Tag: Canadian Rockies

Day 55 of Lupe’s 2nd Summer of 2023 Dingo Vacation to Canada & Alaska!

10:35 AM, 46ºF – Gah!  Overslept, and rather badly, too.  Not good, not good at all!  Too much precious daylight on what was destined to be a very long day had already slipped by.  At least 100 vehicles were already present when Lupe arrived at Sunshine Village.   No worries on that score, though.  SPHP still had thousands of vacant parking spaces to choose from in the unbelievably gigantic parking lot.

Fancy place, but doesn’t seem to be much going on here, SPHP.

Sunshine Village is a ski resort, Loopster, so it’s closed this time of year.  We’re only at the base of the complex.  From what I understand, the main facilities are somewhere way up the valley.  Let’s have a look around.  We need to find the trail to Healy Pass.

Not too surprisingly, the gondola to the upper village, which would have been a big time saver, was closed.  None of the tourists milling aimlessly around seemed to know anything about getting to Healy Pass until SPHP talked to a lady with a knapsack.

Go past the hotel to where the school buses are parked.  The trail starts on the L back there.

It was just as she said.  Trotting past the mostly glass hotel, Lupe quickly found the trailhead.  A short single track trail led almost immediately to the gravel access road to the main Sunshine Village ski resort.  Less than 10 minutes on this road brought the American Dingo to the spot where the Healy Pass trail split off toward the R.

Upon leaving the access road, the Healy Pass trail dipped deeper into the forest before leveling out and beginning to wind very gradually up the Healy Creek valley as a wide, well-beaten path.  Within 5 minutes, Lupe crossed a wooden bridge complete with pawrail over a dry gully.

For more than half an hour, Lupe continued on through the shady forest before coming to Healy Creek.  After helping herself to a drink, an even more substantial bridge got the Carolina Dog over to the N side of this currently shallow stream.

From here, the Healy Pass trail trended WSW up the valley, climbing at an easy to moderate pace.  In a dense forest, there was nothing to see for a long way, except a glimpse of the surrounding mountains from a single isolated clearing.  Beyond this clearing, the trail resumed its shady route through the trees.

Nearly an hour after crossing the Healy Creek bridge, Lupe reached a much smaller clearing at the Healy Creek campground.  No one seemed to be around.  Continuing on, less than 15 minutes later, she came to a junction with a trail branching off to the S.  This trail featured a bridge over another dry wash.  A sign said it went to Simpson Pass.

Ignoring the Simpson Pass option, nearly another 40 minutes on the Healy Pass trail went by before Lupe reached the first relatively large clearing.  A high ridge was visible ahead.

Looks like we’re finally starting to get somewhere, SPHP.

We are, Looper.  That ridge must be Monarch Ramparts!  It’s actually a bit higher than Healy Pass, which shouldn’t be too far to the R (N) of it.

That’s encouraging, SPHP.  Seems like we’ve come a long way already!

The Healy Pass trail crossed the big clearing, then reentered the forest again, but only briefly.  Lupe quickly came to another clearing where a plank bridge crossed a small tributary of Healy Creek.  From this bridge, an impressive mountain was in sight S of Monarch Ramparts.

That’s got to be The Monarch (9,498 ft.) itself, Loop.

Crossing this next clearing beyond the bridge, the American Dingo came to another trail junction almost as soon as she reached the forest again.  A sign here said Simpson Pass was now 2.6 km S (L).

Forget Simpson Pass, SPHP!  We aren’t going there.  How much farther to Healy Pass?

Only 1.5 km to the R, Looper.  Egypt Lake is 4.8 km.

Egypt Lake!  That’s our actual destination, right, SPHP?  4.8 km isn’t all that far!

Egypt Lake is only one of several lakes with Egyptian names beyond Healy Pass, Loop.  We won’t have time enough to see them all, especially since I stupidly slept in so late, but hopefully we can visit at least 2 or 3 of them.

Turning R at this junction, the Healy Pass trail headed N.  The forest was rapidly starting to thin out in this region.  In fact, the trees themselves were different here.  No longer dark green, some other, smaller species of evergreen with a yellowish tinge to its needles dominated.

The trail crossed the same small tributary of Healy Creek a couple more times before breaking out of the forest altogether.  Healy Pass was now in sight off to the W, as the trail began a long sweeping curve around the N side of a giant bowl where a lake was visible below.

Approaching Healy Pass, the views were tremendous back to the SE.  The trail had been excellent, but it had been a long uphill march.  Lupe and SPHP were both looking forward to a nice break at the pass.

And just think, SPHP!  The fabled land of Egypt lies beyond it!

2:36 PM, Healy Pass – Several small groups of people were lazing about when the Carolina Dog arrived.  Conditions were near perfect – no wind, and comfortably warm with scarcely a cloud in the sky.  Going slightly over the broad pass, Lupe sought out the shade of a couple of big pines before lying down to rest.

A splendid view of the ancient land of Egypt was now before her.

Seriously?  That’s Egypt, SPHP?  Gorgeous, but not at all what I expected.

Hah!  You were anticipating a little more sand, perhaps, Loopster?

A lot more, SPHP!  Where are the windswept dunes of the vast Sahara desert?  Where are the pyramids and the Sphinx?  This doesn’t look like Egypt at all!  It’s magnificent, but indistinguishable from the rest of the Canadian Rockies!

Nevertheless, this must be Egypt, Looper.  I can see 2 of the Egypt lakes from here.

That’s another thing, SPHP.  I’ve never heard of lakes in Egypt before.  When it comes to water, all that ever gets mentioned is the mighty Nile River and its giant delta on the Mediterranean coast.  Maybe an isolated oasis, or two.  No sign of any of them!

We’re still a long way from the Sahara and the Nile River, Loop.  This is just the far NW corner of Egypt.  It’s not much like the rest of it.

While Lupe relaxed in the shade of the pines, SPHP studied the map.  It took a while to figure out what was what.

Think I’ve got it, Loopster.  The mountains on either side of the lakes are The Sphinx (8,136 ft.) and Greater Pharaoh Peak (8,894 ft.).  The pointy peak farther off to the R is Lesser Pharaoh Peak (8,793 ft.).

Egypt is full of surprises, SPHP!  I had no idea that the Sphinx was big enough to be considered a mountain.  Apparently, it must be facing some other direction.  Just looks like a massive dome of rock from here.

The two lakes we see between The Sphinx and Greater Pharaoh Peak are Scarab Lake, nestled at the base of Scarab Peak (9,573 ft.), and Egypt Lake, which is below it.

Those lakes aren’t that far apart.  We ought to be able to visit both, SPHP.

Hope so, Looper.  Haiduk Peak (9,518 ft.) is peeping up just above Scarab Peak’s R shoulder.  Isabelle Peak (9,626 ft.) is in the gap between it and Greater Pharaoh Peak.  Mount Ball (10,807 ft.) is in the distance to the R of Lesser Pharaoh Peak.

Mount Ball is the one with snow on top?

Precisely, you’ve got it, Loop!

3:37 PM, Healy Pass – After the long uphill march to get here, it was easy to simply hang out enjoying the view of Egypt on such a beautiful day.  Others apparently felt the same way.  People came and went, but none seemed to be in any great hurry.  Some even snoozed on the grass in the afternoon sun, rarely stirring.

That’s sort of how I feel, too, Looper.  We’ve been here an hour, though, so if we’re ever going to visit Egypt Lakes, we better get going.

Been bit by a tsetse fly, SPHP?  How much sleep do you need, anyway, after snoozing in so late?

At least the American Dingo was ready for action!  Returning to the trail, Lupe began following it into the deep valley beyond Healy Pass.

It was 1,000 feet down to the valley floor, an easy and scenic descent.  The only bad thing about it was the thought of having to come back up later on during the return.

A junction appeared immediately upon reaching the floor of the valley.  Exploring the path that headed N, it went only a short distance to an old, boarded up cabin.  Doubling back, the trail going S soon led to a bridge over Pharaoh Creek.

After crossing the bridge, the trail turned SW.  The Carolina Dog quickly came to another trail junction.

Which way to Egypt Lakes from here, SPHP?

Both, Looper.  Pharaoh Lake and Black Rock Lake are to the R (N), but are kind of small, and unfortunately we don’t have time to see them all.  Go L (SW) here.

Passing by the Egypt campground almost right after leaving this second junction, although a few tents were set up, no one seemed to be around.  Continuing SW, the trail began a gradual climb.

Less than 10 minutes from the campground, a third trail junction of the Pharaoh Creek valley appeared.  SPHP checked the signage.

Alright!  This path on the L is the spur to Egypt Lake, Loopster.

Egypt Lake can’t be much farther, can it, SPHP?

Doesn’t say, but I think we’re really close already, Loop.

The spur trail wound SW through a dense forest, passing a couple of sloughs along the way.  Less than 10 minutes, and Lupe was there.

5:04 PM – A blue-green jewel at the base of The Sphinx (8,136 ft.), Egypt Lake was absolutely stunning!

In the late afternoon sun, ripples sparkled and danced.  Going down to the N shore, Lupe posed on a big boulder.

Dense forest or steep, rocky slopes lined virtually the entire shoreline, leaving only a small area where the spur reached it easily accessible.  Lupe explored what little she could of the N shore.

In my wildest dreams, I never would have thought Egypt looked like this, SPHP!  Egypt Lake is the exact opposite of what I expected.

No argument there, Sweet Puppy.  Egypt Lake is incredible!  Really kicking myself for oversleeping now.  We could have spent a lot more time here.  You should have bit me to wake me up.

Really, SPHP?  You wouldn’t mind, if I bite you?

Let me rephrase that.  I meant nip, Loop.  In fact, I take it all back.  Don’t even do that.  Bark instead, but just loud enough to wake me.  Don’t scare the living daylights out of me.

Bite, nip, bark.  Sadly, none of them had happened.  The sun was sinking, and with more lakes on the agenda, the American Dingo could only stay a short while at the hidden Paradise of Egypt Lake before hurrying on.

Returning to the main trail, it went NW for a little way to a clearing with a boardwalk that curved back to the SW as it went over a marshy area a shallow stream flowed through.  A sign nailed to a spruce tree here gave distances to the last two lakes Lupe might be able get to before dark.

Once beyond the boardwalk, the terrain began steepening.  Soon Lupe was gaining serious elevation as the trail switchbacked up a wall of rock on the S shoulder of Greater Pharaoh Peak.  This climb went on longer than SPHP expected.  By the time the trail began to level out again, the Carolina Dog had regained 650 feet of elevation, and the massive, near vertical E face of Scarab Peak was visible ahead through the trees.

Lupe was already over Greater Pharaoh Peak’s S shoulder, and started down the other side, when she came to the last trail junction.  Going R here would have taken her over Whistling Pass, and on to both Haiduk Lake and Shadow Lake.

We’re close to Scarab Lake now, Loopster!  We need to go L here.

6:25 PM – The sun was low, still illuminating only the mountaintops as Lupe hurried SSW down the path to Scarab Lake.  Nestled at the base of Scarab Peak (9,573 ft.), the lake was gray and calm when the American Dingo arrived.  It had already been in shadow for a long time.

Leaving the trail, Lupe leapt up onto a big rock along the NE shore.

Scarab Lake is very beautiful, too, SPHP!  Too bad we didn’t get here when the sun still shining on it.

Yes, that’s my fault, Looper, for not getting us off to a much earlier start.  Scarab Lake’s beauty must rival Egypt Lake in the morning.

In a more open setting than Egypt Lake had been, Scarab Lake was a bit larger and didn’t feel quite as secluded.  Sniffing S on flat terrain along the E shore, Lupe enjoyed a grand view of the entire lake, The Sphinx, and Scarab Peak, too.

Returning to the trail as she reached a more heavily forested area again, Lupe soon crossed Scarab Lake’s outlet stream.  Exploring this stream E a short distance led to a waterfall plunging into another forested region.

The waterfall was impressive, but with light steadily receding, if Lupe wanted to visit another one of the Egypt Lakes, she had to keep going.  Returning to the trail, it quickly began climbing S deeper into the forest.  Looking back from a clearing, Greater Pharaoh Peak (8,894 ft.) soared skyward at a steep slant, its upper reaches still illuminated by the sun.

Just a little farther on, this view was even more spectacular from a big rock at a minor pass where the trail leveled out.  Lupe could also see Scarab Lake, a deep blue from here.

Looking S from this pass, the last glimmer of alpenglow still clung to the very tip of the unnamed peak Lupe had seen before.  Situated SW of The Sphinx, the region around it was very rocky.

Sort of looks like the entrance to the Land of the Dead over there, SPHP.

It is, Loop, and that’s where we’re going next!  Keep a keen eye and a nose out for mummies.  Warn me if you sniff anything that has been dead for a really long time.

Returning to the trail, Lupe began losing elevation as she continued S through the forest, which soon ended.  Surrounded by slopes of broken rock leading up to the cliffs of the surrounding mountains, a shallow green valley was ahead.

Following the trail down into the green valley, it then began a slow climb straight toward a huge jumble of broken rock right below the unnamed peak.  SPHP lost it among the boulders.

C’mon, Miss Keen Nose!  Find the trail!  Where does it go?

To the Land of the Dead, just like you said, SPHP.  I’m on mummy watch duty.  You’ll have to find the way yourself.

Eager to avoid this scramble among the boulders, SPHP climbed clear to the upper end of a steep slope to the W.  Here, a strip of open ground along the base of a wall of rock made faster progress S possible.

Upon reaching the S end of the wall, completely avoiding the boulders was no longer possible.  However, after a short scramble lower, the trail reappeared.  A few more minutes was all it took for the American Dingo to reach the pass leading into the Land of the Dead!

So what does it look like?  What can you see from up there, Looper?

C’mon up, SPHP.  The coast is clear.  Not a single mummy in sight!

Joining Lupe, the trail continued across a surprisingly wide and smooth pass toward a small ridge of bedrock.  Mountains loomed beyond it, but what was between those peaks and the little ridge still wasn’t in sight.

Going over there, the trail lost elevation as Lupe continued beyond the ridge.  Mummy Lake soon appeared ahead, tucked in a valley below.

A faint path with a single switchback along a steep open slope got the Carolina Dog down to the E shore.

7:40 PM, 58ºF, Mummy Lake – A massive jumble of rock jutted out far enough to hide the S end of the lake, but most of it was in view from a flat strip of tundra and low bushes extending N toward a hilly area.

No mummies here, either, SPHP.  Will they come out after dark?

Who knows?  Let’s not stick around long enough to find out, Loopster.  We can stay a little while, though.  I’m ready to take a break.  How about you?

The American Dingo plunked herself down on the soft tundra.

It’s been a long march, SPHP.  Got any chocolate coconut bars?

I’ll see what I can do, Loop.

Although the last rays of sunlight had abandoned even the highest peaks, it was still quite light out.  Mummy Lake filled virtually the entire valley.  Not a soul was around as Lupe watched ripples lap gently against the shore.  At first, most of the lake reflected the sky’s pale blue, but as the light dimmed, a darker mood began spreading over the surface.

Well, shucks, Looper.  If we had gotten an early start like I’d intended, we could have climbed Greater Pharaoh Peak today.

That would have been awesome, SPHP, but it’s not everyday that we visit the Land of the Dead!  I sure had the wrong expectations of what Egypt would be like.  Mummy Lake is cool.  The Land of the Dead isn’t scary at all, at least, not until the mummies show up!

If SPHP had paid more attention to the map, and Lupe had arrived a bit earlier, her Egypt Lakes adventure might have continued a little farther.  The mountain across Mummy Lake was actually all part of Scarab Peak.  Beyond the hills toward the N end of the lake, maybe the Carolina Dog would have enjoyed an even more spectacular view of both Scarab Lake and Greater Pharaoh Peak?

However, SPHP didn’t even think of it at the time.  At any rate, light was fading fast, and it was a very long way back to Sunshine Village.  Simply resting while appreciating the quiet ambience of this secluded valley felt good.  Mummy Lake seemed incredibly remote.  Just getting this far had been an accomplishment.

8:20 PM – Next to Mummy Lake, Lupe stood staring at SPHP with eyes black as coals.  Beyond her, there was no color.  The lake was a sullen, opaque gray, the rocks of the surrounding mountains and upon which she stood were gray or white, and the appearance of the lines of trees across the lake was jet black.

I sense a strange presence, SPHP.  It will be dark soon.  Maybe we better leave the Land of the Dead?  Mummies may be coming!

You might be right, Loop.  You’re starting to look sort of like a mummy or zombie Dingo yourself.

Then let’s get out of here, SPHP, before we turn into mummies, and forever become doomed minions of the Land of the Dead!

Seemed reasonable at the time.

Onward!  Puppy, ho!

After climbing out of the Mummy Lake valley, Lupe paused for a quick glance back.

I think we’re safe now, SPHP, but let’s not take any chances.  Who knows how far the Land of the Dead extends?  It might include all of the Egypt Lakes!

Crossing the pass leading back toward The Sphinx, a final glimpse of the N end of Mummy Lake was the last Lupe would ever see of it.  From this perspective, Middle Pharaoh and Greater Pharoah Peak loomed like the twin horns of some monstrous, wicked creature not that far from it.

Enough light lingered in the sky to allow SPHP to a better job of sticking with the trail on the way back down through the jumble of rocks leading to the shallow green valley W of The Sphinx.  Not for long, though.  Soon silver stars glittered like diamonds in the black universe overhead.

Hurrying on through the dark forest, all trails were empty.  Lupe saw no one else at all.

12:00 AM, Healy Pass – Arriving right at midnight, weary to the bone, SPHP sat down on a patch of tundra.  Lupe promptly curled up on SPHP’s lap.  The Carolina Dog was tired, too.  Still miles to go, but the good news was that the 1,000 foot climb out of the Pharaoh Creek valley, the hardest part of the return, was over.

Downhill virtually all the rest of the way from here, Loop.

That was a happy thought!

How about some water, SPHP?  Do we still have any?

Yeah, we do.  Good idea.  I could use some, too, Loopster.

After producing the water, SPHP munched on honey roasted peanuts.  The night air was cool with a slight breeze.  High in the Canadian Rockies, SPHP stroked Lupe’s soft ears beneath the silent stars.  More than half an hour slipped by before the American Dingo continued on.

9-16-23, 3:02 AM, 54ºF – After crossing the giant, well-lit, almost entirely vacant parking lot at Sunshine Village, Lupe couldn’t wait to leap into the RAV4 and curl up on her pink blanket.

Ugh!  Now don’t let me oversleep again tonight, Looper.

Why not, SPHP?  Surely, we’ve earned a good night’s rest!  Egypt Lakes was a big adventure!

True enough, but we’re supposed to meet someone at the gazebo with the Canadian flag in Banff at 8:00 AM, Looper.

What?  You’re crazy!  That’s only a few hours from now, SPHP.  Besides, we don’t know anyone in Banff!

Oh, yes we do!  Someone you haven’t seen in years, Loop, so we don’t want to miss out.  Remember, just bark, no biting when you wake me up!

Whether the Dingo alarm clock would work, or not, definitely seemed questionable, but SPHP was too tired to come up with a better plan.

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