On the 14th Day of Hiking (Upper Kananaskis Lake)

From Mt. Engadine Lodge Joan and I drove towards Upper Kananaskis Lake, to fill in the gaps in our hiking around the lake. As we progressed the day looked better and better. We arrived at the Day Use Area at 11:00. This was a late start, but then it was a transition (moving from one accommodation to another) day.

In this map the purple and red paths are our two 2017 hikes. The yellow path marks this day's hike, which began too late to link up with the red dots. That far edge makes a long hike ... 16.2 km or 10.1 miles to circumnavigate the lake. (Click on the image to enlarge.)

It was a pleasant day with luscious scenery.

This area had suffered heavily in the 2013 floods.

A new bridge crossed the outflow of Sarrail Creek.

Another view of the waterfall.

Shortly afterwards the trail to Rawson Lake split off.

Joan and I visited Rawson Lake many years ago, and this would be worth doing again, but not today.

We heard the call of a loon or two, and watched a fleet of ducks cross the lake. It's always good to bring your binoculars along.

Joan paused to admire how the roots of this brave tree flowed over the rocks.

There has to be sustenance in there somewhere.

In spots the debris left by the floods was still visible.

Vegetation is just starting to return.

A gorgeous view from near the far end of the lake.

We weren't entirely alone. One young couple toting backpacks passed us, stopped and entered into discussion, shuffling a map, and then returned the way they had come.

Joan and I began a climb that marked about 2½ km left to close our gap with last year's hikes. Realizing we didn't have enough time to cover all the untrodden trail and return to the car, we continued only as far as to find a lunch spot.

As we finished lunch a lady from Saskatchewan, now living in Alberta for a year and a half, came by. She was taking a counter-clockwise loop around the lake for training purposes, but not in a hurry, and we had a good chat. Then two women came by the other way -- this trail was getting busy!

We started back. With the altered perspective, Joan pointed out where the trail to Hidden Lake departed. Tromp, tromp, tromp we went on. We noticed a chipmunk harvesting cones in the treetops.

 Two young women told us of a "prairie chicken" they had passed on the trail, and a while later, we encountered the female spruce grouse they had seen. It was skittish but I still got a decent photo.

Who are you?

We passed a group of older hikers who came down from Rawson Lake just as we reached that junction. Then, to the car, and on our drive out of Kananaskis Lakes we saw a young moose in a mud wallow near the road, so we were not mooseless in 2018.

There was new pavement on Highway 40 as we drove north to Kananaskis Mountain Lodge, and a 14 km construction zone with off-and-on one-way traffic. Joan and I still arrived in good time to check in.

Tomorrow's goal: Galatea Lake.

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.

Smoke and Snow: Upper Kananaskis Lake, Part One

Work on the new spa complex for the Delta Lodge resumed outside our window on the morning of September 19th. 

After a slow breakfast service Joan and I picked up lunch: a sandwich to share and a banana apiece at the Market Cafe, and we still had a chocolate bar.

We reached the Upper Kananaskis Lake Day Use parking area just before a bus and a large van from Olds College showed up!

We quickly set off in the opposite direction from the mob, counter-clockwise.

The conditions were chilly and blustery, but only partly cloudy at first.

There were several signs about the history and ecology of the area. The lakes have been expanded by dams created for electricity generation.

There was a lot to see. A driftwood necklace draped the eastern, downwind, shore.

The clouds continued to lower, so Joan and I decided as a precaution to don our rain gear, and put away the binoculars and pigs. This was the view across to the western shore.

Another view of the little peninsula, and more wood.

We trod on and it began to mist, but our waterproof outer layer kept us dry and warm. The cloud ceiling dropped to fifty feet or so above the lake. But by the time we reached the North Interlake Day Use area, there was only one more shower left to endure, and then the skies began to brighten. I brought my camera out again.

The day use area offered us a privy, a place for lunch, and a view of the dam. We decided that today was not the day to attempt a complete loop around the lake, just under ten miles, and instead began to return the way we had come.

In places the trail had been rerouted due to erosion, or rebuilt above piled and anchored logs.

This photo, taken the next day, shows the path crossing a vulnerable slope, easily washed away.

There were various waterfowl on the lake, but never close enough for firm identification. This picture was taken with full zoom, 20x, and cropped.

Joan and I scrambled down to explore the driftwood rows, and discovered that sculptures or "shelters" had been crafted from the debris. They don't look wind- or water-proof.

A typical view across the lake to the higher mountains.

We encountered a red squirrel who was reluctant to interrupt his meal merely because we were staring at him.

Eventually the day use area where we had begun the hike came into view. The Olds College group conveniently departed ten to fifteen minutes before we reached the parking area.

Joan and I suspected that tomorrow we would return to further explore these intriguing shores.