Tag: Dingo Vacations

Takakkaw Falls, Yoho National Park, British Columbia, Canada (7-25-13)

The Takakkaw Falls parking lot is at the end of Yoho Valley Road about 14 km from Trans-Canada Hwy 1.  Yoho Valley Road is accessed from Trans-Canada Hwy 1 a few miles NE of the little community of Field along the Kicking Horse River.  Yoho Valley Road is paved, but has a couple of exceptionally sharp hairpin curves.  Taking long vehicles (motorhomes, trailers) up this road is inadvisable.

The morning after Lupe’s big day going from Emerald Lake all the way up to the high point of the Iceline Trail in Yoho National Park, SPHP didn’t have any concrete plans for the day.  SPHP thought maybe Lupe could go check out the Lake O’Hara area.  Neither Lupe nor SPHP had ever been there before, and Lake O’Hara has a fabulous reputation.  There were plenty of trails to explore in the area, too.

After breakfast at a picnic area along the Bow Parkway, Lupe and SPHP headed back into British Columbia on Trans-Canada Hwy No. 1.  When Lupe and SPHP left Hwy 1 and got on the road to Lake O’Hara, it ended almost immediately at a couple of large parking lots filled with cars.  A sign said access to was restricted to a shuttle bus ride (none in sight and bound to be expensive) or walking 13+ km (all uphill) to where the shuttle bus drop off point was.   Lupe may have had it in her, but after the previous long day, SPHP did not want to hike uphill that far just to get to a starting point.

Instead, Lupe and SPHP went to Takakkaw Falls.  On the previous day, Lupe and SPHP had spectacular distant views of the falls from the Highline and Iceline trails.

Takakkaw falls from the Iceline Trail the previous day (July 24th).
Takakkaw falls from the Iceline Trail the previous day (July 24th).

This time, Lupe was going to get up close and view the mighty Takakkaw Falls from below.  It was a short walk from the parking lot to a very nice footbridge over the Yoho River.  An easy trail led to the base of the falls.

The great footbridge across the Yoho River leading to Takakkaw Falls.
The great footbridge across the Yoho River leading to Takakkaw Falls.

According to Wikipedia, the highest point of Takakkaw Falls is 302 meters or 991 feet above its base, although there is really only 260 meters or 850 feet of true free-fall.  Now matter how one looks at it, Takakkaw Falls is an impressive waterfall, especially on a hot summer day when the Daly Glacier (an arm of the Waputik Icefield) that feeds it is melting fast.

Lupe below Takakkaw Falls in Yoho National Park in British Columbia.
Lupe below Takakkaw Falls in Yoho National Park in British Columbia.

Takakkaw Falls, Yoho NP, 7-25-15

Lupe enjoys the cool mist at the base of Takakkaw Falls on a hot summer day.
Lupe enjoys the cool mist at the base of Takakkaw Falls on a hot summer day.

Lupe and SPHP took the trail up to just below the base of the falls.  The cool mist felt great.  The G6 had said it was 79 degrees F already back at the parking lot.  The clear sunny day was going to be a scorcher by Canadian Rockies standards.

Refreshed by the cool mist, SPHP temporarily felt inspired to take Lupe up the Yoho River valley.  Perhaps Lupe could go up to the Yoho Glacier or climb back up to the fabulous Iceline Trail again by another route?  There were plenty of trails to explore, but they involved a lot of elevation gain.

Although Lupe and SPHP started up the Yoho River valley, it was not to be.  Away from the cooling spray of Takakkaw Falls, SPHP soon started to wilt under the hot sun.  Lupe had the energy and enthusiasm to go on, but despite the glorious scenery SPHP did not.  SPHP’s sore feet and hot perspiring body clamored for an easier day.  Maybe it was time to move on and go see something different; something that wasn’t going to involve so much up.

So Lupe and SPHP turned around shortly after starting on the trail up the Yoho River valley.  Returning to the G6, SPHP drove drove back to Lake Louise Village. There SPHP gassed up the G6 to full before heading N on the Icefields Parkway, Hwy 93.  Lupe and SPHP enjoyed a pleasant air conditioned drive up to Bow Lake.  SPHP knew there was a beautiful trail with only modest elevation gain from the lake to Bow Glacier Falls.

Bow Lake in Banff National Park.
Bow Lake in Banff National Park.

A trail without a lot of elevation gain to another cool waterfall sounded like just the ticket.  SPHP did have the energy to do that.  Which is why Lupe’s next post will be about her successful journey to see Bow Glacier Falls.

Links:

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Iceline Trail High Point, Yoho National Park, Canada (7-26-14)

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Moraine Lake & Consolation Lakes, Banff National Park, Canada (7-23-13)

“No scene has ever given me an equal impression of inspiring solitude and rugged grandeur.  I stood on a great stone of the moraine where, from a slight elevation, a magnificent view of the lake lay before me, and while studying the details of this unknown and unvisited spot, spent the happiest half-hour of my life.”  – Walter Wilcox, 1905, six years after “discovering” Moraine Lake with Ross Peacock.

The morning of July 23, 2013 was totally overcast, almost foggy at Lake Louise Village.  SPHP had decided to return for more exploration of the Moraine Lake area with Lupe, but the day didn’t look very promising.  Moraine Lake was only 14 km away from the turn off the road to Lake Louise.  Half-way there, Lupe and SPHP drove out of the gloom and into brilliant sunshine.

The inspiring solitude Walter Wilcox experienced at Moraine Lake in 1905 is long gone.  Now crowds swarm over the rock pile at the E end of Moraine Lake just across the outlet stream.  On summer days the large parking lot fills quickly with cars, and they then line the road for long distances.  Buses bring more people.  It was still early when Lupe and SPHP arrived.  Early enough so there were still plenty of places to park in the parking lot, although they were going fast.

Lupe and SPHP took the very short Rock Loop trail leading up to the top of the “rock pile” from which Walter Wilcox had viewed the lake.  Hordes of tourists were already there.  Although the inspiring solitude is history, the rugged grandeur remains.  The striking colorful beauty of the waters of Moraine Lake beyond which lay towering peaks of the Valley of Ten Peaks didn’t even look real.  The whole scene looked like a fake impossibly beautiful postcard – but it was all real.

Lupe at Moraine Lake, Banff National Park 7-23-15
Lupe at Moraine Lake, Banff National Park 7-23-15
Moraine Lake from the E end of the Valley of Ten Peaks
Moraine Lake in the Valley of Ten Peaks from the Rock Pile
From L to R: Mt. Little, Mt. Tonsa, Mt. Perren, Mt. Allen, Mt. Tuzo, Deltaform Mountain.
From L to R: Mt. Little (10,302 ft.), Mt. Tonsa (10,020 ft.), Mt. Perren (10,010 ft.),  Mt. Allen (10,860 ft.), Mt. Tuzo (10,646 ft.), and Deltaform Mountain (11,240 ft.).

After visiting the Rock Pile, Lupe and SPHP took the 1.1 km Moraine Lake Lakeshore Trail.  The Lakeshore Trail goes along the forested shore on the right side of the photos above to the far end of the lake.

Mt. Fay and the Fay glacier from the Moraine Lake Lakeshore Trail.
Mt. Fay (10,610 ft.) and the Fay glacier from the Moraine Lake Lakeshore Trail.
Mt. Fay (L) and Mt. Little (R) from the Moraine Lake Lakeshore Trail.
Mt. Fay (L) and Mt. Little (R) from the Moraine Lake Lakeshore Trail.

On the previous day, Lupe and SPHP had gone up to see Eiffel Lake and the upper end of the Valley of Ten Peaks.  However, Lupe and SPHP had not yet been on the 3 km long Consolation Lakes trail which starts just below the Rock Pile at Moraine Lake.

Due to recent grizzly bear activity in the area there was a requirement that people hiking all these trails stay in groups of at least 4 or face a $5,000 fine.  Lupe and SPHP waited at the start of the Consolation Lakes trail for a likely group to join.  Although far fewer people were interested in seeing Consolation Lakes than Moraine Lake, it didn’t take long before SPHP and Lupe were on the way as part of a large group of kids led by a couple of adults.

The trek to Consolation Lakes was through a forest virtually all the way, so there weren’t really any big views.  The trail was broad and easy to follow.  It gained elevation at a slow to moderate pace.  Approaching Lower Consolation Lake, the forest gave way to a broad flat valley of meadows through which a stream flowed.  The meadows ended at a large boulder field which had to be traversed to get to the shore of the lake. Lupe and SPHP went boulder-hopping and wound up sitting on a boulder at the water’s edge relaxing.

Lower Consolation Lake. Beyond the lake, the double peak near the center is Bident Mountain. It is separated by a large snowfield or hanging glacier from Quadra Mountain to its right. The green slope at the right side of the photo is part of Mt. Babel.
Lower Consolation Lake. Beyond the lake, the double peak near the center of the photo is Bident Mountain. It is separated by a large snowfield or hanging glacier from Quadra Mountain to its right.  It’s easy to see the 4 peaks or platforms of Quadra Mountain. The green slope at the right side of the photo is part of Mt. Babel (10,180 ft.).

Lupe and SPHP stayed there at the edge of Lower Consolation Lake for quite a long while.  There were plenty of people around, but not nearly so many as back at Moraine Lake.  Upper Consolation Lake, which is slightly smaller, was just out of sight beyond Lower Consolation Lake.  Every 15 or 20 minutes or so the rumbling roar of a large snowfall could be heard from a valley to the right beyond Lower Consolation Lake.  That valley was also out of sight, but seemed to be in front of and to the W (right) of Bident and Quadra Mountains.

Unfortunately, the trail did not extend past the boulder field at the N end of Lower Consolation Lake.  SPHP thought it would be great fun for Lupe to explore over to Upper Consolation Lake, from which the source of the rumblings could probably be seen.  (According to maps, likely snow falling off glaciers on Mt. Fay.)  No one else seemed to be interested in heading over there, however.  With the minimum 4  in a group rule in effect due to grizzly bears, Lupe and SPHP could not go over there alone.

The return to Moraine Lake was uneventful.  After eating dinner at a picnic ground along the Bow Parkway and spending a little time at Lake Louise Village, Lupe and SPHP went to Lake Louise.  SPHP sat on a bench with Lupe and wrote postcards.  A low-flying helicopter flew directly overhead and got Lupe all excited.  The helicopter hovered for a little while over the far end of the lake.

As the sun disappeared over the mountains and light was beginning to fade, Lupe and SPHP took the Lakeshore Trail to the far end of Lake Louise.  The helicopter was long gone.  No one was around.  Lupe sniffed the air and trotted happily along the trail like she always does.  The lake was smooth as glass in the stillness of the evening.  By the time Lupe returned, Chateau Lake Louise was all lit up.Moraine Lake, Banff NP, 7-23-13

Links:

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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.