Canadian Rockies – Page 9 – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

Parker Ridge & the Saskatchewan Glacier, The Icefields Centre & the Athabasca Glacier (7-27-13)

7-23-13. The 18th Day of Lupe’s 2013 Dingo Vacation to the Beartooths and Canadian Rockies. Lupe and SPHP woke up fairly early, around 6:30 AM. It was already light out, of course, and had been for over an hour. The sky was a brilliant blue and the sun shone brightly on the mountain peaks to the W.

Lupe and SPHP were still in the shadows of the mountains to the E. Lupe and SPHP went down to the bridge they had crossed the previous evening when Lupe had gone to see Chephren and Cirque Lakes. For a few minutes, Lupe and SPHP just stood on the middle of the bridge looking at the Mistaya River and enjoying the moment.

Then it was time to go. Lupe had things to do! SPHP was really looking forward to it, too. Lupe was going to go on the most anticipated trek of the entire vacation, the short hike up to Parker Ridge for a magnificent view of the Saskatchewan Glacier! After a quick breakfast, Lupe and SPHP headed N in the G6 along the Icefields Parkway Hwy 93.

Even from the highway, there were great views of snow-clad peaks all around. N of Saskatchewan Crossing, the impressive North Saskatchewan River meandered through the huge valley just W of the Icefields Parkway. A medium-sized black bear ran across the highway from the (W) river side to the (E) mountain side of the highway. Lupe saw it. It was the first bear she had seen on this trip and she got a very good look at it. She barked ferociously. The bear took no apparent notice of the noisy dingo whizzing on by.

Climbing up past the big loop in Hwy 93, the skies suddenly darkened. It wasn’t any more than 4 or 5 more miles up to the Parker Ridge turnout. Lupe was soon at the Parker Ridge trailhead right alongside the Icefields Parkway, but the weather was suddenly very threatening. Dark clouds with heavy fingers of fog were rolling down the mountainsides from the NW.

Lupe and SPHP got out of the G6. SPHP checked out the map on display at the Parker Ridge trailhead. A chill wind was blowing. Within just a minute or two, a cold rain descended on Lupe and SPHP. Clearly conditions were not favorable for climbing Parker Ridge. Even if Lupe and SPHP could endure the cold wind and rain and get up on the ridge, there wouldn’t be anything to see in the fog. Lupe wisely jumped back in the G6 before she got bone-chilling soaking wet. Carolina Dogs know enough to come in out of the rain.

SPHP decided Lupe might just as well head on over Sunwapta Pass to the Icefields Centre near the Athabasca glacier, which wasn’t far away. At Sunwapta Pass, Lupe left Banff National Park and entered Jasper National Park for the first time. It was still quite early and people were just starting to arrive when Lupe and SPHP pulled in to the parking lot at the Icefields Centre. A cold rain was coming down steadily. The whole sky looked as dark and threatening as if a huge November blizzard was about to strike. Across the highway, the Athabasca glacier and surrounding snow-covered peaks loomed gloomily and mysteriously through the fog.

The Icefields Centre had just opened. Lupe stayed in the G6, while SPHP went in to see if there was any weather forecast available. Lupe’s bright cheerful summer day had changed to a very convincing display of the onset of winter in the span of 30 minutes. The weather looked so bad outside, SPHP had started thinking that if this was really a major front moving in, maybe the Athabasca glacier was as far as Lupe would get on here 2013 Dingo Vacation. The notion that Lupe was going to miss out on climbing Parker Ridge and seeing the Saskatchewan glacier was very disappointing.

SPHP talked to a young woman at the information desk and asked for a weather forecast for Jasper for the next few days. Someone else was interested in the same information. She got on her computer and checked it out. Today and tomorrow would be rather iffy with thunderstorms possible, with highs of 17°C (63°F) and 20 degrees C (68°F) expected. The following two days were supposed to be clear and 25°C (77°F). SPHP was relieved. The forecast was far less ominous than the weather outside. SPHP returned to join Lupe in the G6 and wait.

The rain continued for the better part of an hour. Lupe snoozed. SPHP read. By the time an hour was up, the rain had pretty much stopped. Lupe and SPHP could see a little patch of blue sky trying to peek through over the Athabasca glacier. The weather improved rapidly. The little patch of blue sky was growing and spreading out fast from the Athabasca glacier. Soon the mountainsides 1,000 feet above the Icefields Centre parking lot were becoming visible revealing a significant dusting of new snow.

Clearing skies over one of Lupe and SPHP's very favorite mountains in the Canadian Rockies, Mt. Athabasca (11,453 ft.) — Clearing skies over one of Lupe and SPHP’s very favorite mountains in the Canadian Rockies, **Mt. Athabasca** **(11,453 ft.)**

Crisp, clear and clean with a new dusting of snow. Mt. Andromeda (11,286 ft.) and the Athabasca Glacier. — Crisp, clear and clean with a new dusting of snow on the heights. **Mt. Andromeda** **(11,286 ft.)** and the Athabasca Glacier.

Snow Dome (11,483 ft. on L) and Mt. Kitchener (11,417 ft. on R) with the Dome Glacier between them. Jasper National Park 7-27-13 — **Snow Dome** **(11,483 ft.)**(L) and **Mt. Kitchener** **(11,417 ft.)** (R) with the Dome Glacier between them. Jasper National Park 7-27-13

The Icefields Centre in Jasper National Park. Tickets for snowbus tours that go right up onto the Athabasca Glacier and guided walks on the toe of the glacier are available here. — The Icefields Centre in Jasper National Park. Tickets for snowbus tours that go right up onto the Athabasca Glacier, and guided walks on the toe of the glacier are available here.

Clearing skies over Snow Dome, another favorite mountain. — Clearing skies over Snow Dome, another favorite mountain, and the Dome Glacier. Snow Dome is the only spot on earth (outside of Antarctica) from which water flows to 3 different oceans.

Clear skies over Mt. Andromeda and the Athabasca Glacier. Time for Lupe to go climb Parker Ridge to see the Saskatchewan Glacier!

SPHP was elated! Lupe was not only going to get to go up Parker Ridge to see the Saskatchewan Glacier, but the scene would be even more fantastic with a dusting of new snow on the mountains. Lupe and SPHP headed back to the Parker Ridge turnout. Other people were already gathering there for the hike up as well. The climb along the excellent trail only takes 45 minutes or so to reach the crest of Parker Ridge.

The Saskatchewan Glacier is visible flowing down from the Columbia Icefield near the head of the huge valley on the other side of Parker Ridge. Except it wasn’t. The valley below was full of fog when Lupe first arrived. Lupe and SPHP waited for it to clear. SPHP chatted with a couple of guys from Edmonton. After 20 or 30 minutes, the fog started dissipating. Eventually it disappeared entirely.

Looking SE from Parker Ridge down into the lower portion of the glacial valley. The glacier (not shown) has retreated to the upper end of this long valley.

Looking S directly across the valley from Parker Ridge.

The Saskatchewan Glacier flows down from the Columbia Icefield.

Lupe and SPHP wandered around up on Parker Ridge for quite a while. Different vantage points gave slightly different perspectives. Due to the lay of the terrain, climbing higher up on the ridge seemed to just hide more of the glacier from view. Some of the best vantage points were achieved by following a trail towards the E along the edge of the valley going away from the glacier.

Saskatchewan Glacier from Parker Ridge 7-27-13

The E end of the Saskatchewan Glacier valley as seen from Parker Ridge. The Icefields Parkway Hwy 93 is visible way down below. — The E end of the Saskatchewan Glacier valley as seen from Parker Ridge. The Icefields Parkway Hwy 93 is faintly visible way down below.

Heading back down to the G6 along the Parker Ridge trail in northern Banff National Park, Canada.

On the way back down to the G6, Lupe was amidst a crowd of tourists coming up or going back down. Lupe made a few new acquaintances along the way. Once back to the G6, Lupe and SPHP headed N again on Icefields Parkway Hwy 93 over Sunwapta Pass (the border between Banff and Jasper National Parks). SPHP drove on down to the Icefields Centre again, but this time turned off the opposite side of the Icefields Parkway and went down to the parking lots below the Athabasca Glacier.

The parking lots were 80% full and there were a lot of people around. Not exactly a wilderness experience, but where else can you drive practically up to the toe of a big glacier? A short trail led Lupe to a viewpoint well short of the glacier’s edge. Fences and lots of signs warning of the extreme dangers posed by glaciers blocked any further advance. It was all typical over-the-top hype that applies to everything these days, but whatever. (Drizzle on Jersey turnpike! Millions affected! Take appropriate precautions and stay tuned for further updates!)

Toe of the Athabasca Glacier, Canada 7-27-13

Lupe near the toe of the Athabasca Glacier, Jasper National Park, Canada 7-27-13

People on the Athabasca Glacier. Presumably they bought tickets at the Icefields Centre to one of the guided walks on the glacier.

The Athabasca Glacier was making its own weather. A strong, chill wind blew down off it into Lupe’s face. Away from the glacier, summer had returned. Close to it, cold locked in the ice during winters long centuries ago made itself felt one more time.

Lupe returned to climb Parker Ridge on 7-29-14 for a second time during her 2014 Dingo Vacation to the Beartooths and Canadian Rockies. Click on the Parker Ridge link to see Lupe’s post on that ascent!

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

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.

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