Just as we are about to get on the road to kick off our ten day trip to the Canadian Rockies it starts to pour. The ten day forecast calls for chilly temperatures, rain, and clouds. Sounds like standard PNW fall weather, so why not start fall a little early? We drive in an incessant rain for the entire five hour drive to Bellingham, Washington, where we spend the night. We wake early and get on the road. The drive to the US-Canada border is beautiful. Clouds and fog hang low in the valley and the sun that breaks through illuminates the striking Northern Cascades.
We enter into Canada and I am once again captivated by the scenery. Fog clings to the evergreen forests and mountains tower above the highway - we have a momentary reprieve from the rain before it begins pouring again... for the remainder of our seven hour drive to Mount Robson Provincial Park. To get us in the mountain spirit we listen to John Krakauer's Eiger Dreams. To lighten our moods after driving in hours of rain, we listen to Tina Fey's Bossypants and find ourselves in tears a few times from laughter. I don't have to ask Lindsay to know that we are both a little nervous about the weather. Although we are certainly not fair weather hikers, the thought of backpacking two nights in the pouring rain is not appealing.
Thankfully, when we arrive at Mount Robson Provincial Park Visitor's Center, the rain lets up. It's almost as if we are in the rain shadow of the nearby mountains, protected from the elements. I'm relieved. We speak with a park warden who gives us the rundown. She reminds us not to worry if we are attacked by a bear because, "you'll only be five minutes away from other people." And that's supposed to be comforting. We laugh uneasily. According to the warden, grizzly bears are not common on the Berg Lake Trail, although she said a curious grizzly had wandered over to Snowbird Pass a few days prior from Jasper National Park and scared the shit out of a hiker while he was napping. We won't go there.
After our mandatory orientation at the Visitor's Center, we are on our way at around 3 pm. We have an 11 km hike to Whitehorn Campground. The trail begins with a bridge that crosses the Robson River. I am immediately struck by the color of the water. It's a gorgeous milky teal color. We hike through an old growth forest along the river, encountering many hikers returning from day hikes to Kinney Lake. A few miles in, we reach Kinney Lake.
At 3,954 meters (12,972 feet), Mount Robson is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies and it towers over nearby mountains. It rises an impressive, magnificent 7,500 feet from Berg Lake. The scenery we encounter along the Berg Lake Trail is stunning. At times I feel like I am in a rainforest. On this particular day, though, we have no views of the mountain.
Brief pack break above Kinney Lake.
We continue onwards. The trail follows the shore of Kinney Lake and eventually along the river bed. A light rain begins falling so we pick up our pace.
We reach Whitehorn Campground just as a steady rain begins falling. About 20 campers huddle under the cooking shelter around picnic tables. We set camp as fast as we can as fog begins settling in the valley. We make dinner under the shelter and play a game of cribbage before calling it a night. I enjoy the communal focus of the campground and the positive energy. Despite the rain and cold people are smiling and having a great time. We meet folks from all over - Canada, the states, Europe.
Rain falls all night but we are cozy and dry in our tent. In the morning we are in no rush and take our time with our coffee and oatmeal. I wander to the river and watch the fog.
After a leisurely breakfast we tear down camp as fast as possible because the rain has picked up. The trail follows the river for a short time and then begins climbing steeply through the Valley of a Thousand Falls. Views are limited but I don't mind. This place is still stunning.
The sky lightens a little and we catch glimpses of blue sky. Imagine that!
We pass a number of groups of backpackers returning from Berg Lake. All lament the rain and many, it seems, never caught views of Mount Robson. We hope to get lucky. We continue to climb steeply for a few miles. We pass a number of impressive waterfalls, including the Falls of the Pool, pictured below.
We hop on a short spur trail to see the impressive, massive Emperor Falls. The spray from the falls is intense so our stay is brief. No photo does this falls or any of the scenery along the trail any justice.
Emperor Falls.
After Emperor Falls the trail climbs very steeply and passes the Emperor Falls Campground. Soon, we reach the upper valley and the trail flattens out.
The final push to Berg Lake.
When we reach Berg Lake we know we still have a few kilometers before we reach the Berg Lake Campground and shelter. We are ready to eat lunch, dry off and warm up in the enclosed shelter. We arrive at the lake and clouds still hang pretty low. The shelter is so cozy and warm. We savor a lunch of avocado and cheese sandwiches and dried mango. We hang our wet clothes to dry.
After lunch, we leave the shelter and walk down to the lake. The weather has improved significantly, to our delight.
The first of many, many selfies.
We savor the views for some time before heading another kilometer up the lake to our campsite at Rearguard Campground. (Campground entails tent pads, a privy, bear boxes, and a cooking station with wash bins.) Naturally, as is our luck on this trip, it starts to rain a bit but the precipitation subsides before we set camp.
There is one other couple camped here - and they appear to be in their tent. I suspect they've been in it all day taking refuge from the rain. Missing all of the beauty around them. Why hike 22 km to sit in your tent all day? That's what rain gear is for...
Meanwhile, the clouds begin to lift and more of Mount Robson's impressive Emperor Face is revealed.
“Mount Robson is not only the highest mountain in the Canadian Rocky Mountains but one of the great mountains of the world, and deserving of inclusion in any select list on account of many striking characteristics and a form, beauty, and grandeur transcending any other of the greater peaks of the Rockies… The mountain is unique, and its massive precipices, seamed with different-coloured rock strata, enhance it in both beauty and stature.”
This is the view from our campsite. No, really.
Before dinner we hike up to Toboggan Falls to take in the views of the lake and valley from a different perspective. Water flows over rock slabs and over time has carved beautiful formations into the rock. We watch as warm light hits Rearguard Mountain and the peak of Mount Robson dances with the clouds. Every now and then we catch glimpses of the snowy peak against the blue sky. We stand in awe of the beauty of this place.
“Oh what a glorious sight he was that day we first saw him. There, buttressed across the whole valley and more, with his high flung crest manteled with a thousand ages of snow, Mount Robson shouldered his way into the eternal solitudes thousands of feet higher than the surrounding mountains.”
We walk back to the lake to filter water before dinner. The sun has set now and twilight sets in. The shelter is pleasantly warm and cozy. We enjoy an IPA (worth the extra weight!) chilled by the frigid lake water over dinner and a game of cribbage. Before long we notice the other three groups are also playing cribbage! We warm our socks and boots by the wood stove. I am grateful for the shelter and opportunity to warm up away from the elements.
Gradually over the next hour each group packs up and heads to their tents. A guy wanders in and remarks that he has just completed the Continental Divide trek after starting July 4 weekend in Glacier National Park. We talk for a few minutes before saying goodnight. I am surprised by how little he is carrying.
Before making the one kilometer walk in the dark along the lakeshore back to our tent I wander down to the shore of Berg Lake. Clouds hang low over the mountain. There is a bit of a chill to the air. It is a beautiful night. I can tell there is an ocean of stars just beyond the layer of clouds.
In the morning we wake to low hanging clouds settled over the lake and nearby mountains. Just a small piece of Berg Glacier is visible. We hear our neighbors arguing about something - I can only suspect it is about the weather. Over some laughs Lindsay and I talk about how grateful we are to have a shared passion - backpacking - and to be in this beautiful place together despite rain and clouds.
As we tear down our tent I notice the clouds are lifting slowly and sunlight breaks through the over the mountains. I see some blue sky and smile. Before breakfast, we stop at the lake to skip rocks. Every time we've come to this spot on the shore the view has been different. I love this about the mountains. Nothing is ever the same - every feature and element is always changing, always in flux, yet always beautiful.
The shelter is bustling this morning, full of campers and hikers eating breakfast. We make breakfast on the porch and watch as the clouds lift and blue sky emerges. Mount Robson appears - the most of this formidable mountain we've seen since arriving at Berg Lake - yet the elusive peak remains shrouded by clouds. I will miss this beautiful place.
“On every side the snowy heads of mighty hills crowded round, whilst, immediately behind us, a giant among giants, and immeasurably supreme, rose Robson’s Peak.”
We set a quick pace knowing we have 14 miles ahead of us. I enjoy the blue sky and mountain views as we walk along the lake.
Descending through the Valley of a Thousand Falls. The Robson River tumbles down multiple waterfalls before carving through the valley below.
We stop at the Whitehorn shelter for lunch. Lindsay filters water from the Robson River so we can have a bowl of soup with our avocado and cheese sandwiches.
Kinney Lake reflection. We are surprised at how different the lake looks compared to our first sight of it a few days earlier. We drop our packs and skip rocks.
“I believe it is in the interest of our nation to protect the game and forests and flora and all such of those great mountain features.”
Taking in the beauty of Kinney Lake and the surrounding scenery.
Saying goodbye to Kinney Lake. Mount Robson's peak is just visible.
When we arrive at the trailhead we drop our packs, take off our boots and socks and plunge our feet into the frigid Robson River. I know our feet will thank us later - especially, with a whole week of hiking, backpacking, and exploring Jasper, Banff, and Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park ahead of us. While we are sad to leave this beautiful provincial park, we are excited for the next seven days of adventure.
Mount Robson is truly a magnificent, majestic mountain and the beauty of the surrounding landscape is unparalleled. This park is a true gem to be protected, cherished, and visited for years to come.
“There is a wonderful fascination about mountains. Their massive grandeur, majesty of lofty height, splendour of striking outline - crag and pinnacle and precipice - seem to appeal both to he intellect and to the inmost soul of man, and to compel a mingled reverence and love... More especially is this the case where snow and glacier combine to add a hundred fold to all the other charms and glories of the peaks. Their inspiration almost overwhelms one...”
