Over the years I have done a lot of hiking. From numerous day trips in the mountains near Calgary whilst in College and University; geology field school for weeks; working for the Geological Survey of Canada in the high Arctic areas of Ellesmere Island, Axel Heiberg for months at a time to living in the Arctic in Yellowknife and working logistics all over the north, so yes….I can say I have a little bit of experience in hiking and all things related.
Over the years as my career developed into more managerial type positions I spent less time in the field and instead of being in the field for months (as in the high Arctic or drilling camps) I had to plan these hiking excursions outside of work. I did many multi-day trips in the back country with friends which were absolutely stunning – both in terms of the scenery and in terms of how challenging they can be both physically and mentally. I really believe unless a person has carried a pack of ~50 pounds up and down thousands of feet for many hours per day, setting up and tearing down a camp in the rain / wind / snow; trying to get the stove working to have something hot to eat or drink – they cannot truly comprehend how difficult and frustrating it can be!! On the other hand the reward of having accomplished such tasks is also one of the greatest rewards. At the end of a trip when we make it to the final point exhausted, battered and bruised we can still muster the energy for an exuberant yell that We Did It!!!
Well I wanted to do another multi-day backpacking trip in my 50th birthday year and consulted my ‘sister’ and best friend and uber hiking buddy to begin planning in the spring for a trip in late summer. The initial group was 5 which finally ended up as two…she and I. That’s ok we are the toughest of the bunch right? Maybe forgetting also a few years older since the last hike, and since it has been more of a gap in years for myself since the last trip, well one does tend to forget these things. Regardless, we mapped it out, booked flights to meet in Calgary, purchased supplies, dug out old gear and were on our way.
The first morning started with rain as we packed up to drive to the trail head. We looked at each other with a little bit of apprehension both knowing the unpleasant feeling of hiking with a full pack in the rain risking trips and falls over slippery rocks and slimy vegetation. Miraculously the weather improved by the time we made it to the trail head and albeit for the prevailing smoke from the forest fires further west, the conditions were optimal: cool temperatures, no precipitation and no bugs!
This area of Banff / Kootenay area is quite popular with many trails allowing for numerous day hikes. We passed many groups out for a ‘stroll’ with a light pack of 5 or 10 pounds or no pack at all, only a bottle of water and some people without even that necessity. The (lack of) intelligence of some people never ceases to amaze me. Even on a day trip on a mountain trail something could happen and having a few extra items just in case is always warranted, but that is only my humble opinion.
We made the first camp in good time and after tradition of a few nips of single malt, set up the tent and got organized for dinner. Camps in the back country are always organized in basic sections – sleeping, eating, ablutions…the sleeping and eating sections are usually spread out so the bear poles or lockers are furthest away from your tent. Usually irrelevant for me as no matter how exhausted I am at night I manage to convince myself that every sound I hear is a grizzly who wants a piece of me…only me…not the people in the next tent or closer to the cooking area but of course only me! Hmmm….maybe that is a bit self centered…why would the bears not want the people in the next tent?
A big issue at this camp was the lack of water nearby. The small stream that used to run through the camp had been dry for at least two years but there was no sign indicating such nor any information to this online when planning the trip. We actually had to walk approximately 750m to the closest water source past the warden’s cabin. In the big picture of hiking over 60 km it sounds like nothing but if you are exhausted, it is late and it is getting dark and possibly raining, it would make it a very difficult and stressful event to get water to cook, clean and hydrate…a point I must raise with Parks Canada.
We woke to a very chilly morning with frost everywhere and frozen water droplets stuck to the tent, leaves and grass from the rain over night. It made for a spectacular start to the hike as we passed through a valley meadow which had a mellow glow in the sun rise due to the haze of smoke still present in the air. Onward we hiked…up, up and continuously up to the trail above Lake Marvel then it was fairly level for about 5 km until we hit the base of the switchbacks taking us up to Wonder Pass….I know why they call it Wonder Pass as it is a Wonder you make it up the switchbacks!! When we finally made it to the top it was a stunning view of the Towers to the left and another valley to the right. Across the Pass and the start of our descent into the next valley and lake where we would camp for the night. In all my hiking experience one thing usually remains constant – the last mile or kilometer seems to take as long as all of the distance hiked to that point. It is ridiculous. I think it is a cruel punishment from the powers that be to carry 50 pounds on your back and trudge up and down mountain ranges in all sorts of weather and think you are smart. There might be something to that.
The smoke had actually cleared somewhat and we could see the matterhorn that is Mount Assiniboine looming high above in the distance. It does make you think it was a good idea to carry all that weight up the mountain because the feeling of experiencing those moments is truly precious and all the aches and pains seem to float away. But only for a moment. We did go through quite a bit of Ibuprofen I must admit. A lot more than my previous (younger) hiking trips. Again we vowed this would be the last one – it was just too difficult! Magog Lake camp is fairly large with many tent pads and bear poles as well as lockers for food storage and outhouses that are maintained by the trail crew which is a very welcome asset 🙂
The next day we backtracked most of the same trail through Wonder Pass, descending the switchbacks (smarter than your average bear the second time around) and over Marvel Lake into the Marvel Lake campground. Had it not been for my hiking partner knowing one of the trail signs had incorrect (and suspicious hand written) directions, we may have been diverted directly to the lake whereupon we would have likely found the trail ending into nothingness…the second issue with Parks on this hike as apparently this sign with the handwritten marks has not been changed in two years minimum…I will add it to my email of concerns.
We pitched on the best spot in the camp beside the rushing stream in an absolutely beautiful area. We got settled and most of the way through dinner when it started to sprinkle. No worries we had our tent set up and what a great tent it is! It poured rain most of the night and not a single drop entered. It can be miserable hiking in the rain but it is absolutely devastating being in a tent that leaks.
Our final day was hiking out back to the trailhead. At the time of booking the two main campsites we had to backtrack due to closures in the northern area of the Park from the forest fires of the previous year. Apparently these sections opened up during the summer but as we already had our plans made we decided to stay on track. All in all it worked out as we spent each night in a different camp and enjoyed the back country from a different view as we trekked across the terrain. No major injuries other than aches and pains and everything that had been ‘lost’ along the way i.e. bear banger pen, gloves, park permits and glasses, had been miraculously found. Breath taking scenery, a grueling challenge for the body and soul and the best company one could ever hope for. Stay tuned for what is planned for next year.
M
