Hooker's Mountain-Avens

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AB Canada – Kananaskis Country, Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Upper Kananaskis Lake (06/23)

This was a day when Plan A & B hikes didn’t work out, so without a Plan C, I needed a new option.

Overnighting is a challenge in Canada’s National and Provincial Parks. The choices are (1) lodging with several-hour drives, (2) advance reservations at a campground (front or backcountry), or (3) first-come same-day reservations. There’s no option for dispersed or wild camping. Since I’m terrible at planning in advance and securing reservations, I opted for first-come campgrounds. With it being shoulder season, there were plenty of openings. On this day I decided to try for the premier same-day campground, Interlakes at Kananaskis Lakes. I easily secured a lakeside site at Lower Lake, and since I’ve experienced the stealing of sites when unattended, I left my car and walked to Upper Lake with two thoughts. I could either hike to nearby Ralston Lake or around the lake.

I had hiked the north side of Upper Kananaskis Lake about a month earlier when it was still sleeping under a sheet of ice, and snow decorated the hillsides. By early June it was almost like summer.

When I got to the junction of Rawson Lake I decided I just wasn’t in the mood to ascent 1,700′ so I continued on my clockwise direction around the lake with this waterfall as the next destination.

The trail was lined with lots of new growth and blooms.

This seemed to be the last remaining Fairy Slipper Orchid.

I was surprised to find what I believe are Jacob’s Ladder blooms.

The Yellow Columbines were just beginning to flower.

I found a few Mountain Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis asiatica) in bloom. I can blame the breeze for this blurry photo.

I’m assuming these are the buds of Forget Me Nots.

Canadian Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)

This was the waterfall I hiked to about a month ago.

What a difference a month makes! This was a snowy icy scene on my previous visit.

The Hooker’s Mountain-Avens were putting on quite a show.

I saved the best for last. I really liked this geology-rich section on my previous hike. It was a hot afternoon so not quite as enjoyable but my kind of eye candy regardless.

The good thing about feeling hot, is that this lake invited a swim, my first of the season.

I only saw five hikers on the lake circuit, once away from the parking areas. The bears were active as evidenced by two piles of scat I found this day, one on the trail and the other on the road.

This was a 10-mile 350′ elevation gain/loss loop.

I had a nice view of the lake and mountains from my campsite overlooking Lower Kanaskasis Lake.

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AB Canada – Kananaskis Country, Spray Valley Provincial Park, Buller Pass (06/23)

I’ll admit to being a little concerned about hiking this trail solo. It seemed like a low-use trail, and in fact, on this day there were only two of us, me and a trail maintainer.

It was a day to use my bear-alert voice. Many hikers say, “hey bear.” Another friend yells “whoop, whoop, whoop.” I’ve found A-O to be my preferred shout. I didn’t want any encounters of the grizzly kind.

A couple of days earlier I enjoyed seeing this black bear sow and cub in the Banff area.

Thankfully the trail opened up and it didn’t feel so intimidating.

The Mountain Avens continue to delight me and have become a predominant early June bloom.

White Globeflower (Trollius laxus ssp. albiflorus)

White Pasqueflower (Pulsatilla occidentalis)

They are super tall. Bino Bob is 1.25″ tall.

A juvenile.

Sitka Valerian (Valeriana sitchensis)

Silky Phacelia (Phacelia sericea)

This waterfall dropped into a seriously blue pool.

Views appeared as I began to gain treeline.

Look at those new needles on the larch trees.

Baby cones and some a bit more mature on the larch trees.

Buller Pass was finally visible.

Looking back to a lovely turnaround spot for those hikers not wanting to tackle the rock and screen ascent to the pass.

There were a few snowfields to cross and some nearby snowmelt creeks. Buller Pass is on the right side.

Buller Pass is in the distance.

This section was tedious with some sections eroded and of varying tread. Not my favorite but not horrible either. There were marmots and pika in these rock fields.

Juvenile marmot.

There’s my trail maintainer friend on the final ascent.

Woohoo, there’s the top, such a relief after first reaching a false summit.

Looking back at what I’d climbed.

That’s Mount Assiniboine in the distance. It’s the seventh tallest mountain in the Canadian Rockies.

Views over the other side of the pass include Lillian or Galatea Lakes. A trail drops down to these lakes and on down to Ribbon Creek Falls which I hiked to from the other side a few days later.

There’s a lot of rambling to be done on this pass.

This side might not be so much fun.

These high altitude flowers piqued my curiosity.

Using iNaturalist I learned these are Purple Saxifrage (Saxifraga oppositifolia).

American Smelowskia (Smelowskia americana)

Western Roseroot (Rhodiola integrifolia)

This was a 10-mile, 2,300′ elevation gain/loss roundtrip hike.

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AB Canada – Kananaskis Country, Bow Valley Wildland Provincial Park, Ha Ling Peak (06/23)

This is a trail to test your fitness and skills. Prepare to be humbled if you show up out of shape. Although it’s only 2.5 miles to the summit, the grade is relentless with over 1,000 feet per mile gained. In places, it’s so steep that steps and stairs have been placed to manage erosion. Add to that loose rock and a finale with a pick-your-own route challenge. I was glad I’d switched to a new pair of shoes, carried trekking poles, and had experience in these conditions. There’s no doubt I earned those 360-degree views.

As you climb you get views of Mount Rundle and Whiteman’s Pond.

This is a very high-use trail and I’m sure these chains were placed to both keep hikers on the trail and provide a bit of safety when those rocks are covered in snow or ice.

There were at least three sets of these staircases. I was impressed with this design that adapts to the terrain. I met a trail maintainer a few days later who said a couple of weeks earlier they found the steps filled with dirt making them ramps. They spent a long day shoveling out the steps making my hike much more enjoyable.

These more typical steps aren’t as sustainable in these conditions.

First views of the peak.

Nearing the peak, you get a view of Miner’s Ridge. Many hikers and runners combined Ha Ling with this ridge for more miles and challenge.

The final summit push.

After 2,600′ elevation gain and 2.65 miles I arrived at the peak where the 360-degree views were amazing.

You can see details of Mount Rundle. There’s a nearby hike to the EEOR (East End of Rundle).

From the peak, you get views down into the Bow River Valley and Canmore. It was a hazy air day, most likely from the wildfires in Northern Alberta.

Hooker’s Mountain-Avens

Double Twinpod

American Smelowskia (Smelowskia americana)

As a bonus at a nearby trailhead I finally got to see a moose. I decided he must have needed to look at the map.

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BC Canada – Kootenay National Park, Stanley Glacier (05/23)

When Mother Nature grants early season access to the high country, you say yes and thank you. During my 2015 visit, I hiked this trail (blog link) and remember being WOW’d. Late May conditions were much different than those experienced in August and was thankful my Banff friend recommended this trail and had time to join me on this jaunt.

After less than an hour of hiking through the forest, you get your first peek at the glacier.

This is the turnaround for most hikers.

For those more curious and who want a closer look at the glacier, there is a rocky loop route. You can see the person standing on the rocks to the left (one side of the loop). The right side of the loop is more obvious in this photo. We hiked the loop clockwise, which I preferred as the left side was rockier and steeper the type of terrain I prefer to ascend vs descend.

There should have been massive waterfalls flowing off the wall at this time in May but there was only one large one on this day, somewhat visible in the middle of the rock wall.

The “trail” loops behind this treed area, well below the glacier.

This rocky terrain isn’t my favorite, but better than scree, and the views are well worth the challenge.

Looking back toward the trailhead.

Looking across the canyon.

Views along the top of the loop.

The opposite wall.

Views of the glacier.

We only had a small patch of snow to traverse.

We found buttercups at our glacier viewpoint.

The Hooker’s Mountain-Avens were beginning to bloom.

Currently in the lower forest the yellow violets seemed to be the only flowers blooming.

The waterfalls were tall and high up the rock walls.

This was a 7.4-mile, 1,800′ elevation gain/loss out-and-back hike (according to Gaia).

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AB/BC Canada – Banff, Yoho, and Kananaskis Parks, The Wildflower Edition (05/23)

I’ve named May the month of the Pasqueflower (Pulsatilla nuttalliana) here in Canada. I found my first blooms on May 1st and was lucky enough to find at least one on nearly all my hikes. These also are known as Prairie Crocus and Anemone.

Arctic Butterbur (Petasites frigidus) was a new-to-me plant. I found it at Cave and Basin.

Another at Cave and Basin was Watercress (Nasturtium officinale).

I first saw Northern or Small-flower Anemone (Anemone parviflora) at Upper Kananaskis Lake been then started seeing them around Banff National Park. This photo was taken on the Sulphur Mountain Trail.

This Avalanche/Glacier/Fawn Lily (Erythronium grandiflorum) was found at Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park on Mother’s Day.

This Mistassini Primrose (Primula mistassini) was also at Emerald Lake and another new-to-me plant.

It was feeling a bit more like spring by the third week of May. I was hiking the Hoodoos Trail in the Town of Banff when I saw several blooming Boreal Sweet-Vetch (Hedysarum boreale).

Nearby were Hookedspur Violet (Viola adunca). A few days later I saw them at Cave and Basin.

As well as Prairie Smoke/Three-Flowered Avens/Old Man’s Whiskers (Geum triflorum).

Lewis Flax (Linum lewisii).

I explored some of the nearby trails and found my first-of-the-season Eastern Fairy-Slippers (Calypso bulbosa var. americana).

I was excited to find a few large patches of these fairy-slipper orchids.

My first sighting of a white Fairy-Slipper Orchid was found on a hike near Lake Minnewanka.

Purple Clematis (Clematis accidentalis) was first seen on the Cave and Basin trails and again on the Sulphur Mountain trail.

Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)

Double Twinpod (Physaria didymocarpa)

I had an amazing day of botany at Bow Valley Wildland and Valley Provincial Parks. This was the first of many finds. Star-flowered Lily-of-the-Valley (Maianthemum stellatum)

Canada Violet (Viola canadensis)

Heartleaf Arnica (Arnica cordifolia)

Wax-leaf Beardtongue (Penstemon nitidus)

Hooker’s Mountain-Avens (Dryas hookeriana)

Western Stoneseed (Lithospermum ruderale)

Field Chickweed (Cerastium arvense)

Bonneville Shooting Star (Primula conjugens)

Yellow Lady’s Slippers (Cypripedium parviflorum)

Cutleaf Anemone (Anemone multifida)

Yellow Anemone (Anemonastrum richardsonii)

Yellow Columbine (Aquilegia flavescens)

Small-flower Columbine (Aquilegia brevistyla)

Lehmann’s Rockjasmine (Androsace lehmanniana)

Giant Red Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja miniata)

The common dandelion is the highway median flower in these parts.

Note: I did my best with plant identifications using Seek and iNaturalist. Please post a comment if there is a correction to be made.

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AB Canada – Kananaskis Country, Bow Valley Valley Provincial Park, Grotto Canyon (05/23)

I’ve learned to never dismiss trails based on mileage or difficulty. This one offered so much I hadn’t seen or experienced elsewhere in Banff. Who knew I’d find a slot canyon, pictographs, a waterfall, ice, and blooms?

To find the goods you have to deal with some unpleasantries, like the extreme noise from Baymag Mineral Processing Plant that’s very close proximity to the trail. The racket lasts from the parking area until you dip into the canyon, where the tall walls provide a sound barrier.

Walking in a rocky creekbed is the price of admission. My timing was perfect for having minimal creek flow and avoiding getting my feet wet. Many hike this trail when the canyon is filled with snow and/or ice.

The canyon walls were scrubbed by glaciers and are extremely slick. My shoes are nearing the end of life and I was wishing for better traction a few times.

The walls were of varying textures and colors.

Thick ice remained in a portion of the canyon. I’d brought shoe traction but didn’t need to use.

This waterfall is the source of this icy creek. For better views, you need to walk up these very slippery rocks. It would be impossible when wet. It was super challenging to get down. I used the butt scoot technique.

This was a weeping wall and in the winter one of the highlights as it’s a large ice feature.

You can see the tiny bit of remaining ice.

This sign made me chuckle as the creekbed I’d been walking to this point didn’t seem to need any maintenance.

The “trail” continues on for another mile or two. I explored a bit further until the canyon opened up. I’d had enough rock walking and was happy to turn around and spend time elsewhere.

I had a good view of Grotto Mountain, not easily accessible via this trail.

Hardware adorns the canyon walls, evidence of climber activity. As my eyes roamed, I found other delights such as these Yellow Columbine (Aquilegia flavescens) blooms.

Lehmann’s Rockjasmine (?)

Hooker’s Mountain-Avens

I finally caught a butterfly! They’ve been out and about but were not interested in portrait sessions.

There isn’t much left of the pictograph panel.

I found these Small-flower Columbine (Aquilegia brevistyla) near the trailhead.

First of the season paintbrush. I believe this is Giant Red Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja miniata).

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AB Canada – Kananaskis Country, Bow Valley Wildland and Valley Provincial Parks, Mount Yamnuska (05/23)

It wasn’t a matter of if. The when was the determining variable. Too early meant too much snow and ice. Smoke, rain, wind and my fitness were additional factors. As I was approaching the end of my time in Banff, it was finally the right day to give it a go.

After my hike, I stopped at Bow Valley Provincial Park where I found this view of Mount Yumnuska from Many Springs. I included a bit about that area at the end of this post including my best flower find, one that’s been on my must-see list forever.

This mountain not only has some name history, but it also has various access options.

The Park is proactive in promoting safety and awareness. My plan was to hike the hiker trail, noted in red.

As I approached the trailhead I couldn’t help but notice the haze. I hadn’t checked the smoke conditions. It had rained during the night so my guess was fog. I hoped for improved views on my way back to the trailhead.

The Park added this one-way loop toward the end of the hiker’s trail to help with flow and safety. On the day I hiked, I saw 3 people on my way up and at least 100 on my way down.

When I reached the Raven’s End Checkpoint, I was a little confused as to where the hiker’s trail actually ended. Gaia, All Trails, and the Park map showed that the trail continues a bit beyond the checkpoint. But in one direction I ran into a “climber’s route” sign.

In the other direction, the markers on the rocks clearly were for the scrambling route. In the All Trails description, it says to “go past Raven’s End and past the Chimney for 360-degree views.” Maybe it meant to start up the climber’s trail?

I was quite pleased with this view, especially given the clear blue skies. The Chimney is the shorter section of rocks leading up to the slanted mastiff.

As I started back down, these were the views.

Look at that valley.

While for many this is a peak bagger’s trail, for me it became a botanizing trail. There was so much vegetation with plenty of riches like these Hooker’s Mountain-Avens (Dryas hookeriana).

Canada Violet (Viola canadensis)

Star-flowered Lily-of-the-Valley (Maianthemum stellatum)

Field Chickweed (Cerastium arvense)

Rough-fruited Fairybells (Prosartes trachycarpa)

Heartleaf Arnica (Arnica cordifolia)

Bonneville Shooting Star (Primula conjugens)

Purple Clematis (Clematis occidentalis)

Wax-leaf Beardtongue (Penstemon nitidus)

There were a couple I haven’t been able to identify.

This looks like an orchid.

Seek identifies this as Western Stoneseed, but iNaturalist didn’t have previous findings in this area to match. The Dr. Seuss pasqueflowers were trying to take center stage.

Visibility improved slightly as I came back down the mountain. But it didn’t really matter as much of the trail is in the forest and I was happy to spend my time botanizing. On the left in the valley is a heart-shaped lake, up high on the right is part of Mount Yamnuska.

This was a 5.35-mile, 1,700-foot elevation gain/loss round-trip hike based on my Gaia tracker. It wasn’t happy Jan grade, but it was doable with lots of breathing breaks. All Trails shows this as 5.7 miles and 2,600′. I’m guessing the little piece I didn’t hike where you pass the Chimney must account for the additional 1,000′.

By noon the skies weren’t nearly as inviting. The parking lot was nearly full. There was a tour bus just out of the photo which I’m guessing belong to a large group of active seniors I met. Just like on a previous hike, there was also a large group of teens, most likely on a school field trip.

Bow Valley Provincial Park

I dropped down to the valley for lunch and a bit of exploring. When I stumbled upon this trailhead I knew it was my kind of place, especially when I met a gal and asked about wildflowers. “More than 500 species of flowering plants have been identified in Bow Valley Provincial Park.”

Did you say rare plants? Count me in!

I found shooting stars but no elephants (pretty sure it was too early).

The plant that eats animals? That might be Yellow Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum), an orchid, although that’s not it’s purpose so I’m guessing it’s another plant. Seeing these has been on my forever bucket list! Like most orchids, they survive through mutualism with a fungus that lives in the ground, so they rarely survive when transplanted. They grow as a singleton or in clumps of up to a dozen or more plants. They offer an awesome nectar source for bees. The bees crawl all the way inside the flower to get the nectar. They get coated with pollen and come out bright yellow.

A newborn.

Singular plants about ready to turn into a slipper.

I’ve seen several Cutleaf Anemone (Anemone multifida) buds in the past couple of weeks so it was great to finally see one open.

My kind of place! If I lived nearby I’d be visiting every couple of weeks in the spring and early summer.

This area is a cool connection to Mount Yamnuska.

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