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Day 4 GDT 2021 – Section E

Day 4, August 14th, North Pinto Lake to Boulder Creek CG. 30 km, 910 m elevation gain, 620 m elevation loss, 10 hrs 55 min (Segment 25, Segment 26).

This was the first day on the trip I used an alarm and I am glad I did, as 5:15 am came very quickly after being up taking photos in the middle of the night. I packed up the tent as quickly and as quietly as I could and headed over to retrieve my food for breakfast. It may have been an early start but I still wanted a hot coffee to start my day. Jason and Bent were already eating their breakfast so I hustled as quick as I could so as not to delay the start of the hike. I threw my pack on and said goodbye to my camping spot at 6:07 am. This would be the earliest start to a day on my trip.

It is a dark breakfast.
Amazing how the light can change in just 30 minutes. All packed up and time to go.

We set off at a good pace out of camp. No one else was up yet. The first view of the morning sky was gloomy as the smoke had returned. It was hard to believe just 4 hours earlier I was taking photos of a clear night sky and now I could barely make out the tops of the mountains. Our first misadventure came after just 10 minutes when we turned left at a junction and headed up the trail to Sunset Pass. I was following blindly but after a few minutes of not hiking beside a stream we all stopped to check our location on our devices. We quickly turned around and were soon back on the GDT.

There will be a few log crossings on this day.
Red gloomy sky
Nice boardwalk but too bad it was on the Sunset Pass Trail.

The ground in the area around the confluence of the Cline River and Cataract Creek was quite soft and boggy. In a few places side streams occupied wide areas, making for shallow but muddy crossings.

Little stream but no dry way across

After 40 minutes of hiking we left Banff NP and entered the Whitegoat Wilderness Area. Where Huntington Creek joined the Cline we once again did a bit of wandering as we tried to find a dry way across. Huntington Creek was probably one of the more perilous crossings on the hike. The creek was quite deep and some downed trees provided a very suspect bridge that could be used to cross. Depending on which side you fell off the logs, the penalty for falling ranged from wet feet to complete submersion in the creek.

There is an info box as you enter the Whitegoat. Nothing of interest for us.
The trail is faint and rough.
Jason crossing Huntington Creek
Bent trying to keep the feet dry

We hiked along the north shore of the Cline River for a short while before the Cline turned right and away from the trail. We soon came to Cataract Creek and were faced with an easy but long crossing. I was contemplating switching to my sandals to keep my shoes dry when Jason charged across the stream, almost falling twice. Bent then took his turn, recording the crossing on his phone. It was already very evident that I was the slowest hiker in the group, which was compounded by my repeated stopping to take photographs. So I decided to not delay and switch to my sandals and headed across after Bent. The Salomon shoes I had on were Gore-tex, which meant I would be hiking in wet feet for the rest of the day. I do not think my shoes dried out completely until after I had completed the Skyline seven days later.

Coming up to the crossing of Cataract Creek, not much of a trail
Bent getting ready for his crossing, Jason disappearing into the distance
The crossing was not that challenging but it is always good to practice using good technique.

We stayed on the north side of the Cataract river for the next four hours, so we did not have very many route-finding challenges. I was having some trouble keeping up. Bent was leading with Jason second. Every so often Jason would yell back to me to make sure I was still coming. About 30 minutes after crossing the Cataract I spied a side trail that would take me to some First Nations pictographs painted in ochre on a rock. I yelled back up the trail to Bent and Jason, who both came back to view the pictographs. When I got home I did some research on the pictographs. The Alberta government had done some research but it had been removed from the public and sealed. The stories behind the pictographs are for the First Nations people to share.

Common view for me: Jason disappearing into the distance
Pictographs
View of the Cataract Creek from the where the pictographs are

The trail was very well defined in this section but was it was difficult to keep a good pace with all the downed trees. Despite the obstacles Bent kept us at a good 4 km/h average until lunch.

Even the detour is partially blocked.
I can see both Bent and Jason — must have been shortly after they stopped to let me catch up.

I don’t remember much about this section except hustling hard to keep up and whenever we came out from the trees the views were obscured by smoke.

Smoke settling in
The trail was pretty good out of the trees.
High heat and lack of moisture results in some fall colours in August as the plants shows signs of stress.
Campsite, about 14 km from Pinto Lake
Mt Stewart (3312 m)

We stopped for an extended break in a field below Mt Stewart. We had hiked just shy of 15 km in 4 hours. This was supposed to be my finish point for the day. According to the GDT App there was camping here. We had passed a little campsite just 15 minutes prior but I really did not see any camping at this location. As we stopped and relaxed I decided that there was no good reason to stop here and set up my tent to spend the rest of the day by myself. So when it was time to leave I grabbed my pack and told Bent and Jason that I would join them all the way to Boulder Creek CG. This meant that tomorrow I would only have a 3.2 km day to Four Points CG, where I would meet up with Micah, who would be hiking in from the Nigel Pass Trailhead to join me for the rest of the hike.

Someone big and furry was digging around here.
Nice little rocky outcrop on the trail
Some colour for a very bland day

The valley we had been hiking in forks into two smaller valleys as you approach the bottom of Cataract Pass. The GDT follows the left fork. The trail got a little confusing as we approached the junction and we ended up a fair way from the creek. The easiest way to navigate this section is just stay close to the creek and go to the left. We came out of the trees high on a bank above the creek draining the right (east) fork of the valley. A large cairn marked our way back down to Cataract Creek and the upper valley we wanted to follow.

Bent surveying where we are to go
The trail is not well defined here.
Large cairn on the other side. Going to the left would take us back to Cataract Creek.

The valley dramatically narrows as we head into the alpine. We had another little challenge route-finding, as there was a trail going up the side of the valley embankment. I let Bent and Jason explore the trail, which disappeared very quickly, forcing them to retreat back down the trail. I have no idea why the trail is there and I am guessing many people go up it just to come right back down. The route was up along the left (west) side of the the creek so we had another little stream crossing.

Heading back to Cataract Creek
Jason and Bent heading up the dead-end trail
Another creek crossing
There’s not much of a trail – Just stay beside the creek.

Staying creek-side made route-finding simple, but I do remember a few little scrambles that we had to do to get around little waterfalls. The going was much slower than before. We passed by several narrow sets of rapids before arriving at a little plateau that would take us to the base of Cataract Pass.

Sticking to the left side of a pleasant meandering creek
Great little set of waterfalls, trail is just picking your way up the left side.
Another flat section to catch your breath before one last set of rapids
Picking our way through the rocks with Jason leading
That’s it, it’s pretty flat to the bottom of the pass.
Cataract pass is the up over the low point, centre left.

We stopped for lunch on a little bank above the tiny stream that was Cataract Creek at 12:45 pm, we had been hiking for 6 hrs 40 min and covered 19.6 km.

My wet feet
My poor wet shoes
Frosty being useful helping make lunch
Bent and Jason relaxing and taking in the smoky views

The little plateau area where we had lunch would be a great place to camp. Later I talked to some backpackers coming southbound over Cataract Pass who said that in good weather you would see 20 or more tents scattered around the area where we had lunch. Since Cataract Valley is an Alberta Wilderness Area you do not need a permit to camp, unlike in Jasper NP, which was just on the north side of Cataract Pass.

The headwaters of this branch of Cataract Creek
Bent and Jason heading off into the distance, I need to catch up.
Looking back down at Cataract Valley, Bent doing some video work

A drawback of letting someone else guide you along is that you can become unaware of the route ahead. For some unknown reason I thought where we had lunch was the top of Cataract Pass. All I had to do was check my Viewranger to see that the trail went up a few hundred metres more to the pass. It was a bit of shock to the system when we started working our way up the slope that would take us to Cataract Pass.

Jason already making his way up Cataract Pass

Cataract Pass is not the longest (2 km and 50 minutes), biggest (270 m) or highest (2500 m) pass that I had done on the GDT Sections C, E and part of D, but I found it to be the most challenging. The pass may have been more difficult than others, as it came 20 km into a tough day. Despite the difficulty I still feel the pass was a fun and exhilarating experience. In my view, one of the reasons Cataract Pass was so tough was that you could never see the top of the pass. The trail to the pass works its way clockwise around the mountain, never giving a view of the pass until you are just a few minutes away. Many times I thought I was approaching the top just to find another ridge line appear in the distance.

Looking down to the plateau: In good weather it would be dotted with tents.
Bent approaching a ridge that was not the top
Flowers give a nice splash of colour to climb.
More fun geology as two rock types meet
Quite the little cliff
Bent approaching the top
Bent arriving at a sign post on the boundary between Jasper NP and the Whitegoat Wilderness Area, it is not quite the high point.
Video summarizing my climb up Cataract Pass

The way down off the pass was steep but easy on a well marked trail. I had hiked in the Brazeau back in 2017 but had come over Nigel Pass. It was very interesting to hike through the headwaters of the Brazeau to see where the river and the valley begin.

Bent with Jason in the distance working their way down the pass
The lake that feeds the Brazeau River
Can almost trace the trail down
Wave ripples frozen in time and rock: Evidence that the rocks, while now at about 2300 m above sea level, were formed below sea level
It is actually a good trail down.
Almost down but there is still another 8 km to go.
Some helpful hiker making sure we did not get lost

The trail to Nigel Pass is dominated by an ancient rock slide that deposited enough rock to fill the valley between Cataract and Nigel Pass. There is a reasonably clear route through the rocks. Bent and I spent a few minutes looking up at the ridge from where all the rock had slid. The hiking was fun, with little ups and downs through the rubble, if a little slow.

Jason making his way through the first little drop over some unstable rocks
Some compressed and deformed sandstone
A little reprieve before tackling the big slide
Nice trail alongside the stream
Bent looking up at the rock slide
A nice, if smoky, view of the section of rock that slid to fill the valley
Jason in amongst the debris
Close-up of Jason
Jason finishes this section. You can see where the rubble from the slide mixes in with the limestone that forms the base of the valley.
Family of ducks
Heading back into the rubble
The end of the rubble, Nigel Pass is not far.

Just as we finished passing through the rubble, we came across a pair of northbound hikers. I stopped to talk for a bit as they were very interesting. It was a father/son duo and the father must have been in his 70s; they had hiked in from Owen Creek. They were finishing on this day, heading out over Nigel Pass. The father was from Parksville on Vancouver Island, just about 15 minutes from where my own father lives in Qualicum Beach. Small world.

Father and son duo

Shortly after leaving the father/son duo we arrived at Nigel Pass and back onto Parks Canada Trails. Nigel Pass marks the end of Segment 25 and the beginning of Segment 26 of the GDT. It was now only 3 km to our campsite at Boulder Creek CG. I was feeling very tired and having a great deal of difficulty in keeping up with Jason and Bent. I am quite sure that Jason slowed up to shepherd me to the end of the hike. It was appreciated. There was not a lot of talking going on during this section. With the smoke obscuring the views and it being the end of a long day, the goal was to finish and get to camp. I still did stop at an overlook to take some photos of the Brazeau Valley. Never too tired to take pictures!

The trail softens, switching from rock to dirt underfoot.
Hiking alongside a growing Brazeau River
Nigel Pass to the left
Parks Canada signage
Bent and Jason heading down to the valley. There is a 200 m drop from Nigel Pass to the campground.
A smoky Brazeau Valley. It was smoky when I was here in 2017.
We have to go down to the left and around this little outcrop to get the valley below.
Just 200 m to go

I arrived in camp at 4:55 pm. I was a bit worried about camping at Boulder Creek as I did not have a permit. I need not have worried, as no other campers would arrive. Boulder Creek CG is a functional if unexciting campground. It straddles the trail with campsites on one side and the dining area and food storage on the other. My campsite was a mere 10 feet from the trail. I took the time to have a bit of a wash in the river before dinner. It was a chilly little experience. I hung my shirt and pants to dry on some trees. Luckily both my pants and shirt dry quickly, because there was little in the way of sunshine or a breeze to aid the drying process.

Dinner time
Trusty Pocket Rocket

Dinner was very relaxed, with everyone in a good mood. We all headed to bed at about 8 pm. I only had 3.2 km to hike the next day to Four Points CG while Jason and Bent would be heading all the way to Waterfalls CG. We delayed our goodbyes until the morning since I felt it would be best to get up and see them off on their day, after spending a couple of great days on the trail with the two of them.

Parks Canada Bear Lockers: Done for the day

Day 5 GDT Section E 2021

GDT Section E 2021 (aborted Section D) Home

bootwreckers

Day 3 of my New Years adventure in Arizona up on B Day 3 of my New Years adventure in Arizona up on Bootwreckers, see link in bio.

Hiked the Superstition Ridgeline Trail, 23 km of some very rough terrain.

The views from the ridge were spectacular. The trail is more of a route, then a trail. I got off trail a half a dozen times just on the ascent to the ridge. Sprinkled in for fun where several down climbs where I had to drop my poles before climbing down a small chimney or crack.

There is camping possibilities on the ridge and I do wish I would have camped just before Syphon Draw and enjoyed the sunset. Maybe next time.

This was a very challenging 10.5 hrs on the trail, one of my hardest days ever, but worth every drop of sweat.

Till next time Arizona.

#nationalparks, #slotcanyon, #hiking, #hikingadventures, #familytime, #camping, #campingadventures, #outdoors, #outside, #nature,  #FIndyourpark #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside #nationalpark #desertphotography #grandcanyon #grandcanyonnationalpark #grandcanyonassociation #nationalparkweek #reichallenge #nationalparksweek #rightnow #nationalparktrust #goparks #aztrails
Even in the smoke, there is nothing like hiking in Even in the smoke, there is nothing like hiking in the Canadian Rockies.

On the way to Pinto Lake, going over Sunset Pass with Tuft Peak in the distance.

#parkscanada #parks #bcparks #trails #longdistancehike #longtrail #outdoors #outside #thruhike #hike #thruhiking #outside #backpacking #waterfalls #waterfall #naturephotography #naturephotography #nationalparks #alberta, #albertaparks
Day 2 of my New Years Arizona Adventure is posted, Day 2 of my New Years Arizona Adventure is posted, see link in bio.

Fun and easy day exploring the Superstitions with my four new friends. Lots of varied terrain and lots of breaks. Will make up for that on Day 3.

I did run out of superlatives to describe the scenery, in one word it was simply spectacular!

#nationalparks, #slotcanyon, #hiking, #hikingadventures, #familytime, #camping, #campingadventures, #outdoors, #outside, #nature,  #FIndyourpark #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside #nationalpark #desertphotography #grandcanyon #grandcanyonnationalpark #grandcanyonassociation #nationalparkweek #reichallenge #nationalparksweek #rightnow #nationalparktrust #goparks #aztrails
Day 1 of a fun two day trip out to Pinto Lake over Day 1 of a fun two day trip out to Pinto Lake over Sunset Pass.

It was a little smokey but as you can see from the first photo the views were spectacular.....

The little dot in Photo 9 is a Common Loon, and entertained us for several minutes swimming across the lake and diving for fish.

Big thanks to @kbsymington , @sio.mellors , Kylie and Charlie for making it such an awesome trip.

#parkscanada #parks #bcparks #trails #longdistancehike #longtrail #outdoors #outside #thruhike #hike #thruhiking #outside #backpacking #waterfalls #waterfall #naturephotography #naturephotography #nationalparks #alberta, #albertaparks
Day 1 of my 2023 New Years Arizona Adventure is up Day 1 of my 2023 New Years Arizona Adventure is up on Bootwreckers,  see link in bio.

Day started off rainy, see photo 2, but the clouds cleared off by 8 am and I finally got my hike started.

The day wasn't without adversity as I slipped chasing my water bottle in a stream and fell in the water. My camera got flooded and stopped working so the rest of the photos were taken on my aging BlackBerry Key 2.

Met up with a group of 4 med students and hiked with them for two days.

Despite the ruined camera was a super fun day on the trail in a new place. 

#nationalparks, #slotcanyon, #hiking, #hikingadventures, #familytime, #camping, #campingadventures, #outdoors, #outside, #nature,  #FIndyourpark #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside #nationalpark #desertphotography #grandcanyon #grandcanyonnationalpark #grandcanyonassociation #nationalparkweek #reichallenge #nationalparksweek #rightnow #nationalparktrust #goparks #aztrails
It took a while but finally posted the intro to my It took a while but finally posted the intro to my New Years trip to Arizona, see link in bio.

I was greater in Arizona to 18C weather followed quickly by near freezing temperatures and the most rain in the Phoenix area in one day since 1906!

My trip went from Plan A, 4 days on the Arizona Trail,  through Plans B, C and Finally D.

Was a fun if sometimes frustrating adventure.

#nationalparks, #slotcanyon, #hiking, #hikingadventures, #familytime, #camping, #campingadventures, #outdoors, #outside, #nature,  #FIndyourpark #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside #nationalpark #desertphotography #grandcanyon #grandcanyonnationalpark #grandcanyonassociation #nationalparkweek #reichallenge #nationalparksweek #rightnow #nationalparktrust #goparks #aztrails
Day 3 of Rockwall 2022 is up on Bootwreckers, see Day 3 of Rockwall 2022 is up on Bootwreckers,  see link in bio.

Sweet little day up and over Tumbling Pass with and a long view of Tumbling Glacier. 

The weather cooperated with blue skies and no threat of rain so we were able to linger at The Glacier before heading down the long descent to the car.

While a straightforward day there were still some adventures to be had, but you have to read about them on the blog.

Big thanks to my amazing hiking partner, @sio.mellors

Looking forward to our 3 day adventure this summer, which will no doubt generate more stories to tell.

#parkscanada #parks #bcparks #trails #longdistancehike #longtrail #outdoors #outside #thruhike #hike #thruhiking #outside #backpacking #waterfalls #waterfall #naturephotography #naturephotography #nationalparks
Day 2 of our Rockwall 2022 trip is posted on Bootw Day 2 of our Rockwall 2022 trip is posted on Bootwreckers, see link in bio. With @sio.mellors

This day was Helmet Falls CG to Tumbling Creek CG.

Day started off beautiful with blue skies which turned to rain after lunch. Somehow through all the rain and thunder Siobhan  never lost her smile.

The day ended with beers and Siobhan giving butt rubs to the doggies in camp.

Photo 1 Siobhan taking in the Rockwall at lunch

Photo 2 Helmet Falls at Golden hour

Photo 3 me and my morning coffee waiting for Siobhan to wake up

Photo 4 on the way up Siobhan with Limestone Peak in th background 

Photo 5 Siobhan at Rockwall Pass (can you tell?)

Photo 6 Siobhan near Wolverine Pass with Rockwall Peak shrouded in clouds

Photo 7 Tumbling Glacier through the clouds

Photo 8 setting up camp

Photo 9 Dinner time

Photo 10 butt rubs

#parkscanada #parks #bcparks #trails #longdistancehike #longtrail #outdoors #outside #thruhike #hike #thruhiking #outside #backpacking #waterfalls #waterfall #naturephotography #naturephotography #nationalparks
New trip posted, three day trip in the Rockwall in New trip posted, three day trip in the Rockwall in Kootenay NP with @sio.mellors. Introduction and Day 1 up on Bootwreckers.

Trip was suppose to be hiking Northover Ridge in Kanananaskis but smoke had us change plans at the last minute.

This would be my third multi day trip on the Rockwall but the first for Siobhan.

Managed to get two camping sites on the Rockwall and instead of smoke we had to deal with the threat of rain.

We did get wet but we had a blast.

Day 1 is from Paint Pots TH to Helmet Falls CG, with a side trip to get up close the the falls. Pretty straightforward day but visiting Helmet Falls is always special.

#parkscanada #parks #bcparks #trails #longdistancehike #longtrail #outdoors #outside #thruhike #hike #thruhiking #outside #backpacking #waterfalls #waterfall #naturephotography #naturephotography #nationalparks
The sixth and final day of our 2022 GDT Section D The sixth and final day of our 2022 GDT Section D hike is up on Bootwreckers, see link in bio.

This day took us from a random camp on the Howse Floodplain to the Mustafa Canyon parking lot. This was an adventurous day with bushwhacking, stream crossings and dead fall but a simply glorious end to a wonderful hike on the GDT. 

Again thanks  to Sara (@sd_kuz) and Lillian (@waterlilizee) for sharing this adventure with me. I am sure we will meet again on a trail someday.

Photo 1 - Morning Colors

Photo 2 - tents on the floodplain

Photo 3 - bushwhacking to start the day

Photo 4 - fields of flowers going to seed

Photo 5 - looking south down the Howse River

Photo 6 - thigh deep water crossing

Photo 7 - big views

Photo 8 - Sara crossing some dead fall

Photo 9 -Mistaya Canyon

Photo 10 - picked up a thru hiker named Roy, enjoying beverages left by Natasha and Kyle from Backpacks and Bikeracks

#greatdivide #greatdividetrail #gdt #parkscanada #parks #bcparks #trails #longdistancehike #longtrail #outdoors #outside #thruhike #hike #thruhiking #outside #backpacking #waterfalls #waterfall #naturephotography #naturephotography #nationalparks #duplex #sectionhike #sectionhiker
Day 5 of our 2022 Great Divide Trail Section D hik Day 5 of our 2022 Great Divide Trail Section D hike is posted on Bootwreckers, see link in bio.

Truly epic day on the trail. Pass through the debris of two avalanches, had lunch by a waterfall, crawled over so much dead fall and hiked on the Howse Flood Plain.

The sunset on the flood plain was one of most magical I have seen.

As always a big thanks to Sara (@sd_kuz) and Lillian (@waterlilizee) for sharing this adventure with me. The Team totally rocked the trail.

#greatdivide #greatdividetrail #gdt #parkscanada #parks #bcparks #trails #longdistancehike #longtrail #outdoors #outside #thruhike #hike #thruhiking #outside #backpacking #waterfalls #waterfall #naturephotography #naturephotography #nationalparks #duplex #sectionhike #sectionhiker
Evening light on Picketpost Mt. #aztrail #aztasso Evening light on Picketpost Mt.

#aztrail #aztassociation  #nps, #nationalparks, #slotcanyon, #hiking, #hikingadventures, #familytime, #camping, #campingadventures, #outdoors, #outside, #nature,  #FIndyourpark #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside #nationalpark #desertphotography #grandcanyon #grandcanyonnationalpark #grandcanyonassociation #nationalparkweek #reichallenge #nationalparksweek #rightnow #nationalparktrust #goparks #aztrails
Arizona Trail Passages 14 and 15. Some photos of Arizona Trail Passages 14 and 15.

Some photos of my recent hike down a couple of Passages of the Arizona Trail. 

The trail is so diverse, rolling terrain cut by shallow washes leads to the expanse of the desert then into rugged canyons and tall peaks, all in a space of 92 km (58 miles).

Had a great time, some blisters gave me some concerns but they seem to be doing fine now that they are out of my hiking shoes.

Got lucky with Trail Magic courtesy of Condiments who drove his 4x4 deep into an unarmed wash, was really in the middle of no where, and then again at the start of Passage 15, missed the Trail Angel's name, the wind was so loud.

Like to thank my Trail Angels, Carole for driving me to Oracle to start the trip, with side trip to a Hayden Az, a real ghost town and to Edith for leaving a water cache for me at Passage 15.

Included a video of my time at the high point for Passage 15. My kid likes it when you stop and enjoy the view you earned, thought they would appreciate my effort in the face of 1000 mph winds (ok maybe thats a bit of an exaggeration).

Thanks Arizona and the AZT for providing more memories.

I will be back

#aztrail #aztassociation  #nps, #nationalparks, #slotcanyon, #hiking, #hikingadventures, #familytime, #camping, #campingadventures, #outdoors, #outside, #nature,  #FIndyourpark #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside #nationalpark #desertphotography #grandcanyon #grandcanyonnationalpark #grandcanyonassociation #nationalparkweek #reichallenge #nationalparksweek #rightnow #nationalparktrust #goparks #aztrails
That sunset says when I wake up it will be time to That sunset says when I wake up it will be time to start my hike on the Arizona Trail, Passages 14 and 15

Love my little motel in Superior, Az, Copper Mt Motel. Has murals painted on all the buildings

Spied the Grand Canyon from the plane 

Adventure awaits 

#aztrail #aztassociation  #nps, #nationalparks, #slotcanyon, #hiking, #hikingadventures, #familytime, #camping, #campingadventures, #outdoors, #outside, #nature,  #FIndyourpark #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside #nationalpark #desertphotography #grandcanyon #grandcanyonnationalpark #grandcanyonassociation #nationalparkweek #reichallenge #nationalparksweek #rightnow #nationalparktrust #goparks #aztrails
Frosty Paws all packed and ready for an adventure. Frosty Paws all packed and ready for an adventure.

Arizona Trail Passages 14 and 15 starting Sunday

Off weekend gooooooo!

#aztrail #aztassociation  #nps, #nationalparks, #slotcanyon, #hiking, #hikingadventures, #familytime, #camping, #campingadventures, #outdoors, #outside, #nature,  #FIndyourpark #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside #nationalpark #desertphotography #grandcanyon #grandcanyonnationalpark #grandcanyonassociation #nationalparkweek #reichallenge #nationalparksweek #rightnow #nationalparktrust #goparks #aztrails
Last weekend before heading to Arizona for a four Last weekend before heading to Arizona for a four day adventure on the Arizona Trail.

I wonder if hiking in the 15 cm of fresh snow will be good prepared for hiking the deserts of Passages 14 and 15?

#aztrail #aztassociation  #nps, #nationalparks, #slotcanyon, #hiking, #hikingadventures, #familytime, #camping, #campingadventures, #outdoors, #outside, #nature,  #FIndyourpark #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside #nationalpark #desertphotography #grandcanyon #grandcanyonnationalpark #grandcanyonassociation #nationalparkweek #reichallenge #nationalparksweek #rightnow #nationalparktrust #goparks #aztrails
Day 4 of our 2022 GDT Section D hike is up on the Day 4 of our 2022 GDT Section D hike is up on the website, see link in bio.

This was a truly epic day spent on the Amiskwi and Collie Creek Alternates.

The weather cooperated starting with a spectacular sunrise on the Mummery Glacier, rainbows and blue skies on the ridge.

We had a brief encounter with a little black bear who scampered quickly away. 

Finished off the day with a cold beer, Grizzly Paw Rutting Elk Red, that I had carried with me and it tasted great.

Easily one of th best days on the trail ever.

Again big thanks to Sara (@sd_kuz) and Lillian (@waterlilizee) for sharing this adventure with me. The Team totally rocked the trail.

#greatdivide #greatdividetrail #gdt #parkscanada #parks #bcparks #trails #longdistancehike #longtrail #outdoors #outside #thruhike #hike #thruhiking #outside #backpacking #waterfalls #waterfall #naturephotography #naturephotography #nationalparks #duplex #sectionhike #sectionhiker
Day 3 of our 2022 Section D hike is posted, see li Day 3 of our 2022 Section D hike is posted, see link in bio.

This was a shorter day, only about 17 km but took us from the end of the Kiwetinok Alternate up to Amiskwi Pass and then a beautiful meadow at the the base of the Amiskwi Ridge.

Photo 1 - morning sky

Photo 2 - on the Kiwetinok Alternate

Photo 3 - Kiwetinok Alternate

Photo 4 - break time at a stream crossing, Frosty Paws hanging in there

Photo 5 - Fireweed with a view down the Amiskwi Valley,

Photo 6 - fields of flowers as we approached Amiskwi Pass

Photo 7 - Yellow Columbine on the way up to Amiskwi Lodge

Photo 8 - Our camp in the meadow

Photo 9 - Setting sun

Photo 10 - one of the best adventure stories ever! True story of how three prisoners of war escaped and climbed Mt Kenya

Again big thanks to Sara (@sd_kuz) and Lillian (@waterlilizee) for sharing this adventure with me. The Team totally rocked the trail.

#greatdivide #greatdividetrail #gdt #parkscanada #parks #bcparks #trails #longdistancehike #longtrail #outdoors #outside #thruhike #hike #thruhiking #outside #backpacking #waterfalls #waterfall #naturephotography #naturephotography #nationalparks #duplex #sectionhike #sectionhiker
First two days of my 2022 Great Divide Trail Secti First two days of my 2022 Great Divide Trail Section D adventure are up on the blog, see profile for link.

Day 1 was from Burgess Pass Trail head to Yoho Lake Campground. A relatively short day but a good warm up for the rest of the trip.

Big thanks to Sara (@sd_kuz) and Lillian (@waterlilizee) for sharing this adventure with me. The Team totally rocked the trail.

Photo 1 - at Burgess Pass looking at Mt Wapta

Photo 2 - Flowers, it was a great time to hike to see all the flowers in August bloom

Photo 3 - Emerald Lake from up high

Photo 4 - at Yoho Pass, did I mention the flowers

Photo 5 - Duplex tent all set up with Frosty Paws on guard, and oh ya, more flowers

Photo 6 - the north end of Wapta Mt as seen from Yoho Lake.

Super fun little day, the opening a grand adventure.

#greatdivide #greatdividetrail #gdt #parkscanada #parks #bcparks #trails #longdistancehike #longtrail #outdoors #outside #thruhike #hike #thruhiking #outside #backpacking #waterfalls #waterfall #naturephotography #naturephotography #nationalparks #duplex #sectionhike #sectionhiker
Sound On. Video clips from my hike along th Supe Sound On. 

Video clips from my hike along th Superstion Ridgeline.

Was an epic hike, 24km from my campsite at Miners Needle to First Water Trailhead where my car was.

Wouldn't recommend doing all in one day backpacking, as the final descent down Siphon Draw Wash is brutal, but I did it in 10hrs 45min

Would love to redo th hike at some point and actaull stop and camp along the ridge.

I had enough water to stop, but I was enticed by the prospects of a beer to finish.

#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
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