The Iceline Trail above tree line high up on the south side of Yoho Valley in Yoho National Park, British Columbia, Canada features tremendous views of glaciers, 260 meter high (850 feet) Takakkaw Falls from across Yoho Valley, and a splendid assortment of impressive peaks of the rugged Canadian Rockies. Lupe and SPHP both strongly recommend this wonderful medium to long day hike. Be prepared for plenty of company on pleasant days. The Iceline Trail is deservedly very popular.
On this day’s hike Lupe and SPHP started from the Takakkaw Falls parking lot off Yoho Valley Road. The 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.
A mist hung in the air when Lupe arrived at the Takakkaw Falls parking lot around 8:30 AM. Temps were already comfortably into the 40’s F. Lupe headed N on the Yoho Valley Trail and was soon out of the mist. Away from the mist of the falls, the sun was shining in a brilliant blue sky between puffy white clouds and quickly warmed things up.
The Yoho Valley Trail starts in the forest, comes out into a bit of open rocky ground, and then disappears into the forest again as it heads up the Yoho River valley. Although the trail parallels the river, it is far enough W of it so that the river is seldom visible.
Lupe stopped by Laughing Falls for a couple of photos. Not far beyond Laughing Falls she took the Little Yoho Valley Trail heading W in the direction of the Stanley Mitchell hut. This trail climbed through the forest much more steeply with numerous switchbacks. Lupe passed the Marpole Lake Trail and before too long again came upon the gorgeous icy blue Little Yoho River. A short hike in the forest above and along the river brought Lupe to the Celeste Lake Trail, which crossed the Little Yoho River via a good bridge.
Across the river, the Celeste Lake Trail headed SW towards Celeste Lake. The Celeste Lake Trail continued climbing, but without many switchbacks. Celeste Lake proved to be a pretty emerald green color and a larger lake than it first appeared. It had two parts to it hidden from each other by a peninsula jutting out into the lake. The trail passed just E of Celeste Lake and offered some nice views of it. Once past Celeste Lake, the trail turned to the SW again and continued climbing.
Eventually the Celeste Lake trail turned NW as it started to get near tree line. Soon it took another turn to the SW where the trail left the forest and came out into a fairly level area of green meadows full of wildflowers. Thin forests rimmed the meadows. Just beyond and above them to the W were huge piles of loose tan rocks below the solid rock and glacier-covered slopes of The Vice President (10,095 ft.).
The trail headed down a bit into the meadow, turned NW again, and working its way to the W edge of the meadow reached the base of the loose rock piles. From there the trail headed SSW steadily climbing the rock piles. Before long it turned W and reached the intersection with the Iceline Trail.
Down along the Yoho Valley Trail there had been some hikers, but along the Little Yoho Valley and Celeste Lake Trails there had been very few. There were hordes of people along the Iceline Trail though. Among the throng Lupe met a 74 year old man from San Diego whom she had seen twice before in the past day or two. He was quite friendly and had suggested the Sherbrooke Lake trail the previous day, which Lupe had taken.
This man had left San Diego in April or May and was traveling (apparently alone) in his RV and hiking trails all over the western USA and Canada. He said he wouldn’t head back to San Diego until November. (Now that is a mighty fine way to spend half a year!) SPHP dawdled along the trail chatting with this interesting gentleman, but never had the presence of mind to get any contact information from him. While Lupe waited for the conversation to end, at least other doggies came along the Iceline Trail for Lupe to sniff with.
The high point along the Iceline Trail was not far to the N from the intersection with the Celeste Lake Trail. A relatively short walk took Lupe over there. A spur of the Iceline Trail climbs up on a tall pile of loose rock a short distance to the E of the main trail. This tall rock pile was Lupe’s goal for the day and she was soon there. A few people were up there when she arrived and more kept coming and going. Lupe rested, had some Taste of the Wild, plenty of water, and relaxed while snapping at a few annoying flies.
The views from the high point were splendid in every direction. Immediately to the W were The Vice President and The President (10,246 ft.) although their summits were out of line of sight. To the N across Little Yoho Valley were Mt. McArthur, Isolated Peak, and Whaleback Mountain (8,586 ft.). To the E across Yoho Valley were Mount Balfour, Trolltinder Mountain, Lilliput Mountain (9,449 ft.), Mount Daly (10,039 ft.) and Mount Niles (9,751 ft.).
Parts of the Emerald Glacier, Yoho Glacier and Daly Glacier were in view plus many other snow and ice fields clinging to the mountains. To the S down the Yoho River valley and across the Kicking Horse River Valley were the high snow-capped peaks W of Lake Louise and Lake O’Hara.
Lupe stayed at the high point enjoying the views for at least an hour, while others came and went. Sometime between 3:00 PM and 4:00 PM, it was time to head back down.
On the way back, Lupe took the most direct route back to Takakkaw Falls, which was to follow the Iceline Trail past the Celeste Lake Trail and Ridgeline Trail (which goes to Yoho Lake). Instead, she just headed straight on down a steep trail with many switchbacks that leads to the Whiskey Jack Creek area, and the hostel near Yoho Valley Road. Lupe was back to the Takakkaw Falls parking lot before 6:00 PM. Another day well spent in the Canadian Rockies!
In July, 2013, Lupe had previously reached the Iceline Trail high point via another route, approaching from Emerald Lake and Yoho Lake. Click here to see Lupe’s post on that adventure!
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Takakkaw Falls, Yoho National Park, British Columbia, Canada (7-25-13)
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