Finding the Top of the World

The original goal today was Yamnuska. But all day there was a heavy rainfall warning and a severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for all of southern Alberta. That's not the kind of weather I would like to encounter when standing on a bare rock near a shear thousand foot drop, nuh-uh.

So I examined my maps, looking for an alternate hike for the day. One that I'd heard was pretty neat was Rawson Lake, just south of the Upper Kananaskis Lake, below Mount Sarrail. It's not too long a trek, so I decided to add in Opal Falls, as well, for fun.

I think I should start out earlier on these jaunts. There's something about being out in the early morning that is just too cool. And you get ahead of the weekend traffic, too. But it wasn't a bad drive out. Just rainy and wet.

By the time I got to the Kananaskis Lakes region, there were breaks in the cloud, and the rain had stopped. I set out along the path to the south of the lake. Even though there's so much snow pack yet, and there are flood watches everywhere, the lake level was very low, probably twenty metres lower than when I climbed Mount Indefatigable a couple of years ago.
Rawson Lake hides behind the treed ridge in the upper centre of the picture. You can see how the cloud was obscuring the mountain tops.

After rounding the path for aways, I found a clear view of Indefatigable.
It's a lot snowier than my last visit. You can see the snow in the cirque in this picture, just under the cloud, though not very well.

Shortly after that, I crossed the bridge in front of the Sarrail Creek Falls.
Very nice, and noisy.

One thing about this hike: the forest is quite dense, and lush. Lots of moss and goundcover that absorbs just about any sound. This is another one of those places, so common out there, where the silence is truly deafening. The sound of the falls didn't reach a hundred metres either side on the path. It was quite amazing how quickly you are upon the falls, and how fast they're behind you after you pass.

The path soon quite obviously splits, with the right branch continuing along the lake, and the left climbing rather steeply into the forest. A sign tells you that Rawson Lake is 2.7 km further on.

The path is wet, squishy and even under water in places. But still very walkable. The steepness keeps the lungs working, but the forest is amazing in its stillness. It absorbs sound so well, it's like being in an anechoic chamber, or a very small curtain-walled room. The silence has a closeness to it.

Eventually the trail levels off a little, and then I'm into snow. Again! The path must be chronically wet, as a raised walk made of logs sawn in half leads through the forest.
Same again for the snow: if I stay on the packed middle part, it supports me, and I avoid getting buried to the hip.

Soon I can see the rock wall across the lake through the trees, and suddenly the lake is in front of me. The rock wall is unbelievable and beautiful, and I start taking pictures.
And the batteries in the camera die. Damn!

The lake still has ice on it, and is rimmed by snow. The water is right up to the trees, and has some kind of scum on it, where it's open between chunks of ice. The fish don't seem to mind; they constantly jump at whatever is catching their attention. I pick my way a few metres along the shore to a massive tree that's fallen in the water. It makes a nice place to sit and munch my snack and survey the rock wall opposite me with binoculars.

The very top of the ridge is obscured by cloud, but there's a lot of snow still clinging to the face. With the binoculars, I can see several waterfalls coming down from what must be massive snowbanks here and there in depressions in the rock face. Some of them look to be several hundred metres high, with almost nothing but a mist at the bottom. There's a huge fall of snow at the bottom sloping to the lake, and the sound of rushing water reaches across.

After awhile, I decide to leave, somewhat annoyed by the lack of battery power. Two couples have come up behind me, one couple arguing how to cross the creek outlet to get to ice free fishing. Just as I get out of the worst of the snow, I begin to meet other hikers. Two goups with children pass at the edge of the snow. Another large group was just getting to where the trail flattened out a little. I assured one woman that she'd climbed the worst of it.

It was like that all the way down. Lots of people out with kids and dogs. By the time I got down to the lower path, there was a fisherman every thirty metres along the shore, and several boats as well.

I got back to the car, and headed back toward the highway. Turning south, I traveled a short way to the Elpoca Day Use area, beside which is Opal Falls. The gate was closed and locked, a sign on it warning of bear activity. So much for Opal Falls. After a bit of scanning of the far side of the valley with the binoculars, I called it a day and headed home.

Rawson Lake
Starting elevation: 1724 m (5656 feet).
Highest elevation: 2009 m (6591 feet).
Lowest elevation: 1698 m (5571feet).
Elevation gain: 285 m (935 feet).
Distance: 7.4 km (4.6 mi).
Time: 2:20.