Rowe Lakes to the West Castle River

Was of August 29 I have made some changes to my time table.
It is glaringly apparent that if I am to continue my walk that I must now complete a serious hike. Here is my plan.

Friday, September 4. Start at the Rowe Lakes trail head. Since I will need to talk to the parks people and register to camp I am not sure when I will be able to start my hike. Therefore I plan to hike only as far as Rowe Lakes on the first day. There is no campsite at Rowe Lakes but my information is that the Parks People will allow random camping.

Saturday, September 5. Judging from my map of Waterton Park the hike from Rowe Lakes to Lone Lake will be the most challenging because I will have to hike 1400 feet over a ridge. I estimate this hike to be about 10km. I plan to camp at the Lone Lake campsite.

Sunday, September 6. I plan to hike from Lone Lake to the Snowshoe Cabin Campsite and camp there. I have hiked a portion of this trail before.

Monday, September 7. I plan to conclude this hike by hiking from Snowshoe Cabin campsite over the Avion Ridge and into the West Castle River District.

This plan allows me a day or two leeway in case I have to wait out bad weather.

I will repeat my standing offer that anybody who wants to join me on this hike is welcome to do so.

July 22, 2009. Akamina Pass trail to the Rowe Lakes Trail

If any readers of this Blog were to walk with me at any time on my epic hike this would have been the hike to do it. Here is why. The hike was all down hill and it was only about 4 km. Also if someone had come with me then I could have got a ride back to my starting point. I sure hope that I don't have to walk 'there and back' on every part of this hike.

The upside is that the walk back to my car was the best part of the whole walk. Here is why. Last winter I cross country skied on a trail that paralleled the Cameron Lake road. I skied it from the Akamina Pass trail head to the Winter Gate. So I knew about this ski trail and so I walked the first ways on that trail. But I didn't know of any trail from the Winter Gate to the Rowe Lakes trail head. So I walked that portion on the Cameron Lake road. When I got to the Rowe Lakes trail I rested by Rowe Creek.

I found a trail from the Cameron Lake road that crosses Cameron Creek and then more or less parallels Cameron Creek back to the 'Winter Gate'. This trail is more of a ski trail and so it does not show a lot of use as a hiking trail. It passes through a variety of woods and forests including what I would consider a grove of old growth conifers. I came upon two small waterfalls along the trail.

This is a wonderful walk through the woods.

The total hike was about 8.5 km, 2 hours 15 minutes moving time, 1 hour 5 min, stopped. Total ascent was 496 ft. Maximum elevation was 5559 feet.

I have been very much encouraged by these few hikes that I have taken and so I am planning my next hike. The next hike will however require a few over night stays. I plan to hike the Rowe Lakes, Lone Lake, Twin Lakes trails and then exit the park over the Avion Ridge. I hope to arraing to be picked up in the West Castle River District. I inquired at the Waterton Park Information Centre and some random camping is allowed so I think that I can break hike up into manageable sections and then allow an appropriate number of days to complete the hike.

The highest that I could go on this hike was 8100 feet on a wide portion of the Akamina Ridge. An accommodating passing hiker took my photo on this ridge. I think that 8100 feet is the highest that I have been since I have started keeping track. This is certainly the highest that I have been this year. I think of the book Eat Pray Love, where the author meditates on a roof and how much closer she feels to God there. One cannot help but feel very connected to the Universe when one is standing on a high place. The hiker that I met and who took my picture told me that people ski to the Three Boundary Marker. This placed in my mind another possible way of some day reaching the Three Boundary Marker. Or I am thinking that perhaps this epic hike of mine actually started in July 2007 when my son and I canoed across the Canada - USA border on Cameron Lake.

There is no clear trail off this ridge and a hiker needs to be aware of the surroundings to navigate back to the trail. There is a fantastic view of both Forum Lake and Wall Lake from this ridge. A couple of hundred metres or more along the ridge between Forum Lake and Wall Lake there are cairns marking the trail. Once the trail comes to where I had to start my scramble down over the rocks it became very diffused. Since there was no clear path to follow, and I had to pick my way down, this is rather tedious and was slow going for me. The scramble seemed to go on for a long time but I did finally make it to the trail back to Forum Lake, where I had just been a couple of weeks before.

It wasn't long until I was back into the mosquitoes. I met maybe two parties of hikers on my way out so for the most part I had the trail to myself.

As I was walking out on the Akamia Pass trail I noticed some movement along the edge of the trail and just into the bush. I didn't see what it was but it was bigger than a bird or a ground squirrel. I slowed my pace and tried to peer into the bush. I could see the brush moving so I knew there was something in there. I was peering intently into the brush and moving very slowly when a I saw the head of a Blackbear. She was only feet away from me and she was as startled as I was. Fortunately she bounded away from me through the trees with her cub in tow. That gave me quite a start and I remembered, too late, that I should be making more noise as I walk.

What an exhilarating hike!
Total distance hiked was about 13 km. Moving time was 5 hours 24 min, stopped time was 2 hours39 min. My GPS showed the total ascent at 3035 feet but my starting elevation was 5513 ft. and my maximum elevation was 8100 ft. so that is only a net ascent of 2587 ft.

July 16, 2009 Boundary Marker

My second objective was to get to the Marker that marks the International Canada - United States boundary and the Montana - Alberta - British Columbia boundary.

There is a photo on Google Earth of this marker. I had not anticipated much problem getting to the marker. But Google Earth or even the very best topographical maps do not show everything. I could see, from Forum Peak, that there two two significant ledges to be descended in order to get to the marker. I mostly resigned myself to the fact that I could not or should not attempt to go there. But as I walked back along the top of Forum Peak I decided to give it a try.

I could find no evidence of any path or trail to the marker so I assume that not many people go there. I could not even see the marker and in fact it may have still been under snow cover. But there was an area of broken rock and some talus that I thought I might descend so that I could get onto what is a very steep scree slope. I mentally calculated the risks of attempting this decent solo and against my better judgment I made the decision to give it a try. I did manage to descend less than 100 feet and with the aid of the few trees that were growing along the scree I made my way to the top of the next ledge. I could see no way of descending this ledge. I wasn't even sure that I could get back up where I had just descended so common sense told me not to go further. Later I measured,on my map, the distance that I was away from the marker and by that measurement was within 200 metres. I have entertained the notion of returning and with the aid of an experienced person to guide me I am sure it is possible to get to that marker.

As I anticipated ascending, back the way I had descended, was more difficult. I found the talus to be unstable. At one point on my way up I worked my way along a ledge for quite away only to have it peter out on me. At another point as I was trying to anchor my left hand on a substantial rock, so that I could move one of my feet to its next anchor, the rock gave way and slid. Luckily it slid away from me and I was still anchored by my two feet and right hand. But it made me acutely aware of how unstable this material that I was scrambling up really is. And I am thinking the whole way of how I am not in really great physical condition either. And what if my legs give out. Needless to say I was tremendously relieved to get to the top and of the rock.

What a comfortable pleasure it was to walk on gentle vegetated slopes again. I think that I had taken about an hour to descend and ascend my scramble.

July 16, 2009 Forum Peak

Sitting on the shore of Forum Lake and looking at the rock cliff at the other end one would believe that there is no way for a person to walk there.

On July 16 when I approached the rock cliff there was a clear foot path to the west. I took confidence in the fact that many people had passed this way before me so I should be able to as well. And so I began to work my way along a ledge on the south end of Form Lake. The ledge was wide in places and not near wide enough in others. I sat on a rock (where the first picture was taken from) and it seemed like I was just dangling my feet in mid air. I wasn't but it seemed like I was. I was engaged in a lot of "self talk' at this point. Like "what am I doing here" "okay lots of people have walked here so it must be possible", "its no worse than Crypt Lake", "look its only a 100 metres or so to where the trail ascends on to the ridge, you will be there in no time". Its true there were places where I could just walk like I was on any hiking trail but there were places where I gave the mountain a lot of hugs. Then where I thought the trail would ascend a little gully up to the ridge ... it didn't. Instead the ledge became. what seemed to me, too narrow. I might have uttered an expletive at this point and turned and looked back at the way I came. More self talk, "not going back there". So I gave the mountain a few really big hugs and begged it not to drop me and worked my way around the face of the rock. Was I relieved to see a decent scramble which still took the little remaining breath that I had away. BUT I DID IT!!!!! What a relief to get of of that ledge and up onto the ridge. I could have kissed that ridge, in fact I might have! So I rest and sent a SPOT message. I had to let somebody know that I was okay YAY! As I was having a rest I noticed three hikers walking my way. The guy walked up to me and we started talking. Then he said 'Alan?". It Shaun, my friend Rick's son. I'm saying "so I have to climb all the way up here just to meet you?". We visited a bit about our lives and the people in then and the trail. He and his party where heading down.

From there on the hike up to Forum Peak was a gentle slope. At that point I felt like I could just run up it, that is until I actually started up the slope. But it was an easy walk. I had succeeded in my first objective. And I wasn't going down the same way that I came up, I was sure of that.

July 16, 2009 Alberta - BC Border

On July 16 1969 40 years ago the Apollo 11 was launched carrying the first man to walk on the moon.

At about 9:00 AM on July 16, 2009 I looked up the cutline marking the border between Alberta and British Columbia. I was just beginning a steady ascent up this cutline. My objective was to see if I could hike to Forum Peak using this route. I was doubtful, at the time, that I could reach that peak from where I was at because of a rock face more or less 100 feet high that would eventually block my progress.

As I looked up the side of the mountain and toward the sky I saw the silvery crescent moon perfectly centered over the cutline. At that moment I remembered the significance of the date and the Apollo 11 Lunar launch. And here I was launching my own journey of discovery, albeit in a much quieter manner. I was and am still pondering the synchronicity of me hiking a cutline on a day and at a time that lined up so perfectly with the moon and this day coincided with the Apollo 11 lunar launch.

This hike began at the trail head of the Akamina Pass trail in Waterton National Park. I hiked the 1.5 km up to where the trail intersects the Alberta – BC border. On the drive to the trail head I had decided that today I would hike the boundary and see what possibilities there are for reaching Forum Peak by that route. There is a well worn foot path on this route but there is also a considerable amount of dead fall to hinder hikers who venture here. However I remained undaunted, partly because I had hiked this trail on June 23, 2008 and I wanted to see if I could or would get beyond my previous mark. A few hundred metres down this trail where it descends into a swale there is heavy deadfall and there is no alternative but to pick your way around it. The trail then starts a steep ascent. I found crawling upward or pulling myself up by any tree branch that was handy. In places the trail is eroded out to the depth of my knees.

As I walked and observed the crescent moon above me and pondered Apollo 11 I concluded that today this hike was not so much about achieving Forum Peak but it was more about exceeding my personal best as set by my previous hike up this trail. And exceed it I did. On my previous attempt I had set a waypoint at the point where I turned back. It wasn’t long before I had passed that point. Not far beyond that waypoint the trail became less steep and more open. I began to get welcome breezes that would momentarily drive the mosquitoes away. It was welcome respite for me to be out of the mosquitoes. As I ascended the ridge that I was on and the tree cover became more open so that I was able to start to see the mountains and valleys around me. I felt a profound feeling of good fortune that I was able to hike in places of such grandeur. I also had a growing sense of assurance that there would be no way over or around the rock wall ahead of me. No way at all. So I was certain that my hike would soon end and that I would likely be returning to my car early and on my way back. Perhaps I might even have a chance to visit my grandchildren for awhile.

While hiking this ridge I was profoundly moved by the synchronicity of events that had occurred that day and how fortunate I was to be in that place at that time. This gave me a deep sense of purpose. A sense that every step that I was taking that day had meaning and purpose. Of how important it is for we humans to have purpose and meaning in what we do.

At about 10 am I stopped and rested. I had pushed myself a bit up to this point and I needed to take a few minutes to make myself aware of how I was doing physically. It wouldn’t be long now before I would be up to that rock wall and what, if anything that lies beyond. Would I get to Forum Peak or not? The prospects were not looking too good but this had already been a grand hike so either way I was elated.

Little did I know what lied ahead.

Akamina Ridge - Forum Lake

July 1 and 2, 2009
When I first conceived this epic walk I invited anyone and everyone who wanted to to join me. I have had a couple of family members take me up on the offer. A it was my good fortune to have the company of Penelope my most recent hike.

Since Lorene and I tried to hike into Forum Lake in June of last year I have been wanting to return and make another attempt at reaching the Tri-Boundary Marker. On July 1 and 2 I had that chance.

My friend Penelope and I hiked did this hike. I wasn't sure what to expect in the way of people using Waterton Park on July 1st. I arrived at the Akamina Pass trail head in Waterton Park at about noon. Penelope and I then loaded our back packs and hiked into the Akamina Kishinena Provincial Park in BC. This is a distance of about 2.5 km. To my surprise the campsites in Akamina Kishinena Provincial Park was empty in spite of a high number of hikers and cyclist being on the trail. After a rest and supper there was enough daylight for an evening hike into Wall Lake. This was a about a 5 km hike there and back. The total elevatyion gain on this hike was 179 ft. so it is relatively level. The total hike probably took us 1 and 1/2 hours to complete.

The hike to Forum lake is moderately difficult. It is about 2.5 km into the lake and the elevation gain is 708 ft. Just before reaching the lake we encountered a few small patches of snow that could be avoided, but then there was one area of packed snow that has to be crossed. At the Lake there is a sign marking the trail to Akamina Ridge.

The hike to the ridge is only 1.11 km with an elevation gain of 547ft. There was one avalanche area to cross. It was all packed snow and although it was slippery walking it did not pose a serious obstacle. The second patch of packed snow was on a steeper slope so I chose to avoid it by staying on the tallis on the high side.

We reached the ridge at about 2pm so our hiking time was spent. From where we were the rest of the trail up the ridge seemed a bit daunting to me. I took a photo of it and it is posted in this Blog. I wasn't aware that we could have continued over the ridge and hiked down into Wall Lake. This will be a nice hike to do on a future venture. So we returned the way we came. On the way back we saw a male and a female Blue Grouse. Back at the tenting area we rested a bit and then packed up and hiked out. So the total distance hike on July 2 was about 10 km. which wasn't a bad day for a first time out.

From where we were on Akamina Ridge it was only about 2.2 km further on to the Tri Boundary Marker. But there is another 900 ft. of vertical to do. I also could see from the lake what looked like a contiunous ridge of snow along the ridge. Wheather or not this extended back behind the ridge I could not tell but my guess is that there is a real possiblity that we would have encountered signficant amounts of snow up on the ridge.

Willmore Wilderness

Just for the record I had been to the Willmore Wilderness in the summer 0f 1973. I was working for Alberta Fish and Wildlife that summer and for one week I was on a Elk population study in the Willmore Wilderness. However, by Monday June 15, 2009 I had no idea where I had been nor how I got there. So with the help of my topographical maps I endeavored to explore some possibilities. By 10:00 AM last Monday morning I was at the Sulfur Gate Trail head. I found a wide and well used trail that generally follows the East breaks of the Smoky River. As far as I was aware I was the only person on that trail on that day. There were lots of horse tracks and a couple of bicycle tracks but I did not encounter anyone else. The bicycle tracks made me wish that I had my bicycle as although the trail is stony in places I think that I could have traveled further and faster by bicycle.

Less than an hour in and there is a post on the trail, with a moose antler tied to it and an arrow pointing to Eaton Falls. I didn't walk to the falls. A short distance on is Eaton Creek. I would have got my feet wet crossing Eaton Creek if somebody had not thrown down some logs to make a makeshift bridge. There are several places where riverlets cross the trail and there are a few wet areas but all were easily crossed on foot.

After Eaton Creek the trail leveled out considerably. Then about 2 hours into my walk I came to an old burn area. This area seems like the place that I was at in the summer of 1973. I can imagine that the mature scattered aspen trees, there now, were just saplings in 1973. I took the photo in that area.

The area seems to be dry but by afternoon there were some thunderstorms brewing and it did sprinkle rain on me a bit. Not enough to require rain gear. I noted a number of wild flowers in bloom. Wild Strawberry, Dandelion of course, Wood Violet, Blue Eyed Grass, Saskatoon, Purple Violet, False Solomon's Seal, Bain Berry, Lung Wort, and some Peavines and Vetches.

In the interest of time I only allowed myself 2 hours to walk in so I was able to get down the trail 7 km before I turned back. The furthest point that I reached was Henrietta Creek. It was about 1:15PM when I turned back. Although I did not observe any Elk it is likely only because I wasn't looking closely enough. I think this because east of Henrietta Creek the trail was covered with Elk tracks and there was fresh urine also. I could smell them. I expect that they saw me before I saw them and so they move off just as I arrived on the scene.

On the way in I noticed that there was no sign of bears on the trail. On the way out just east of the old burn area there was a big pile of bear poop on the trail. I am sure that if I had taken the temperature of the poop that it would have measured close to the body temperature of the bear.
And so I decided that it was a good time for me to be making a little more noise as I walked along. A bit further along I saw a Ruff Grouse. I think it was a female and that she had a nest or chicks nearby because she wasn't moving far. As I approached she ruffled her feathers and even made a couple of charges at me. "A lot of pluck in that mother" I thought. I'm just happy it was a momma grouse charging at me and not a momma bear.

So this bit of a hike got me within 49.2 km of Intersection Mountain but better than that I got to revisit an area that I had been to decades before.

Stats:
Total distance about 14 km
Total time about 4 hours.
My moving average 3.8.km/hr.
Maximum elevation was 3511 feet.
Total evelation gain was 727 feet.

Kakwa Park, BC and Bastille Creek

The Rocky Mountain Range exits Alberta at Intersection Mountain. So for me to walk the entire Rocky Mountain Range would require that I climb Intersection Mountain. This is the most daunting aspect of such a hike. The reason is that Intersection Mountain is remote. To its east lies the Willmore Wilderness and West of intersection is Kakwa park. I have considered access to Intersection mountain from both east and west. Topographical maps show that the closest access might be from the BC side. I am hope to find a trail that follows Bastille Creek up into the Sheep Pass. There is no trail marked on my 1:250,000 map but I still think there might be one. On June 14, 2009 I finally had a chance to visit the area see what was there for myself. To get there I turned north off of Highway 16 onto a forestry road that is the only access that I know of into Kakwa Park. This road would also get me into the vicinity of Bastille creek. However I only got 12 km down the forestry road and found that the road was flooded at Humbug Creek. I thought it prudent at that point to not proceed on any further. My next option was to explore access through the Willmore Wilderness. That will be my next entry.

Hawrelak Park

Today I did a hike in Hawrelak Park with the Fit and Active 55 Plus Meet Up group. We started from the Pavilion and walked to the foot bridge across the North Saskatchewan River on the foot bridge. Then we walked generally north in the 'off leash dog walking area' to the first coulee. We walked up that coulee trail a ways and then turned back. The foot bridge is clear of snow but most trails are not. There is considerable slush on the trails. Also welt water is starting to form into ponds which necessitate detoring. That said though walking is not particularly difficult. The branch of the trail up the coulee is currently covered in one place by a foot or so of ice. The surface of the ice is slushing enough though to make it not very slippery and thus walkable. Observed crows, gulls, canada geese and even a pair of Mallard ducks.

This walk was about 5.5 km and took about 1hr and 20 min to complete.