20. Guinn's Pass via Ribbon Creek

Distance: 20 k
Elevation: 850 m

On Saturday, August  18. the weather was great, and we were ready to go again. One beautiful, strenuous day in the mountains is like several days of holidays and the city and work are forgotten.

This hike started beside Ribbon Creek on a wide fairly level trail, good for beginners.

Twisted stalk has a very inconspicuous flower but becomes more beautiful with maturity. I'm assuming this is a life lesson.

Although the trail has not climbed much, there are still mountain views, making this a great hike for beginners.

Ribbon Falls is the treat at the end of the Ribbon Creek Trail and a perfect place for lunch - on a rock in the spray if it's a hot day like we had.

After the falls, beginners turn back! It was a steep climb up to Ribbon Lake. The chain was a necessary safety device up the rocks, and fun to use.

Mildred's Tortoiseshells followed us all along the trail all day: ahead, behind, on the flowers beside.
Actually, it's safer to  see butterflies than bears.

Ribbon Lake was cold but the day was hot. It felt so good to take off my boots.
At the other end of the lake, by the campground, people were jumping into the cold water. Two guys explained to me later that it was a good way to get the lactic acid out of the muscles because the blood vessels constricted so drastically. Herm didn't want to wait for me to try it and I didn't push too hard.

 There were beautiful creeks to follow much of the way on this hike.

From this valley, we could look up to see Buller Pass which we had done 2 weeks prior. I don't pay much attention to where we are, just enjoy the environment but all the same it was nice to put the hikes together in my mind.

A steep, hot, barren switch back trail
up Guinn's Pass.We stopped at almost every cairn to look back and admire the view. (and catch our breath).

The other side of the pass was equally steep but much greener and more interesting. Another creek tumbled down beside us part of the way till it went underground. At the bottom of the pass we linked up to the Galatea trail

and followed another beautiful creek to the parking lot.

We ended the day with a picnic at Sibbald Flats. What a wonderful holiday!

19. Heart Mountain Horse shoe

Distance: 10.5 k return
Elevation gain: 930 m


 On Saturday, August 11, Herm and I were up for a strenuous scramble up Heart Mountain. We started early because we had a dinner date at 6:00. Having done this same hike 8 years ago, we anticipated a great experience.The top of the mountain looks heart-shaped from Hwy 1.

Herm is always teaching me about trees and I have learned to recognize massive Douglas firs somewhat by their bark but especially by their distinctive cones (with mousetails) which can be found on the ground under the tree. Here I was thrilled to see a young Douglas fir with cones, my size.













The scramble begins. Unfortunately the picture doesn't show how steep we were climbing. It wasn't scary because there were lots of places to step and hold. Actually it was fun.

From Heart Mountain we could look down and see the Bow River, Lac des Arcs and Exshaw.

Once we thought we were at the top we looked ahead to see the second peak and kept on trucking.






The top of that peak showed us the highest peak still ahead.

 From the top we could look back and see the heart again.



On the mountain peak again.

 

The rest of the horseshoe ridge was a beautiful walk

until I looked where and how we had to descend. It wasn't as bad as it looked but I decided I didn't have to do this hike again.

Before we descended, we could look down to the trail from the highway to Quaite valley where we have been eating Thanksgiving dinner for the last 5 - 10 years.
The whole hike took us 6 hours, the same as 8 years ago, and we got to our dinner party on time and showed them Herm's pictures of the day.

18. Powderface Ridge (b)

Distance: 6k return
Elevation gain: 500 m

I wanted to do a hike with friends and without my photographer/navigator so in June Sue Pasveer and I tried Moose Mountain.

 After slipping in the mud and looking at the trail we decided to save it for another day and walked around Elbow Falls etc.
It was a fine day with a friend.

On Friday, August 10 we tried again but chose Powderface Ridge, an easy hike just west of Elbow Falls.
 This is the first view as we climbed out of the trees.

At a junction, we turned right and climbed up to the top of this ridge, an easy walk through trees.

The highlight of the trail was many mushrooms, many colours and patterns.













View from the top to the west.

Can you see Calgary from here to the east??
Supposedly, you can on a clearer day.

I was pleased to find wonderful examples of the umbrella flower up on top.







My first attempt at a self portrait to document the summit. Sorry for the windblown hair.                         

   On June 11, 2017 I did this ridge again with our multicultural group from church. It was perfect weather, a variety of flowers and good spirits. We had a picnic supper at Forget-me-not Pond  after the hike. Perfect timing for the crowd had cleared out and left us a picnic table beside the water.  

                                                                                                                         

17. Buller Pass

Distance: 13 k return
Elevation gain: 671m

Saturday, August 4 of the long weekend, a beautiful day, too much work at  home to go camping so we took a whole day to do this surprisingly lovely hike, delightfully full of variety and not too strenuous.

As we drove up to the parking lot, a male and female deer were waiting for us, as well as a cow moose. This boded well for a fulfilling hike.

Blackened trees and charred smell were evidence of a prescribed fire in 2011. Very little vegetation has recovered, only a few flowers.


















Other places, the moss was irresistably soft and cool reminding me of the undergrowth in B.C.

Soon we came to a waterfall in the creek we were following. The interesting feature of this one was the deep hole into which the water poured.

For a short stretch the meadows were full of this alpine columbine, only one example of the beautiful flowers.
The other wildlife on the trail were various gophers calling out to each other. Any and all wildlife contributes to my feeling of completeness.

There in the distance behind me was our destination, Buller Pass. The final ascent to the pass looked strenuous but step by step, we got there.

From the top we looked below to see Ribbon Lake and across to Guinn Pass which we had hiked a few years ago. At that time Herm had expressed a wish to do Buller Pass as well. We didn't know at that time that we would become avid hikers and look for various new destinations.
There was still a significant ridge of snow at the pass.

Mountains all around and us insignificant people in the middle.












So, after a delicious lunch we turned around and went down again, admiring the view from the other direction.

And what do you know! The moose and buck were still there waiting for us.

16. Wapta Falls, Hoodoos

Distance: Wapta-4.6 k return; Hoodoo Trail 5.2 k return
Elevation gain: Wapta- minimal; Hoodoo Trail 325 m

After doing Iceline on Wednesday, we were tired and chose two nice, little hikes for Thursday July 26. They both leave from the southwest corner of Yoho.

Wapta Falls is a beautiful falls after an easy hike on a level, well-maintained trail. Good for travelers and tired hikers.

The Hoodoo camp ground and trail were destroyed by an intentional burn in May 2005. The new growth appeared in July from the fertile ash. Here we saw burnt trees, healthy pines on the slopes and young spruce in the campground. Very encouraging for forests which are dying from the pine beetle unless they need the fire and ash to rejuvenate.

The trail was steep but not rocky and well worth the effort to see these hoodoos- interesting from beside, above and below.

They felt like friends from a strange fantasy book.

15. Iceline

Distance: 21 k
Elevation gain: 690 m

I had heard many stories and seen pictures of beautiful Iceline Trail in Yoho National Park. So Herm and I went camping for a few days and hiked this unique glacial trail on Wednesday, July 25.

Tuesday was wet and cool and very cloudy so visibility
was terrible for mountain views. Wednesday was supposed to be better so we started out despite the low cloud covering the mountain ahead of me. Thankfully the sun soon came out and we could see everything, including Takakkaw falls across the valley.

The whole hike was across the valley from these falls and Herm noted our progress by frequent pictures of them, continually lower and farther away.







The trail on top was over rocky and gravelly moraines from the recently retreated  glacier. It was well marked with cairns which incidentally park staff try to discourage as they are not native to the park.

Although we were close to the remaining glacier, it was a beautiful day and perfect hiking weather.

Sort of a steady climb but not difficult because of the beautiful mountain views all around; running water, mountains, icefields,

The ice was still in this lake. The kid in me wasn't strong enough to put my feet in. Actually, hiking boots take to long to put off and on.

Herm loves waterfalls and there were various beauties along the way.

               Laughing Falls













                          








                                       Angel Steps














   Point Lace Falls




















In all that moist  undergrowth, I found a morel.









And finally, after a beautiful, long hike, we were back at Takakkaw Falls.