Skyline Trail, Jasper NP, Jul 11-13 2008

Bob Beck, Jim Beck

Jim bought himself a pile of decent gear after my taking him into Turbine Canyon last year, and was dying to go hiking. With a weekend to do it in, we left at noon friday from edmonton with two cars, left one at the northern trailhead and drove up to Maligne Lake - hitting the southern trailhead at 5 PM. We hiked 13 km to snowbowl on the friday, had dinner and camped. The next day we did 18 km from Snowbowl Campground across Big Shovel and Little Shovel passes, to Tekkara Campground, arriving just in time to shelter from a downpour, which broke by 8 pm allowing us to eat dinner and then have an early night. We got up the next morning and did the 6 km of nice stuff around signal mountain, followed by the 9 km trudge down the old fire road to the northern trailhead.

Weather was intermittent cloud, with bits of sun. Not too bad, although no Mount Robson visible from the top this time.

From the trailhead a quick vehicle shuttle was followed by dodging sheep feeding tourons on the road, to have dinner at the L & W restaurant (good food and just trashy enough to go into in stinky hiking clothes) in Hinton, and the drive back to Edmonton Sunday evening, arriving home at about 7:30 PM.

Gear and Notes

  New trailhead sign at northern trailhead Jim at Evelyn Creek Evelyn Creek  
  New trailhead sign at northern trailhead Jim at Evelyn Creek Evelyn Creek

  This Black Dog was sent by my niece paige So I would have an animal to sleep with  
  This Black Dog was sent by my niece paige So I would have an animal to sleep with

  Guarding my trekking pole Trail climbing out of Evelyn creek  
  Guarding my trekking pole Trail climbing out of Evelyn creek

  The Bald Hills froom the trail.  
  The Bald Hills froom the trail.

   
 

  Looking back toward Maligne Lake  
  Looking back toward Maligne Lake

  Opal Peak on the left.  
  Opal Peak on the left.

  Approaching Little Shovel Pass. The bottom of Little Shovel pass with sun shining. I head toward Little shovel with the sinking sun.  
  Approaching Little Shovel Pass. The bottom of Little Shovel pass with sun shining. I head toward Little shovel with the sinking sun.

  Crossing the first of many drifts still left.  
  Crossing the first of many drifts still left.

  Sun rays in Little Shovel Pass.  
  Sun rays in Little Shovel Pass.

   
 

  last look back at the Maligne Lake area.  
  last look back at the Maligne Lake area.

   
 

   
 

  Snowball tracks from recent blizzard.  
  Snowball tracks from recent blizzard.

  Me at Little Shovel pass.  
  Me at Little Shovel pass.

  Descending into the Snow Bowl.  
  Descending into the Snow Bowl.

   
 

  Rock Hopping.  
  Rock Hopping.

   
 

  Sun setting in snowbowl. My hammock site in snowbowl campground.  
  Sun setting in snowbowl. My hammock site in snowbowl campground.

  Just before sunrise in snowbowl Jim's new digs - SMD Lunar Solo Morning was very frosty. Hard frost everywhere.  
  Just before sunrise in snowbowl Jim's new digs - SMD Lunar Solo Morning was very frosty. Hard frost everywhere.

  Sun slowly comes up behind mountains Jim's brand new Caldera Cone.  
  Sun slowly comes up behind mountains Jim's brand new Caldera Cone.

  Versus my old ratty Penny Stove. View from the breakfast table in snowbowl CG New skyline throne - these replaced old ones last year.  
  Versus my old ratty Penny Stove. View from the breakfast table in snowbowl CG New skyline throne - these replaced old ones last year.

  The sign and View from the throne in snowbowl.  
  The sign and "Lumpy" are new this year. View from the throne in snowbowl.

  Leaving snowbowl CG.  
  Leaving snowbowl CG.

  Looking across the Snow Bowl towards big shovel pass on the right.  
  Looking across the Snow Bowl towards big shovel pass on the right.

   
 

   
 

   
 

   
 

  Trail level view across snowbowl.  
  Trail level view across snowbowl.

   
 

   
 

  Posing in melt cave.  
  Posing in melt cave.

  We were too early for most of the flowers in snowbowl.  
  We were too early for most of the flowers in snowbowl.

   
 

   
 

   
 

  Black dog checks out the flowers.  
  Black dog checks out the flowers.

  Old grizzly track.  
  Old grizzly track.

   
 

   
 

  The trail up to big shovel pass.  
  The trail up to big shovel pass.

   
 

  Big Shovel Pass View of the notch from Big Shovel pass.  
  Big Shovel Pass View of the notch from Big Shovel pass.

  we're heading for that notch.  
  we're heading for that notch.

   
 

  heading towards the notch and curator lake.  
  heading towards the notch and curator lake.

  looking back at big shovel pass.  
  looking back at big shovel pass.

  the start of the ascent to the notch.  
  the start of the ascent to the notch.

  Moss Campion.  
  Moss Campion.

  The red rocks.  
  The red rocks.

  Marmot the trail heads past curator lake and up.  
  Marmot the trail heads past curator lake and up.

  Marmot posing.  
  Marmot posing.

  Golden Mantle Squirrel More squirrel..  
  Golden Mantle Squirrel More squirrel..

  little tarn, last water before climb - we filled up here.  
  little tarn, last water before climb - we filled up here.

  Cornice on the notch.  
  Cornice on the notch.

  Last bit of climb across snow. Too busy concentrating to take more pictures of this. At the top of the notch, looking back over curator and big shovel looking toward whistlers and jasper. Athabasca valley from the notch.  
  Last bit of climb across snow. Too busy concentrating to take more pictures of this. At the top of the notch, looking back over curator and big shovel looking toward whistlers and jasper. Athabasca valley from the notch.

  Mt Edith Cavell from the notch. Dont walk there. it's a long drop.  
  Mt Edith Cavell from the notch. Dont walk there. it's a long drop.

  Cavell..  
  Cavell..

   
 

  looking back down to curator lake - you can see the trail. Jim at the notch. Me at the notch.  
  looking back down to curator lake - you can see the trail. Jim at the notch. Me at the notch.

  Me wandering around the notch saddle. Time to find the warm stuff. it's cold up here.  
  Me wandering around the notch saddle. Time to find the warm stuff. it's cold up here.

   
 

  starting out towards amber mountain from the notch.  
  starting out towards amber mountain from the notch.

  hikers heading towards the notch. skyline ambles across the mountaintops.  
  hikers heading towards the notch. skyline ambles across the mountaintops.

   
 

   
 

   
 

   
 

  Jim has the skyline grin - he hasn't hiked this before.  
  Jim has the skyline grin - he hasn't hiked this before.

  Marmot basin ski area from the skyline. Obligatory self photo.  
  Marmot basin ski area from the skyline. Obligatory self photo.

  The correct way to pee in 80km/hr winds is facing away from it. The watchtower.  
  The correct way to pee in 80km/hr winds is facing away from it. The watchtower.

  skyline is a pretty nice ridgewalk. Plenty of snow, even in july.  
  skyline is a pretty nice ridgewalk. Plenty of snow, even in july.

   
 

   
 

  Southward view from the top of skyline.  
  Southward view from the top of skyline.

  little avy from recent blizzard.  
  little avy from recent blizzard.

  Jasper townsite comes into view.  
  Jasper townsite comes into view.

  Me at the apex of skyline on amber mountain.  
  Me at the apex of skyline on amber mountain.

   
 

  Jim with Mount Tekkara Me and Tekkara.  
  Jim with Mount Tekkara Me and Tekkara.

  more snow to cross heading down into the Tekkara basin  
  more snow to cross heading down into the Tekkara basin

   
 

  Switchbacks heading down into Tekkara basin.  
  Switchbacks heading down into Tekkara basin.

  Tekkara is imposing.  
  Tekkara is imposing.

   
 

   
 

  Dodging a huge drift to hit trail again, I did a small butt glissade at the bottom of that patch. The descent into Tekkara.  
  Dodging a huge drift to hit trail again, I did a small butt glissade at the bottom of that patch. The descent into Tekkara.

  Hello mister marmot.  
  Hello mister marmot.

   
 

   
 

  The big glacial erratic on the way down.  
  The big glacial erratic on the way down.

   
 

   
 

   
 

  trail descends through the alpine to tekkara. Marmot butt.  
  trail descends through the alpine to tekkara. Marmot butt.

  mount Tekkara - approaching the campground. storms threaten. Got my tarp up just as it started. Timing!  
  mount Tekkara - approaching the campground. storms threaten. Got my tarp up just as it started. Timing!

  Sitting in my hammock watching the rain, and Jim's Lunar Solo. A break in the rain, so out for dinner.  
  Sitting in my hammock watching the rain, and Jim's Lunar Solo. A break in the rain, so out for dinner.

  Morning view of Tekkara - note the typical sized mosquito landing on top. Jim brought cereal, and shared, so I have a little Captain in me. (Crunch, not Morgan) Sunny departure from tekkara campground.  
  Morning view of Tekkara - note the typical sized mosquito landing on top. Jim brought cereal, and shared, so I have a little Captain in me. (Crunch, not Morgan) Sunny departure from tekkara campground.

  tekkara CG bear pole  
  tekkara CG bear pole

   
 

   
 

  skyline heads around signal mountain.  
  skyline heads around signal mountain.

  Me, with the athabasca and yellowhead highway below.  
  Me, with the athabasca and yellowhead highway below.

  The back side of Mount Tekkara from signal.  
  The back side of Mount Tekkara from signal.

   
 

   
 

   
 

   
 

   
 

  that little blob of buildings is the maligne canyon centre, near the trailhead. Athabasca, and Highway 16  
  that little blob of buildings is the maligne canyon centre, near the trailhead. Athabasca, and Highway 16

  Last year all the englemann spruce had cones - just remnants this year.  
  Last year all the englemann spruce had cones - just remnants this year.

  skyline sign at signal campground. an old fire road descends from signal campground to the trailhead.  
  skyline sign at signal campground. an old fire road descends from signal campground to the trailhead.

  the fire road is a trudge. bear poop. there was about a pile per kilometer heading down from signal CG  
  the fire road is a trudge. bear poop. there was about a pile per kilometer heading down from signal CG

   
 

  plenty of elk poop as well.  
  plenty of elk poop as well.

  Trailhead comes into view. Great Divide Trail sign at the northern end of skyline.  
  Trailhead comes into view. Great Divide Trail sign at the northern end of skyline.

  Bighorns stopping tourons on the highway. Medecine lake - heading back up to get my car. Maligne lake lot, full of land yachts.  
  Bighorns stopping tourons on the highway. Medecine lake - heading back up to get my car. Maligne lake lot, full of land yachts.

  heading out, quick shot of maligne lake from bridge. Tourons blocking the road for sheep. Grr. Signal mountain and athabasca river from the road.  
  heading out, quick shot of maligne lake from bridge. Tourons blocking the road for sheep. Grr. Signal mountain and athabasca river from the road.

  More sheep/touron traffic jams.  
  More sheep/touron traffic jams.

  Apres Hike supper at the L&W in Hinton.  
  Apres Hike supper at the L&W in Hinton.

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