Into the alpine of Peter Lougheed Provincial Park.
Turbine Canyon with the southern peak of Mt Maud in the background.
Day 2 Three Isle Lake CG to Turbine Canyon CG 12.9 km, 569 m elevation gain, 560 m elevation loss, 5 hrs 50 min.
Day 2 route in blue. You can see from our blue track we went to Forks Campground for a break and to use the biffy.
Elevation profile Day 2.
There was actually another option to hike from Three Isle Lake CG to Turbine Canyon CG. There is a clockwise route that would take you over South Kananaskis Pass, passed Beatty Lake then up and over North Kananaskis Pass. The route would have eliminated repeating much of our Day 2 route on Day 3 but did involve an extra 2.5 km and 400 m of elevation. I was happy on this trip with the choices we made.
The alternate route in purple on the left with the elevation profile on the right. The elevation gain over the last kilometer up North Kananaskis Pass is a whopping 310 m/km which makes it about the steepest sustained section of trail I know of.
Slightly blurry low light picture of breakfast. 6:45 am.
It was a pleasant night in the tent. Margaux had a new oversized doggy puffy to wear as a sleeping bag but that did not prevent her from snuggling up close. My biggest fear is that at some point her velociraptor like claws are going to put a hole in my sleeping pad. Luckily on this night my sleeping pad survived Margaux and her claws.
Laura arriving for breakfast.
Oatmeal with dried blueberries and bananas chips. The banana chips rehydrate nicely in the oatmeal. Plus a coffee. Yes we do eat of the same pot but we do use different spoons.
We are getting pretty efficient at taking down camp. Luckily we both like to get up early and even with a hot breakfast we were packed up and ready to leave in 1 hr 45 min.
Margaux trying get more fibre into her diet. Honestly I do not know why Margaux is hungry since she had her breakfast before I started making ours.
Camp all cleaned up. 8:15 am.
We got going pretty early. The trial heads up a little way rising about 40 m before cresting the headwall of the valley which begins a quick descent. We were walking right into the sun but the trees kept us in the shade. It was a crisp morning hike until we arrived at the headwall and into full sunshine.
Margaux pointing the way down the trail. We have a small up before heading down.
Let the light lead the way.
Looking a little chilly out. Laura has her rain jacket and gloves on. Lot of blue sky on this morning.
Margaux looking down the valley of Three Isle Creek.
Shadow picture of me with Laura a behind and little obscured. The outline of Frosty dangling off of my pack is clearly visible.
Holding onto the light rope attached to Margaux’s leash.
I carry a length of light rope that I attached to Margaux’s leash in camp to give her more freedom when tied up. Going down the headwall the trail was was very steep places and with four legs Margaux can negotiate the terrain faster than I can. So I decided to attach the rope to her leash in case she moved down the trial too fast for me. I would be able drop the leash giving her extra freedom while allowing me to maintain control by holding onto the rope. Margaux has come a long way since we brought her home from the shelter but I still am hesitant to trust her off leash. Her prey drive is very high.
One last look at the giant steps. They did make the trail a little more predictable.
View of the spring in the headwall that is the outlet to Three Isle Lake.
Once again crossing the ancient rockfall from Mt Putnik.
This looks like almost a repeat photo of yesterday. Break time at Forks Campground,
We arrived at Forks Campground at 10:10 am. Covering 4.5 km in just under 2 hours. The campground was very quiet except for three young men who arrived shortly after we did. They appeared to have left any sense of decency back at the trailhead. We spent about 15 minutes having snacks and visiting the biffy before heading back out on trail.
Margaux hard charging down the trail. This is my view for most the day the back end of Margaux.
The trail heads up and over an old rockfall before climbing steadily via several switchbacks up the valley of the Upper Kananaskis River gaining a modest 390 m over the next 4 km.
Laura heading up one of the few short steep sections. In the distance the peak on the left is Mt Lakeview Station (2930 m) and the peak at centre which is actually the high point of the massif is Mt Lyautey (2920 m). Mt Lyautey is named for an insignificant French General with fascist sympathies. I feel the naming of the mountain could be improved.
There are numerous small creek crossings with simple log bridges on the climb. Margaux took every opportunity to sample the water. I did not have to worry about whether Margaux was well hydrated on this trip.
Laura making her way up. Still about 20 minutes from where the trail flattens out.
12 noon. the trail has flattened out and we have gained most of our elevation for the day.
12:05 pm. Laura happy to have found a place to take a break. The sun was out and the creekside setting was very pretty so we decided to to extend the break into lunch. We had traveled 8.5 km to this bridge leaving us with just 4.3 km remaining to the campground.
We had our lunch on a little island in the stream. Reminds me of a song by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers. Mt Flakes (2818 m) in the distance.
Me relaxing in our camp chairs. Margaux avoiding looking at the camera.
We spent a little over half an hour having lunch and just simply relaxing in the sunshine. While most of the elevation was behind us we did have 150 m of elevation remaining over two short climbs.
The top of the first climb looks down onto a small unnamed pond. The final bit of elevation is the small ridge in the distance. Just 3 km to go.
Mountain names and location of Turbine Canyon Campground.
Laura walking across the alpine meadow. Mt Putnik in the background.
The hiking in the alpine was very pleasant but the threatening clouds kept me a little on edge and dampened my enthusiasm. I clearly remember having my breath taken away when I walked the same trails back in 2020. This time it just did not quite look as impressive.
Panorama of Lawson Lake. The lake and nearby mountain were named in commemoration of Major Wilfred E. Lawson (1882–1918), who was a surveyor with Geological Survey of Canada prior to the start of World War I. Sadly he was killed August 29, 1918, in France shortly before the end of the war.
Once we arrived at Lawson Lake we could really let up and enjoy the view. Turbine Canyon CG was just over 1 km passed the end of the lake.
Laura crossing over Maude Creek. The eating area for Turbine Canyon CG is just off the photo to the left.
We arrived at Turbine Canyon CG at 2:07 pm about 5 hrs and 50 minutes since we had left Three Isle CG. The way the campground is set up you arrive in the eating area. We took the opportunity to dump our food into one of the available bear bins. It was still fairly quiet in camp giving us a good choice of tent sites. We chose a site in a little clearing surrounded on all sides by towering fir trees.
Margaux relaxing on her mat while snuggling on her puffy dog jacket that serves as her sleeping bag.
Tent all set up. Frosty on guard.
After setting up the tent we took any remaining bear attractants to the bear bins and headed off to check out the campground and Turbine Canyon. Turbine Canyon is just a 5 minute walk down through the campground to what at first looks like a small lazy creek.
Some of the tent pads were wood platforms with metal hooks for securing your tent.
Following the creek brings you to the confluence of the creek and Maude Brook. After the joining of he waters the flow dramaticallydisappears down a hole in the limestone bedrock. This is the beginning of Turbine Canyon.
Laura and Margaux observing Turbine Canyon. The water is the foreground is the small lazy creek and the water coming from the right is Maude Brook. The white water at centre is water rushing into Turbine Canyon. The main part of the canyon can be seen in the distance on the left.
The confluence and the water rushing down into Turbine Canyon.
Looking into the depths of Turbine Canyon.
The water falls quite a ways.
Over time the water has carved this massive canyon.
Laura carefully looking over the edge of the canyon.
The canyon is cutting into the cliffs at centre. Mount Maude (3042 m) in the background.
We spent a good 20 minutes wandering downstream following the canyon but we never did reach the mouth of the canyon. The trail was thinning out so we decided to head back to camp. It was close to 4 pm which was too early for dinner but just right for a late afternoon bonus coffee.
Laura and Margs walking alongside Maude Creek back to the main trail. It is August but Laura is layered up to stay warm.
Really, it was not that big a day. Margaux catching a nap on the gravel.
Bonus coffee, 4:30 pm.
Filtering water for tomorrow’s hike. Never to early to prep for the next day.
Margaux woke up to eat. Somehow when hiking Margaux always gets fed first. Obvious who is at the top of the pecking order. Our dinner is will re-hydrated homemade cannelloni that you can see in a ziploc on the table. 4:55 pm.
Letting the cannelloni re-hydrate for a while before heating.
Laura enjoying her dinner. Margs figures she should get some because she is so hungry.
Margaux relaxing in the grass. Who’s a good gurl.
After dinner we headed back down to Turbine Canyon with our chairs, wine and some chocolate.
Trying to get a family photo. Laura holding our deluxe stainless steel backcountry wine glasses.
Somehow Margaux always knows when you are taking a photo and she quickly looks away from the camera. I tried to bribe Margaux into posing nicely for the photo but she ended up lying down demanding belly rubs.
The best I could do for a family photo. It is very accurate. Margaux is the centre of attention.
We spent a good 30 – 40 minutes drinking our wine and enjoying the sounds of the creek rushing down Turbine Canyon. The sky was quite unsettled and it was a little cool so we packed up and headed back to the tent to read before bed.
In the tent. Margaux is half on my sleeping pad. Someone looks like a tired little gurl.
The weather had cooperated for two days but the forecast was for rain on day 3. While I was not thrilled about the idea of hiking in the rain with a wet doggo, she does have a rain jacket, we were hiking back to the car so it was comfortable knowing that there would be a dry warm car waiting for us. Good night from Turbine Canyon CG.
