June 1, 2024.
8.3 mi. | 1085′ ele. gain | 5 hr.
We stopped into a visitor center the day before this hike to get information on the Kananaskis parking pass (which we needed for both camping and hiking in this area) and to ask for hike recommendations in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. Clearly, it was still the shoulder season for visiting, so I wanted to find a trail that would not be inundated with snow. The folks working at the center were extremely friendly and knowledgeable. One of many of the hikes they circled on the map was this one. Based on how lousy I was feeling from being sick, I knew I needed a hike without a steep elevation gain and this fit the bill.
Just to be certain, we stopped into yet another visitor center the morning of the hike. When we inquired about our plans, the volunteer behind the desk could barely contain his excitement: “I just hiked that one yesterday!” He continued to let us know that the south side of the lake was still buried in snow, so we should plan to do an out-and-back on the other side. We had a well-informed strategy!
As soon as we stepped out of the van, we were in for some big, mountain views. Snow-capped peaks towered over the enormous lake, which just seems par for the course in the Canadian Rockies. I wasn’t complaining. Aaron managed to find another beautiful fairyslipper as we slowly walked up the trail, but the forest was mostly still in its winter slumber. I prepared myself for a views and birdsong day instead of a wildflower one.
The trail hugged the lakeshore for the first two miles. There were some gentle ups and downs. The view changed slightly as we traced the edge of the lake. I made a note of the spot I’d want to come back and do some painting. There, some Canada geese were patrolling a shallow wetland between the main body of the lake and the trail.
When we reached the narrow strip of land separating the upper and lower lakes, we paused to admire the view. More water, more mountains, more ohmygosh can you believe this is real?
We turned to head west at the top of the lake, passing a huge warning sign above a heavily overgrown trail. It warned us that the trail crosses prime grizzly habit, and they’d prefer it if you’d like, not use it. Message received, I thought, as I paused to look down at my bear spray. We began talking loudly again.
Soon after, we came to a trail junction and decided to take the upper trail. I thought we could make the tiniest of loops by following this trail slightly up into the woods and then returning on the parallel trail just below it. Based on the map, I could not imagine there would be much difference between the two, but I was about to be proven wrong.
All the elevation gain came during this section, and by all of it I mean about 300′. It just felt like it came out of nowhere. We slowed down to catch our breath. But then we slowed down for another reason; the most spectacular mountain came into view. The dense woods opened up to a huge talus field. Above it, a huge tilted face climbed into the sky. “That looks so fun to climb!” I thought. Sheer rock faces at various heights and angles filled my field of vision. It was not only spectacular in and of itself, it was also such a dramatic shift from what we’d been looking at during the hike. I pulled out my phone to learn the name of that peak: Mt. Indefatigable.
At the next trail junction, we decided to rest, snack and sketch. I chose a cool squiggly tree for my subject while Aaron dove into his book. I’m having so much fun with my daily ink sketching practice and it’s a bonus when I get to do my sketch out in nature!
On the other side of our mini-loop, we had to cross more talus and scree. In the rocks, I was delighted to discover some hardy vegetation, including (probably) a sedum and a draba. It wasn’t much, but at this time of year, you get what you get. We rejoined the main trail and hiked to the painting spot I identified earlier. We layered up and sat down for our final break. Not long after I began adding paint to my sketch, it started to drizzle. I worked as fast as I could to cover the page, but I didn’t get to “complete” my painting as I’d envisioned it. Regardless, we had to pack up and hike out. I got some fun effects from the raindrops hitting wet paint, but it otherwise looked childish over all. I determined to finish it later, but we all know that won’t happen!
I am happy with myself for choosing a hike that I knew would match my energy level. Even this felt like a bit of a push for me today. However, the views were amazing, I did two pieces of art and I laid eyes on that majestic Mt. Indefatigable.
But the highlight of the day came much later, on our drive back to the campground. As we drove north on highway 40, we noticed the car in front of us slowing to a stop. At this point in our travels, we knew what that meant: wildlife ahead. I turned to the right and there it was: a grizzly bear! The bear was totally into munching on dandelions, so much so that it hardly lifted its head. We pulled off the road, put our hazards on and watched the bear for a few minutes. It was so close and so in its element. What a treat!
