Weekend Photos: Canadian Rockies

- November 09, 2024

Last week's post featured a hike out of Moraine Lake. Today we'll take a look at a few more lakes on two hikes.

After our crowded hike at Moraine Lake, we decided not to use our bus tickets to Lake Louise the next day, but instead to do a highly rated but much less populated hike to Helen Lake and Dolomite Ridge. My companions settled for Helen Lake, but I pushed on, despite a fierce and cold wind, to get the views from the ridge into the next drainage.

First we stopped at Hector Lake for what we hoped would be sunrise photography.


Dang it, the sun forgot to rise!

We then moved on to the Helen Lake trailhead to be among the first up the trail. The sun did eventually come out, at least in spots.

Sun spots and glacial lakes.

Ptarmigan, maybe just starting to turn switch to the white winter coat.

Just short of this spot we met a pair of somewhat flustered hikers, bear spray in hand, who'd just seen a mother grizzly and cup. We were not lucky enough to see them, though I found prints.

Helen Lake, with Dolomite Ridge running off to the right, and 2/3 of Cirque Peak on the left, disappearing into the clouds.

Looking the other way across the lake.

The wind was definitely howling up on the ridge, but the funny thing was that somehow the view point at the end was actually quite sheltered and not an unpleasant place for a quick bite and some photos.

This was either fun with the self-timer or taken for me by a kind fellow-hiker. Lake Katherine below me.

Dolomite Peak. It was a real castle!

Helen Lake, again.

That added up to a 9.3-mile day, with nearly 2000' in gain and loss.

The next day my companions had to spend the day returning the rented RV that had given us shelter. I hiked solo to Tower and Rockbound Lakes, with my bear spray at the ready (never saw any sign, but hiking alone is a little unnerving in grizzly country).

There were a lot of really cool fungi out there, especially down in the forest.

After an hour or so of climbing, Castle Mountain came into view, along with the first larches.

Soon I reached Tower Lake, nestled at the foot of Castle Mountain.

The morning calm allowed for some good reflections.

After a bunch of photos at Tower Lake, it was decision time. Do I call it good enough, or continue to Rockbound Lake? A sign indicating only 1/2 mile farther tipped the balance, even though I knew that half mile was a stiff climb!

Looking back down at Tower Lake from halfway up the climb to Rockbound Lake.

After a reasonable effort, I reached Rockbound Lake and was glad I'd pushed on. The guidebook didn't do the lake justice, with a rather lackluster description of this cliff-enclosed gem.

I spent a bit of time at the lake, taking photos and eating my lunch. Before I finished, the wind started to come up, ruining the reflections and making me wish I'd done more before stopping to eat!

No reflections looking back this way, but Petey Possum liked the views anyway.

Larches, cliffs, and mists.

I headed back down as the mists closed in--and as other hikers began arriving at the lake. It felt good to finish up this 11.4-mile, 2500' hike with only moderately sore feet.

Since my fellow-travelers had taken the RV away, I camped in my "micro RV" at the Lake Louise hard-sided campground, sleeping in the car since, as the name implies, no tents are allowed. Happily, it was a fairly warm afternoon and, after enjoying my hot shower I was able to enjoy my dinner and a little work out at the table before calling it a night and crawling in as soon as it was dark (about 7 p.m.). For the record, people up to about 5'6" can sleep in the back of an ordinary Prius, but need to be limber and not claustrophobic.