Good Evening Steemians!!
After yesterday's walk of 20 km, I assumed I would wake up sore but oddly enough it actually wasn't that bad...Maybe I still have my climbing muscles! As a child until I moved to Alberta 12 years ago, I grew up in Canada's other mountain range and we lived pretty much on top of a mountain. Anywhere I wanted to go was always down the mountain and I would always have to climb either by foot or bike to come back home in combination with a physically demanding job for half the year I think I just naturally grew up with an athletic climbing body-type and luckily, I don't really have to maintain to avoid paying too hard of a price even if I have been nothing more than a lump on a log for most of the summer.
Shot 1/200 sec. f/7.1 18 mm, ISO 200
We didn't have our heart set on any particular hike today, it was now time to figure out what to do. We heard many things about the Elbow pass, still located in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park both online and from some of the campground staff. Parking is located on the side of Highway 40 at Elbow Pass parking lot 75 km south of highway 1. On our way, we ran into a handful of Rocky Mountain Sheep aka Bighorn Sheep including a lamb, we had no choice but to stop, they were all over the road. It gave us a good opportunity for a photo-shoot while they safely finish licking the salt left in the road and cross to the mountain.
Shot 1/500 sec. f/5.6 300 mm, ISO 200
Male and females only hangout during mating season, the rest of the time they are separate, Rams will be with other males. The males are the ones with the big curly horns, sorry maybe next time for today Ewes and a little baby. The Lamb will nurse until 6 months old. Males will remain in the Ewe herd with their mothers for a total of 2 years before joining the other Rams. They are born instantly knowing how to walk and climb. They may appear clumsy but are quite agile.
Shot 1/640 sec. f/6.3 300 mm, ISO 200
Shot 1/640 sec. f/6.3 300 mm, ISO 200
Back on task since the road had finally cleared and we could get on the way again and it was finally time to hit the trail and see where our feet take us. the trail is well defined from there with a map at the entrance. This is Grizzly terrain and an attack has been recorded in this location be equipped with bear spray(it's standard for any trail in the Rockies). It appeared to be a really busy trail, the busiest we have seen all week, this must be some sight to see I thought to myself! We started making our way up to Elbow Lake, a 1.3 kilometer with a 150 meters gain in elevation can't be that bad right! Remember how I was bragging I wasn't sore...there it is...as soon as I started climbing I felt my muscles cramp up and nothing wanted to move anymore...awwe old age setting in. Well we took many breaks and went slow and steady until our muscles loosened up a little. It was steep enough climb as we got deeper into the forest.
Shot 1/320 sec. f/9 18 mm, ISO 100
On the way we passed thru another rock field, that's where the heat really hit us, we lost the shielding from the trees and the sun just radiates all that heat in what was already in the mid 20's(Celsius) for the afternoon. Pretty warm considering we were starting to see snow on the mountain top. The trail seems to plateau for a little while offering a short break until it continues up on a steep angle again until reaching the lake/campground area. I would still consider this a family friendly hike suitable for most until this point, yes it's a bit of a fitness wake up call but well worth the effort. As you get up the last hill, you end up with a slight vantage view over the lake at the bottom of the hill, it's quite a greeting with it's mesmerizing emerald hues, in this heat, it was the oasis that had been on my mind for a little while. I couldn't wait to take off my shoes get my feet in it's cold crisp clear water and cool off.
There is a campground next to the lake, permits are still required but you need to backpack all your gear. The trail is also accessible via horse but are not allowed to stay overnight. This is a popular spot for trout fishing once again, all the proper permits must be in place and must adhere with park rules. The network of trails offers terrain for all level of hikers from an easy going walk around the lake or all the way up to a the near-by Rae Glacier for the more ambitious hiker. Elbow lake acts as a water supply reservoir for the city of Calgary. Amazing how most of us live in our concrete jungles never really knowing or even questioning where all our daily luxuries come from. They seem like a basic standard of living, after being out here for the last four days, pretty much to our own device, I became a little more appreciative of all the things at my fingertips in my normal life. Doing this trip had me reflecting on how life could have been like for early settlers and explorers to be there before anything was ever here(not that there is much more now). Today was the first day we encountered a fair number of people, for the rest of the trip it felt like we were alone out here.
Shot 1/250 sec. f/8 18 mm, ISO 200
I could have sat here all day, the water was so cold, too cold to go for a dip I could hardly keep my feet in for longer than a minute at a time. This lake gets it's water from Rae Glacier that is tucked away on the other side of the lake and the mountains. This was our next destination but first we had to make our way around and across the lake(it is faster to go thru the campground but around the lake is more scenic. Besides it was pretty small compared to yesterday's and the glacier is just a few kilometers further. Of course like any Rockies landscape, as we made our way around new features began to reveal themselves. Melted glaciers leave an assortment of rocks of all sizes behind, the beginning of the trail took us thru some of the left over mountains of loose material.
Shot 1/250 sec. f/8 18 mm, ISO 160
Shot 1/250 sec. f/8 18 mm, ISO 125
Shot 1/1000 sec. f/6.3 200 mm, ISO 560
Behind the trees of the last series of photo's, is where the turnoff and river meets the lake to get to the glacier if you keep going strait is clearly warned and marked that you are exiting park boundaries(that is the wrong way). The trail to the glacier isn't clearly mapped like the main trail systems around the lake but as long as you stay on the main path you shouldn't get lost. There is no bridge to cross the river but this time of year it's really shallow and we were able to just remove our shoes and cross it by foot. This was a more secluded area, away from all the noise of the day use area. I have become quite fond the no noise concept Kananaskis has to offer. We made our way across the meadow and towards the back of the mountain.
Shot 1/200 sec. f/7.1 18 mm, ISO 200
The trail led us thru a series of overflow ditches carved by the spring melts until we reached the river coming down from the glacier. From this point, the trail disappears for a little less than a kilometer thru centuries of rocky debris left behind. It does appear questionable at first but going upstream will lead you to the rest of the trail. Going thru the rocks was the last of the easy part. Once back on the trail, we were going to start gaining elevation again for the rest of the way (another 400 meters). It isn't too bad at first having the bonus of being shaded from the trees again. As we made our way up, they started to disappear and standing on a mostly rocky surface, we were getting scorched by the sun and baked by the rock's radiant heat. Now that we were passed the treeline we could begin to see the glacier, it was time to get a view of the gorgeous valley where we were just standing an hour or so ago.
Shot 1/160 sec. f/6.3 18 mm, ISO 200
Shot 1/250 sec. f/8 46 mm, ISO 180
Shot 1/250 sec. f/8 22 mm, ISO 200
Now that we were passed the trees, that's when it turns into unforgiving territory, climbing up the lateral moraines left behind by the melting glacier. The lateral moraine is a pile of debris marks the furthest extension of the glacier. The trail is very steep and narrow climbing up the dry loose stones rolling away as our feet slip being pulled back by gravity. The air is getting thinner and harder to breath one miscalculation can become fatal as we walk the edge to the top of the world. It's easier to walk on the little grass that still grows because of better traction but on the other hand there is very little green growing in these elevation and preserving the alpine flower species is important.
Shot 1/250 sec. f/8 18 mm, ISO 160
Shot 1/200 sec. f/7.1 34 mm, ISO 200
The total hike from the parking lot to the glacier is 7.9 km round-trip. We didn't make it close enough to touch the glacier, we were very close but I don't think either one of us really cared that much about touching snow in July. We had a nice view from where we were, clear unobstructed view of the glaciers. The temperatures got significantly cooler here but it felt so good after this brutal climb in the heat. The self abuse was worth it as I looked around, I wanted to live here, as impossible as it could ever be, the view was breathtaking on all sides, the air was so fresh and most of all it was quiet, once again we had the place to ourselves. Of course taking the victory rest stop, it the perfect place to reflect on whatever comes to mind.
Shot 1/640 sec. f/5.6 65 mm , ISO 200
Shot 1/640 sec. f/6.3 95 mm, ISO 200
Shot 1/250 sec. f/8 18 mm, ISO 200
One of the first thing that came to mind as I sat here admiring the birds eye view was F%$K I don't want to get lost in the woods here haha, look at all those trees, they all look the same, so tiny but in reality some of these were easily 30 feet in height. Many of you may be reading this and never experienced it but being out there, in the middle of nowhere, it can get a little overwhelming at times, making educated guesses of being on the right trail but when I tried to research the trails, I didn't find much that was all too valuable for information, the more personal aspect of the rockies rather than commercial trails that are nowhere near where we are. The landscape here is ever changing, one day something is there, the next visit, part of it burned down or succumbed to pests like Jasper's pine beetle problem, long term glacier loss, landslides and avalanches. It's unfortunate but it's not the end of the world when these catastrophes happen. It marks the land, the land heals and than the birth of a new eco-system. Who knows how long this glacier will be around, will it fully melt in my lifetime? My post help me record what I see, what it felt like, what caught my eye. Each time I visit these areas, each are completely different experiences even if I have been to some several times. You never know, this could become valuable information someday instead of just some random Cannuk ramble.
Shot 1/200 sec. f/7.1 40 mm, ISO 200
We made our way back down to be back in time to find a nice place to stop and have a bbq and enjoy the sunset for the rest of the evening. Thankfully going down was much easier than going up (tell that to my knees!) we finished going around the lake thru the campground and made our way off the mountain. I would rate this hike for moderate level of fitness, it may only be around 8km round-trip but the 550 meter elevation gain will definitely test you. Well worth it and I hope to do it again someday. Overall in the last 2 days we have hiked almost 30 km of back-country, it feels like so long but yet it's such a small portion, less than 1% of my beloved Rockies.
Shot 1/125 sec. f/5.6 18 mm, ISO 200
If you decide you want to go visit the Elbow Pass area, don't forget to visit Rock Glacier, a short interactive tour located on the side of the same highway but on the other side of the Rae Glacier. We gladly returned now that it wasn't raining like our first visit.
I wont have time to do my final day of our trip until I get back so maybe a week and I will work on the finale. In the meantime I am packing for another excursion that I'm sure I will have lots to say. I will leave you with a few more pictures from the rest of the day. Alright have a good week and play safe!
Shot 1/200 sec. f/7.1 18 mm, ISO 200
Rock Glacier. Shot 1/250 sec. f/8 18 mm, ISO 180
Shot 1/200 sec. f/8 31 mm, ISO 200
Shot 1/400 sec. f/6.3 200 mm, ISO 1600
Shot 1/1000 sec. f/6.3 200 mm, ISO 500
Shot 1/500 sec. f/5.6 95 mm, ISO 220
Images of animals taken with Nikon D7000 and 300mm Nikkor lens. Landscapes were taken With Sigma 18-20mm lens with a Tiffen polarizing lens filter.
Cheers! X🐞X