Moraine Lake hikes
July 12, 2018
Solo
hiking.
The days
of driving into the Moraine Lake parking lot at 7 am and finding it nearly
empty are, sadly, long gone. In fact, after several attempts to make it to the
lake before that time (and on a weekdays), I resorted to leaving Calgary at
2:45 am (yes, AM!!). That plan definitely got me a good parking spot, but I’m
not likely to make a habit of leaving that early just to get to Moraine Lake.
Of
course, as everyone knows, the lake is one of the highlights of the Lake Louise
area. One could certainly argue that Moraine is the most beautiful and stunning
lake in all of the Canadian Rockies, or at worst in the Top 5.
There
were no scrambling objectives for this trip. I simply wanted to hike as much of
the area as possible in a single day.
Trip 1:
Eiffel Lake
My first
look at Eiffel Lake occurred during a super memorable trip up Wasatch Mountain in 2010.
Memorable not only because of the
outstanding scenery and views throughout, but also because I fortuitously made
a new friend at the trailhead and therefore had terrific company all the way up
and down the mountain – thank you Adrian for that awesome day!
Before
going to Eiffel Lake, I thought I would hike into Larch Valley to check out the
Minnestimma Lakes. Unfortunately, I neglected to consider that my early start
time meant I would be arriving in the valley long before the rays of the Sun
did. Seeing the area completely in shadow was somewhat disappointing. Therefore,
just short of the lakes, I decided to take a direct route over to the Eiffel
Lake trail. This was not without some unnecessary ups and downs and a steep
bushwhack down to the trail, but once there the hike to Eiffel Lake was
expectedly stunning. The mountains of the Valley of The Ten Peaks are
mind-blowing, each and every time you see them!
Once
again, however, my timing was off, the beautiful lake still in shadow. Not
altogether a bad situation, as it allowed me to explore the area a little and
find a very interesting route down to the lake. My typical barrage of photos
followed, common when I see perfect lake reflection (and if you are going to
reflect something, the peaks in this valley are a darn good choice!).
The
return to Moraine Lake was even more scenic than the hike up, now with the Sun
lighting up the whole valley.
Trip 2:
Consolation Lakes
17 years
of hiking and scrambling and surprisingly this was my first visit to the
Consolation Lakes. It was well worth the wait! The views at the first lake were
outstanding, especially the awesome east face of Mount Babel, and mounts Bident
and Quadra. I did get a few odd looks from people when I randomly decided to
ford the lake outlet to the other side; probably because I didn’t change
footwear or roll up my pants. It was a hot day and doing the return hike in
water saturated boots and pants was not a problem!
Trips 3
and 4: The Rockpile and Moraine Lake
At a
whopping 0.8 km in length The Rockpile is more of a short walk than hike but
it’s a must-do if you are at the lake. Needless to say, views of the lake are
stunning. Also needless to say, views of the other 700 people sharing the trail
with you are likewise stunning! The one thing harder to find than a parking
space at Moraine Lake is solitude! (not that I’m complaining – if I wanted
solitude Moraine Lake is one of the last places I would go; and I did get my “alone
time” fill at Eiffel Lake).
The
Moraine Lake hike did grant a few moments when I couldn’t see or hear others
and of course provided more terrific views of the lake.
Overall,
a super gratifying day in one of the most beautiful places on Earth.
Moraine Lake before the Sun hits it
Larch Valley......... before the Sun hits it!
The prominent glaciated peak is Mount Fay.
The famous Ice Bugle of Mount Fay
Hiking over the shoulder of Eiffel Peak
First view of some of the Ten Peaks...with the Sun hitting them. Left to right: Tuzo, Deltaform, Neptuak
Wenkchemna Peak was spectacular throughout
Descending a boulder field to get down to Eiffel Lake
Wenkchemna Peak and a stream that drains into Eiffel Lake
Eiffel Lake....and waiting for the Sun
Wenkchemna again
Patience finally paid off!
Leaving the lake
Back into shadow, but the views over the lake continued to impress
The excellent Eiffel Lake trail
Looking up at Eiffel Peak - an excellent Kane scramble
Last look at the valley
One more over to Mount Fay
Back at Moraine Lake, looking considerably different now that the Sun is up
Approaching the Consolation Lakes
The wickedly cool east face of Mount Babel
The first Consolation Lake
Quadra Mountain
Babel, as seen from the other side of the lake
Good for that tree for holding on!
Last look at Consolation Lake
View from The Rockpile. 698 people are behind me - only the 2 at the right managed to get in front.
A few more have snuck in front!
View from the Moraine Lake hike
At the end of the trail
Lots of canoes on the lake that day. Here's one!
Clouds roll in, as I roll out!
The End
