C Level Cirque

Another favorite hike of ours, C Level Cirque is close to the Town of Banff on the east side of the Cascade Mountains. The first part of the trail is a steady walk up through a nice mixed forest of spruce, pine and aspen with quite a few wildflowers along the trail.  As we climbed, we passed a few fenced off ventilation shafts from the old coal mine that  was operational back in the early 1920's. "C-Level" is a reference to the elevation level of the old coal mine.

We reached the first viewpoint at the Cirque amphitheater just in time for lunch.

Lunch spot - don't miss Frederick's head in the lower left of the picture. Did you click to enlarge the pictures?

To the right you might see the trail going up to the second viewpoint.

After lunch we climbed to the second viewpoint.

The trail to the third, and most elevated viewpoint, took us to a ridge above the Cirque. That's the Town of Banff and the Bow Valley.

Two Jack's Lake in the center and...

Lake Minnewanka.

Our picture at the third viewpoint taken by...

Sandip and Nisha, from London, who joined us at the top.

On the way down, the Cirque and...

the Bow Valley.

Crossing a boulder field on the way down.

Alpine Springbeauty

YellowAvalanche-lily; Glacier Lily

Today's hike:

Length - 6.86 miles

Duration - 5 hours, 24 minutes

Elevation gain - 2,726 feet (243 floors on the Fitbit)