Saturday, September 6, 2008

2008_September 3 Waterton Lakes, Alberta - Hike to Crypt Lake

Canadian Pacific Railway Hotel, at the foot of Waterton Lake.
This ferry will take us across the lake for the start of our hike. We needed to be sure to get back at the end by 5:30pm or we'd have a looong walk back to this end of the lake.

A beautiful hike through climbing woodlands. The trees become more stunted as we climb, passing though the sub-alpine, then ultimately into the alpine zone above.

Looking back down the trail.



Okay, now we;ve crossed a few rock ledges, climbed an 8' steel ladder bolted to the cliff face and now have to scramble through this tunnel. After that, a cable is bolted to the rock to assure the hiker as you continue up across a long rock face and up a few more ledges before attaining solid footing for the remainder of the hike.

See the mountain goats at the top of the grassy slope, just beneath the rock flutes? These guys are up about 1,500 feet above us, but safe in their grazing from the mountain lions that prey on the sheep at lower elevations.




The cool evenings have started to bring out the color in the aspen and other deciduous trees.





We make it back to the dock in time to catch the boat.

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