venturing4th: Helen Lake & Katherine Lake

Today's hike is another that can be divided into three sections: the first section, from the Icefields Parkway directly across from the viewpoint for the Crowfoot Glacier and Bow Lake (where we hiked to Bow Glacier Falls yesterday), climbs steadily through forest along the west-facing slopes of the Bow Valley. Hiking through a forest means plenty of tree roots which can make for a challenging and tiring climb. At about the 2 mile mark, for the second section, the trial emerges from the forest, crosses the south end of a long ridge where it switches back 180 degrees and contours into the amphitheater meadows containing Helen Lake. These beautiful meadows provide a lush snow-bed plant community containing an amazing profusion of subalpine wildflowers. The third section is beyond Helen Lake and took us up a series of steep switchbacks to another rocky ridge that provides an outstanding view of Katherine Lake.

In the first section of the hike we have climbed up through the forest and have reached an overview of the Bow Valley and a glimpse of Bow Lake.

A bit higher, we are opposite Crowfoot Mountain and...

at an even higher viewpoint, we can see Crowfoot Glacier (in the center of the picture) and Bow Lake.

Having rounded the end of the ridge, we have entered the amphitheater meadows where there were many of these streams coming off the mountain...

that provides the perfect spot for these subalpine wildflowers.

At 3.5 miles we arrived at Helen Creek, the outflow from the lake, and had to find the best spot to cross so as to keep our feet dry.

Frederick hiking down to the creek with the trail continuing on the other side.

Meet Vicky and Marcel! It was our pleasure to meet this couple visiting from the Czech Republic and hiking their way across Waterton National Park (we did some of the same hikes last fall) and Banff. Just as we reached Helen Lake they came up behind us. Marcel, an accountant, was at Lake Louise last winter, skiing and loving the area enough to bring Vicky over to enjoy summer hiking. They were unable to continue on beyond Helen Lake because their plans called for them to be in Calgary this evening. It was a joy to meet them!!

We left Vicky and Marcel and continued down the lake (maybe you can make out the trail on the left side of the lake, especially if you click on the picture to make it larger) to begin the switchbacks up to the ridge that is visible over Marcel's left shoulder.

At one of the switchbacks we (barely) noticed a Ptarmigan about ten feet to the side of the trail.

Can you see it? It's right in the middle of the picture - great camouflage!

Near the top of the switchbacks we could look back down to the Bow Valley and what looks like approaching rain. It never arrived.

At the top of the ridge we encountered some snow...

before we were able to see the other side. That's Katherine Lake at the base of these castellated peaks.

We began working our way along the ridge with Katherine Lake to our left, snuggled in her own valley.

We weren't able to hike down to Katherine Lake because much of the trail was snow covered. Perhaps you can see the trail in the center of the picture disappearing into the snow.

Here we are on the ridge summit with Helen Lake on one side and Katherine Lake on the other. That's Cirque Peak above Frederick's head.

Katherine Lake on one side and...

the meadows that we hiked across on the other side. If you enlarge the picture you can see the trail across the top of the meadow. Helen Lake is just to the left.

Looking down the ridge, with the stones thrusting up, toward the south and the Bow Valley. We stopped to eat our lunch on top of the ridge but we got so involved with all the marmots that I forgot to take pictures of Frederick eating. If you look closely, you can see a marmot right where the river, or road, seems to touch the ridge.