Canadian Rockies 2025: Helen Lake

On July 29th, Joan and I took our final hike of this visit, to Helen Lake, a popular spot. The trailhead isn't far from the Lodge at Bow Lake. (Click on any image to enlarge.)

We pulled off at the Bow Lake Viewpoint, and this was the view looking back at the lodge.

Zooming in.

Parking for Helen Lake was nearby, on the other side of the Icefields Parkway. The trail takes off through the woods, crossing small creeks and requiring attention to roots, rocks, and erosion. After a while, the Crowfoot Glacier peeks out.

Bald patches began to appear. This one offers a view of the Bow River.

A few minutes later, we spotted this grouse.

Joan and I aren't the fastest hikers. After about two hours, we reached the bend into the eastern flank of the ridge. Just ahead of us were the manager of the lodge, Bruce Millar, and his wife Alison. They have been mentioned in this blog from the years when they ran the Lake O'Hara lodge.

Looking to the south, we could see we'd indeed come up a ways.

The flowers were enjoying the sun.

After strolling through creek crossings, roots, and stone steps, we approached the lake's outflow and noticed the braided trails ahead, worn by heavy foot traffic.

Helen Lake lies at the foot of a ridgeline.

We paused at the shore for a snack, sharing the view with other hikers (and the many dogs they had brought along). Then we continued, ready to tackle the climb to the ridgeline. This photo is a look back at Helen.

One highlight of this area is the marmot population. Today, several youngsters were out between the lake and the ridge.

The truly hardy hikers would tackle not the ridge, but ascend Cirque Peak (2,993m / 9,819'). (Click on the image to enlarge!)

Some were already at the top! They must have been up early, or very fast, or both.

Joan and I walked out to the end of the ridge above the lake.

From the ridgetop, this panorama shows Helen Lake peeking out from a bump in the land.

Katherine Lake lies on the other side of our ridge.

Looking at an angle at the ridge and Dolomite Peak.

From near the saddle, we looked down at Katherine Lake. It's not far, but we needed to conserve our energy for the return journey.

However, we'd heard that there was a stromatolite bed nearby, and with a little wandering we found it. (Stromatolites are layered sedimentary formations created by microorganisms such as cyanobacteria. They produce adhesive compounds that cement sand and other rocky materials into mineral mats that build gradually, adding layer by layer over geological time.

The layering is clear when you get close.

Then it was time to begin our return, with more marmot encounters on our way back to the lake.

Once back into the trees, this Clark's nutcracker studied us as we passed beneath. It was a long day, and by the end I had to slow down to feel secure navigating roots and rocks. Joan pulled ahead, but waited for me at the end. Helen Lake: highly recommended, especially if you continue to the ridgeline beyond.

This was the last hike of our 2025 visit. The next day, we made our usual stops on the way to the Calgary airport: buy chocolates at Le Chocolatier in Canmore, return our bear spray to the Barrier Lake Visitor Center, and lunch at the Nepali restaurant Amma in Cochrane (great food!). The next morning we flew back to Columbus.

Canada 2024: On the Odaray Highline

On our way to breakfast on July 13, 2024, Joan and I spotted a vole paddling frantically from a stump in Lake O'Hara to the shore to forage. It did this twice before developing shyness. Small things count among the mountains.

 

We decided to visit the Odaray Highline today, with the option, conditions permitting, of climbing up to the Grandview. We hustled up to the sign-up kiosk,

closed earlier but now open, to sign in -- only four parties were allowed across the gap at this time of year. (Click on any image to enlarge.)

 

As is customary, Joan and I waited a while to see if any other hikers would appear; together we would form one group/disturbance instead of two, however, none did, and we set off. At the far end of the gap, I took this photo pointing southwest towards the Selkirk range.

The trail ahead wound with the mountain slopes to our left, and greenery still a stone's throw to our right (if not in this photo).

A few deeply shaded spots still sheltered snow -- and critter tracks!

Although we spotted few actual critters on the way out (there was one golden-mantled squirrel),

various flowers in various states of emergence and blooming were present, maturity varying according to the altitude, sun exposure, and their genetics. Here was some pink mountain heather.

At the end of a gently rising trail, the way forward on the prospect has been off-limits for a long time due to grizzly bear conflicts.

However, the Grandview trail heads steeply up the mountain, at first with switchbacks. Here's a photo from 2016.

Joan and I began the climb up, but without any intention of reaching the top. After our snow adventures yesterday, and feeling some fatigue after the last several days of hiking, we decided to defer the narrow, sometimes hands-and-feet clambering final stage. Rather, we climbed along until my altimeter watch showed an additional 250' of gain, and found a spot for the first half of our lunch. Along the way we spotted interesting fungi.

Looking back from the start of the climb.

Lake O'Hara is at left.

Other hikers began to arrive, and true early birds came down from the top. No problems with snow, they declared. Still, Joan and I weren't tempted. Next year?

 

A view heading back on the Highline.

As we regained the kiosk, we had a fabulous marmot sighting. This boulder is a favorite of theirs.

Joan and I connected to the McArthur trail and walked a bit before finishing our lunch.

Two young marmots made an appearance!

We also heard pikas, but never spotted them.

A big wind began to blow up the gap, and we decided to return, via the kiosk, down to Schaffer Lake, and then along Big Larches. We needed time to pack anyway, as our luggage would be picked up at 10am the next day, even if we were taking the 4:30pm bus to our car. Packing is never finished, but we had time to attend dinner!

 

Canada 2024: Yukness Ledges Snow Stomping

On July 12, 2024, Joan and I set out to hike the Yukness Ledges alpine route. We headed for the East Opabin trail, the shortest way to reach the west end of the Yukness Ledges route. But our way was blocked by red tape -- snow melt was flooding a creek outlet. (Click on any image to enlarge.)

We turned around and ascended on the West Opabin path instead, encountering both a marmot

and a pika!

So that detour worked very well indeed. We swung past the prospect for a view,

and as we continued on, the theme for the day developed -- meeting people and engaging in conversation. Soon, we encountered a group, some of whom were from Taiwan, and they asked for our help. They had no map; how far was the prospect? An older man (father? grandfather?) is waiting further back for news on which way to go. Joan gave him the best advice.

We crossed to the Highline and were rewarded with an expansive view of the Yukness Ledges.

Joan and I crossed over to the East Opabin trail and thence to the west end of the Yukness Ledges route. The beginning is adventurous, following blazes uphill through a boulder field until a trail is reached. In this panoramic shot, the boulder field is at the left, next to Lake Hungabee, and the trail is on the right.

After a short distance, the Opabin Prospect came into view on our left.

A least weasel carted across behind us; we were in awe of its speed as it dashed over, under, and through these boulder fields.

 

After finding a congenial spot, we sat down for lunch. A group of young women passed by and stopped to chat. They asked, How long have we been married? One of them took this next photo. Then a newlywed couple came up and asked us how long we'd been married. The theme was continued ...

We had not coordinated our outfits ...

The north-facing slope, rarely seeing direct sunlight, was where the snow traps were lurking. At first, they were merely close to the trail. The blue-and-yellow trail blaze is in the middle of the green circle in this photo. (Click on any image to enlarge.)

Another snowy view.

At the midpoint, hikers traveling in the other direction warned us of a dicey stretch, which we soon encountered. Snow was across the trail over a dip where it wiggled through talus and broken boulders. The terrain, we knew, had voids within the tumbled rock where a misstep could cause serious injury, but we could not see them. Joan and I continued cautiously, gripping our poles tightly, and did not come to any harm; however, I did not indulge in photography there.

We continued on and the snow intrusions withdrew. The path turned a corner and we began to draw closer to Lake Oesa.

Before the final hop up to the lake level, more snow was hidden on the approach. It's all about shadows and sunlight.

The near lake shore was snow-free, and the ice on the water had begun to retreat.

Returning to O'Hara on the Oesa trail, we encountered this snowbound sign and trail at the Victoria Lake cutoff. The snow wasn't through with us yet, but this was its last hurrah.

The series of ponds and lakes we'd passed gave way here to a torrent of melting snow.

Looking back the way we'd come.

From a lower altitude, here's a last look at the Yukness Ledges that we'd just navigated.

Joan and I reached our cabin just before 5:00pm. We were seated with Bob and Brenda again at dinner, replete with tales of their time in Malaysia. A fitting wrap-up of today's conversational theme!