2013 Beartooths/Canadian Rockies – Page 4 – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

It was after 2 PM on 7-26-13 by the time Lupe and SPHP had finished with Lupe’s explorations up Peyto Creek looking for a way to reach the Peyto Glacier. Lupe and SPHP left the Peyto Lake area heading N in the G6 on the Icefields Parkway Hwy 93. Now that Lupe was N of the pass, the Icefields Parkway was dropping steadily down into the Mistaya River valley. Beautiful high peaks were on both sides of the road, but the highest and most easily seen ones, since the highway was closest to the E side of the valley, were to the W.

There was still plenty of time for Lupe to do something fun, but SPHP had no clear idea of where to go next. SPHP drove slowly to watch for possibilities. A quick side trip to an overflow campground S of Waterfowl Lakes did not prove interesting. A bit farther on was a pullout along the Icefields Parkway where there was a short trail down to the southernmost of the two large Waterfowl Lakes. The lake was a beautiful turquoise color, quite large and had impressive snow-capped peaks across the lake to the W. Sadly, other than the short trail to this lake, there was no sign of any other trail going anywhere.

Howse Peak (10,810 ft.) from the Icefields Parkway near the southernmost of the two large Waterfowl Lakes. — Howse Peak from the Icefields Parkway near the southernmost of the two large Waterfowl Lakes.

Howse Peak (L) and Mount Chephren (R) from Waterfowl Lakes. — **Howse Peak** **(10,810 ft.)** (L) and **Mount Chephren** **(10,741 ft.)** (R) from Waterfowl Lakes. Photo looks W.

Looking S from the southernmost of the 2 largest Waterfowl Lakes.

Lupe and SPHP drove on and very shortly came to the Waterfowl Lakes campground. SPHP pulled in there, but a chain was across the entrance to the campground. It was closed due to damage to the water system sustained during floods in June.

Back on the Icefields Parkway again, Lupe and SPHP continued N several miles and came to a pullout for the Mistaya River canyon. Lupe took a short 300 meter trail down to a bridge across a deep, narrow chasm in the rock into which the very beautiful blue-green Mistaya River was pouring. Lots of people were around taking pictures. SPHP took a few, too.

Lupe at the Mistaya River just upstream of where it plunges into a deep, narrow chasm.

Back near the highway, there was something else of interest, too. A Gem Trek map was posted showing hiking trails in the region. The ones right there at the Mistaya River were mostly long, but it also showed some shorter treks starting at the Waterfowl Lakes campground. SPHP started thinking it would be the perfect thing to do with the rest of the day. Since the campground was closed, there would be hardly any traffic on those trails. There had been plenty of space to park the G6 just outside the campground.

So SPHP drove back to the entrance to Waterfowl Lakes campground and parked the G6. Lupe and SPHP set off through the abandoned campground to find the main trail by looking for a bridge across the Mistaya River. The bridge turned out to be just upstream of where Lupe reached the river. There was also another trail map on display at the bridge confirming the information SPHP had seen at the Mistaya River Canyon pullout.

The map showed the trail system as forming a “T”. The main trail crossed the Mistaya River via a couple of decent bridges and went 1.3 km into the forest on the other side to a junction where one could go either left or right. To the right (N) was a trail to Chephren Lake, and to the left (S) a trail to Cirque Lake. Chephren was the bigger lake and the shortest distance from the trail junction at 2.4 km. The trail to the left went 2.9 km to Cirque Lake. Neither trail involved a lot of elevation gain or loss, but the trail to Cirque Lake gained more elevation than the trail to Chephren Lake, which hardly gained any at all.

Lupe and SPHP crossed the bridges over the Mistaya River and headed into the forest. Shortly before reaching the junction, Lupe met 7 or 8 people on their way back from one of the lakes. They went right on by and didn’t stop to talk to SPHP. They were the only people Lupe saw the rest of the day. At the junction, Lupe and SPHP chose to take the trail to the right to Chephren Lake. The entire route was almost flat and in the forest. There were some small open swampy areas off the trail. There were lots of exposed tree roots on the trail and some soggy spots, too. Lupe enjoyed going through the forest. There were squirrels now and then in the trees.

The trail just dead-ended at Chephren Lake. The lake shore where the trail reached the lake was rather swampy. SPHP was disappointed there wasn’t any way to explore the shoreline. Chephren Lake was certainly beautiful and surrounded by impressive mountains, including Howse Peak and Mount Chephren. It would have been great to have a canoe there.

Chephren Lake. Mount Howse is the tallest peak in the distance. Lower slopes of Mt. Chephren are seen on the R.

With no way to easily explore the lake shore, Lupe and SPHP didn’t stay too long at Chephren Lake. When Lupe reached the trail junction again, SPHP thought there was still time to go on to see Cirque Lake. The trail to Cirque Lake actually went downhill for a little way, but was mostly level. When it finally got close to Cirque Lake, though, the trail started climbing steadily. Sometimes there were glimpses through the forest of the outlet stream from Cirque Lake as it rushed down the hillside.

The sun was still shining on the high peaks to the W & SW of Cirque Lake, but the lake itself was in shadow by the time Lupe arrived. SPHP was again disappointed to find that the trail just dead-ended at the lake. At least the ground was not swampy. There was a boulder field extending a short distance out into the lake. Lupe and SPHP boulder-hopped out a little way from the shore and selected a handsome boulder for Lupe’s own private tiny island. SPHP rested on Lupe’s island admiring the splendid scene, while Lupe sniffed around.

Lupe and SPHP stayed at Cirque Lake longer than they had a Chephren Lake. However, with the sun setting behind the mountains, sadly it was soon time to leave Cirque Lake and head back to the Waterfowl Lakes campground.

On the way to Cirque Lake there had been a white washcloth someone had forgotten hanging on a bush next to the trail not too far from the lake. Lupe hadn’t noticed it on the way to the lake, but on the way back she did. Lupe was suspicious of the white washcloth and barked ferociously at it. She would not get close to it. SPHP had to pluck it off the bush and throw it in the backpack, before Lupe dared to go on. Now it is Lupe’s washcloth and souvenir of her days in the Canadian Rockies. At home it hasn’t been a scary thing. It is just a washcloth here, not some dread unknown creature of the dark forest.

Shortly after Lupe and SPHP got back to the trail junction for the last time, and had already started back towards the Mistaya River and Waterfowl Lakes campground, Lupe did see a real dread creature of the darkening forest. She barked at it as ferociously as if it had been a white washcloth. It was a porcupine! The porcupine was up in a tree near the trail. It climbed even higher up, annoyed by the crazy noisy American Dingo below. SPHP led Lupe onward. Though Lupe seemed to think otherwise, a porcupine encounter would not be the least bit fun.

It was almost 10:00 PM when Lupe got back to the G6. Although the sun was long down behind the mountains, it was still light out. Lupe had some Alpo for dinner, and ate quite a few Milk Bones, too. Soon she was fast asleep and dreaming of tearing a deadly white washcloth apart bit by bit. Carolina Dogs are strong and fearless like that. In our dreams, we all are.

Links:

Next Adventure Prior Adventure

Want more Lupe adventures? Choose from Lupe’s 2013 Beartooths & Canadian Rockies Adventure Index, Dingo Vacations Adventure Index or Master Adventure Index. Or subscribe free to new Lupe adventures.

Lupe’s 17th day of her 2013 Dingo Vacation started with a short drive up to Bow Pass (6,785 ft.) on the Icefields Parkway Hwy 93. South of the pass water drains into the Bow River system. North of Bow Pass it drains into the Mistaya River and then into the Saskatchewan. At Bow Pass there is a turn off the Icefields Parkway to the Peyto Lake overlook. The short access road is paved and so are the parking lots. Even the short trail up to the observation deck is paved.

Peyto Lake lies just W of Bow Pass, but is within the area that drains N down into the Mistaya River. Peyto Lake was named after “Wild Bill” Peyto, an early guide, outfitter, trapper and ultimately a game warden, who was usually based out of Banff. Lupe and SPHP took the paved trail to the observation deck for a look at Peyto Lake.

Looking N from the observation deck at Peyto Lake towards mountains along the Mistaya River valley.

SPHP had more in mind for Lupe than just a look at the lake from the observation deck, though. An unpaved trail left the area just above the observation deck and headed SW into the forest. Lupe was going to follow it down into the valley S of Peyto Lake. Then SPHP hoped that Lupe could continue on up Peyto Creek to find and reach the Peyto Glacier.

The view SW from the Peyto Lake observation deck. The Peyto Glacier is visible on the left. Lupe descended to the floor of the valley by Peyto Creek at the very lower right corner of the picture to begin her search for a way to reach the glacier.

The trail descended the forested side of the valley quite steeply. There were switchbacks in some places. It was a long way down to the floor of the valley.

A glimpse back to the NE at Peyto Lake coming down the forested side of the valley.

At the bottom of the valley, the going was trickier than SPHP expected. The trail completely disappeared. There was quite a bit of mucky, marshy ground full of tall slender willow-like bushes. Just beyond them the open and gently sloping valley floor was covered with rocks and gravel deposited by Peyto Creek, which was a braided stream with many branches in this area.

SPHP couldn’t find an easy way through, but after some wandering around heading generally downstream among the willows eventually found a way to reach the more solid ground without getting non-waterproof boots and feet totally soaked. Dingoes don’t suffer these travails. Lupe had no problem getting across to the gravel and wondered what the holdup was.

Once on the gravel, the footing was good. Lupe and SPHP headed upstream toward the right side of a low forested ridge ahead. Peyto Creek was coming down around through a big flat gap to the right of the ridge.

The gravel strewn floor of the valley upstream (SW) of Peyto Lake. Lupe and SPHP headed for the gap at the right side of the low forested ridge ahead.

Along the way to the low ridge, Peyto Creek was a braided stream with a lot of little branches. A few were too big to step or easily jump across. SPHP eventually gave up and just walked right through even the largest ones. SPHP’s boots and feet got soaked, of course, but the cold water felt good. Lupe thought this area was cool, too. It was only a few feet between cold drinks and refreshed paws.

Exactly as SPHP feared, upon nearing the right side of the low ridge, Peyto Creek was not a braided stream any more. All of the water channeled into one swiftly flowing stream. It wasn’t big enough to be dangerous, but it was still more than SPHP wanted to take on. Especially since it could be seen that just a little farther upstream, the full force of Peyto Creek swept up against the steep opposite side of the valley, blocking the way forward again. There was no point in fording the stream. It would just have to be forded again a short distance upstream.

Peyto Creek gets its act all together to force Lupe and SPHP to climb up and over the low forested ridge. — At the right side of the low ridge, Peyto Creek gets its act all together. Lupe and SPHP were forced to climb up and over the forested ridge.

Some of Peyto Creek was branching off to block access even to the low forested ridge. Fortunately, there wasn’t so much water that Lupe and SPHP couldn’t get across to reach the ridge easily enough. SPHP hoped to be able to stay just a little above creek level working upstream along the base of the ridge long enough to get past the creek. Then Lupe and SPHP could drop down to the valley floor again. Soon it became evident that wasn’t going to work. The edge of the ridge became too steep.

Lupe and SPHP had to start climbing. The ridge was steep enough so that SPHP had to grab onto trees to make progress up the slope. It was steep, but not treacherously steep. Lupe again had to wait and wonder why the delay? One thing about low forested ridges among towering mountains – they may be forested alright, but they aren’t as low as they look. It was probably 200 or 300 feet elevation gain up to the top. Before even reaching the top, when the ground started leveling out, SPHP had the unexpected pleasure of coming upon the trail again.

The trail crossed the rest of the ridge and brought Lupe and SPHP to another rocky open area beyond. The ground to the left was higher than the ground to the right where Peyto Creek now stayed for a while instead of meandering around. Lupe and SPHP crossed the open ground, which was considerably rougher with larger rocks than before crossing the ridge. The trail was fainter in this area, but continued on.

Lupe exploring the rougher terrain beyond the forested ridge.

The trail eventually headed back towards Peyto Creek, which was also curving back towards the trail. The terrain was forcing a convergence once again. Nearing the creek, there was a view of waterfalls plunging down from very high up on the opposite side of the valley. A tributary of Peyto Creek came down from the opposite side of the creek cutting a narrow little canyon just for itself through solid rock.

Waterfalls high above Peyto Creek and a tributary carving a path down through solid rock.

The terrain now forced Lupe and SPHP into an increasingly narrow “V-shaped” valley with Peyto Creek rushing though the bottom. Away from the creek, at the entrance to this valley, was a huge sloping slab of rock that was swept clear of debris. The slab of rock jutted up toward the sky at a 45° angle.

Lupe on the steep slab of rock. The slab went towards Peyto Creek below. — Lupe on the steep slab of rock. The slab sloped down towards Peyto Creek below.

Lupe and SPHP continued on past the big sloping slab, but SPHP could see that the way forward was getting increasingly challenging. Ahead, Peyto Creek was churning violently as it came down around a narrow curve on the valley floor. If there was a way through this narrow spot, Lupe might be able to go much further. However, the terrain ahead couldn’t be seen, because it was around a corner to the right.

As Lupe and SPHP got closer, the way ahead on Lupe’s side of the creek looked daunting. There was a steep wall of rock that didn’t look safe to climb, yet it probably had to be climbed in order to follow the creek any farther upstream. Higher up were more towering rock walls. It wasn’t clear how far up Lupe might have to climb. The opposite bank of Peyto Creek looked more promising, but there wasn’t a way across.

Peyto Creek churns down around a narrow curve.

Lupe and SPHP advanced as far as was easily possible. Then SPHP paused to consider the situation. Lupe had gotten far enough to see a little way around the bend, but not very far. What could be seen wasn’t all that encouraging, although SPHP suspected better terrain was not much farther ahead. It was now clear that getting to the opposite bank of Peyto Creek wouldn’t help a bit. The terrain rapidly became even worse over there.

Lupe shows the way. SPHP are you coming, or not?

Oh, come on! We didn't come all this way NOT to see the glacier, did we? — Oh, come on! We didn’t come all this way NOT to see the glacier, did we?

Lupe licks the backpack while awaiting a final decision from the dithering SPHP.

In the end, it just didn’t seem safe. It was time to turn around. Even just a badly sprained ankle, never mind a fall, would ruin what had so far been a wonderful day. Lupe and SPHP took a break and spent a little time enjoying Lupe’s farthest point of advance towards the Peyto Glacier. How many people or dingoes ever even get this far, to this amazing spot? – not very many. On the way back, Lupe hid her disappointment at not reaching the Peyto Glacier well by showing interest in everything around her. She was still having a great time!

Lupe checks things out along the way back to Peyto Lake.

On the way back, in the middle of the rough open ground before getting back to the low forested ridge, Lupe met the only two people she saw during the entire jaunt from the Peyto Lake observation deck up to her farthest point of advance along Peyto Creek and back. SPHP stopped and chatted with them for a few minutes. They had skis and planned to ski on the glacier and snowfields, which sounded like fabulous fun. They had also brought ropes and climbing gear specifically for working their way past the narrow gorge where Lupe and SPHP had turned around.

Oh, and one other thing! Lupe and SPHP, of course, followed the trail back over the “low” forested ridge. On the downstream side of the ridge, the trail did go down to the gravel at the bottom of the valley, but farther away from where Peyto Creek goes around the ridge. SPHP still had to get wet boots and feet again.

However, it was possible to get back to the stretch of trail coming down the side of the valley from the Peyto Lake observation deck by passing through a smaller section of willows with less annoyance than where SPHP had wandered through them farther downstream earlier in the day. There was no obvious trail on the gravel of the floor of the valley anywhere. Head upstream, though, not downstream to get through the willows as quickly and easily as possible.

Links:

Next Adventure Prior Adventure

Category: 2013 Beartooths/Canadian Rockies

Chephren & Cirque Lakes, Banff National Park, Canada (7-26-13)

Peyto Lake & Lupe’s Search for the Peyto Glacier (7-26-13)