Canada (2019) Part Eight: Kananaskis Fire Lookout

On Sept. 16, 2019, Joan and I decided that, due to the iffy weather forecast for today, we'd hike up to the Kananaskis Fire Lookout, a journey not too high nor too strenuous.

We drove down Highway 40, discovering along the way that a number of the day use areas and pullouts/trailheads were already closed and gated. Perhaps this happens automatically after Labor Day. We continued to where the fire road leaves the highway, the place to begin unless you are staying in one of the Kananaskis campgrounds. The road is locked so that only authorized vehicles can use it, but the gate is far enough along that two or three cars can park here without blocking access.

It is as if three different services need access to this road, and each requires its own key: the barrier is sealed by three locks, and the key to any one will suffice to open the way.

Joan and I set off and soon discovered bear scat -- not fresh but not terribly old either. Fortunately the sight lines along the road are long.

Shortly thereafter we encountered spruce grouse. Here's a guy,

and a gal.

Sometimes multiple "grice" at once! Our count for the day would be four males and one female.

Also along this stretch we interlopers were chastised by a red squirrel.

The rolling up-and-down stretches had easy footing because there were no roots to worry about, but then transformed into a steep uphill hike, including switchbacks. Eventually the fire lookout complex came into view.

The lookout is residential and not to be disturbed.

There are benches for visitors.

A registry as well.

A chilling wind blew steadily up here, but Joan and I found a more sheltered stone bench and viewpoint for our lunch break. Here are some sights; first, zooming in on Upper Kananaskis Lake, which we've explored much of.

In the next photo the edge of Upper is at far left, and much of the Lower Kananaskis Lake stretches in front of Mount Indefatigable, which we had visited five years before to reach a viewpoint above the lake.

On our way down we spotted some Canada jays (known as the "gray jay" prior to 2018),

and also juncos, which have a number of variations. Unlike the slate gray juncos we see in the winter in Ohio, this one had the coloration of the Oregon variety.

On our way back after the hike Joan and I stopped at the Kananaskis Valley visitors center. Plenty of exhibits were sprinkled around; I could envision campers spending a rainy day here. One of the staffers told us that a grizzly had spent much of the previous day in the meadow next door, for which the center had a big-window observation room.

Tomorrow, our last hiking day on this visit to Canada, we would try to reach Upper Galatea Lake, our 2019 "goal" destination after having been toughened up by the previous two weeks of hiking.

Smoke and Snow: Bridges on the Galatea Lakes Trail

Wednesday, September 20th. Joan and I breakfasted at the Forté restaurant within the Delta Kananaskis Lodge (now the Kananaskis Mountain Lodge). The smoked salmon and eggs bake, a dish very much like eggs benedict, was good. The menu item called eggs benedict, however, had no meat in it. None, nada, zero. The server and the kitchen verified that this was correct and by design. To us, this verged on false advertising!

We drove down to the Galatea Lakes trailhead and set off, again visiting the new incarnation of a trail that had been knocked out of commission by the 2013 floods, in this case one we'd never been on. The route, meandering west and up the watershed, has been laid over the terrain in this Google Maps image.

The trail dips rapidly and then crosses the Kananaskis River on a suspension bridge.

We were passed by a faster couple here, and they told us the path ahead boasts 10 more bridges as it winds up the valley of Galatea Creek, all reconstructed.

Our second bridge crossed to the north side of the creek, and the junction with the Terrace Trail. It was framed in fiberglass, which we'd first seen in 2016 hiking down from Prairie View to Jewell Creek.

Next to it was an improvisational bridge based on the remains of the original. Probably useless after a rain!

After a section of switchbacks the trail followed the creek more gently upstream. Here Joan and I are approaching bridge #3, which was built from logs, not fiberglass.

Crossing #3. A nice fresh deck!

From  #3 we could see bridge #4.

Soon we were there. In this photo there's a large, moss-covered stone at far left.

From #4, Joan and I could see two tributaries feeding into Galatea Creek.

 Zooming in on the little waterfall.

Shortly thereafter, another large chunk of mountain.

On to bridge #5, another log construction.

 The approach to bridge #6 skirted a large wash and the ruins of the old bridge.

Bridge 6 was not far upstream.

 This bridge was built with the fiberglass framing also seen in the second one. I'm guessing that the longer spans get fiberglass.

Click on the above image to enlarge it and white spots and streaks will appear. The snow flurries that had been increasing as we ascended were now thick enough to catch the camera's eye.

My notes say this was bridge #7, not #6. Either I failed to photograph one, or lost count!

This seemed a good spot to turn around. The snow would continue to increase if we went higher, and we didn't have time to make it all the way to the lakes anyway. However, this trail is one of our ambitions for 2018. On the way down we spotted some bear scat but never saw or heard anybody of the ursine persuasion. We did yell "Yo Bear!" periodically.

At the junction with the Terrace Trail we took that trail north. In 2013 Joan and I had taken the Terrace Trail south from Kananaskis Lodge most, but not all, of the way down, and we wanted to plug that gap. It would be easy to find the 2013 spot ... the rubble outwash from Mt. Kidd. This image predates the 2013 floods, but the channel is clear.

On the way we encountered this tree, which has oozed layer upon layer of protective sap.

 When peeking closer we saw trapped insects.

The rubble field came into view. There's a vague trail scuffed into the detritus, but we kept our eye on the path emerging from the far side.

It's obvious where all those stones, large and small, came from.

Joan and I lunched here. My hands grew steadily colder, and I was ready to move on immediately after the last bite. We hiked north for another quarter-hour and then returned.

From the parking area we drove down to Kananaskis Lakes and then up the Smith-Dorrien through waves of heavy flurries to Mount Engadine Lodge, where we'd spend the next two nights. The Moose Suite offers a great view of the meadow.

Dinner was great. The house wine was a British Columbia merlot, the least expensive offering, and it was good. We never get a chance to sample B.C. wines in Ohio! Dinner chats included a long discussion with a Malaysian woman about hiking in the area, including pulling out maps and pointing out options.

In late September it got dark early. It almost never happens, but tonight no moose showed up to check out the mud wallow just below the lodge.

Our choice of hike tomorrow would hinge on the weather when we woke up.

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.