This hike has been called "Canada's #1 rated dayhike" so we thought it was worth a try. On the way the ranger was informing people about the trail, and thought it would be quite funny to tell people the trail was only 2 and 1/2 to 3 inches wide at one point. (Then he clued them in that it was really 2 and 1/2 to 3 feet)
We were hoping for a good weather hike, and overall it was okay. It was really windy, and we did get sprinkled on, but the rain held off for us. You have to choose a return boat time when you sign up for the hike. There are two boats that drop hikers off in the morning, and two return boats in the afternoon. We opted for the first morning boat and the last afternoon boat in order to allow all the time we wanted for exploring. If the first return boat has space, you are welcome to get on. (We did end up doing that as we were back at the dock in plenty of time)
The trail is about 5 and a half miles one way, and ascends to a high alpine lake. We were told that it was still ice covered, but had started to melt off. The last bit of the hike would be over snow. There was a stream crossing, a ladder, several waterfalls to see, a section of trail with cable, and a tunnel. There was an alternate trail coming down that was just a bit longer, but would take us into a gorge with a nice waterfall. What fun!
Here is a view of one of the waterfalls on the trail. We eventually hiked above it to hit the tunnel and then climbed further up to Crypt Lake. Luckily we didn't have to climb the cliffs, but got to approach it from the left side as you look at it. While there are many rock climbers around that would probably enjoy going straight up, we are not THAT crazy!
This is a close-up view of the tunnel we had to go through. More detail in the next photo and caption.
This is me about to climb a ladder and enter the tunnel area that you can see above it. What you can't see is that the tunnel is short, and hourglass shaped. You have to scooch down, tilt sideways, and move through carefully. It is probably 15 feet long, and if I had to scooch, that tells you how short it was!! The wind was blowing quite hard, so I needed to adjust my hat in order to try to keep it on my head.
This is the exit of the tunnel, and we had to step down from here onto a section of trail that would have some cable to keep you from potential harm. It was skinny here, and you had to wait if people were traveling in the opposite direction.
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This is Crypt Lake. It was pretty cold on this day, but we did sit beside the lake and eat our lunch. We had limited place to sit that wasn't snow-covered, so we didn't stay very long. The blue of the lake was starting to come out as the ice melted, so I imagine that it would be even more beautiful on a bright sunny day.
This photo is looking back toward the tunnel area, and shows the narrow trail leading up to it, the stream we had to cross, and why people with a fear of heights are discouraged from doing this trail. It looks really narrow in the photos, and it is, but it really isn't as terrifying as you might think if you were judging by this photo. (Just don't look to the right as you walk on it!)
I think Glen just like to take pictures of my butt, but..... this photo shows a section of the trail on the way down from Crypt Lake. You can see that we had gorgeous views not only when we reached the top, but all along the way. Coming down was a whole different view overlooking the valley where we started.
While the wildflowers are not yet out in some places, there were some nice patches on this hike. This bunch was in the section of the trail leading to "Hell Roaring Falls". We had some extra time and took this little detour on the return trip. It adds about a half-hour to the hike, but goes down into a small canyon with a stream running through. At one point there are several fallen trees that cross the stream directly above the rapids and look like "pick-up-sticks". We decided that was the point where teenagers could terrify their parents by trying to walk across them. Thankfully our boys were not there to do that to us!
A view of the mountains and lake from the area near the boat dock as we were waiting for the return boat.
While sitting at the boat dock we got to talking with some people about hiking. One lady was recommending "The Wave" to another hiker. We had fun comparing notes since we had also done this hike in Utah. For those interested, you can see information about that here.
As we are all loaded on the boat and the horn blows to announce our impending departure, who should come out of the woods and ask the boat to wait for them? You guessed it, the same couple that we waited for in the morning! :)
We finished off this hike with a trip through the shops, a quick bite to eat at Zum's restaurant, and then the return drive to the KOA in St. Mary. We had fireworks that night right at the campground, wrapped up in our hats and warm clothes around a campfire. Great ending to the day.
It was a great hike. We don't know if it is "Canada's #1 dayhike", but all in all it was spectacular.
Also done on this span of "off" days: exploring the town of Whitefish, MT. This little town has a ski area, some great little shops, and an interesting atmosphere. We were pleased to find a bookstore and an organic food store side by side. We got some steel cut oats, some soup mix that we hope to cook up on a camping excursion, and some other goodies. Then we headed back to enjoy a rainy day reading in the campground. We also went to Cut Bank to retrieve the car from the Ford dealer. They fixed it up all under warranty, so we could breathe easy and prepare to explore the area. A bit of laundry and a few runs conclude this section of our excursion. Until next time,
Terry and Glen
1 comment:
Sounds and looks amazing! I am one of those that would probably not do well on those narrow parts of the hike, but I think I could work through it!! Glad you guys are having fun!!
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