Picklejar Lakes

Took my fishing rod for another really nice hike into the mountains, this time up to the Picklejar Lakes in the Highwood Range of Kananaskis. Apparently I missed the memo as these lakes had already grown a significant layer of ice so the fishing rod didn't even leave my pack! Here again is another area I haven't spent a whole bunch of time and there are some great gems up there to see and explore. Relatively close to home via highway 40, it's about a 140 km drive from our doorstep to just beyond the Highwood Pass, a 2206 m (7,238') pass on the southern boundary of Peter Lougheed Provincial Park in K-Country. The road remains closed for much of the year, Dec. 01st thru Jun. 15th so you really have to make an effort to get out there during the summer and fall months if you want to explore the area. So this morning the sub-conscience of my mind was jogged about a hike Kärolin had suggested we check out this fall but never got a chance to. Hence the Blog post following a scurried start to get out the door this morning to go check it out!

The snow finally subsided the night before so I had a slightly challenging drive as I entered highway 40 in Kananaskis with the bald summer tires on the RAV. Thankfully the sunshine and the open stretches of road had already started to come into shape thanks to the sun so it didn't hinder me for long before I was back up to the posted speed limit of 90 kilometers per hour. My eyes were peeled as always for any wildlife sightings and especially bear since I had noted a number of recent closures to some day use areas during my last couple of trips in, because of an increase from the bear activity in the area. Unfortunately the bears eluded me again despite my exhaustive efforts to spot them however I did see my standard deer and bighorn sheep sightings. You know you're spending a lot of time in the mountains when you don't even slow down let a lone STOP to snap a photo of the wildlife unless it's something exotic you haven't seen in awhile!! I did however encounter a couple of nice bighorns licking recent road salts as I approached the Highwood Pass so I definitely stopped for the photo ops there. Oh, and I did start the trail to Picklejar Lakes following a young black bear track but otherwise it was a pretty dry day for wildlife sightings. Thankfully in the case of the black bear!

Timothy-grass (Phleum pretense)



This fella looked pretty content!

Bighorns in the mirror

I really like this shot. I ended up laying down on the highway for this one. Neat perspective

Just through the Highwood Pass and headed south



Neat folk lore about a couple of gold miners from the 1800's that claim to have found gold here.
Check out this link for the story.  http://www.mysteriesofcanada.com/alberta/lost-lemon-mine/

Black bear track I encountered early on along the trail. It was coming down so I knew I wouldn't meet it but it was eerie none the less. Needless to say
I refreshed myself on the use of my bear spray and I had my air horn ready by my side as well.  I always yodel periodically too as I hike
to make sure there are no surprises especially when approaching blind corners etc.

 

Nice trail through beautiful mixed forests

Trail opened up quite often as it traversed these grassy slopes

Looking up at the pass that must be attained before dropping down into the Picklejar Lakes 

Final black coal scree slope before reaching the pass

Nice big landing at the pass, a great place to take a break or have lunch

Looking back down the treed valley that the approach trail just threaded



Interesting rock feature to the east

Initial view of the first Picklejar Lake

The crux of this hike would be this small rock wall that must be surmounted. Not too difficult in summer conditions and only slightly more challenging with the snow

The snow was actually boot high to knee deep in some wind loaded sections

The lakes are stocked with Westslope Cutthroat Trout. With the unsuspected ice covering the lakes my rod didn't even leave my back pack!

The second Picklejar Lake. Now they call these lakes Paternoster Lakes. I won't attempt to describe that but here is a link that will.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paternoster_lake 

I only went as far as this second lake as I was breaking trail through unstable snow covered limestone boulders and scree and didn't want to risk an injury
being 4.5 km's into the backcountry solo. Apparently the 3rd Picklejar Lake is the most beautiful so I'll save it for a summer trip with the girls

My turn around point. Looking back down on the first Picklejar Lake



Saw some hiking trails in the saddle between these 2 peaks. This valley is an alternate approach to the lakes following Picklejar Creek although it's about 1 km further 

The rockwall above the trails crux notch. It was actually the lone yellow Crustose lichen (Caloplaca marina) in the center of this wall that caught my eye for this photo

Looking back down the trail from the crux notch to the first Picklejar Lake

Note how deep the snow was for this gully crossing!

Coming back through the pass looking down the valley towards the highway

Boy, wouldn't be without these lightweight XTR Yaktrax. They sure gave me solid footing coming back down the slippery scree slope from the col/saddle

Back down from snowville! The trail can be seen below crossing the grassy slope

Great colour contrasts on Elpoca Mountain 9,938' (3029m) in the Opal Mountain Range

You don't often see two jets following each other so closely; caught my eye



Fall Time odds and sods and Rawson Lake

Well, we've had a pretty nice fall so far out here in Cochrane, although this little blast of winter that arrived on Saturday is definitely trying to challenge that, but comparatively to other such places as say .......... Saskatchewan! we've actually got off quite easy. The weather man is promising 10C temps in his forecast for this upcoming trailer to the dismal Thanksgiving weekend weather we're currently enduring so hopefully that plays out just as he is predicting for this upcoming week! One thing to note is that the average daytime highs for this time of year around Cochrane are 14C so we are actually unseasonably below average right now.

Anyway, it definitely doesn't stop me from getting outside and partaking in the odd little adventure, and to be quite honest I kind of enjoy the cooler temps, say 5C to 10C, because I find it much easier to regulate the bodies temperature. It's much easier to layer up and throw on a toque and a pair of gloves than it is to strip down to achieve the same goal on the opposite end of the heat spectrum. I know I don't need to say it but I will anyway; when you're already down to one layer and the heat is STILL unmanageable with your current layering situation of 'ONE' layer, the option really doesn't lend itself that well to go buck unless of course you can be 100% sure you're the ONLY one(s) out there. The animals probably won't judge you but if you WERE to happen upon some unsuspecting hikers who were not mentally prepared for the sight they were about to visually stamp into their brains they may not be so apt to just wave and pass you by.  Although it would possibly make for some interesting entertainment and DEFINITELY a good story for a blog post. Hmmmmmm......

So here you will find some photos of a nice fall day where I went for a morning walk with some good friends from Cochrane followed by an afternoon 'photo taking' drive along the Powderface Trail a backcountry road in Kananaskis that joins highway 66 in south K-Country to highway 68 (Sibbald Creek Trail) in north K-Country. There are some really nice hikes and scrambles out there amongst your typical mountain streams, valleys, and meadows and even the odd glacial tarn such as the one below Mount Bryant (sorry no picture for this one). It's an area that I haven't spent a lot of time in but can definitely see our family spending more time in the years to come, mainly because of it's close proximity to home. The road is closed from December 01st to May 14th, as is highway 66 just west of Elbow Falls for that same period, so it's really a spring, summer, and fall area to explore.

Cool October 02nd morning. Went for a nice walk with Tony, Lyuda, little George, and their dog Winston out in Bragg Creek country 

Winston had a stand off with a cow. That cow was ready for battle if Winston would have come much closer



Lyuda and George enjoying the brisk morning

In the afternoon I drove back out to Bragg Creek and onto highway 66 to drive the Powderface Trail. It was quite busy along the route with lots of different user groups present, from mountain bikers, hikers, driving site see-er's like me, cows, horses, and a handful of folks getting firewood. It was a really nice drive, fall colours were out in full force.

Some recent active logging still exists in the area

I'm not sure if these horses are feral, but there definitely are wild horses in the mountains of Alberta. The area hosts a number of free range cows so it is possible
that these horses are under that same program. Sure was nice seeing them out there though in posing in front of such a magnificent backdrop 

Nihahi Ridge is a popular scramble with hikers and the traverse of the mountain is 7km long!

 

Canyon Creek flood plain with Mount Bryant 8626' (2629m) tallest peak in the background



A World War II aircrew crashed into Mount McDougall on August 14th, 1941. They were being trained as part of the
British Commonwealth Air Training Plan from 1939 to 1945 to prepare them for overseas service in the World War.

Mount McDougall War Memorial. The crash took place about 10km's west from this sight on Mount McDougall (not visible in this photo).
Compression Ridge is on the left, and Mount Bryant is the tallest peak in the center

Unnamed peaks left and center; Belmore Browne Peak is just out of sight on the right

Unique view of Mount Yamnuska (flat faced mountain in front) which is actually north of the Trans Canada highway just before arriving in Exshaw along the 1a highway

Jumping Pound Creek and some nice little falls and pools. This creek actually makes its way out of the mountains to Cochrane where it drains into the Bow River

Gorgeous Giant Red Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja miniata)

Loved this contrast of the changing aspen leaves against the blue sky and the white clouds

Orange Jelly Fungus growing on this harvested stump

Some Ragged Snow lichen living symbiotically along side the Orange Jelly fungus on their host stump

 

Why are these Giant Red Indian Paintbrush were still so vibrant??! Beautiful fall flower

More free range cattle along highway 68, Sibbald Creek Trail

View looking back south over Sibbald Flat to the Powderface Trail heading off into the mountains

Typical view coming home from the mountains on highway 22. Glen Eagles community is on the far hillside

 

 

So these next photos are from a hike I did up to Rawson Lake in Kananaskis Country. This hike ascends steadily through a forest above Upper Kananaskis Lake for 2.7 km's. It's a really nice, relatively easy hike into an alpine lake in a cirque below Mount Sarrail 10,414' (3174m). The snow had arrived the night before so it made for some beautiful shots in contrast to the newly fallen snow.



 

These signs often don't produce the results you would hope for despite their claims (as my friend Tarmo learned on his trip to Canada) but today they did not disappoint!
I was joking to myself that huh, the animals are finally back to work after an extended summer holiday! Figures, just after Tarmo and Kersti have left to go back to Estonia.

Young one with mama. They were licking the freshly spread road salts put down to service the highway following the fresh snowfall

I'm guessing the bighorns, the males, were in hiding since it's hunting season in this region and I did spot a few hunters scoping the hillsides for signs of them

 

Gap Mountain 8,777' (2675m) looking impressive with the fresh snow



Mount Foch 10,434' (3180m) towering in behind

There's no hiding for the lone tamarack trees in the forest!

Common Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) an invasive species of weed

Sarrail Creek and falls just before draining into Upper Kananaskis Lake

This bridge is new. The original wooden bridge got washed away in the June 2013 floods

Rawson Lake with Mount Sarrail 10,441' (3174m) forming the cirque and backdrop above

Looking back across the valley at the Opal Range tussling with the clouds

Western Anemone seed heads giving one last fight before succumbing to winters harsh grip in the sub-alpine

A small creek that forms from a collection of melt water off of Mount Sarrail feeds Rawson Lake

The serenity was absolutely gorgeous with the snow quietly falling

On the other side of this ridge is the approach to MANY mountain adventures. The Northover Ridge hike; a huge waterfall called Fossil Falls drops dramatically from Foch Creek in the
Hidden Lake valley. Mount Joffre 11,319' (3450m) the highest peak in Kananaskis which is surrounded by massive glaciers. I've spent some time in that area in years passed

American Dipper, a non-migratory bird. Very interesting little fella. They spend alot of time in the water eating aquatic larvae
and they are very well adapted, physically, to live in this harsh environment year round 

This Engelmann Spruce is actually doing quite well on the partly submerged deadfall it's using as a nutritious host

Russula Emetica (POISONOUS)

Russula Emetica (POISONOUS). Sure is a nice looking mushroom though. The cap gets slimy/sticky when wet

Mount Indefatigable 8,760' (2670m). I've had the privilege to hike/scramble this mountain years ago but the trail is now permanently due to important grizzly bear habitat 

Another look over at the Opal Range that borders highway 40 on the east side

Mount Kent 8,646' (2635m) and Kent Ridge in the Kananaskis Range lit up by a pocket of sunshine and showing off the fresh snowfall

Mount Lawson 9,170' (2795m) poking out of the clouds that clogged up the Kent Creek valley

I got down just in time to avoid a snow squall that snuck in from the south behind Mount Sarrail

Another stark contrast of Gap Mountain above Wooley Meadow in Kananaskis. What an AMAZING place we live in!