Showing posts with label Camping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Camping. Show all posts
Sunday, 28 June 2020
Saturday, 20 June 2020
Sunday, 21 July 2019
Iceline Trail (Overnight)
Name: Iceline Trail
Activity: Backcountry Camping/Backpacking
Total Distance: ~20 km
# Nights: 1
Date: July 20 - July 21, 2019
Area: Yoho National Park
Crew: Ben, Steph, Jeevan
Trailhead: Takkakaw Falls
Trailhead: Takkakaw Falls
Day 1 - Trailhead to Little Yoho Backcountry Campground
Night 1 - Sleep at Little Yoho Backcountry Campground
Day 2 - Back to Trailhead through the Iceline Trail
More Info to Come.
Saturday, 15 June 2019
Wednesday, 5 June 2019
Monday, 1 October 2018
Egypt Lake Shelter (Overnight)
Name: Egypt Lake Shelter
Activity: Backcountry Camping/Backpacking
Total Distance: ~30 km
# Nights: 2
Date: September 29 - October 1, 2018
Area: Banff National Park
Crew: Ben
Trailhead: Sunshine Parking Area/Gondola Base
Trailhead: Sunshine Parking Area/Gondola Base
Day 1 - Sunshine to Egypt Lake Shelter (12 km, ~700m)
Day 2 - Pharaoh Peak (~6 km, ~800m)
Day 3 - Egypt Lake Shelter to Sunshine (12 km, ~400m)
Ben and I really wanted to get out to the mountains for an over-nighter since we didn't get as many in this year as we like to. As the weekend drew nearer, the weather forecast became worse, and as we watched the vacancy rise in Egypt Lake Shelter, we decided to book it. We decided to maybe do a day-hike on day 2 but if the weather was too poor, we were happy with hanging out at the shelter and reading. Luckily, the weather held out long enough for us to summit Pharaoh Peak, and it started to snow just as we returned! The hike out was snowy and low-vis but we had an awesome time... ski season is just around the corner!
I came here with Julia and Jeevan in 2015.
At Healy Pass (day 1)
Looking over towards Egypt/Scarab Lake. Pharaoh Peak on the right.
Monday, 23 July 2018
Northover Ridge (Overnight)
Name: Northover Ridge
Activity: Backcountry Camping/Backpacking
Total Distance: 41 km
# Nights: 2
Date: July 21 - July 23, 2018
Area: Kananaskis Lakes
Crew: Ben, Mark, Laura
Trailhead: Interlakes
Trailhead: Interlakes
Day 1 - Interlakes to Aster Lake (14km, ~600m) +3km because we missed a turn (so deep in conversation that we went 1.5km without noticing!)
Day 2 - Aster Lake to Three Isle Lake via Northover Ridge (13km, ~950 total)
Day 3 - Three Isle Lake to Interlakes (11km, all downhill, baby)
Northover Ridge has been on the top of our list for a looooong time. We have been talking about it for a few years, and booked it for September 2017 but had to cancel due to a snowstorm and hiked into Assiniboine instead. We finally got it booked for the summer of 2018 and we crossed our fingers for nice weather.
I'll start talking about booking - book 90 days in advance from the first day of your trip - they are strict. We emailed them at 9am on the 90-day-prior-mark and didn't get one of the 5 tent pads at Aster for the Friday night, so we shifted our trip by 1 day (Saturday to Monday instead) and booked right at midnight to get in. This was actually for the best, since on our hike in, everyone we talked to who had done the ridge said it was insanely windy - including on Saturday (the day we originally planned to do the ridge). Luckily, our ridge day - Sunday - had little to no wind and no rain/snow! We were beyond stoked. Of course.
The first day was pretty funny, as we were all head-down, chatting, following each other and kept missing turns. At one point we walked 1.5km in the wrong direction (at least it was flat!) and had to double back so we tacked 3km onto our day.... nice warmup, right??... right. The trail to hidden lake was a little tough to find (with our heads down & hearts in the middle of the now, as Bennett would say) but once we found it, it was quite obvious and a well-beaten track. I'll point out that the trail in the trees around Hidden Lake is solid too - as older trip reports say it is a bushwhack - it is not anymore.
Aster Lake Campground is a beautiful little spot. We met a guided group who had just summited Joffre that day and also ran into some friends at Aster Lake - which is hilarious, considering it is probably the smallest campground in Kananaskis (with 5 tent pads)! We ate some delicious backcountry tacos for dinner - not even dehydrated - thanks for carrying 2 lbs of raw meat in, Laura! We had also read about a porcupine infestation on previous trip reports and they were the butt of the jokes for the weekend - so we were diligent about hanging our packs and hiding our boots in our vestibules - and were looking forward to laughing at the porcupine shrieks in the middle of the night - but that didn't happen... so update: seems that there are no more porcupine at Aster Lake! Haha.
The next day we hiked Northover Ridge to Three Isle Lake. And what a day it was! The photos will speak for themselves (below), but it was a stellar day with pretty ideal weather. We all agreed that this is the best backcountry trip we have ever done in Alberta/BC. The boys went for a dip in Three Isle lake, we played Shithead (which Mark remained undefeated in?????), then called it a night (at 9:30... bunch'a night owls).
Get ready for a photo overload...!
Making our way to Aster Lake (Day 1)
Laura (Day 1)
U wot m8? (Day 1)
One of the few scramble sections on the way to Aster (Day 1)
The entire Aster Lake Campground in 1 pic. Seriously beautiful spot. (Day 1)
The most scenic outhouse. (Day 1)
Walking towards Aster Lake. Mount Warrior in the middle background (Day 2)
Tight on the left path around Aster Lake (Day 2)
HI MOM (Day 2)
Joffre, Bennett, Warrior. (Day 2)
Laura walking towards the pass we have to ascend soon (just right of Center, Day 2)
..and the Tarns, which you can random-camp at (they are in BC, Day 2)
Bennett, Joffre. (Day 2)
3 studs. (Day 2)
A group close behind us (Day 2)
A group not too far ahead of us (Day 2)
Group pic before dropping down towards Three Isle (Day 2)
Mark and the huge landscape (Day 2)
Dropping in towards Three Isle, which can be seen at the end of the valley (Day 2)
Crew still cruisin' (Day 2)
Dinner with a view (Day 2)
Heading back to reality! (Day 3)
Tuesday, 27 June 2017
Old Man River (Random Camping)
Name: Old Man River Random Camping, Kananaskis ABActivity: Camping
Crew: Bennett
Dates: June 27 - 28, 2017
Bennett and I decided to have a little mid-week getaway, seeing as we both signed onto full-time engineering jobs in the past week. We drove down the 940 and found a nice spot beside the Old Man River, with a little sandy beach area and a fire pit. We had an awesome steak dinner, steak cooked over the fire and veggies on Bennett's pop-up tailgate kitchen, slept in the truck, did crosswords, set up the hammock.. all around a beautiful, relaxing 2 days spent with Ben! We took the road over the pass on the way home which turned out to be a stunning drive. Will be back for more hikes soon!
Bennett enjoying some frigid water while I bask in the sun on the sandy beach
Hammock set-up
Our camping set-up
The goons themselves
My Chef
A damn good steak.
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