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  • Hiking
    • Mt Allan Traverse (Centennial Ridge)
    • Mt Nomad – Kanananaskis Country
  • Backpacking – Overnights
    • Baker Lake 2020 Banff NP
    • Fish Lakes – Banff NP, Alberta
    • Floe Lake/Numa Creek, Kootenay NP, British Columbia
    • Floe Lake (Revisited 2019) – Kootenay NP
    • Grand Canyon Corridor Backpacking Trip
    • Hermit Trail to Hermit Meadows – Glacier NP, British Columbia
    • Exploring Waterfalls with Volcano – Yoho NP
    • Mystic Lake – Banff NP
    • Ribbon Lake Kananaskis Prov. Park 2016 – Ribbon Creek Route
    • Ribbon Lake Kananaskis Prov. Park 2017 – South Buller Pass Route
    • Stenton Lake – Alberta Wildlands Prov. Park
  • Backpacking – Multi Day
    • Arizona Trail Passages 16/17
    • Brazeau Loop – Jasper National Park
    • Egypt Lake Epic – Banff NP
    • Grand Canyon Hermit – South Kaibab
    • Grand Canyon – Tanner/Beamer Trail
    • GR20 – Corsica
    • Great Divide Trail Hike – Section C 2020
    • Iceline/Twin Falls – Yoho NP
    • Kilimanjaro – Tanzania
    • Mt Assiniboine Lollipop – Banff NP
    • Rockwall North 2020 Kootenay NP
    • Sawback – Banff NP
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Day 1 Baker Lake – Banff NP

Laura taking in the view at Baker Lake. The wine is in the pot chillin in the background while Ptarmigan Peak dominates the view in the distance.

Day 1 Fish Creek Parking Lot to Baker Lake Campground, 13.6 km, 640 m Elevation Gain, 125 m Elevation Loss, 4 hrs 45 min.

We were ready to leave the house just before 8:00 am. I had done a thorough job of packing so much so I could not remember packing our little stove a MSR Pocket Rocket. A quick check through the backpack and I did not see it. I phoned Ken to borrow his stove even though I was sure I had packed it. I then one last look through everything and found the stove safely tucked away inside my coffee cup. Crisis was averted but had wasted 20 minutes and a whole lot of stress.

We arrived at Fish Creek parking lot around 9:30 am after our delayed start and hit the trail at 9:40 am. One of my goals for this trip was to arrive at the campground early enough to have some time to just enjoy the area and relax in the beauty of the place we had hiked to. We had both been on a few trips where we had arrived with just enough time to set up and eat before it is was bedtime and I wanted to avoid that for this trip.

For such an amazing destination the hike starts out very pedestrian as you head up a service road for the ski resort for the first 3.8 km. Staying to the right at the first interaction we then just followed the road until we reached the ski lifts at the backside of the Lake Louise ski resort. While the hike was very straight forwarded it was not easy. We gained 300 m of elevation out of our total of 640 m hiking on the service road. We did not see any other hikers but there was a group of women who headed out trail running. They may have headed up Deception Pass to the Skoki area as we did not see them again.

The not very inspiration start to an amazing hike.
Trees are thinning out and providing some views. The road is very steep.

We made extremely good time up the road. Arriving at the ski lifts in just under one hour. A quick steep jog up a ski run and we came to the trail that would take us all the way to Baker Lake.

A little rough trail leading up the ski hill then onto the main trail which was very wide and well maintained.
I am not very sure about the distances on some of the Parks Canada signs. It was about 9.8 km to Baker Lake by my calculations.

The trail leveled off gaining only 180 m over the next 4 km. The hike was very pleasant as we walked through along the valley floor crisscrossing Corral Creek several times as we made our way towards the headwall of the valley.

Do to the high traffic on the first section of trail there are many small bridges over minor creeks.
Wide trail cuts through a dense forest.
Laura on one of the many crossing of Corral Creek with Ptarmigan Peak (3035 m) in the background.
Looking at Mt Temple (3544 m) in the distance. Frosty Paws made the trip.

The sun was steadily climbing up through the clear blue sky. As the trees started to thin out the views opened up in all directions.

Ptarmigan Peak on the right, Mt Richardson (3086 m) on the left, the saddle from Richardson leads to Pika Peak (3053 m).

Twenty minutes after leaving the creek crossing we scampered up a short hill and arrived at Halfway Hut (sorry no picture). Halfway Hut is a simple little log structure built as a rest stop when supplies for Skoki Lodge were transported by horse train. The hut is located approximately halfway from the Lake Louise train station and Skoki Lodge. We had been hiking for 2 hrs 20 min and had covered 7.5 km.

Halfway Hut is to the left. Redoubt Mountain (2902 m) dominates the background.
Lots of choices at this interaction, but no distances. Not lost yet!
If you zoom in on the hill in the distance, you can see the trail leading up to Rockfall Pass, the entrance to the sub alpine.

The trail continued through a couple of minor creek crossings before we started to climb our last real hill of the day. Heading up to Rockfall Pass we hiked up a well graded trail gaining 135 m of elevation in 1.4 km. As we arrived at Rockfall Pass we had the clear blue expanse of Ptarmigan Lake before us and the grassy meadows of the alpine all around. It had taken us 2 hrs 50 min to hike 9 km.

Trail was nice and wide and pretty smooth. Might get the toes wet with the minor creeks that flowed over the trail.
The rock formations on the hillside remind me of canyons walls in the Grand Canyon. The fluted sections are indications of vertical joints in the rock.
Marmots! Always on guard when you are in the alpine.
Laura coming up the last section of trail before the pass.
Flowers leading up to Ptarmigan Peak.
Ptarmigan Lake with Fossil Mountain (2496 m) reflecting in the waters. In the far distance on the left is Mt Douglas (3235 m) and to the right is Mt St. Bride (3315 m)

The day was working out as I had hoped. The weather was spectacular with clear blue skies but not too hot. It was 12:30 pm and we only had an easy 4.5 km to go. It was time for lunch and to enjoy the fruits of our labour (not that it had been that labourious).

Laura found a good rock for out lunch. Ptarmigan Peak in the background.

After a good 30 minute break we headed off on the last leg of hike. It would be short easy climb to the junction with Deception Pass then downhill all the way to Baker Lake Campground. The trail heads around the north side of the lake. In the spring the trail could be very muddy but for us there were plenty of rocks to step on to keep our feet dry from the few remaining wet spots. The trial then left the lake and started a slow easy climb up towards the junction with Deception Pass.

Heading out after lunch. The trail still had section of mud which could easily be avoided by walking on the rocks.
Trail remains in excellent shape. Wide with a gently gradient.
Jammed packed picture. Tall peak on the left in the distance is Mt St Bride, the Snow covered peaks just left of centre is Lychnis Mt (2819 m) , the dark mountain at centre is Brachiopod Mt (2667 m) and the mountain on the left is Heather Ridge (2636 m).
Looking back at Redoubt Mt (2902 m)
I just think Brachiopod is such a good looking mountain.

It only took 30 minutes to reach the high point of the hike the junction to Deception Pass. On the way we had a little bit of excitement when we had to cross a very small snow field.

Video taken as we approached the high point of the trail. Mountain at end of video is Fossil Mt
Crossing the snowfield.

It is worthwhile side trip going up to Deceptoin pass and onto the lower slopes of Fossil Mt to get a view across the entire valley (I had done this on a previous trip) but we decided to continue onto the campground. It was easy walking all downhill to Baker Lake. We did have to skirt around a couple of marmots who were using the trail as a buffet eating horse droppings.

Junction with the trail to Deception Pass. Fossil Mt in the background. The meadow below Fossil Mt is a great viewpoint.
Directions. Lots of destinations in the area.
Looking back at Redoubt Mt and Ptarmigan Lake. Can see all the way to the glaciers back of Paradise Valley.
First view of the Baker Lake. Campground is at the far end.
Lunchtime on the trail.
Fullt view of Baker Lake.

From the high point at the junction with Deception Pass we would actually lose 110 m of elevation as we approached the campground at Baker Lake. One of the benefits of this out and back would be that the 110 m would be the elevation gain tomorrow on the return trip all completed in the first couple of kilometres. From our first view of Baker Lake it was 2.2 km to the campground which we covered easily in about 40 minutes. The campground at Baker Lake is in a very small clearing with the tent sites very closely packed together. There is only one campsite which actually has a view of the lake. Arriving relatively early we were the lucky ones to snag the “penthouse” campsite with the million dollar view. It was 2:20pm in the afternoon when we dropped our packs.

The alpine is tough place to be a flower.
Junction to the Baker Lake Campground. the trail continues on the left side to continue onto the Sawback Trail the campground goes up the little trail to the right.
Frosty Paws has arrived and do we have a view!

We spent about an hour setting up the tent and storing our food on the bear pole. We then made our way out to the the lake where we would spend the next hour and half or so relaxing and reading by the water.

Pretty happy to be back at Baker Lake.
Laura soaking in the view. Ptarmigan Peak in the background.
The wine chillin for later.
Laura hard at work putting the “r” in relaxing.

At 5 o’clock we headed off to make dinner. Dinner was going to be a bit of an experiment. I had been drying my own fruit for a while but had never dried a dinner always eating store bought freeze dried meals. At home I had cooked up some tortellini and sausage along with a bit of broccoli and then dried it to bring on this trip. I do not remember the exact values but I remember the weight of the dried meal was less than half of the originally cooked meal which made me pretty happy. To re-hydrate our meal I put in just enough water to cover the food and then heated the food and water to boil. According to instructions I once boiling the food should be ready but I decided to give it a couple extra minutes at a nice rolling boil. The real question was how did it taste and we were both very pleased with our dinner. Preparing my own dried is definitely something I thought I would do more of in the future. Little did I know at the time drying my own meals would be crucial for my upcoming trip on the Great Divide Trail in August.

Re-hydrating dinner.

Baker Lake has the reputation of being very buggy. When I was at Baker Lake in 2019 I counted over 20 mosquitoes on Ken’s head at one point. There were a couple of groups at the campground who were wearing mosquito head nets (I had made one for Laura) but there were very few mosquitoes on our visit and we never felt the need to cover up.

Have to have some wine with pasta. Laure staying warm in my orange fleece.
The kitchen set up.
The smile says it all. We save on washing by eating from the same pot.

After dinner we went exploring further east from the campground. We had a fun time checking out Baker Creek which empties Baker Lake. Baker Creek flows around Brachiopod Mt and continues all the way to join the Bow River at the aptly named Baker Creek Chalets.

Very old signs but still accurate. Go left for Red Deer Lake. Go right for Baker Creek and Pulsatilla Pass.
Baker Creek.
Laura looking happy on the rocks.
Me, I am always happy when exploring.
Why we go hiking.
Doing some stream crossing in the sunlight.
Laura getting in a bit of bouldering.
Flowers lit up by the slowly setting sun.
Lovely mountain that does not have name. Part of the Sawback Range.
Video of the valley along the Sawback range. Head south to Pulsatilla Pass, head north to Red Deer Lakes.

We spent about an hour exploring and made our way back to the campsite where it was time for wine and chocolate. While relaxing on our rock we were entertained by what we thought was a squirrel who swam across the water in front of us.

Wine and sunshine, what could be better.
  • Success! That is one wet critter.
Chocolate biscuits. Back country delicacy.

We got ready for bed. Put our smellables into our food bag and hung it up on the bear hang. The bear hang is located a reasonable distance from camp so we wanted to minimize how many trips we made back and forth. We both had books so we spent the early evening in the tent reading.

One last trip to the biffy before bed introduced us to the neighbourhood porcupine. The presence of porcupines at the Baker Lake campsite is well known it is even mentioned in the guidebook “Classic Hikes in the Canadian Rockies”. Porcupines love to chew so it is important to put everything inside the tent. During our stay someone had left their boots outside the tent during the day and a porcupine made a little meal out of the boots.

We would have quite an evening with our new little friend. Porcupines are very active at night and emit a sound which would be better described as a screech that would make any zombie excited. Not what you would describe as a peaceful sound of nature. Luckily for us the porcupine only screeched a few times and stayed quiet for most the night.

My plan was to go to sleep reasonably early and to wake up at 1:30 am to take pictures of the night sky.

Bear hang.
The porcupine would nibble a small hole in the fly.

Baker Lake Night Time

Baker Lake Home

bootwreckers

Pondering the pleasures of the hike. Mt Assiniboin Pondering the pleasures of the hike. Mt Assiniboine and Lake Magog.

The first 3 days of my 10 hike on the Great Divide Trail, Section C, with Emily are summarized and up our my website, see link in Bio.

Fun addition to the summary is that we have included some of Emily's thoughts in the summary. Fun to see how she sees life on the trail.

Hope you the enjoy the summary nearly as much as we enjoyed th hike.

#greatdivide #greatdividetrail #gdt #parkscanada #parks #bcparks #trails #longdistancehike #longtrail #outdoors #outside #thruhike #hike #thruhiking #canada
My second trip to Yoho NP last year was a 3 day tr My second trip to Yoho NP last year was a 3 day trip featuring the Iceline and Twin Falls with @sio.mellors 

Great weather, great company, great adventure. 

Full trip report on my website, link in Bio.

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking, #yohonationalpark #yoho #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelbcp #snow #waterfall #waterfalls #waterfallphotography
New hike posted to Bootwreckers, see link in Bio. New hike posted to Bootwreckers, see link in Bio.

Three day hike along the Rockwall in Kootenay NP early July, 2021. Camped at Helmet Falls and Tumbling Creek Campgrounds.

With a @neil.real.deal and @kbsymington 

Photo - crossing snowfield at Tumbling Pass, with Mount Gray at centre and Tumbling Peak and it's glacier in the distance.

Great early season three day hike.

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking, #kootenaynationalpark #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #snow
I wrote an article about not judging other hikers I wrote an article about not judging other hikers on the trail and it got published.

It is my first ever article. Was a fun little project.

See link in bio
Takakkaw Falls from th Incline Trail, Yoho NP. Ph Takakkaw Falls from th Incline Trail, Yoho NP.

Photos of Takakkaw Falls taken from the Iceline Trail.

1) 1.6 second exposure of the falls

2) view of the falls and the Daly Glacier that feeds the water to th falls

The Iceline Trail was a nice way to get a more unique view of the falls and with fewer people.

Morning of day 2 of amazing trip last summer with @sio.mellors 

Yoho NP

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #backpacking, #yohonationalpark #yoho #friendsofyoho #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #falls #waterfallphotography #waterfall #waterfallsofinstagram
Going through some photos from summer 2020. I lik Going through some photos from summer 2020.

I liked this photo, captured the early morning at Yoho Lake CG on my trip with @sio.mellors 

Loved how the water grabbed th orange reflection off the bottom of the clouds as the sun just crested the horizon.

I enjoy getting up early when camping. Not only do I get to enjoy the peace and quiet of camp, but the light of the sun presents fleeting visual displays that are gone in moments.

Yoho NP

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #backpacking, #yohonationalpark #yoho #friendsofyoho #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #sunrise #morning #sunrisephotography  #lake #reflection #reflections
View looking West over the Tonto Platform from the View looking West over the Tonto Platform from the South Kaibab Trail.

This April will be our 10 year anniversary of our first trip to the Grand Canyon.

It is truly one of my happy places, have visited five times and camped below the rim three times.

Looking to get back sometime soon, but good things are worth the wait.

#nps, #nationalparks, #slotcanyon, #hiking, #hikingadventures, #familytime, #camping, #campingadventures, #outdoors, #outside, #nature,  #FIndyourpark #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside #nationalpark #desertphotography #grandcanyon #grandcanyonnationalpark #grandcanyonassociation #100yearsofgrand #100yearsofbeauty #100yearsofgrandcanyon
Sunday morning sunrise! There are perks for getti Sunday morning sunrise!

There are perks for getting up early on a Sunday to go grocery shopping, and the mountain sunrises are one of them.

Shot off my phone from the parking in downtown Canmore.

#sunrise #sunrisephotography #sunrise_sunset_photogroup #earth #outside #outdoors #naturephotography #nature #naturelovers #sky #skyphotography #sky_brilliance
No doubt 2020 was a prickly year, and 2021 has sta No doubt 2020 was a prickly year, and 2021 has started out a little rough.

Just like hiking, if we keep going we will see beauty in amongst the prickles, but we need to stay on the trail.

Here's to good times ahead.

From our hike last year Emily hiking among the cactii towards the feature we affectionately named the Thumb, Passage 16 on the Arizona Trail

#teamzpacks #zpacks #zpacksduplex #aztassociation #aztrail #aztrails #hike #loveazt #desertphotography #desert #hikingadventures #hikes #backpacking #camping #getoutside #familytime #traillife #aztassociation , #hiking, #hikingadventures, #familytime, #camping, #campingadventures, #outdoors, #outside, #nature,  #FIndyourpark #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside  #rightnow #goparks #aztrails #aztrail #loveazt  #azt #arizonatrailassociation
Looking at a fun trip last summer through Yoho NP Looking at a fun trip last summer through Yoho NP with @sio.mellors 

Lots of waterfalls to see in the park, Laughing Falls is a fun and loud falls right off the main trail located surprisingly, next to Laughing Falls CG.

We stopped by on our way to Twin Falls CG after spending the day hiking the Iceline Trail

Like this photo of Siobhan getting close to the falls for her own picture. 

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #backpacking, #yohonationalpark #yoho #friendsofyoho #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #waterfall #waterfall #waterfallphotography #waterfallsofinstagram
Haiduk Lake, Banff NP. Haiduk Lake is just beyond Haiduk Lake, Banff NP.

Haiduk Lake is just beyond Whistling Pass as you hike from Egypt Lake to Balls Pass Junction.

Very pretty Lake. We were lucky enough to pass by early in the morning as we hiked from Egypt Lake to Floe Lake during our #gdt hike this summer.

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #alpine #lifeelevated #getoutside #lifeonthetrail #britishcolumbia #gdt #greatdividetrail
#kananaskis #kananaskiscountry
Chasing th Aurora on Friday night at Lake Minnewan Chasing th Aurora on Friday night at Lake Minnewanka in Banff NP.

Sadly it did not come right out to play,  but was obviously a lot of light coming from th North East.

Always fun to be outside in a dark place to see th glory of the night sky.

#outside, #hiking #camping, #backpacking,
#adventure, #adventureoutside, #nature, #landscapephotography, #nobaddays, #adventureholiday, #hikingadventures, #astrophotography, #milkyway #kootenaylife #kootenaynationalpark #nationalpark #nationalparks
#parkscanada #northernlights #aurora #auroras #auroramax
Hiking the GDT Day 1. I was almost completely sa Hiking the GDT Day 1. 

I was almost completely satisfied with or trip on the Great Divide Trail when on Day 1 we finished the uphill to Turbine Canyon and popped out of the woods and saw this amazing alpine vista.

I remember remarking to Emily "this is why I hike"

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #alpine #lifeelevated #getoutside #lifeonthetrail #britishcolumbia #gdt #greatdividetrail
#kananaskis #kananaskiscountry
Morning from Floe Lake with Floe Peak selection of Morning from Floe Lake with Floe Peak selection off the mirror smooth waters.

Another amazing morning hiking the GDT.

Never get tired of Floe Lake, was my third visit and just a year after my previous visit.

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking, #kootenaynationalpark #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #flowers #getoutside #lifeonthetrail #britishcolumbia #gdt #greatdividetrail #goldenhour #goldenhourphotography #mirrorphotography #lake
Golden hour! Morning sun shining off of Tumbling Golden hour!

Morning sun shining off of Tumbling Glacier and the Rockwall. 

Waking up at Tumbling Creek Campground during my Great Divide Hike this summer. 

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking, #kootenaynationalpark #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #flowers #getoutside #lifeonthetrail #britishcolumbia #gdt #greatdividetrail #goldenhour #goldenhourphotography
Flower Field, Tumbling Pass, Kootenay NP. From la Flower Field, Tumbling Pass, Kootenay NP.

From last summer's Great Divide Trail hike. At th top of Tumbling Pass on the Rockwall, treated to a visual feast of colour.

Awesome day, epic hike.

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking, #kootenaynationalpark #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #flowers #getoutside #lifeonthetrail #britishcolumbia #gdt #greatdividetrail
As we head into winter, a shot from last spring at As we head into winter, a shot from last spring at the end of winter. The snow was just clearing from the trails, and flowers poking through to greet the warmth.

Heading out over Rockwall Pass, Kootenay NP, with @kbsymington  and @neil.real.deal .

Had some snowfields to cross, good day out on th trail

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking, #kootenaynationalpark #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #flowers #getoutside #lifeonthetrail #britishcolumbia
Fun photo from Twin Falls Campground in Yoho Natio Fun photo from Twin Falls Campground in Yoho National Park.

As night fell I was able to take some long exposure shots of Twin Falls Creek as it tumbles through the campground.

Fun 3 day trip with @sio.mellors.

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #backpacking, #yohonationalpark #yoho #friendsofyoho #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #waterfall #rainbow #spectrum #hikingadventures #longexposure #longexposurephotography #river
Top of Guinns Pass, Kananaskis Country 2016 Guinn Top of Guinns Pass, Kananaskis Country 2016

Guinns Pass connects the valley with Ribbon Lake and Ribbon Creek and the valley with Lillian Lake and Galetea Creek. Stunning views in all directions from the top of the pass.

There is also a scramble up the connecting ridge to the east up to Guinns Peak and onto Mt Kidd South.

Great two days hiking with @emilysjumpinginpuddles

#hikingwithdogs, #hiking, #hikingdogsofinstagram, #outside, #kananaskiscountry, #kananaskis, #spcacanmore, #spcarescue, #snowyowlsleddogtours, #snowyowldogsledtours, #retiredsleddog, #retiredhusky, #backpacking, #tongueouttuesday, #canmore, #canmorealberta, #adventure,
Larch season is coming to an end in the Rockies, b Larch season is coming to an end in the Rockies, but last weekend we were treated to quite a display near Taylor Lake in Banff NP

#outside, #outsidethebox, #liveoutdoors, #liveoutsidethebox #naturephotography, #naturelovers,  #retiredhusky, #rescuer
#parkscanada #banffnationalpark #banffalberta #banffcanada #larches #fall #autumn
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