Three Lakes Valley II

January 4, 2018

 
Solo snowshoe.
 
I’ve long lost count of how many times I’ve made my way to Chester Lake and beyond, but it’s guaranteed that the scenic delights of the area will keep dragging me back. My last visit, an after work speed hike in the fall, yielded some of the best scenery I had ever experienced during a simple lake hike, largely in part because of the perfect weather. A winter visit in similar conditions seemed to be a win-win proposition and for the most part it was.
 
Actually the first few hours of the trip was somewhat disappointing, simply because the Sun’s rays couldn’t find their way into either the Chester Lake valley or the Three Lakes valley. It still amazes me how much of the difference those rays makes to the visual appeal of the majority of mountain scenes. For future reference I would wait until March or April before repeating this trip.
 
Getting to Chester Lake was as usual easy affair and although the snowshoe trail is always well packed down, it is still my preference to wear snowshoes throughout. They help with traction immeasurably, especially on descent.  
 
Elephant Rocks was also reached with ease. Usually replete with scenes of awe-inspiring beauty, the Sunless views prompted me to go right past the Rocks (taking only a single photo!) and continue towards the Three Lakes valley.
 
Reaching the first lake was very easy, but the ascent to up the headwall behind the lake felt a little sketchy. I wouldn’t venture here when the avalanche risk was high. I then slowly plodded past the middle lake and stopped at the big cairn and highpoint between the second and third lakes – I decided that travel beyond that point would not be worth the energy, since you lose elevation and the views would be inferior.
 
Again, I was a little disappointed in my timing and proceeded to “lollygag” around the area in hopes that the valley would soon escape the shadow of Mount Chester. It did but now the Sun had swung quite far to the southwest and the stunning group of mountains centered around Mount Sir Douglas (one of the other highlights of this trip) was now in shadow. Oh well… you can’t win them all!
 
Had I an additional 2 hours to “lollygag” I would have waited for the Sun to move into the western sky and completely light up the Three Lakes Valley, but an evening event (as well as the eventual setting of the Sun) would cut my stay short.
 
The descent was definitely the highlight of the trip. Sunny views of the first lake were magnificent, the snowy and serrated profile of Gusty Peak providing an awesome background. I then followed a snowshoe track around to the highpoint at the southeast side of the lake. Again the scenery and views here were stunning. This little diversion also led me easily back to the Elephant Rocks and more fantastic scenery. Exploring the Rocks in sunny conditions is always a treat.
 
Another breath-taking winter day in the Canadian Rockies! 


Birdwood, Pig's Tail, Commonwealth and the moon, as seen on the drive in



The moon and the summit of Commonwealth Peak



The Sun is just hitting Mount Galatea



Sun-less Elephant Rocks and the southwest end of Gusty Peak



Galatea is getting full Sun but the valley is not



Mount Sir Douglas is the centerpiece of the view to the southwest



Closer look at Sir Douglas



Still waiting for the Sun



"Lollygagging"



Same as above



Same as above




Here Comes the Sun




Now that the valley is getting Sun, the view to the west is in shade!



Heading down



Awesome curves of snow



Looking back into the valley



Tracks up (left), tracks down (right)



Looking down at the first lake and Mount Chester (right)


Back at the end of the lake



A similar view from October 5, 2017




Heading up to the highpoint at the southeast end of the first lake



The west face of Gusty Peak is pretty darn impressive!



...and avalanche prone!



Last look down to the lake and up the valley



Who knew the southwest side of unofficial Gusty Peak was so good-looking?!



From the highpoint, the environs of Chester Lake are visible



Who knew there was another version of Elephant Rocks above Elephant Rocks?!



Same as above



Same as above



Back down to the official Elephant Rocks












Compare this sunny view of Elephant Rocks to the Sun-less one at the beginning


 
Another comparison of the effect of the Sun on mountain scenery (left was taken around 10 am and right around 2 pm)
 


The very well packed down snowshoe trail



Little Galatea (far left), and the southwest peak of Mount Galatea
(there is a route to the latter described in Mike Potter's Ridgewalks in the Canadian Rockies)



Pristine winter scenery

The End

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