Trip Summary: On the morning of August 10th we flew into Spokane and after lunch and picking up some last minute items (and fuel canisters) at the REI in Spokane, we made the drive north into Canada and Kootenay National Park. Calgary would have been the closest airport, but airfare & rental car costs would have been double coming into Calgary versus Spokane. We arrived at the entrance of Kootenay NP at Radium Hot Springs, BC in the early evening. We camped at a ‘front country’ campground within Kootenay NP, and to my surprise were about the only people there. Because it was so late in the day, we had to delay the task of sorting out gear & meals and loading up our packs for the four day backpack on the Rockwall Route for the next morning, which was the morning we would be starting that hike. The Rockwall Route was very strenuous – I think our elevation gains during the first three days totaled between 6,000 and 7,000 feet. Mileage for each day averaged about 8 to 10 miles per day. I would recommend that those wanting to do the Rockwall route do it in five days & four nights with the extra night spent at Numa Creek. Doing it in four days made day two a little much, having to cross both Numa Pass & Tumbling Pass on the same day – making it a 12 mile & 3,000 foot gain segment. I know we were all whipped after day two and arrived at our Tumbling Creek camp after dark – needing the aid of our headlamps to knock out the last few miles. The weather was perfect with just one instance of a brief, light rain shower and temperatures that I don’t think dropped below the mid 40s at night. After we exited the Rockwall Route we started the drive towards Lake Louise, which is in Banff National Park, to get a decent dinner and find a place to camp. We planned to spend the next day in Lake Louise resting, recovering from the four days on the Rockwall Route. This was a Friday evening and to my disappointment I learned very quickly that during the summer months just about everyone from the nearby cities of Calgary & Edmonton converge on that cluster of mountain parks (Kootenay NP, Banff NP & Yoho NP) for weekend getaways. Since we exited the Rockwall Route late (early evening) that Friday and enjoyed a steak dinner at Lake Louise, all the ‘front country’ campgrounds in the entire region were all booked up by the time we started driving around in search of open tent sites. Paul was luckily able to “bribe” the manager of a hostel in Yoho NP to let us throw up our tents behind the hostel and sleep there for the night. The next day was our day of rest and we were able to shower at the Lake Louise campground. Since we got an early start after our night of sleeping on the septic field behind the hostel we were able to nab some tent sites at a front country campground in Yoho NP near Field, BC and reserve them for our final two nights in the Canadian parks. After our ‘rest-up’ day, which other than the showers consisted of driving around the Lake Louise area, eating ice cream and drinking beer at the campground, we spent the last day in Canada day-hiking the Iceline Route in Yoho NP. The day after doing the Iceline day-hike we drove back to Spokane, where we spent the night and flew home the next morning.
Backpacking the "Rockwall" Route, Kootenay National Park
Pictured Below: Vermilion River & burn area from 2003 fire - near start of "Rockwall Route"
Pictured Below: Finally, we're starting to get out of the burn area in the Floe Lake Creek valley - on the way to our night one camp at Floe Lake - pink fireweed seen at the bottom of the photo
Pictured Below: a big log jam in Floe Creek seen on the way to Floe Lake
Pictured Below: gaining elevation during day one on the steep ascent up to Floe Lake
Pictured Below: At our Floe Lake camp (night one camp) - The mosquitos were very, very thick here. I've never experienced anything like it before. Each person was surrounded by a constant swarm - very much like a swarm of bees covering you after smashing their hive with a rock. Luckily I packed a small tube of some very strong (and a little pricey) insect repellant - Without my chemical weaponry, being at this lake would have been an unpleasant experience for all of us. The only other wildlife at this lake was a feisty porcupine.
Pictured Below: Me (Patrick) at the shore of Floe Lake
Pictured Below: Mountain reflection on a calm Floe Lake
Pictured Below: snow banks on the south side of Floe Lake - pic taken as we gain elevation after leaving Floe Lake camp on the way to Numa Pass
Pictured Below: Floe Lake and the massive "rockwall" on the way up to Numa Pass - with Paul catching his breath
Pictured Below: Floe Lake and the "rockwall" on the way to Numa Pass
Pictured Below: Numa Pass & shoulder of Foster Peak (day two along the Rockwall Route)
Pictured Below: looking back at a portion of the rockwall from Numa Pass
Pictured Below: looking across the Vermilion Range from Numa Pass
Pictured Below: James (green hat) & Connor (red pack) heading down from the crest of Numa Pass during day two along the Rockwall Route
Pictured Below: heading to Numa Creek after topping out at Numa Pass with the Rockwall being very prominent - you can see Connor and his red pack in the lower left of the photo - this is day two along the Rockwall Route
Pictured Below: peaks in the Vermilion Range
Pictured Below: A waterfall (no name I could find) flowing into Numa Creek - during day two along the Rockwall Route - just seconds after I took this photo we were hit with a very heavy hail shower (lasted maybe 15 minutes?) - I think I was putting the camera back in my jacket when the hail started falling - After that no rain for the rest of the day - but it remained overcast with the look of possible rain until the next morning
Pictured Below: Connor (out in front with red pack), Matt (with the Swiss Army pack cover) & James (with the green stuff sack strapped to pack) crossing a stream of snow melt run off on the way to Tumbling Pass - late in the day on day two along the Rockwall Route
Pictured Below: A very clear morning on day three at our camp at Tumbling Creek - (scenic meadow & impressive view of the Rockwall)
Pictured Below: View of Tumbling Glacier on the way to Rockwall Pass - day three along the Rockwall Route
Pictured Below: View of Tumbling Glacier & Mount Gray from near Rockwall Pass - day three on the Rockwall Route
Pictured Below: Peaks visible looking southeast from near Rockwall Pass - day three on Rockwall Route
Pictured Below: Mount Gray with Tumbling Glacier and the huge grassy meadow at Rockwall Pass
Pictured Below: A sheer section of the Rockwall between Mount Drysdale & Limestone Peak just after topping out at Rockwall Pass - day three on the Rockwall Route
Pictured Below: Connor at left (green shirt) & Matt at right (red pants) during a break near Rockwall Pass
Pictured Below: the Rockwall and an unnamed tarn on the north side of Rockwall Pass - day three on the Rockwall Route
Pictured Below: a closer view of that unnamed tarn
Pictured Below: looking back towards Rockwall Pass with nice views of the Rockwall, Mount Drysdale and a big open meadow - day three along the Rockwall Route
Pictured Below: This is my favorite picture out of the hundreds I took during this trip. This is a great shot of Paul admiring a large section of the Rockwall with Tumbling Glacier visible (looking back towards Rockwall Pass) on the way to Limestone Summit (the point on the topo where you top out before heading down into Helmet Creek). This is still on day three of the Rockwall Route.
Pictured Below: Helmet Falls from camp site for night three
Pictured Below: Helmet Falls from camp site for night three - morning of day four on the Rockwall Route
Pictured Below: Helmet Creek on day four & final leg of the Rockwall Route
Pictured Below: Helmet Creek & Helmet Mountain
Pictured Below: a peak to admire during day four on the Rockwall Route - near the end of the route
Pictured Below: The bridge across the Vermilion River near the "paint pots" parking lot - where we left our car. This is essentially the end of our Rockwall Route adventure.
Pictured Below: The town of Field, British Columbia within Yoho National Park
Day Hiking the "Iceline" Route; Yoho National Park
Pictured Below: The sunlight hitting Takakkaw Falls - Yoho National Park - This waterfall is about 1,300 feet tall from its base.
Pictured Below: "Angels Staircase" from the Iceline Route - Yoho NP
Pictured Below: Emerald Glacier, "The Vice President" Peak and an unnamed tarn - along the Iceline Route
Pictured Below: A large meadow & "Angels Staircase" - on the Iceline Route
Pictured Below: From this unnamed tarn on the Iceline Route you can see far in the distance the Cathedral Crags, Vanguard Peak, Cathedral Mountain, Mount Stephen, etc. in Yoho NP
Pictured Below: View of the Yoho River Valley from the Iceline Route
Pictured Below: Emerald Glacier on the Iceline Route
Pictured Below: Emerald Glacier on the Iceline Route
Pictured Below: Takakkaw Falls & Yoho Valley from the Iceline Route
Pictured Below: Takakkaw Falls & Yoho Valley from the Iceline Route
Pictured Below: Takakkaw Falls & Yoho Valley from the Iceline Route
Pictured Below: Takakkaw Falls
Pictured Below: The group I rounded up for this trip enjoying a crappy dinner & some good Canadian beer near the end of the trip at a public campground in Yoho NP near Field, BC. - From left are Paul Sofka; Connor Kincaid; Matt Kincaid & James Bruce
