Saturday, 31 August 2013

30. Old Goat Glacier

Distance: 8 k return
Elevation gain: 643 m

August 26, a cloudy day in Kananaskis we hiked to Old Goat Glacier. It was great to get a decently early start even though we got up late since all we had to do was cross the road from our lovely campsite on Spray Lake.
We started off through the trees as usual to our destination, a canyon with a small glacier back in the mountains we could see in front of us.
Soon the regular trail ran out and we followed trees marked with red flags across several gravel slides. This was 2013, the year of the massive flood which damaged and destroyed many trails from Waterton to Lake Louise.
Most good trails feature a waterfall and this one didn't disappoint us.
As we climbed higher and further into the mountains we could see Spray Lake behind us.
 On a cliff opposite our trail, my travel guide spotted 2 white specks, too white to be rocks. Upon closer inspection with his binoculars, he proclaimed them to be the mountain goats after which the mountain and glacier were named. You be the judge.
And the cropped version.

After a steep climb, we entered the canyon and marveled at the huge gravel moraine stretching out in front of us. Of course, we would walk to the end. The most unusual thing for me was the way a shout echoed off the straight mountain walls. It would reverberate many times always more distant.
Herm was there too posing in front of all that is left of the mighty glacier that carved the canyon and left the gravel as it receded..
 What's a hike without a good lunch and photo op at the end?

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