15 Members rendezvoused at Whistlers Campground just south of Jasper on Saturday August 30/03. On Sunday most of us hiked Whistler’s Trail to the top of the Jasper Tramway, we encountered some curious marmots and some not so curious picas. Maureen and Jackie opted for horseback riding at Jasper Park Lodge.
On Monday we split into two groups with ours starting out at the Portal Creek trailhead. Our group was very ably led by Joan and Arnold. The rest of our group included Mike R., Aaron, Donna and Collin and Jackie and Fred. We hiked 9 km to Portal Creek campground. Incredible views as we skirted the valley en route. We crossed a fair expanse of rockfall beneath Peveril Peak. At Portal Creek campground we had the company of a porcupine, Jackie decided to call him “ George”. We awoke the next A.M. to frosty temperatures and were glad to catch the sun’s warmth as it filled the valley.
Nine km later we arrived at Maccarib campground. We had climbed up and over Maccarib Pass at the headwaters of Maccarib Creek. The trail followed yet another beautiful valley. Maccarib was my favorite spot with the vista it offered on the easterly edge of the Tonquin Valley. We observed the final resting place of one Percy Hamilton Goodair buried here in 1929. Several of the group did an after dinner hike just north of here and were rewarded with an awesome view of Amethyst Lake and the Ramparts to the south west. Haze from BC forest fires was quite evident. Day three was another gem. We hiked 3 km to Amethyst Lake campground. A short time later we rendezvoused with the other seven backpackers led by Eldon. We dined and we exchanged stories and some of us even went for a dip into Amethyst Lake. It was chilly and most invigorating. After parting ways we ended up at Clitheroe campground. Nestled in the trees as it was made one think we were back in RMNP. It was only a 6 km day so some of us hiked to Surprise Point, a 4 km return trip. A delightful spot near the mouth of the Astoria River.
We left Clitheroe mid A.M. and did lunch 4 km later at Switchback campground. This was our next designated campsite but we carried on another 5 km to a packhorse rest stop. En route we negotiated 15 or so switch backs as we skirted a huge rock fall on the side of Old Horn Mountain. We camped well off the trail because this campsite was not a designated campsite. Mike said he heard rocks tumbling down in the middle of the night. On Friday all were up early and we completed the last 8km around lunch, well within view of Mt. Edith Cavell. We drove up the valley to see the Angel Glacier on Mt. Edith Cavell. On awesome site complete with a glacial lake and icebergs. Lunch beckoned and Jasper was our destination.
We then met up with Eldon’s group at Miette Hot Springs. The water was divine and a celebration was in order. We were Brandon bound the next A.M.
Alf Stanley