(Preface: The floods that hit south and central Alberta during the spring of 2013 is regarded as the biggest natural disaster in the provinces history. An estimated $5 billion in damages occurred: washing away buildings and infrastructure, and displacing thousands of people. The backwoods didn't fare any better...)
For this years backpacking weekender a buddy and mine decided on the Kootenay Plains region on the David Thompson highway, just outside of Banff National Park. I love this area because it has the great scenery of the Rockies, without the crowds of the parks. The trails there are not officially maintained; however there is a fare bit of horse traffic from the outfitters/hunters, so it's usually pretty accessible. Our plan was to hike thru the Kootenay Plains, follow Whiterabbit Creek, and up a small valley to Farley lake the first day (about 16kms). The second day would be a dayhike up to Hummingbird Pass (14 km round trip), then back out on day three.
Day 1:
Got to the trailhead about 10AM. The first part of the hike was easy-peasey, pretty much all flatland, over a couple of rivers and into the plains.
Trailhead:
Suspension bridge over N. Sask. River:
Siffleur River and Mt. Ross:
We followed an old fire road, until we got to Whiterabbit Creek:
After fording the creek, things went downhill. The flood damage in the area is quite extensive; banks eroded, driftwood dams piled up along river bends, and flood mud everywhere in the forest. We pretty much lost the trail from the get-go, and was forced to bushwack up the creek. we zig-zagged back and forth trying to pick up signs of the trail, but between the deadfall, driftwood trees, and flood mud, it was hopeless.
There's a trail in there somewhere. Do you see it?
After bushwacking for 3hrs. or so and not getting anywhere fast, we finally called it - too tired, too sore, too cut up. We found a nice gravel bar by the bank and set up camp. I had my 16 with me, and of course it handled all camp chores like a pro.
Requisite Becker-in-driftwood shot:
Dinner: Bacon-chicken-alfredo-noodle concoction:
Sunset action:
Day 2:
Early morning:
Becker-made fire:
Bacon-crisping contraption:
Mmmm, pancakes...
Kitty-cat track found 20ft. from tent
- a few days old:
So we decided to leave camp and head out with our daypacks to try and reach the lake. After about 15 mins from our campsite, we stumbled upon the trail! It proved to be mostly intact, with just a few areas which were eroded away. Hooray! Thoughts of us pushing past the lake and up into the pass filled our head. However, we should have known better.
'Squatchy lookin' woods:
Hoodoos starting to form across the creek:
We called this Driftwood Island. Kinda hard to see, but the logs piled up are like 20ft. higher than the present creek level:
Weirdly bent tree - wasn't broken?
After hiking up Whiterabbit creek for a while, we found and headed up the valley towards Farley Lake. On our way uphill, things started going downhill...
View from trail:
Again, the washouts proved to be extreme in the area. The banks on both sides of the valley were completely gone in some sections. We ended up trying to pick our way over boulders and deadfall/driftwood masses up the valley.
We were finally stymied by a large log jam wedged sideways across the eroded sides of the valley.
Too tired and depressed to push on, we stopped for lunch, before picking our way down the valley and back to our campsite.
Lunch:
Pad Thai for dinner:
Day 3:
Packed up and headed out. Was able to pick up more of the trail, so we made good time. Beelined home for a nice hot shower and some real food...
Conclusions:
Peeved me off that we didn't reach the lake, but that's part of the risks when going in non-maintained areas. I was prepared for some bushwacking and overgrown trails, but wasn't prepared for the amount of damage done to the area. It is quite beautiful there, even though we didn't really get above treeline as I hoped. Would I go back? My buddy said probably not, but I have a little voice in the back of my head saying I can't let the area beat me down like that. Maybe if I was to go back, now that I know where the trails are and aren't, with some proper trail clearing tools, even just a saw and machete... but that would take me a whole summer to cut a line up there, and I don't think the wifey would understand me listening to voices in my head lol. Maybe someday? Bottom line is, we had a good, somewhat eventful hike, learned a bit about the area, and came back safe and sound. And I read somewhere once that days spent in the mountains are not subtracted from your life, which I choose to believe...
Thanks for reading!
For this years backpacking weekender a buddy and mine decided on the Kootenay Plains region on the David Thompson highway, just outside of Banff National Park. I love this area because it has the great scenery of the Rockies, without the crowds of the parks. The trails there are not officially maintained; however there is a fare bit of horse traffic from the outfitters/hunters, so it's usually pretty accessible. Our plan was to hike thru the Kootenay Plains, follow Whiterabbit Creek, and up a small valley to Farley lake the first day (about 16kms). The second day would be a dayhike up to Hummingbird Pass (14 km round trip), then back out on day three.
Day 1:
Got to the trailhead about 10AM. The first part of the hike was easy-peasey, pretty much all flatland, over a couple of rivers and into the plains.
Trailhead:
Suspension bridge over N. Sask. River:
Siffleur River and Mt. Ross:
We followed an old fire road, until we got to Whiterabbit Creek:
After fording the creek, things went downhill. The flood damage in the area is quite extensive; banks eroded, driftwood dams piled up along river bends, and flood mud everywhere in the forest. We pretty much lost the trail from the get-go, and was forced to bushwack up the creek. we zig-zagged back and forth trying to pick up signs of the trail, but between the deadfall, driftwood trees, and flood mud, it was hopeless.
There's a trail in there somewhere. Do you see it?
After bushwacking for 3hrs. or so and not getting anywhere fast, we finally called it - too tired, too sore, too cut up. We found a nice gravel bar by the bank and set up camp. I had my 16 with me, and of course it handled all camp chores like a pro.
Requisite Becker-in-driftwood shot:
Dinner: Bacon-chicken-alfredo-noodle concoction:
Sunset action:
Day 2:
Early morning:
Becker-made fire:
Bacon-crisping contraption:
Mmmm, pancakes...
Kitty-cat track found 20ft. from tent
- a few days old:
So we decided to leave camp and head out with our daypacks to try and reach the lake. After about 15 mins from our campsite, we stumbled upon the trail! It proved to be mostly intact, with just a few areas which were eroded away. Hooray! Thoughts of us pushing past the lake and up into the pass filled our head. However, we should have known better.
'Squatchy lookin' woods:
Hoodoos starting to form across the creek:
We called this Driftwood Island. Kinda hard to see, but the logs piled up are like 20ft. higher than the present creek level:
Weirdly bent tree - wasn't broken?
After hiking up Whiterabbit creek for a while, we found and headed up the valley towards Farley Lake. On our way uphill, things started going downhill...
View from trail:
Again, the washouts proved to be extreme in the area. The banks on both sides of the valley were completely gone in some sections. We ended up trying to pick our way over boulders and deadfall/driftwood masses up the valley.
We were finally stymied by a large log jam wedged sideways across the eroded sides of the valley.
Too tired and depressed to push on, we stopped for lunch, before picking our way down the valley and back to our campsite.Lunch:
Pad Thai for dinner:
Day 3:
Packed up and headed out. Was able to pick up more of the trail, so we made good time. Beelined home for a nice hot shower and some real food...
Conclusions:
Peeved me off that we didn't reach the lake, but that's part of the risks when going in non-maintained areas. I was prepared for some bushwacking and overgrown trails, but wasn't prepared for the amount of damage done to the area. It is quite beautiful there, even though we didn't really get above treeline as I hoped. Would I go back? My buddy said probably not, but I have a little voice in the back of my head saying I can't let the area beat me down like that. Maybe if I was to go back, now that I know where the trails are and aren't, with some proper trail clearing tools, even just a saw and machete... but that would take me a whole summer to cut a line up there, and I don't think the wifey would understand me listening to voices in my head lol. Maybe someday? Bottom line is, we had a good, somewhat eventful hike, learned a bit about the area, and came back safe and sound. And I read somewhere once that days spent in the mountains are not subtracted from your life, which I choose to believe...
Thanks for reading!
