer to Lake Oesa, shows not only the lake itself but the extensive rocky shelf on its shore. This is a favorite lunch stop and picnic ground, with room to absorb dozens of people. Click to enlarge the photo, and if you squint, you might be able to spot hikers scattered about.

Researchers from the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary are conducting various studies in the Lake O'Hara region, both geological and hydrological. We've seen them up at Opabin Lake, and today some were out on Lake Oesa. Two were in an inflatable craft -- how would you like to carry that up to the lake?

This fellow was definitely not a researcher. He also didn't stay in the lake very long.

We left Lake Oesa by the outflow, planning to take the initial section of the Yukness Ledges trail, and then take the Victoria Lake cutoff to rejoin the Lake Oesa trail for our return.

At the foot of the outflow another team was taking some measurements.

In the next photo, we're looking forward on the cutoff trail, near the unnamed pond in the map above.

The clouds threw down rain and hail twice on our walk back. The hailstones were large and fast enough to hurt when they hit. The white spots you see in this picture aren't flowers, they are hailstones.

Here is a closeup.

Sometimes the smaller hailstones would be stuck in the fingers of a tree.

Twice we sought shelter under large trees when an intense shower swept up the lake, a strategy that helped. We sought a tree on the side of the trail with a dry, or nearly dry, ring around its base. Good ones were not common, and the Lake Oesa trail has many sections open to the sky, so we had little shelter from the first storm. Nonetheless Joan and I made it back to the cabin without any bruises from the hailstones, and ready for dinner.

CR2012: Sleeping Poet's Pool and Yukness Ledges

This day started with another stunning morning. Allow me to feed you another photo of the view from our cabin.

However, notice the puffy white clouds so early in the morning? As we learned at a weather presentation at the Le Relais shelter, this indicates a high enough level of humidity in the atmosphere that afternoon precipitation is likely. Today this rule of thumb was true.

Our goal for today was to climb up to Sleeping Poet's Pool and then traverse the Yukness Ledges. The trail for the pool branches off from the Yukness route close to the East Opabin trail, so East Opabin was the first leg of our hike. This trail is broad and stays in a forested ravine for a long time as it rises to the Opabin Plateau.

We had a prime ornithological sighting early on. We heard the vigorous chirping of winter wrens as we approached the log in the above picture. Standing quietly and peering at the log, we discovered that a baby wren was begging for food, but the parents, who had been hunting, were unwilling to reveal the baby's location as long as we were standing there. The wrens are hyperkinetic, so the next two pictures are blurry.

First, here is the parent with its catch, waiting for a chance to slip over to the baby unobserved.

After a while the baby emerged, frowning, to see what was delaying its breakfast.

We moved on, gaining altitude through switchback after switchback until we reached the start of the plateau, where the trail forks. The left fork is the direct route to the Yukness Ledges trail.

The trail continues to rise, albeit more gradually. Because the path follows a creek, the ground is often wet, and stepping stones are provided.

The East Opabin trail continues on to Hungabee Lake, where the Yukness Ledges trail comes in from the left. Opabin Lake itself is just beyond the moraine in the center of the photo; we'll visit it on our last day at Lake O'Hara.

The first section of the Yukness Ledges trail climbs through the boulder field on the left; in places steps have been created.

Not long after guiding you up and up through the boulder field, the Yukness Ledges trail levels out; soon after, the trail to Sleeping Poet's Pool leaves to the right. Don't look for it on any map, unless you have an old Lake O'Hara map; it's no longer official nor publicized, and it is steep. Here a photo looking back at this trail, taken on another day. The Yukness Ledges trail is near the bottom, while the Sleeping Poet trail hauls almost straight up. Careful foot placement is required and poles are very handy.

The short trail leads to a ledge higher on the mountain; here, Joan has arrived on the ledge, but the pool is further on.

The pool itself was still largely covered in ice, being often in shadow.

The view from the edge is spellbinding.

Another party had climbed up to the pool, not far behind us, and they decided to lunch there.

It was a family group from Houston, and they kindly offered to take our picture. Joan and I rarely manage to get into the same frame, so we accepted. Note how the clouds are getting larger and thicker, compared to the day's start. We are both wearing binoculars, of course, and the holster on my belt is bear spray.

We did not lunch here, but we did take a rest stop. In the process Joan discovered this smooth alpine gentian, sometimes known as glaucous gentian or inky gentian. We don't often see it, so this piece of serendipity was a treat. Isn't the color striking?

There is only one way to leave Sleeping Poet's Pool, the way you came in. On the way down, I took this picture of a beardtongue, a large family of flowers.

Going down a steep slope is trickier, if less aerobic, than going up , and it's harder on the knees. In this photo, the trail looks moderate, but that's a deception: the camera is pointed down along the trail, not horizontally.

Partway along the Yukness Ledges trail, I took this picture of the Lake O'Hara basin. Compare it to the view from Sleeping Poet's Pool. Also, note that the clouds are becoming thicker.

We came across this example of snow melting around a rock; the rock absorbs heat from the sun much faster than the snow, and the snow melts back from it.

The Yukness Ledges trail is an excellent platform for observing hikers on other trails. From the portion closest to the Opabin Plateau, you can keep an eye on All Souls' Prospect and the associated alpine route. From the portions closer to Lake Oesa, much of that trail is laid out before you (click the photo to enlarge).

With binoculars, it is easy to check out the comings and goings on the Lake Oesa trail. Those folks on the right with large backpacks and orange rock helmets (click to enlarge) are almost certainly going up to the hut at Abbot Pass.

After we turned 90° to the right and climbed several short ledges, Lake Oesa itself came into view.

On this cloudy afternoon the lake has a different personalilty than it did two days ago.

It's milkier in color, and wavelets stirred by the wind mean that it no longer sharply reflects the mountains and the snow.

On our way down to Lake O'Hara, we encountered a foraging marmot ...

and patches of flowers small and large ...

including blooming carnivorous butterwort.

We enjoyed these flowers and creatures between bands of showers that were drifting up the valley. The weather adage had been correct, that early clouds portended later showers, and we even had a bit of graupel, sometimes called soft hail. But we knew that this happens in the mountains, and had rain jackets in our daypacks. Overall, we were deeply satisfied with our first return in several years to Sleeping Poet's Pool.