2015 04.26-04.28 * Lake Magog backpacking

PanShiBo

Two of us backpacked Bryant Creek Trail to Lake Magog in Mt. Assiniboine Provincial Park (and back). Nice weather and conditions! 8)

Trip's Statistics:
Distance, return: 49 km
Days: 3 (2 nights)
Gear: microspikes, snowshoes

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PanShiBo

On the way to Canmore we stopped at Lake Louise, which was frozen.

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Wildlife on the road.

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Our GPS track:

Day 1 - Red - 13.5 km, stayed in Bryant Creek Shelter
Day 2 - Green - 11 km Lake Magog, stayed in Naiset Hut
Day 3 - Blue +Red - 24.5 km - hike out

PanShiBo

This trip was very similar to our recent trip to  Crater Lake in many respects: same driving distance (1,800 km), trail length (~50 km), elevation gain (~800 m), trip duration (2 nights) and the fact that there were zero other people in the entire vicinity - yes, Assiniboine Lodge was completely empty of anybody - it was officially closed for business till June. :)

Photo: Sundance Range

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Enjoying the 100% solitude . . . （哦，除了小小动物的偷窥之外）

海泉湾

到班夫啦，够远的，景色很美。

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PanShiBo

Birthday cake was very tasty. 8)

PanShiBo

Just because http://www.avalanche.ca/ stopped issuing public avalanche forecasts doesn't mean alpine is safe out there in BC. On the contrary, it was very unsafe in several places. At elevation 2,000 m at Assiniboine pass the tourist trail was run over by rather large slabs in several places, and it was below tree line and in between trees! Despite low snow levels it avalanched pretty much everywhere - we heard rather impressive roar of a few slides on the way back. On a side note, this coming weekend I would be very skeptical setting my foot on any spring snow unless it is 100% flat all around. Be safe. 8)

Photo: entering Assiniboine Pass, Bryant Creek Trail. The slopes at the back despite low snow levels avalanched next day.

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First night we stayed at Bryant Creek Shelter.

Photo: Bryant Creek Shelter, Banff National Park.

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We arrived at Lake Magog on April 27, 2015. There were nobody else around, quite surreal feeling to be in such popular resort-like place - two of us were the only people on the entire stretch of Bryant Creek trail (and probably beyond that), the lodge was locked and the window sign read "Closed till June". Only one shy marten was circling around us checking for food. 8)

Photo: Assiniboine Lodge huts below Mt. Assiniboine. Mt. Magog on the left.

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Photo: The queen of the southern Rockies, Mt. Assiniboine rising above frozen Lake Magog, taken on 2015.04.28

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The entire area was empty. It was very quiet. Only one shy marten (貂) was popping here and there hoping for food.

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North Ridge is a "standard" alpine route to the top of Mt. Assiniboine.

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Photo: Naiset Point, Mt. Assiniboine Prov. Park, BC

"Naiset" is said to be the First Nations word for "sunset."

Taken on April-28, 2015. We took Bryant Creek Trail to Lake Magog believing it was safe from avalanches (it was not). Two of us followed someone's footprints, the person definitely knew the place, and he carried no snowshoes neither did use trek poles. He postholed every 10th step or so. The prints ended at the lodge and never returned. The lodge was empty and the sign read "Closed till June". Next day it was a lot warmer and we sank badly in isothermic snow even wearing snowshoes, I wonder how far that lone man would have gotten in such conditions.

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Snowshoes made from branches. We found them abandoned on Bryant Creek Trail.

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Mt. Assiniboine over Lake Magog.

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We stayed 2nd night in one of the Naiset Huts.