Sulphur Skyline

Here's Tim Jensen (author, The Best Day Hikes in the Canadian Rockies) describing the Sulphur Skyline trail. 

     This is another hike worthwhile to be on top of your to do list. Sulfur Skyline is one of the greatest day hikes in Jasper National Park....  The start of this hike is located at Miette Hot Springs, the warmest natural springs in the Canadian Rockies. The Sulphur Skyline trail is a relatively arduous hike.... the trail brings you up to a mountain top with unobstructed views of the numerous peaks in the area. It is really a wonderful place to hike. On the way up, you may encounter a few bighorn sheep. When you return from the hike, you can soak your muscles in the Miette Hot Springs. 

Distance, 6 miles; elevation gain, 2100 ft.; level, challenging.

We didn't encounter bighorn sheep on the trail, but on the drive out of Jasper, to Miette Hot Springs, we encountered this small group garnering lots of attention. Miette Hot Springs is about a one hour drive from our campsite.

Beginning the ascent. Notice the gathering clouds.

Halfway up the mountain with the Miette Hot Springs the white patch in the center of the picture.

Just below the summit we reached a broad shoulder where there is a big, prominent, white boulder. There were several groups of hikers enjoying their lunch here. We didn't stop except to put on our rain gear which we had dutifully hauled up the mountain because all the books tell you that the weather can change quickly in the mountains and thunderstorms can develop in minutes.

Beyond the shoulder, the trail steepened dramatically, with insecure footing on loose rock which was almost as treacherous as the trail to Geraldine Lakes. We gained the summit in the rain and hail with only a moments hesitation because of thunder in the mountain valleys.

The rain cleared the summit of hikers (they didn't have their rain gear) and for a while we had it all to ourselves. As the front went through, the sun was right behind and we had the treat of seeing a rainbow below us (you just might be able to see it cresting the top of the green bump in the middle of the picture).

Being on the summit gave us 360 degree views of the surrounding mountain peaks. This is the Fiddle River valley to the southeast. 

Frederick contemplating the view from the summit with the rain passing to the north.

Patch of blue sky coming our way.

Shortly after the rain passed other hikers began to appear at the top and...

we no longer had the summit to ourselves.

We were charmed by this little creature that seemed to have the head of a red squirrel and a body of white that blended perfectly into the surrounding stone.

Another view of the rainbow below us.

Sky clearing over the Fiddle River valley.

Time to descend from the summit - that's the Miette Hot Springs complex next to Frederick's right shoulder.

Descending back to the shoulder below the summit where we left our backpack for the final push to the top. There it is, the red spot next to the white rock and...

here's a closer picture. All of the lunching groups abandoned the area in the rain and...

left a choice spot for us to enjoy our lunch. What a view!

Oh yes, when we got back we did just as Tim suggested and soaked in the Miette Hot Springs pool.