Two days prior to this adventure Lupe had a fabulous day going from Upper Kananaskis Lake in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park to the Turbine Campground along the Maude-Lawson Lakes Trail. Although Lupe never made it as far as Maude Lake or North Kananaskis Pass, SPHP still had plans to for Lupe to make an attempt at reaching South Kananaskis Pass via Three Isle Lake. Lupe set out for South Kananaskis Pass at 7:30 AM this morning from the same North Interlakes Day Use trailhead at the NE corner of Upper Kananaskis Lake.
The wind had died down to just a little breeze overnight, and the skies were finally clear of all of the smoky haze that had been around since before Lupe got to the Rockies. By leaving so early in the morning, Lupe and SPHP seemed to have gotten the jump on everyone else. There was no activity at the trailhead and no one on the trail. Lupe again started out on the Upper Kananaskis Lake trail heading W above the N shore of the lake. At 2.1 km, she took the Three Isle Lake trail to the Forks Campground. She was having a great time sniffing around and exploring.
Upper Kananaskis Lake looking W from near the North Interlakes Day Use trailhead.
Lupe started seeing people after reaching the bridge over the Upper Kananaskis River. By then she was already getting close to the Forks Campground about 7.1 km from the trailhead. This time, instead of taking the Maude-Lawson Lakes trail at Forks, Lupe stayed on the Three Isle Lake trail.
Beyond Forks Campground, at first the Three Isle Lake trail continued to be nearly level. Soon that changed, however, and the trail gradually started climbing more and more steeply. Pretty soon Lupe and SPHP were starting a steep climb up a headwall blocking the way to the W. At its steepest part there was a stairway on the trail with a big chain anchored in the ground next to it for something to hang on to. Lupe didn’t need it, but SPHP was happy it was there.
After the stairway was a steep section with loose rock on the trail. A cliff was close by just below, so it was important not to slip and slide too far. Gradually the trail started leveling out again. After reaching the top of the headwall, Lupe followed the trail W down to Three Isle Lake.
Lupe at the SE end of Three Isle Lake. Photo looks WSW.
Three Isle Lake is a beautiful alpine lake, although it wasn’t as pretty as it might have been when Lupe arrived since the water level was well below full. The N side of the lake was mostly forested. The S side was more barren. There were gorgeous snow-capped mountains all around. Although it had been a bright morning, it was cool and mostly cloudy at Three Isle Lake.
Lupe and SPHP went and sat on a rock above the SE shore of the lake to admire the view. Soon an interpretive guide employed by British Columbia came along and hailed SPHP. The interpretive guide said he was on the Alberta side of the border just familiarizing himself with the trails, and offered to answer any questions, etc. Lupe had none, but SPHP was interested in taking a peek at his very nice detailed map of the region.
The interpretive guide’s map confirmed that it wasn’t too far from Three Isle Lake to South Kananaskis Pass. The Three Isle Lake trail Lupe had been following continued through the forest on the N side of the lake. It gradually turned NW and headed on up to the pass, which was only a couple of km from the E end of Three Isle Lake. A much smaller lake, Beatty Lake, was another couple of km farther beyond the pass.
Lupe at South Kananaskis Pass and the view NW into British Columbia.
Once the interpretive guide had moved on, Lupe and SPHP went back to the Three Isle Lake trail. Lupe turned W making for South Kananaskis Pass. Although SPHP lost the trail briefly at Three Isle Lake Campground, Lupe soon found it again. Before long, Lupe was at South Kananaskis Pass. A sign there indicated Lupe had reached British Columbia. From the pass was a view to the NW of a wonderfully green open valley with high mountains beyond.
After 10 minutes at the pass, Lupe went on into British Columbia. SPHP intended to go all the way to Beatty Lake, but had already foolishly forgotten exactly how far away it was from the pass. SPHP hiked 1.5 km, but didn’t come to it. Lupe was more interested in marmots and offered little help. Of course, coming from the pass, Lupe was losing elevation steadily. When SPHP came over a little ridge and saw another elevation drop, but no lake ahead, SPHP decided Lupe had gone far enough.
Lupe in British Columbia. Photo looks SE back up towards South Kananaskis Pass.
At the turnaround point Lupe must have been pretty close to Beatty Lake. SPHP could hear a big stream ahead that probably fed or came from the lake. Nevertheless, SPHP led Lupe back up to South Kananaskis Pass. She visited Three Isle Lake again. The trek down the headwall E of Three Isle Lake was easier, but scarier, than going up it.
Three Isle Lake, Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada
Below the headwall and just starting up the steep part of the trail, was a young man who was running up the trail. He turned out to be on a trail running race known as the “Death Run”. He was part of a relay team and had to run 38 km. Death Runner seemed glad to stop for a breather. He patted Lupe and chatted with SPHP. The name of the race he was running told SPHP pretty much all SPHP really needed to know about it.
At Forks Campground, Lupe met a woman from Canmore, who was there with her son, Tristan, who might have been 8 or 9 years old. She had made more rice than she needed to and was going to burn it, just to get rid of it. Instead she fed it to Lupe and SPHP.
SPHP stayed chatting with her so long that Death Runner came by after having gone to Three Isle Lake and turned around. Apparently Rice Lady had previously talked to Death Runner, and they started up a conversation again. Stuffed with rice, Lupe and SPHP left Forks Campground shortly after Death Runner jogged off again.
Fading to gray – sunset at Upper Kananaskis Lake, Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada. Photo taken at SE corner of lake near the picnic ground.
Lupe and SPHP got back to the G6 a bit before 9:00 PM. It was a short drive over to the picnic ground at the SE corner of Upper Kananaskis Lake to watch the sun set. The sunset lacked the bright colors Lupe and SPHP were hoping for. Instead, everything just faded to gray. Lupe and SPHP sat together listening to the peaceful sound of the waves lapping up on the shore of the beautiful lake.
Another glorious day spent together in the Canadian Rockies was done. Happily, more were on the way!
Lupe and SPHP spent several days in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park in Alberta on the Canadian Rockies portion of Lupe’s 2014 Dingo Vacation. Our base of operations was centered around Upper Kananaskis Lake, a beautiful and fairly large mountain lake where there were a number of great hiking trails to explore. The most outstanding of these hikes was along the Maude-Lawson Lakes Trail, which leads to North Kananaskis Pass and on into Height of the Rockies Provincial Park in British Columbia.
This hike started at the North Interlakes Day Use trailhead located between the Upper and Lower Kananaskis Lakes in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park in Alberta, Canada. The trailhead is close to the NE corner of Upper Kananaskis Lake. Near the junction of Hwy 40 and the S end of Route 742 (Smith-Dorrien/Spray Trail) is a paved road to the Peter Lougheed Provincial Park Visitor Center. The North Interlakes Day Use trailhead is at the end of this paved road well beyond the visitor center.
Lupe arrived at the North Interlakes Day Use trailhead between Upper and Lower Kananaskis Lakes around 9 AM on this smoky, but otherwise very fine morning. She found the trailhead parking lot already crowded with two groups of 8 – 10 teenage boys each busy preparing to hit the trail too. One group was ready and set out shortly before Lupe and SPHP. The second group was still organizing at the trailhead parking lot when Lupe and SPHP got underway.
Lupe started out on a portion of the Upper Kananaskis Lake trail, which ultimately goes all the way around the lake. This first stretch of trail was pretty easy with only moderate elevation gain. Lupe trotted W on the trail while keeping watch for any squirrels that might be about. The trail rose gradually until it was well above the lakeshore. Although Lupe was in the forest most of the time, there were a few open stretches along the trail with very nice views of Upper Kananaskis Lake.
This photo of a portion of Upper Kananaskis Lake was taken on 7-17-14, the evening before Lupe’s adventures on the Maude-Lawson Trail. The Forks Campground is about 5 km beyond the far side of the lake seen in this photo.
Unfortunately, the air was quite hazy due to smoke from distant forest fires. The air had been smoky on and off for days, starting back when Lupe had reached the area E of Glacier National Park while still in the USA.
SPHP had heard various rumors of where the fires were ever since Lupe had stopped by at Waterton Lakes. Just this morning, while still at Upper Kananaskis Lake before arriving at the trailhead, Lupe and SPHP had met a couple from Yellowknife in the Yukon who had told SPHP there were over 200 wildfires now burning in northern British Columbia.
After 2.2 km, Lupe came to an intersection with the Three Isle Lake trail. The Three Isle Lake trail led Lupe away from Upper Kananaskis Lake and deeper into the forest. Now there were no views, but the forest itself was beautiful. The Three Isle Lake trail was in good condition and a very easy stroll as it was quite level. It headed NW for a little way and then turned W again.
The bridge over the Upper Kananaskis River on the Three Isle Lake trail, Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Canada
Lupe crossed two streams while on the Three Isle Lake trail. The first one was a small stream coming down from Invincible Lake. Lupe enjoyed a good drink out of this stream. The second stream was actually a small river, the Upper Kananaskis River.
The Upper Kananaskis River was flowing fast and deep in a narrow gap where Lupe had to cross it, but fortunately there was a very good bridge. After crossing the bridge, the trail remained fairly level as it followed the river upstream. Lupe soon came to a couple of guys making a new trail around old portions of trail damaged in the June, 2013 floods. Not too far beyond them, Lupe reached the Forks Campground.
Lupe on the bridge over the Upper Kananaskis River.
Appropriately enough, at Forks there was a choice to make. Lupe was now 7.2 km from where she had started the day. If Lupe continued W another 3.5 km on the Three Isle Lake trail, above a steep headwall she would reach another campground at Three Isle Lake. Quite a few of the hikers SPHP had chatted with along the trail were either coming from or going to Three Isle Lake. After reaching Three Isle Lake, the trail continued on another 2.8 km to South Kananaskis Pass, but no one had told SPHP they’d been that far.
The other available choice was to take the Maude-Lawson Lakes trail. This trail went N 7.7 km to the Turbine Campground beyond Lawson Lake, and then another 2.1 km W on up to Maude Lake just E of North Kananaskis Pass. Lupe expressed no great preference for either the South or North Pass. SPHP hoped to reach the more distant North Pass and set off along the Maude-Lawson Lakes trail. Lupe seemed happy enough to follow along.
After bypassing the Forks Campground, which was deserted at the time, the trail headed N along the Upper Kananaskis River upstream for a little way, but then began to climb. Once the climb began, it was relentless and pretty steep. This was where most of the elevation gain for the day occurred as the climb turned into a long series of switchbacks up the head-wall on the W side of the Upper Kananaskis River valley.
While climbing, the trail continued to work its way to the N. The E side of the canyon was visible as a massive continuous rock wall rising a couple thousand feet above the valley floor. Mt. Indefatigable(8,760 ft.), Mt. Invincible(8,793 ft.), Mt. Warspite(9,318 ft.), and Mt. Black Prince(9,642 ft.) were all along the E side of the valley, but partially obscured by the smoky haze in the air.
SPHP had to stop to rest frequently on the climb up the headwall. It was getting warm out. Fortunately Lupe came to a few very small streams along the climb where she could get a drink. On one of SPHP’s first stops, the second group of teenage boys caught up to and passed SPHP. From then on Lupe and SPHP took turns with the second group of boys passing each other at various rest stops on the headwall.
SPHP started talking to the boys and learned that this second group was from a camp near Bemidji in northern Minnesota called Camp Thunderbird. They were on a 6 week “Junior Leader” journey that had already taken them to the Badlands and Black Hills in South Dakota, the Wind River Range in Wyoming, and a trail-making service job in the mountains in Idaho. The Thunderbirds were now backpacking up to Turbine Campground.
The Thunderbirds intended to stay the night at Turbine Campground before hiking back out the next day. After that they were headed up to Jasper and Mt. Robson. All of the boys were about 15 years old. They were accompanied by a couple of leaders in their early twenties. Many knew each other from previous summers spent together at Camp Thunderbird. The trip they were on was one of several offered through Camp Thunderbird, which also has programs and trips for girls. Camp Thunderbird really sounded like an awesome place.
One of the boys fell behind near the end of the climb up the headwall. He’d had concussions from playing hockey and had developed a headache. One of the leaders was with him. SPHP gave him a Cliff bar in case his blood sugar was low. The Thunderbirds decided to take a longer break and have lunch so everyone could rest up. Lupe and SPHP passed the Thunderbirds for the final time at that point. Very shortly after that, Lupe and SPHP reached the top of the headwall and the trail finally leveled out a great deal.
A stream above the headwall on the Maude-Lawson trail, Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Canada 7-18-14
Within 10 minutes, at a larger stream Lupe and SPHP caught up with the group of teenage boys who had left the trailhead back at Upper Kananaskis Lake first. They wanted to know how close the Thunderbirds were.
SPHP told them the Thunderbirds were very close, only 10 minutes behind them, but that they had just stopped for lunch. Although this first group of boys was not from Camp Thunderbird, they were also headed for Turbine Campground for the night.
Lupe along the Maude-Lawson trail after passing the first group of boys on her way to Turbine Campground.
Lupe and SPHP passed the first group of boys and were now ahead of both groups. It was still 2 or 3 km to Turbine Campground. Lupe and SPHP went through a couple more climbs, but nothing comparable to the headwall. Beyond the first rise was a beautiful open meadow with a small alpine lake. Glorious mountains were all around. It was rather a pity that the air was still smoky enough to detract from the fabulous views.
The alpine pond in the meadow beyond the headwall on the way to Lawson Lake.
Beyond this meadow was another small climb through the trees and then the trail started downhill emerging from the forest near Lawson Lake, which wasn’t too far from Turbine Campground. Another km or so brought Lupe to a bridge over Maude Brooke.
Lupe reaches Lawson Lake.
On the other side of Maude Brooke was Turbine Campground. No one was around when Lupe first arrived. Lupe and SPHP laid down on an open grassy bank on the campground side of Maude Brooke to take a rest. While SPHP contemplated the grand mountains all around, Lupe tried to doze a bit in the sun. She snapped at flies bothering her, while laying right next to SPHP.
After resting about 15 minutes, Lupe suddenly woke up and stood stiffly a couple of feet in front of SPHP while sniffing the air and staring intently upstream. She didn’t move or make any noise, but just stood there sniffing excitedly for several minutes. The first group of boys now started arriving at Turbine Campground. Some of them waved at Lupe and SPHP as they crossed the bridge.
Lupe catches the scent of grizzlies near Maude Brooke and Turbine Campground. The grizzlies, still unseen at this point, are in the bushes just in front of the trees on the other side of Maude Brooke where Lupe is looking. Mt. Beatty(9,711 ft.) is the highest peak in the background.
About 10 minutes later the Thunderbirds started coming. About 2/3 of the Thunderbirds had crossed the bridge when suddenly SPHP saw movement about 100′ to 125′ away in the bushes on the other side of Maude Brooke where Lupe was still staring. A moment later, SPHP had a clear view of what was there. A large grizzly bear raised its head above the bushes to look directly at Lupe and SPHP!
Some of the last few Thunderbird stragglers were just now coming into view along the trail on the same side of Maude Brooke as the grizzly was. SPHP started waving at the Thunderbirds and pointing at the bear. Lupe started growling, but did not bark.
The Thunderbird stragglers saw the grizzly and quickly made it across the bridge over Maude Brooke to Turbine Campground. The big grizzly ambled over to the trail they had just been on. As the big bear left the bushes and crossed the trail, it turned out there were three grizzly bears traveling together! The other two were already good-sized bears, not little cubs, but they were not as large as the first bear. Lupe growled more loudly and the hair on her back stood up like she’d seen, well, 3 grizzly bears – but still she did not move or bark.
The sight of three bears crossing the trail where they had just been only a minute before caused quite a commotion among the Thunderbird stragglers. Other boys started coming from the trees at Turbine Campground to see what the fuss was about. None of them arrived in time to see the grizzlies before all three disappeared into the forest in the direction of Lawson Lake. It all happened so fast, no one got a picture of the grizzlies.
Three grizzlies in the area gave SPHP some pause. The plan had been for Lupe to continue on to Maude Lake and North Kananaskis Pass, which was only a few km farther on. However, it was already 3:30 PM. Lupe and SPHP were not equipped to spend the night at Turbine Campground, and did not have the required reservations. Before the day was over, Lupe and SPHP had to return all the way to Upper Kananaskis Lake where the G6 was parked, already some 15 km away now.
Reluctantly SPHP decided Lupe would have to forego the rest of the journey to Maude Lake and North Kananaskis Pass. It just wouldn’t be smart to stay out so late knowing there would be a long hike back in the dark while there were three grizzlies wandering around nearby.
Lupe and SPHP waited 20 minutes before leaving Turbine Campground to give the grizzlies time to get farther away. Before leaving, SPHP cautioned several of the boys staying at Turbine Campground to make certain everyone stored their food safely away after dinner so the bears wouldn’t come back in the night.
A look back at Lawson Lake on the return journey.
Shortly before 4 PM, Lupe and SPHP cautiously set out on the way back to Upper Kananaskis Lake. Lupe and SPHP never did see the three grizzlies again. Lupe didn’t see anyone else either until she reached the Forks Campground. Although the Forks Campground had been abandoned earlier in the day, now it was packed with people.
Looking S through the meadow towards the little alpine pond on Lupe’s return trip on the Maude-Lawson Trail.Lupe on the Maude-Lawson Trail after just passing the little alpine pond.Looking S from the headwall on the Maude-Lawson trail. The Forks Campground is down at the base of the mountain ahead. Although this photo was taken in early evening on Lupe’s way back to Upper Kananaskis Lake, it is still pretty hazy out from the smoke of distant forest fires.
It turned out the entire Forks Campground had been reserved for the weekend by a company from Scandia, a small town along Hwy 36 in southern Alberta. Lupe and SPHP became temporary minor celebrities at the Forks Campground due to having news about the grizzlies.
SPHP chatted with the owners of the company from Scandia. The owners said they were beekeepers and employed all these people at Forks Campground making honey. They cooked SPHP a burrito and even provided a glass of wine. They had a big black German Shepherd with them, and made up a batch of a special dog food for Lupe. Lupe politely ate some of the dog food, but preferred devouring half of SPHP’s burrito.
After concluding the tale about the three grizzlies and thanking the beekeepers for dinner, Lupe and SPHP hit the trail again. The rest of the way back to Upper Kananaskis Lake, Lupe and SPHP told the few people still on the trail to be on alert for bears. A couple of people were still on their way to Turbine Campground and clearly wouldn’t reach it before dark. They listened with considerable interest, before continuing onward.
By the time Lupe got back to the North Interlakes Day Use trailhead and the G6, it was about 8:30 PM. With the new, strong, strange scent of grizzly bear still fresh on her mind, it had been both a long and memorable day for Lupe. She was soon ready for a good snooze in the G6. Lupe lay twitching as she dreamed. SPHP wondered if the twitching dingo was fighting and bringing down grizzly bears in her dreams?
