Healy Pass. Laura looking into the distance at Mt Assiniboine (shady lump in the distance at centre) wondering if she will ever get to see it up close…..
Day 3 August 12, 2025, Egypt Lake CG to Parking Lot Sunshine Village, distance 13 km, elevation gain 309 m, elevation loss 713 m, 4 hrs 20 min.
Day 3 route in purple.
Day 3 elevation and speed profile.
Pharaoh Peak and a full moon. Great way to start the day.
Margaux not all that impressed with the moon.
It is still a tad dark out.
We were up around 6:30 am. We were only hiking back to the car on this day and with the only climb early on we were expecting a relatively easy day. It is a bit of a trek to the food storage and eating area at the campground. Even though the campground was fairly full we had the eating area to ourselves.
A few tents dot the foreground on our way to the eating area.
Cooking the water for both our morning coffee and oatmeal.
One can wonder what Margaux would like.
Coffee time.
Laura enjoying her breakfast oatmeal with some dried bananas and blueberries added that do make the breakfast a great way to start the day. Water bladders are full and ready to go. We store Margaux’s backpack in the bear bins or on the bear hang since we use it to carry food and snacks plus her poop. The backpack probably smells attractive to a wild animal.
All ready to go, 8:45 am. Frosty Paws looks about as excited as Margaux.
The first junction is in the campground. We want to head to Healy Pass.
Pharaoh Creek looking up the Sphinx (2513 m). Egypt Lake lies between us and the Sphinx.
A reminder the trail to Talc Lake is by the bridge over Pharaoh Creek. Maybe next time we will make it to Talc Lake.
The trail up to Healy Pass is well maintained and nicely graded. Laura appreciating the shade provided by thick forest of lodgepole pines for the hike up to the pass.
The hike up to Healy Pass is quite pleasant. The trail climbs comfortably gaining 375 m over 3 km. The first section of the hike is in a dense forest of lodgepole pine not offering a lot in the way of views. The views do start to open up as the forest transitions to a mix of spruce trees and grassy meadows.
A lovely little meadow allowing for views of the many mountain peaks dotting the skyline.
The trail was quite busy with trial runners. I can understand why the route would be popular since the trails are well maintained, the grade is never too steep and the scenery is amazing. The first runner passed us just after 9 am.
There are numerous small bridges crossing over small seasonal creeks on the way up to the pass. Pharaoh Peak peaking through on the left.
Margaux charging towards the sun.
The trees really thinned out as we approached the pass. Healy Pass is actually quite high at over 2300 m which is almost a 1000 m higher than were we live.
These banana carriers have been a great find. Having some fresh unbruised fruit on the third day of a hike is a real treat.
Laura taking in the view that stretches all the way to Mt Assinboine. Margaux more interested in snacking.
Looking south from Healy Pass to the Monarch Ramparts. The ridge really looks like it would be a great little hike but the area is off limits to hikers.
At around 13 km the hike out is quite short. With our early start and having done the hike from Healy Pass to the Sunshine Village parking lot on previous day hike we made the decision to not have lunch on the trail and hike directly back to the car.
The trip to or from Egypt Lake can be extended by taking the trail to Simpson Pass. Simpson Pass is not an overly impressive place to look at but it is significant as the water from the pass either heads east to Hudson Bay via Healy Creek or west to the Pacific Ocean beginning in the North Simpson River for which the pass is the headwater..
The little detour in our route, the squiggly part of our purple track, was a quick stop at Healy Creek CG to use the biffy.
We knew we were close to the end when the trail transitioned to be more of a road. Margaux has lost her backpack!
The finish to the hike is nicer than when I last finished at the Sunshine Village parking lot. At that time the ski resort was expanding the parking lot and the hiker parking was beyond the parking lot and up the access road. While it only added about 15 minutes of hiking it was across an asphalt parking lot it was a disappointing way to end a wonderful adventure. On this trip the car was quite close to the gondola making for a more pleasant finish. We arrived back at the car at 1pm.
There is Margaux’s backpack. Margaux kept looking up at me on the trail as if saying “I’m tired, are we almost done?” So I went soft and I carried her backpack for about the last third of the hike to make it easier on her.
The mysterious red spot on my ankle that I got midway through my previous backpacking trip did not get any worse but it also did not get any better either. The only good thing is that the spot was not irritating as long as I did not touch it. It took about 7 weeks for the spot to clear up.
This is Margaux’s poop for the trip. We bagged her poop and then put it inside a double ziploc and packed it out. On our next trip we would dump the poop down the porta-potty and pack the used pooped bags inside a Pringles container to contain the smell until we could properly dispose of the poop bags.
Our post hike meal, burgers and beer at Fergus and Bix downtown Canmore.
Margaux has changed into a clean bandana. She appears to be asking where is her burger.
Our Egypt Lake trip could not have worked any better. The trip was everything we had hoped for. Next years trip is looking like it is going to build on this trip, can’t wait.
