Canada – Page 48 – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

Maude-Lawson Lakes Trail, Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada (7-18-14)

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. — 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 Trail, Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Canada — 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.

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.

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 lake on Lupe's return trip on the Maude-Lawson Trail. — 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 near the alpine lake. — 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?

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Nigel Pass & Panther Falls, Banff National Park, Canada (7-31-14)

On Lupe’s last full day of vacation in the Canadian Rockies in 2014, Lupe and SPHP took the trail to Nigel Pass and also stopped by nearby Panther Falls. The Nigel Pass trail is popular with backpackers for gaining access to long distance trails in the Brazeau River canyon area. Canadian Rockies explorer Mary Shaffer and her party first came across 60 meter Panther Falls on Nigel Creek in 1907.

The Nigel Pass trailhead is located along a gravel road on the E side of the Icefields Parkway Hwy 93. The trailhead parking lot is tucked out of sight a very short distance from and below the highway. The turnoff for the gravel road is N of the big loop in Hwy 93 as it starts to climb out of the N. Saskatchewan River valley, and 5.5 miles S of the Banff and Jasper National Parks boundary at Sunwapta Pass. The Parker Ridge trailhead along the opposite side of the highway is a couple of miles N of the Nigel Pass trailhead access road.

Lupe set off from the Nigel Pass trailhead at 10:05 AM. It was a pleasant 59 °F out, but the sun was already blazing high in a cloudless sky promising a very warm day for the Canadian Rockies. The previous day on Lupe’s way to Miette Hot Springs E of Jasper, the temperature had soared to a scorching 94 degrees. Fortunately Lupe was riding in the G6 in air conditioned comfort then, but today Lupe was destined to seek out shade, creeks and a small lake to stay cool and comfortable.

The hike to Nigel Pass is 7.2 km long and starts out with a 2.1 km walk along a gravel road heading NW. This road gains elevation at a very steady, but relaxed pace. It is on the SW side of the Nigel Creek valley and was pretty exposed to the sun in late morning. Lupe and SPHP were glad when the trail left the road and turned N into the shade of the forest. The trail soon passed to the W of a group of old buildings and then continued downhill for a short stretch to footbridges across Hilda Creek and then Nigel Creek just above their confluence.

Once on the E side of Nigel Creek, the trail made a short steep climb into the forest. It then headed steadily N up the E side of the valley well above creek level. As the trail continued N, the rate of climb gradually diminished to a very easy pace. Soon the trail started approaching tree line, and the forest began to thin out.

Lupe came to stretches of open ground where there were great views of Nigel Creek down in the valley to the W and a big rocky ridge up ahead at Nigel Pass. Lupe didn’t get too much of a chance to appreciate the view, however, since the open areas were almost entirely covered with bushes about 3 feet high. The bushes still amounted to a forest to Lupe.

Lupe reaches the SE end of the ridge at Nigel Pass. Photo is looking NW toward the Brazeau River canyon area.

After several km, Nigel Creek turned NW to head even farther away from the trail over to the W side of the valley. The trail itself continued N for another km and then turned NE as it climbed more steeply again through a patch of forest for the final stretch up to Nigel Pass. A couple from Michigan and their two daughters were at the high point on the trail. They had come to Canada to visit relatives in Edmonton, but were now on their way back from a backpacking trip down in the Brazeau River valley.

The trail continued over the ridge from this high point losing perhaps 100 feet of elevation down to where it crossed the Brazeau River, here just a swift stream not far from its source. From there the trail turned NW climbing the S side of a mountain, the upper reaches of which looked like one huge slab of rock. The trail actually rose to a higher point over there than where Lupe was now, before dropping a long way down into the Brazeau River valley.

The huge slab of rock on the mountain just N of the SE end of the ridge at Nigel Pass.

Without a map, SPHP was not certain Lupe had actually reached Nigel Pass. There was no sign around. The people from Michigan had not seen any sign for the pass either. They thought the pass was farther along the trail at the high point on the S side of the mountain beyond the Brazeau River in the valley to the N. They weren’t sure either, though.

SPHP was pretty certain Nigel Pass was somewhere along the ridge Lupe was already on. Leaving both the trail and the people from Michigan behind, Lupe climbed NW just a short distance up onto the top of the ridge. The ridge was barren and rocky and extended about a km off to the NW.

This photo looks along the ridge line towards the WNW. — This photo looks along the ridge line towards the WNW, but is partially obstructed by a favorite American dingo.

The view to the S down the Nigel Creek valley towards Mt. Saskatchewan. — The view to the S down the Nigel Creek valley Lupe had just come up. **Mt. Saskatchewan (10,965 ft.)** is looking glorious beyond Parker ridge in the distance.

The view towards the ESE from the ridge at Nigel Pass. The Brazeau River issues from the canyon in this direction and there are a couple of small lakes back there. If SPHP had brought a decent area map along and realized what was there, it would have been fun to explore in that direction. — The view towards the ESE from the ridge at Nigel Pass. The Brazeau River issues from the canyon in this direction and there are a couple of small lakes back there. If SPHP had brought a decent area map along and realized what was there, it would have been fun to explore in this direction.

There were several modestly higher points along the ridge farther to the NW. It was also clear that a much better view of the lower Brazeau River canyon heading off to the N could be obtained by hiking over to the NW end of the ridge. So Lupe headed NW up and down along the barren rocky ridge, climbing each of the high points along the way.

The highest of these points was at the far NW end of the ridge. From there Lupe did have a great view down to the N of the Brazeau River canyon. Back to the S was a beautiful view down the upper Nigel Creek valley with Parker Ridge and the snow covered slopes of Mount Saskatchewan beyond.

Lupe now near the NW high point on the ridge at Nigel Pass. Photo looks N down into the Brazeau River canyon.

To the SW was a broad gap between the end of the ridge and a steep high rock wall. About 100 feet below Lupe down in the gap was a beautiful light blue heart-shaped lake with a few trees around it. This area looked like it might just as easily be Nigel Pass as where the trail had reached the crest of the ridge.

Lupe headed down the slope to the heart-shaped lake. Reaching the lake, she plunked herself right down in it and had a good long drink. A trail headed S from the lake down into the upper Nigel Creek valley.

The heart-shaped lake below the ridge at Nigel Pass. The topo map on Peakbagger.com shows the area near this lake labeled as Nigel Pass. SPHP considers the entire ridge from where Lupe met the people from Michigan on the trail to this heart-shaped lake all part of Nigel Pass. The heart-shaped lake is actually in Jasper National Park. The boundary between Banff National Park and Jasper National Park runs along the ridge.

A last look back along the Nigel Pass ridge towards the SE before Lupe headed SW down to the heart-shaped lake.

Always enthusiastic about the prospect of being able to make a loop and see something new on the way back, SPHP led Lupe S down the trail from the heart-shaped lake. Lupe was now heading back down the Nigel Creek valley, but on the W side of it instead of the E side. The trail from the heart-shaped lake is apparently seldom used. Bushes and small trees were growing up and crowding it. In some spots SPHP lost the trail completely, but soon found it again each time. Only Lupe’s curly tail stuck up above the bushes in many places. The trail continued steadily on though, and eventually reached Nigel Creek.

The trail looked like it went across to the SW side of Nigel Creek, but there was no bridge. Not wanting to get boots soaked and uncertain where the trail would end up, SPHP decided it might be best to just head back to the main trail. Fortunately, right along Nigel Creek the ground was rocky and pretty much free of trees and bushes. So Lupe stayed on the NE bank of Nigel Creek and followed it SE downstream. When Nigel Creek approached the E side of the valley, it turned S. A quick scramble up a low bank into the forest just ahead led Lupe back to the main trail. Lupe then followed the main trail the rest of the way back.

It was 4:21 PM, 85 degrees F, clear and calm when Lupe got back to the G6 at the trailhead. Lupe’s trip to Nigel Pass was complete, but she was destined to make one more little exploration this day. Lupe went to see Panther Falls a short distance farther downstream on Nigel Creek, first seen by explorer Mary Shaffer and her companions in 1907.

The trail to Panther Falls is located at the S end of a huge gravel pullout area on the E side of the Icefields Parkway Hwy 93 located just 1 or 2 km S from the gravel access road to the Nigel Pass trailhead. This huge pullout area is the same one as for the Bridal Veil Falls lookout. At the S (downhill) end of the pullout, the trail to Panther Falls leaves the pullout area and makes a couple of switchbacks down a steep canyon wall to a viewpoint for Panther Falls.

Lupe enjoyed the cool spray from Panther Falls on this hot day. The trail to this viewpoint would be quite treacherous on a day cold enough for the spray to freeze. Bridal Veil Falls is not far away, but on a smaller creek, and not as impressive as Panther Falls.

The Panther Falls viewpoint is hidden in a thick forest and a bit treacherous as spray from the falls makes the narrow trail wet and slippery. On such an amazingly hot day in the Canadian Rockies, Lupe and SPHP both appreciated the cool spray coming from Panther Falls!

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