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Here's a new photo link to all of my photos from this year's trip:
DAY ONE: MONDAY AUGUST 6, 2001 - PRE-CAMP THOUGHTS AND THE TRIP INTO CAMP.
PRE-TRIP THOUGHTS
This year's pre-camp ritual is the same as in previous year's and I won't be dwelling on them here. The only difference was in the storage of our cars while we are away at camp. After the problems of two year's ago a new parking area needed to be found. While not technically safe and secure as a towing compound is suppose to be the parking plaza in Banff has so far had no incidents and also costs about half as much to park for the week than the towing compound.
The only other change would be a personal one for me and that is due to the fact that in the past year I was dianosged as being lactose intolerant - or have a milk allergy. All this means is that I need to be careful in what I eat at camp and try and avoid cheese sandwiches and with advance notice to the camp staff wasn't a problem during the week.
THE TRIP IN MONDAY AUGUST 6, 2001
After storing my truck at the designated spot I walked the few short blocks to our bus meeting point at the Banff train station. The weather is cloudy, cool and with a chance of showers.
Leaving promptly at 9:00AM we proceed west to the Icefields highway turnoff and then head north to the Mosquito Creek campsite and our trailhead location.
We will go into camp in four groups about 15 minutes apart. As this year's hike in is only 7 km's we will be hiking a slow pace.
I am going in with a group lead by Tony W and we head out at 10:30 AM and slowly work out way up the valley until about 12 noon when we reach a Parks Canada wilderness campsite and have a one hour lunch break and by 1:30PM we cross the final bridge , turn left and head into camp.
The camp is located in the same location as the 1990 and 1996 trips. Parks Canada would rather have a previously alienated area re-visited rather than create any new ones in Banff National Park.
After finding my duffel and getting my tent assignment from the this week's camp hostess Virginia , I put the beer, pop, juice etc. on ice in the creek. My tent mate is Robert K. from Virginia via Calgary and who's mother has attended a number of camps in the past. It is not the levelest of sites and will take some getting use to.
At 2:45PM I take a group of mostly first timers up the North Molar Pass trail for about 2KM to what we call Molar Meadows. From here you get a good panorama of the many hike opportunities that will be available during the week. Biscupid, Hound's Tooth, Dorothy's Lake, Mosquito Lake/Pipestone Lookout, North and South Molar Passes.
The cloudy and cool weather has made it ideal for hiking - the flowers in the meadow are not nearly as profuse as during my last visit in 1996 but with the early summer in the Rockies this year it is still impressive.
We return to camp around 4:30PM and many head for the dining tent and wash up area for hot water and coffee/tea. As usual on the first night the happy hour doesn't really get many participants.
6:00PM brings the supper bell - menu is as follows: tomato vegetable soup, rice, cabbage/carrot salad,corn,chicken in a sauce with pineapple and lemon merange pie.
7:30PM I adjourn to the donut for tomorrow's trip planning meeting - I hope to lead a trip to Mosquito Lake with an option of doing the Pipestone Lookout scramble.
8:00PM - nightly donut activities which include getting to know each other by birth month, campfire songs, friendly ediquttes reminders from our hostess and tomorrow's trip line-up.9:30PM - call it a night but have trouble sleeping because of the uneven ground. A few showers occur overnight but that will be the extend of rain in our camp.
DAY TWO TUESDAY AUGUST 7, 2001 A TRIP TO DOROTHY'S LAKE AND THE JAPANESE GARDENSI end up doing a hike with Mike W. to Dorothy's Lake and the Japanese gardens when it became obvious that their won't be the required 4 persons interested in doing Mosquito Lake today. A large number are doing a longer loop which provides an option of Mosquito lake/Pipestone Lookout.
There are two groups going to Dorothy's Lake today because Parks Canada wants us to keep our groups to 12 - 15 at any time. Mike W. leads us out of camp and up the short 1KM to the junction of the North and South Molar Pass trails where we turn left and head up about another kilometer until we once again break out into Molar meadows. While there are thick black clouds around the rain holds off.
I am having fun with my three cameras - video, 35mm and new digital - no wonder my day pack weighs so much.
There is no marked trail to Dorothy's - just sight of land. While the other group took a lower and more direct route to the lake we climbed a short knoll for some more superb views and finally reach the lake at 11:30AM in time for a lunch break. At the lake we have lot's of time to do our thing - read a book - explore the lakeshore - admire the flowers and mountain. While it is windy, the sun is starting to break out and warm up some.
One hour later we start our exploration of the area we call the "Japanese Gardens" - this is really the outlet stream from Dorothy's Lake as it winds, meanders in short little cascades and waterfalls down the hillside surrounded by a small but profuse number of flowering meadows containing a potpourri of alpine wildflowers to the point where it meets the South Molar Pass trail.
Here we turn right and start down the trail, pass the junction and back into camp.
My diary says that we returned
to camp about 3PM and that I was feeling not too bad and seemed
to be coping with my lactose intolerance. More on this subject
later.
As my digital camera is brand
new I discover how to show back my photos to others in the camp. Briefly take in happy hour - to
get some pictures etc. Dinner today is chicken noodle
soup, potatoes, beef chunks in sauce, fresh veggies, and a
chocolate pastry for dessert which I pass on. Attend the trip planning session
- hope to lead the "Eyrie" tomorrow - it's a trip up
and over South Molar Pass and then a cross country climb up a
grassy hillside to a knoll that overlooks Dorothy's Lake and
provides many photo opportunities. However events were taking
place that would scuttle this plan. DAY THREE WEDNESDAY
AUGUST 8, 2001 - AN UNEXPECTED AND UNWANTED DAY IN CAMP
I had a bad night with several
trips up to Biffy hill overnight - something had gotten to me -
it wasn't the water as I brought water into camp. Anyways I
didn't feel that I could lead a trip if I was going to be running
for the bushes every hour or so in a landscape where there aren't
a lot of bushes. Went and saw the Doc - gave me some IMODIUM - to
be taken every four hours today. It worked and while several
others also complained of similiar symptoms it was probably more
of a reaction to higher altitiude, sunshine, or what ever but
probably not anything that I ate and unlikely a result of any
milk products as I am taking dairy pills with most meals. I spent the morning resting in
the tent and after having my bagged lunch in camp spent some time
wandering around the enclosure and taking pictures of the tents
etc. Before I knew it was 3:00PM and the early groups were
returning to camp. Tomorrow I intend to once again
offer to hike the Mosquito/Pipestone trip. Erok Bwill be the
assistant leader and will take those that want to up to Pipestone
Lookout - I did that climb back in 1990 so I will rest at the
lake while they climb to the lookout. The weather has also cleared off
but it is cool in the mornings and I have been starting the fire
for a couple hours each morning to dry out the sleeping bags etc. Dinner is beef soup, scalloped
potatoes, roast pork, peas and salad. I forgo dessert again. DAY FOUR THURSDAY AUGUST
9, 2002 A TRIP TO MOSQUITO LAKE AND PIPESTONE LOOKOUT. I led twelve other hikers out the main gate of the
camp and took the usual North Molar Pass trail up to the meadows
until we reached Tilly's tarn. While there are several
possibilities for getting to Mosquito Lake the one described is
the most commonly used approach. It is open country hiking - other
than the two park trails to North and South Molar Passes there
are no other established trails in this part of the Rockies. Just before you reach the outlet
stream from Tilly's tarn cross it and start to angle up the knoll
to the left - You should be able to see a small ridge between
Biscupid and North Molar Pass - that's Pipestone Lookout. We reached the lake at 11:30PM
and Erok then took the other 11 hikers for the climb up to the
Lookout. Two other Skyliner groups were visiting the area today and some
of them opted like me to stay at the lake and admire the scenery
and impressive it was. It took the others about 35
minutes to reach the ridge - there is no set route - take the
path of least resistence - I enjoyed watching them go up the
ridge and passed the time playing with my digital camera. Explored the lake and
knoll around it. The others returned to the lake about 1:45 PM
and after taking a cross country route to explore a small
waterfall in the meadows that is hidden from the main trail we
arrived by in camp by 3:45PM in time for hot water etc. With the improving weather Molar
beach was getting more business - let me explain - while we are
unable to wash or use soap in any of the creeks near the camp we
are allowed to cool off in them as long as they are below our
water intake and one of the creeks is right by the main camping
area and was quickly charted and claim as the exclusive property
of the Skyline Hikers week 4 camp and got plenty of use
especially by those that did the longer, hotter hikes later in
the week. I would be remiss if I didn't
say a word or two about the kitchen staff - each morning they
prepared by lunch separately from the others. They substituted
peanut butter and jam for cheese which is fine as I like peanut
butter sandwiches.; The hikers that I led today were
keen, eager and fit and wanted to get to Pipestone ridge as fast
as possible and it ceases to amaze me how Iris with two bad knees
can continue to climb up and more importantly down some of these
rocky slopes. As tomorrow is the last full day
in camp there are two trips that I hope will be offered - one is
South Molar pass and Little Hector lake and the other one is
Biscusip Lookout. I am skipping happy hour today
as it is out in the open and little or no shade is available
while it's shadier and cooler at my tent site. Don't see too much
of my tent mate Robert - he is younger and in shape and has been
doing all the longer and harder trips this week. Another advantage of the dry
weather is that the camp itself is dry and it's easy to get
around the camp in only sandals which is a nice relief from hot
hiking shoes. I am having lot's of rambling
thoughts tonight so here are few of them: 1. Will I do Dolomite Lake side
trip on the way out which adds 8 kms of reasonably easy hiking to
the trip out. My decision will be based on: a) who's leading it:
b) what time we break camp: c) what the weather is like - if it
is too hot - won't do as most of the route in is open: d) how I
feel Saturday morning and what trip I do tomorrow. Dinner was soup, ham, macaroni
and cheese - fortunately most of the cheese was on the top layer,
green beans and salad - dessert was rich and decadent and I
didn't have any. 2. Am starting to drink lot's of
water and have used up the supply that I brought into camp - will
have to trust that the filter works on our water in camp. 3. Earlier I alluded to the hope
that Little Hector Lake would be offered and was delighted to
find out at the trip meeting that Tony W. would be leading it
tomorrow. ;4. I must say that despite my
one day of sickness I have very energetic most of the camp and
after levelling out my bed am sleeping well. Turned into bed at 9:30 PM DAY FIVE FRIDAY AUGUST 10, 2001 OUR LAST FULL
DAY IN CAMP AND MY TRIP TO LITTLE HECTOR LAKE. When I woke up this morning I didn't feel too chipper
but was definately going to do Little Hector Lake. At 9:25AM with Tony W. leading and his brother Michael
assisting we left the camp and started up the main park trail to
the junction and then headed right up the ridge that once housed
the Skyliner camps, past the Japanese Garden and up the ridge to
South Molar Pass. This had taken only an hour as Tony was setting
a quick pace. After a brief rest break we continued through the
pass for ten minutes before veering to the right and starting to
cross country walk towards a small ledge that contains the lake.
As you get closer to the ledge you can see an obvious faint trail
that will lead you to the lake. So after exploring a couple of knolls near the lake I
join the rest for a long lunch break at the lake and spend a fair
amount of the time following a small stream up through several
little waterfalls and chasms. We have views across the valley to Hound's Tooth and
South Molar lookout as well as Molar Mountain. In the far
distance are the peaks around Skoki/Mt Temple - the waters on
this side of pass flow down to the Pipestone River which meets
the Bow River at Lake Louise village. After lunch Tony starts a circuit trip back to the
pass that is interupted when two of the female hikers decide it's
time for Tony to cool off his feet in the stream above the Lake.
While Tony got wet feet so did Catherine and Connie - oh well -
it's warm and their feet are dry in no time. When we return to South Molar Pass - the group splits
- eight go with Tony for an alternate route down the pass and
five with Catherine for a stop at the Japanese Garden - I choose
the latter as the sun and heat of the day was making me light-headed
and this route has no climbing and scrambling. We return to camp about 3:15 PM and as soon as the hot
water is available I get cleaned up and shave - while I brought
my rechargeable razor into camp I didn't charge it up enough and
so had to shave the old fashioned way. The batteries on my digital have finally run out so I
put in some new ones only to discovered that they are not fully
charged so I will be limited in the number of photos I can take
tonight and tomorrow although I have lot's of conventional film
left. As Friday night is our last night in camp it is always
a special night - a full roast beef dinner - baked potato - baked
beans - salad and a special dessert - the camp 4 cake depicting
the names of all the hiking locations in the pass ( pictured
below) The second part of Friday night is the finale in the
donut - skit night and thankfully there were no biffy skits this
year. A number of skits were preformed and the camp staff led by
Robbie from Australia did a salute to us. As this camp was composed of one American, one Brit,
two Japanese and the remainder Canadians it was great to sing our
national anthem in both official languages. Before turning in for the night I was informed that I
would be leading the moderate paced group out tomorrow at 10:30AM
as I had decided not to do the Dolomite Lake option and that our
duffel must be packed and ready for the horses by 7:30AM
tomorrowe. ;Since the weather was likely to be warm I packed up
most of my stuff before turning in the night. DAY SIX - SATURDAY AUGUST
11, 2001 -THE TRIP OUT TO TRAILHEAD Up about 6:30AM and get the fire
going - after all it's cool in the mornings and we will in camp
for a few hours - and packed up my sleeping bag and take my
duffel to the front of the donut where the wrangler will sort it
by weight for mounting on the horses. Two groups - 13 hikers in all -
are doing the Dolomite Lake option and they leave early around 8:30AM
- and will be the last to trailhead at 2:45PM - in plenty of time
for the busses. As the trip out is only about 1 1/2 hours of actual
hiking we take our time and have two long breaks - one at the
wilderness campsite and the other at the bridge crossing of
Dolomite creek and the turnoff for the route to the Lake. We reach the Icefields highway shortly after 1PM and
laze there for two hours before heading over to the Hostel area
where our duffel and busses are waiting. Shortly after 3PM we start down the highway and just
after we turn onto the Trans-Canada Highway at Lake Louise I
spotted a female grizzly bear trying to cross the highway -
fortunately it didn't try to cross and high tailed it back into
the bush - this is probably the bear that has been visiting the
Lake Louise campsite which has resulted in a no tent or tent-trailer
policy. Shortly after we turn into Banff townsite - pick up
our cars and then our duffel and while some of the group adjourn
to our usual post trip drinking hole at the Rose and Crown in
Banff I head west on the highway for Revelstoke where I overnight
it before returning home to Vancouver on Sunday afternoon. Next year is the 70th anniversary of the Skyliners -
they are hoping to find a new location - one possibility is the
Onion/Humminbird Lake area of David Thompson country - a lot of
logistical problems to over come here - the other possibility is
the Ghost Lake/Devils Gap area near Canmore. If a new site isn't
ready in time it will be Allenby Pass near Mt Assiniboine. Hope you have enjoyed this brief look at a week in a
Skyline Hikers camp Return to home page:http://www.urbantrekker.com Email me at:mailto:urbantrekker@lycos.com All materials and photos are copyrighted by Dennis M
Baher - the urban trekker - members of the Skyline Hikers are
free to copy and use the images as long as it is for a non-commerical
use. Created August 18, 2001.