Monday, September 29, 2008
Turbine Canyon
Renee's phone hasn't been working well. I tried several times last weekend to call, but couldn't get through. And this weekend I called several times, only to get a busy signal. She finally managed to jury-rig something Saturday night, and Sunday morning I finally got hold of her. I was at her place a couple of hours later, and after some thought, we decided on Turbine Canyon.
We pulled into the Interlakes parking lot about noon, and headed across the dam. It was a strikingly beautiful day, and there was a fair crowd in the lot, though it was far from full. Given the time of year, we figured places line Maligne Lake or Sentinel Pass would be zoos, with such beautiful weather and the larch in full golden bloom.
A little ways past the blocked path up Mount Indefatigable, I remembered to turn on the GPS.
I love hiking with Renee. Her knowledge of the area and her experience in hiking and scrambling make for fun and sometimes challenging hikes, in some of the most beautiful terrain. No different today, but the other side of the coin, is Renee's lack of ability to judge distance. I saw that in the hike to Three Isle Lake, which was 24 km round trip. Even last year when we topped Mount Cory, and the trip through the Valley of the Gargoyles. Well, same again, today.
As I said, we were underway about noon. The hike was uneventful, but enjoyable. I had been living with a weird periodic muscle cramp for the last couple of days, and wondered if it would become enough of an issue to be a show-stopper. Two hundred metres from the car, and I never felt it again. I love hiking.
It wasn't a busy trail. We met three or four couples going the other way. At Invincible Creek, where the cyclists have to stop, a large crowd had stopped on their way back from Three Isle Lake. Turned out to be a group from the Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School, on an outing.
This is an interesting point on the hike. Up to here, it's in and out of forest, but always rather open, with views of the Upper Kananaskis through the forest, and several avalanche runs to cross on the south end of Indefatigable. Crossing the creek, and suddenly we're in thick forest, with tall pine and a cozy gloom.
After awhile, another scree slope from the south side, with the trail skirting the edge, beside the Kananaskis River, which is really a mid-sized creek along there. And shortly after, we reached the Forks, where Three Isle Creek joins the river.
We stopped and snacked for a bit at the campground's picnic tables. A breeze was just cool enough for me to need my fleece while we weren't moving. At this point, we had no idea we were only half way.
As we readied to continue, a threesome trudged by and turned toward Three Isle Lake, which was our last outing. We followed the gravel path along the Kananaskis, the campground unraveling on the left. And soon the trail and river bed diverged as we began to gain a little altitude.
At one point we were perhaps fifty metres above the river and well away from it, and over the bush we saw a gorgeous waterfall roaring way, a right-angled kink in the flow of the river.
Below Mount Putnik, we zigged and started to gain some altitude. It wasn't an aggressively climbing path. In fact it doubled back south for quite a distance, before zagging back north again through stunted brush, and a couple of avalanche runs.
We crossed a couple more creeks tumbling picturesquely done to the river, and wound through pine forest. As it leveled out, we crested a small headwall into a small valley, patchily surrounded by larch among the pine. A boggy patch marked the remains of a small lake that shows on the map.
Back into forest full of tumbled boulders, up a little, then down again past another pothole, and eventually we reached Lawson Lake. The time was 4:15 or so, and Renee suddenly seemed concerned about the time.
We powered throught he last kilometre and a half or so, and reached Turbine Canyon. Ahead, the trail continued up to Haig Glacier, of which the southern tongue reached down toward us. We gulped a quick snack and I donned my fleece before we headed back.
The wind was a little gusty, and with the sun now behind Mount Beatty, there was a definite chill. We made good time getting back to Lawson Lake, and at the headwall beyond, met a lone hiker going the other way.
We strode purposefully along, with the shadow brighten by the reflected sunlight from the ridge across the valley. It stretches along from Mount Black Prince, which I didn't realize was so close. About sixteen months ago, I had trekked up the other side of that peak, to a shrivelled up lake, and watch the snow rumble down the mountain's cliffs.
Fresh snow from the week preceding had dusted Putnik and the snowfield nestled beside it, far above us. The cloudless sky and the glow from the ridge across the valley made for a very picturesque scene. We got to the zag, and the zig, and then were at the Forks again, not even stopping.
The forest ahead, so cozy before, took on a different personality as the gloom deepened. Not at all unpleasant, and even inviting, but definitely a different beast than what we had encountered earlier. Kind of amazing.
At Invincible Creek, it was getting really dark. But we were out of the forest and onto graveled, scree-slope skirting trail. Only four kilometres to go.
We passed the scree slopes of the avalanche runs, and were back into forest, though on a wide, well used trail. The light faded quickly now, and Jupiter was bright above Mount Foch. And both it and Mount Sarrail were lit by Alpen glow, something I'd never experienced.
The trail got darker and darker, and soon we could barely make out the trail through the trees. I felt no apprehension at all, and I was really enjoying the darkness. I think Renee had relaxed too. We finally reached the dam. The spillway is a raised concrete thing that you have to cross. We climbed a small stairway on the west side of it, and on the east side you just have to step off a two foot drop. Except you have no idea how much of a drop it is until you touch ground. Plus I think Renee had trouble distinguishing things in the darkness.
We crossed the damn and managed to navigate the boulders and gate that form a barrier to the parking lot. A touch of my key fob, and the car's flashing lights lead us the last twenty metres. It was about 10:00 pm.
We ached. We felt great. We checked the GPS to find we'd traveled just over thirty kilometres. We got in the car and drove slowly to her place. At one point, the huge shiney brown coat of a moose loomed just of the edge of the pavement, munching unconcernedly.
I dropped her off, waiting until I saw lights come on before leaving. And then began the long drive home. Just as I turned onto Highway 40, I stopped near the King Creek turnoff, and just shut the car off and got out. I haven't seen stars like that in years. Some constellations I haven't been able to see from the city. Old familiar ones almost lost in the wash of stars. The stillness was absolute, and the temperature was still in the teens.
After fifteen minutes of gawking at the firmament, my neck ached and the fatigue started to pull downward. I got in the car, and drove home.
Turbine Canyon
Starting elevation: 1768 m (5801 feet).
Highest elevation: 2269 m (7444 feet).
Lowest elevation: 1699 m (5574 feet).
Elevation gain: 501 m (1644 feet).
Distance: 29.93 km (18.6 mi).
Time: 8:14.
We pulled into the Interlakes parking lot about noon, and headed across the dam. It was a strikingly beautiful day, and there was a fair crowd in the lot, though it was far from full. Given the time of year, we figured places line Maligne Lake or Sentinel Pass would be zoos, with such beautiful weather and the larch in full golden bloom.
A little ways past the blocked path up Mount Indefatigable, I remembered to turn on the GPS.
I love hiking with Renee. Her knowledge of the area and her experience in hiking and scrambling make for fun and sometimes challenging hikes, in some of the most beautiful terrain. No different today, but the other side of the coin, is Renee's lack of ability to judge distance. I saw that in the hike to Three Isle Lake, which was 24 km round trip. Even last year when we topped Mount Cory, and the trip through the Valley of the Gargoyles. Well, same again, today.
As I said, we were underway about noon. The hike was uneventful, but enjoyable. I had been living with a weird periodic muscle cramp for the last couple of days, and wondered if it would become enough of an issue to be a show-stopper. Two hundred metres from the car, and I never felt it again. I love hiking.
It wasn't a busy trail. We met three or four couples going the other way. At Invincible Creek, where the cyclists have to stop, a large crowd had stopped on their way back from Three Isle Lake. Turned out to be a group from the Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School, on an outing.
This is an interesting point on the hike. Up to here, it's in and out of forest, but always rather open, with views of the Upper Kananaskis through the forest, and several avalanche runs to cross on the south end of Indefatigable. Crossing the creek, and suddenly we're in thick forest, with tall pine and a cozy gloom.
After awhile, another scree slope from the south side, with the trail skirting the edge, beside the Kananaskis River, which is really a mid-sized creek along there. And shortly after, we reached the Forks, where Three Isle Creek joins the river.
We stopped and snacked for a bit at the campground's picnic tables. A breeze was just cool enough for me to need my fleece while we weren't moving. At this point, we had no idea we were only half way.
As we readied to continue, a threesome trudged by and turned toward Three Isle Lake, which was our last outing. We followed the gravel path along the Kananaskis, the campground unraveling on the left. And soon the trail and river bed diverged as we began to gain a little altitude.
At one point we were perhaps fifty metres above the river and well away from it, and over the bush we saw a gorgeous waterfall roaring way, a right-angled kink in the flow of the river.
Below Mount Putnik, we zigged and started to gain some altitude. It wasn't an aggressively climbing path. In fact it doubled back south for quite a distance, before zagging back north again through stunted brush, and a couple of avalanche runs.
We crossed a couple more creeks tumbling picturesquely done to the river, and wound through pine forest. As it leveled out, we crested a small headwall into a small valley, patchily surrounded by larch among the pine. A boggy patch marked the remains of a small lake that shows on the map.
Back into forest full of tumbled boulders, up a little, then down again past another pothole, and eventually we reached Lawson Lake. The time was 4:15 or so, and Renee suddenly seemed concerned about the time.
We powered throught he last kilometre and a half or so, and reached Turbine Canyon. Ahead, the trail continued up to Haig Glacier, of which the southern tongue reached down toward us. We gulped a quick snack and I donned my fleece before we headed back.
The wind was a little gusty, and with the sun now behind Mount Beatty, there was a definite chill. We made good time getting back to Lawson Lake, and at the headwall beyond, met a lone hiker going the other way.
We strode purposefully along, with the shadow brighten by the reflected sunlight from the ridge across the valley. It stretches along from Mount Black Prince, which I didn't realize was so close. About sixteen months ago, I had trekked up the other side of that peak, to a shrivelled up lake, and watch the snow rumble down the mountain's cliffs.
Fresh snow from the week preceding had dusted Putnik and the snowfield nestled beside it, far above us. The cloudless sky and the glow from the ridge across the valley made for a very picturesque scene. We got to the zag, and the zig, and then were at the Forks again, not even stopping.
The forest ahead, so cozy before, took on a different personality as the gloom deepened. Not at all unpleasant, and even inviting, but definitely a different beast than what we had encountered earlier. Kind of amazing.
At Invincible Creek, it was getting really dark. But we were out of the forest and onto graveled, scree-slope skirting trail. Only four kilometres to go.
We passed the scree slopes of the avalanche runs, and were back into forest, though on a wide, well used trail. The light faded quickly now, and Jupiter was bright above Mount Foch. And both it and Mount Sarrail were lit by Alpen glow, something I'd never experienced.
The trail got darker and darker, and soon we could barely make out the trail through the trees. I felt no apprehension at all, and I was really enjoying the darkness. I think Renee had relaxed too. We finally reached the dam. The spillway is a raised concrete thing that you have to cross. We climbed a small stairway on the west side of it, and on the east side you just have to step off a two foot drop. Except you have no idea how much of a drop it is until you touch ground. Plus I think Renee had trouble distinguishing things in the darkness.
We crossed the damn and managed to navigate the boulders and gate that form a barrier to the parking lot. A touch of my key fob, and the car's flashing lights lead us the last twenty metres. It was about 10:00 pm.
We ached. We felt great. We checked the GPS to find we'd traveled just over thirty kilometres. We got in the car and drove slowly to her place. At one point, the huge shiney brown coat of a moose loomed just of the edge of the pavement, munching unconcernedly.
I dropped her off, waiting until I saw lights come on before leaving. And then began the long drive home. Just as I turned onto Highway 40, I stopped near the King Creek turnoff, and just shut the car off and got out. I haven't seen stars like that in years. Some constellations I haven't been able to see from the city. Old familiar ones almost lost in the wash of stars. The stillness was absolute, and the temperature was still in the teens.
After fifteen minutes of gawking at the firmament, my neck ached and the fatigue started to pull downward. I got in the car, and drove home.
Turbine Canyon
Starting elevation: 1768 m (5801 feet).
Highest elevation: 2269 m (7444 feet).
Lowest elevation: 1699 m (5574 feet).
Elevation gain: 501 m (1644 feet).
Distance: 29.93 km (18.6 mi).
Time: 8:14.
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