48. Hawai'i

In February, 2016, we went to Hawai'i with the family to celebrate our 40th anniversary. We enjoyed swimming, boogie boarding, snorkeling and also some hiking. The first destination was Big Island, Volcano National Park.

Kilauea Iki - bottom of a crater in Volcano National Park on Big Island

From above, we looked down on the bottom of this crater and anticipated a very interesting hike across it. Would it be too hot?

It was hot but very bearable. Groenevelds and Stubbs did it later in the week.

The bubbling, cooling, flowing, emptying underneath left all kinds of structures.

I liked learning the few common Hawai'ian words we ran into, like Ahu for cairn. They marked the best trail across the crater bottom.

Captain Cook
Our next hike was a steep hike down to Captain Cook Bay - hot but definitely worth the effort a free entrance to the most bountiful, colourful snorkeling in Hawai'i

Everybody was enthralled with the abundance and variety of colourful fish here; even Herm stuck his head in the water trusting Elise to keep him safe. Nate, Erin, Esther, and Evalyn swam or paddled back across the bay to our house while the rest of us climbed back up the steep, hot cliff. A wonderful outing.

Napali'i Coast
The next hike was along the northern coast of Kawa'i to a waterfall with Nate and Erin as guides. They had offered to take us backpacking but we elected the easier, shorter hike option.

The trail was steep in places, rough, rocky, slippery, clay covered, sometimes crowded. It offered beautiful views of the coast

and challenging stream crossings. Herm took this picture instead of coming to my aid and let me step in the water causing me to get blisters on both feet due to wet shoes. Good thing we weren't backpacking. Poor guy, fell in himself at another crossing.

It was shady and cool sitting on the rocks gazing at the waterfalls so only Nathan went for a swim.

We took the requisite group picture while we ate our lunch.

What a beautiful coastline.

After we got back to the beginning, we enjoyed the beautiful beach, more snorkeling and swimming and some stand up paddle boarding. What fun as I gained confidence in the low waves that came past the reef.

The following day we went hiking in the Waimea Canyon on the other side of the island.

We went down, down into the canyon, along a trail part way down to a water fall. Other tourists enjoyed the view from the air in frequent, noisy helicopter rides.

The pool was quiet but not warm and most people didn't swim. It sure felt good on hot feet though.

We didn't do anymore hiking because I had blisters on my feet from the wet shoes and the weather became rainy.

51. Galatea Lakes

Distance: 17km return
Elevation gain: 575 m

This is a popular hike in Kananaskis and we have done it before but Herm was curious about the flood damage of 2013 to the campground and bridges. So Wednesday, June 22, we set out for another lovely hike together.
     The trail to the swinging bridge was still good but soon we saw gravel, washed out trail and a beautiful new bridge.

Around a bend we came to another bridge; there are about 8 bridges crossing Galatea creek on the way to Lillian Lake.

The trail was often on needles and tree roots but frequently we had to travel over flood damage.

After a few hours, we arrived at the trail to Guinn Pass and recalled what a long wonderful hike that had been. A steep climb and we were at Lillian Lake for lunch.

The backpackers campground behind us was still closed because most sites were covered with gravel. The biffy looked new, was very clean and aerated with a solar powered fan. Each user was requested to add a handful of bulk shavings to aid in the composting process. I hope to see more of this technology in the mountains soon.

There were beautiful wild flowers all along the trail but especially lovely were the glacier lilies.

Lillian Lake looked much more spectacular from above where we could see it surrounded by trees and mountains.

After a good climb through trees, open rock and across snow patches we saw the first Galatea Lake.

What a beautiful sight. The water changed colour with the sky but was usually a dull grayish hue with unspectacular reflections. We looked for the trail around the lake to continue on. It went halfway around the first lake partway up the scree and then we lost it. So we found our own way further and went through the notch at the back to hopefully find the next lake.

Here we are, at our goal and well pleased with the lovely little lake nestled in the surrounding mountains. As we sat and enjoyed the view and ate our cherries, snow broke off the cornice up above across the lake and entertained us with its' noise and fall.

I couldn't stand and pose on a peak so I went to feel the water, too cold for more than that. 

50. Baldy Pass from the South/Midnight Peak

Distance: 12.4 km
Elevation gain: 1061m

June 8, Wednesday, a nice day before a poor weather forecast for the weekend, we found another hike in Kananaskis relatively near Calgary. We started early to finish before a possible thunderstorm in the afternoon. We could see mountains  from the parking lot but weren't exactly sure which one was our goal.

The trail was broad with good footing.

The flowers were still in their early spring perfection. Rose, calypso, clematis,columbine etc

There was still rocky evidence of the flood 3 years before with gravel all over and a washed out bridge going nowhere.

We soon reached the pass but the view was quite blocked from there.

So we climbed a little higher to the right to a better lookout and then saw a trail leading on to a peak. This seemed to be the unnamed peak the book was describing so up we went.

The ridge in the background was our goal and we started out on a trail but soon it was just a few ribbons here and there and then a little disturbed dryad bed between rocks.

Soon the steep climb through the woods became a very steep climb on rocks.

I took a break part way up to renew my energy with lunch. What an experience, the world at my feet, no one else around. Moose Mtn (trip 27) was on the slope across.

Eventually we reached the high point and there was the cairn, or ahu, with the canister for us to register our name and thanks. We gave thanks that we were still able to do such wonderful climbs.

The view from the top was mountains all around.

We had climbed Mt. Baldy to the north (trip 25)but now could see it from a different angle and in clear light conditions. Apparently South Baldy peak is in that direction and also a good hike so we hope to try again. From the top we could see the alternate route down which the book described. It looked a little friendlier so we followed the ridge down, down to the green dryad mat and over to the dry creek bed at the bottom. Eventually we rejoined the trail going up to Baldy Pass.

It got windy and cloudy for about 10 minutes.

From the trail we could look back up and admire our amazing 50th hike, definitely the scrambliest so far.