43. Healy Pass/Monarch Ramparts

Distance: 27km return
Elevation gain: 35m

July 15, 2015, we caught a nice day in the middle of the week for a day trip up to Healy Pass and back. Just before 9:00 we set off up the road and were glad for the sunshine given the forecast for clouds and showers later in the day. We crossed Healy Creek on a new bridge built after the flood of 2013.

After about 6km of walking through the woods we crossed the creek again and started to see the colourful  alpine meadows in peak season. The mosquitoes were so bad when we sat down that we needed our coats and ate quickly.

Flowers

 and

more flowers!

While walking through the meadows up to the pass, we studied the Monarch Ramparts and thought how wonderful it would be to walk on a ridge for 4 kilometres. Other hikers explained the route and told us it was do-able. We looked over the pass at Egypt Lake and Scarab Lake but the ridge looked more interesting.

As we ate our lunch we contemplated the view ahead and watched another group precede us. Follow the ridge to the end at the Monarch and descend slowly. There was an unofficial trail for the most part. We had ponchos for the rain. Why not do the circle?

One of the watering holes in this tarn-filled valley was Eohippus Lake where we would descend from the ridge - probably the most distant one.

The ridge was bleak but the views around us awe-inspiring, rugged on one side and greener on the other. We had to pull out our ponchos twice for 2 brief showers but they weren't cold. It's hard to get lost on top of a ridge so we just kept going.

We saw the rain clouds move down the Healy Creek valley so we would have gotten wet anyway. In the background was Mt. Bourgeau  (hike 4), our first major long hike, very visible from this ridge. We identified the pass at the left and the long ascent up the slope, a very good, still clear memory.
The trail began to descend above Eohippus Lake.

Up to this point the way had been clear but now we had to find the trail to Simpson's Pass and it did not seem to be marked. We walked in the general direction and came across a faint trail with a recently bent  plant which we followed confidently.

In 3 km we would hit the main trail at Simpson's Pass and continue on home through Healy Creek valley. What a wonderful hike!

42. Consolation Lakes

Distance: 6km return
Elevation gain: 60m

On Thursday, July 9, we chose easy Consolation Lakes for our third hike in a row. We started out early so as to get a parking spot at Moraine Lake.
The first hurdle was to get over the huge rock slide damming up Moraine Lake.

The rest of the trail was wide enough to walk side by side.

We got to the first lake where most people stop and enjoy the views from the rocks but this time Herm wanted to continue to the second lake so with a little trepidation I followed and scrambled over rocks behind him.

We enjoyed the reflections in the lake along the way but no reflections have ever compared with those in Sherbrooke Lake in Yoho.

The underwater rocks were covered with soft green mossy growth. I'm surprised I didn't go in to feel them.

After significant rock hopping we came to the second lake.

 We found a patch of green meadow on the far side and there we sat, in the sun, eating our lunch and listening to rocks and snow fall from the mountains across the lake.

  Eventually, we were lucky and saw as well as heard an avalanche break free from the glacier above.

Alas, all good holidays must come to an end and we started back. A marmot appeared to say good-bye.

A little climb up the rocky rock fall gave us a good-bye view of Moraine Lake and some of the ten peaks we enjoyed so much on the Eiffel Lake hike.

41. Mount St. Piran

Distance:13km return
Elevation gain: 920 m

On July 8, 2015, the day after hiking to Helen Lake, we thought we might be able to hike Mount St. Piran.

 It can be seen behind the Little Beehive above Lake Agnes.The first half of the trail is up to the tea house at Lake Agnes.

It is steady,gradually up and I appreciated the encouragement Herm gave me by gently pulling me forward.
The first lovely stop was Mirror Lake.

 It is a great place to rest for all the weary tourists hiking to the tea house. The Big Bee Hive dominates this area but soon we would be looking down on it.

 We turned up the mountainside just before Little Beehive and all my energy for the hike surfaced. There were flowers everywhere with moderately ascending switchbacks and full view of the mountains around us and the lake below. Glaciers and more mountains appeared as we climbed.

One very beautiful, abundant flower was the gentian.

As we climbed we could see the Little Bee Hive, Lake Louise and Chateau even through the smoky haze from the numerous forest fires.

Finally we reached the peak and had our picture taken while we gazed at Mount Fairview across the lake and at the numerous glaciers on surrounding mountains.

Even I could identify some of the sights below us - Lake Agnes, Lake Louise,Big Bee Hive, Mount Fairview.

 The weather was beautifully warm and sunny but when a gust of wind blew, it was cold. Hence the rock shelters built up on top. Our timing was perfect and others vacated this dining area as we arrived.

We sat on chairs with backs, set our food on the table and gave thanks to God for his goodness. In the adjacent dining room was the same Japanese hiker  we had met on top of Mount Fairview a few years earlier. After a satisfying lunch in the sun, it was time for a snooze while Herm took more pictures.

Our last planned stop was a detour to the tea house/Lake Agnes to eat a snack by the lake. As we looked for a place to sit someone called us from the patio. Christine, a former home stay student, was there with her parents. So we enjoyed our snack with them as we caught up on each other's lives and encouraged them to try this hike some day.

40. Helen Lake

Distance: 14k round trip to ridge above the lake
Elevation gain: 550m to ridge plus 493 to peak

On July 6, 2015, Herm and I camped at Lake Louise to get an early start for this reputedly gorgeous hike through alpine meadows to Lake Helen. We hoped to also do the peak above it.

It was a perfect day and we looked forward to getting through the trees to the views. But first, we had a little surprise: a spruce grouse, who was not afraid of us.

We continued on up through a controlled burn site. Herm found a few white barked pine trees and so it was interesting to learn later that the forest had been burned to encourage growth of more of these trees.

 Across the valley from our climb we could see Crowfoot Glacier.

Because there were virtually no mosquitoes in camp or at the parking lot, I left the repellant in the truck. Big mistake! They were soon so thick that I asked another hiker if we could borrow some. Later, my eye swelled half shut and my hand grew puffy, maybe mosquitoes, maybe a different biter that we didn't notice.

Finally, we were through the trees and could enjoy views. Behind Herm is Cirque Peak which was our secondary goal.

The flowers were beautiful, fleabane, heliotrope, arnicas, heather and bright magenta paintbrushes.

Total meadow views are wonderful but tend to blur in a photo.

Helen Creek leads out of Helen Lake and makes a nice watery sound :).

Helen Lake is not as spectacular as its surroundings but it's a good place to eat lunch. Climbing the ridge above gives a better view of the meadows and the small peak on top is the crown and was our goal.

On the way up the ridge we were supposed to greet some marmots and sure enough one was there waiting to have his picture taken.

The view from the ridge revealed more tarns and the trail from above.

Now on up to Cirque Peak. We heard others talking about  going up via a "tedious" trail, (shown just around the rocky section)

so we thought we'd just scramble up the rocks which the book suggested as an alternate route. But,,, soon we reached a trail alongside the rocks and followed it trustingly, until...it grew too narrow and we decided we'd rather not take the risk and reluctantly turned around and went back.

By then we decided against going to the peak since we planned to climb another mountain the next day. We were disappointed but wise since we had enough energy left to have another great hike the next day.