Iceline - Celeste Lake - Yoho Valley loop

Just getting caught up on posting some of my adventures from this summer...

In August I spent a few weeks in the Canadian Rockies, and if there's any place in the world that has more spectacular and varied hikes than here, I challenge you to tell me about it.

I started the Iceline hike a bit later in the day than I'd intended. I had planned to hit the trail in the afternoon, with the hopes of catching Takkakaw Falls with the late-day light that's more favorable for photography, but I got delayed by some unexpectedly nice views at Moraine Lake in Banff National Park, so it wasn't until after sunset that I returned to the Falls. But I'm getting ahead of myself...

The Iceline Trail starts and ends at the Takkakaw Falls. They were spectacular, but I didn't take any pics as I set out on my hike. "Later," I told myself, since my folks had already taken many of those shots. So across to the Whiskey Jack Hostel, and up the trail I went. Steep at first, the trail switchbacked up and up and up... And the view of Takkakaw Falls kept on improving. And suddenly, I was clear of the trees.

Takakkaw Falls from up high

The Iceline trail is justifiably popular and well-traveled, although due to my late start I saw only a few people, all going the other way. (Hmmm... Did they know something I didn't?) The views of the surrounding mountain ranges and valleys - and yes, the Falls - were magnificent. Unfortunately, as I reached the high point of the trail I looked up to see ominous clouds spilling over the mountain's peak, and I was encouraged to find the quickest way down. The "quickest way" - and I mean quick, as I was chased by the darkening sky and the splatter of fat raindrops on the rocks - essentially meant running down the trail to Lake Celeste, and the subsequent trek along the Yoho Valley back to my car. As luck would have it, the thunderstorm never did more than threaten, and the rain had subsided to a light, steady drizzle once I was off the exposed slopes. Traveling at a more relaxed pace, the Celeste Lake trail was quite pleasant with lush sub-alpine meadows and forests everywhere. At one point near the peak of the Iceline trail I had looked down on a meadow and thought to myself, "I hope the trail goes down there"; and lo and behold, forty-five minutes later I was striding through that very same verdant meadow, crossing merrily babbling brooks, under the stern eye of an unidentified raptor. It was magical, but since I had packed my camera to keep it out of the rain, I've got no pictures to share. Ah well, that's one sight that's for me alone!

Life on the edge

The trail became substantially easier as I descended, and by the time I had reached Laughing Falls and turned on to the Yoho Valley Trail, it was flat, wide - and quite frankly - boring. Ah well, at least the lack of challenge allowed me to make good time on it, which is just as well. Remember the late start that I had alluded to at the beginning of this post? Well, despite the speed I was able to maintain on this final part of the trek, I missed the evening light on Takakkaw Falls, and only caught the last of the sun's rays as they crept up the cliff face.

Sun's last light falling on Takakkaw Falls

I suppose there's always next year; after all, this is a trail that I wouldn't hesitate to hike again.