5:30 AM. Daylight already. Lupe was wide awake. Soon SPHP was, too. It was August 1, 2013, Day 23 of Lupe’s 2013 Dingo Vacation to the Beartooths & Canada. This was to be Lupe’s last full day in Canada. Yesterday she had already started heading S from the Mount Robson area to begin the trip back home. Before leaving Canada, Lupe and SPHP still had a few places to go and things to see. It was good to be up early!
Shortly after 6:00 AM, SPHP was parking the G6 at the Peyto Lake parking lot near Bow Pass on the Icefields Parkway Highway No. 93. Although the Peyto Lake observation deck at the end of a short paved path is a very popular tourist destination, no one else was around this early in the day. The G6 was the only vehicle in the parking lot. It wouldn’t stay that way for very long. Lupe and SPHP took the short path to see Peyto Lake.
There used to be a lookout tower at Bow Summit. After admiring the view of Peyto Lake and the Mistaya River valley from the observation deck, Lupe and SPHP went in search of the old fire lookout service road. SPHP had brought along the following note summarizing instructions on how to get to Bow Summit from research done online:
“From the Peyto Lake overlook, take the right hand of two paved trails leading uphill. After 100 meters, there will be a 3 way junction at an interpretive sign. Continue on the middle branch angling uphill to the left of the sign (this is part of the upper nature trail). In a few minutes, the paved nature trail will continue on to the right, but continue straight on the old fire lookout service road.”
Soon Lupe was trotting happily on up the road to the old fire lookout. It was a gorgeous morning with views to match. After gaining 760 feet of elevation, Lupe and SPHP reached the end of the road at Bow Summit. There were wonderful views to the N back toward the Mistaya River valley and Waterfowl Lakes. The best views to the S toward Bow Lake and beyond were a little farther on.
The views at Bow Summit were wonderful, amazing and incredible. It was hard not to feel sad that Lupe had to leave Canada. The views weren’t the only thing that were amazing and incredible, though. Amazing and incredible swarms of not-so-wonderful mosquitoes started plaguing Lupe and SPHP within just a minute or two of arriving at Bow Summit.
Although Lupe doesn’t like strong winds, a good stiff breeze would have been welcome. As it was, Lupe and SPHP tired very quickly of serving as local blood banks. The mosquitoes had been only a minor annoyance while moving on the way up, but they were intolerable staying put in any one place. Definitely time to be moving on. Two hours after leaving the G6, Lupe and SPHP were back at the now bustling Peyto Lake parking lot.
After Bow Summit, Lupe went on one more outing in the Canadian Rockies. Near the high point on Hwy 93 heading W toward Kootenay National Park in British Columbia, there was a trailhead for Boom Lake. The trail was only 5.1 km to Boom Lake, which was perfect for the limited time Lupe had to spend.
At the trailhead parking lot, Lupe met a skinny 7 month old black lab puppy named Geeko. Lupe and Geeko played with each other in the parking lot, and each time they met along the trail.
SPHP met a Canadian biologist from Winnipeg along the way. When SPHP learned the biologist had hiked more than 2,000 km of trails in the Canadian Rockies, SPHP asked for recommendations on day hikes. The biologist recommended a trail quite near by, which goes to the Stanley Glacier. Lupe didn’t have time to check it out this trip, but SPHP hopes some day she will.
By the time Lupe and SPHP reached Boom Lake, it was raining and foggy. It looked like a beautiful spot, but Lupe would have to return under better conditions to explore further and get some photos worthy of the area. Lupe had fun, but she was a rather soggy doggie by the time she completed the trek back to the G6.
Lupe and SPHP enjoyed a wonderful drive through scenic Kootenay National Park, but made no more stops until reaching Radium Hot Springs. Lupe had to wait in the G6 at Radium Hot Springs, while SPHP went in to get cleaned up and bask in the warm mineral waters.
SPHP returned from the Radium Hot Springs clean and refreshed. Cleanliness always boosts SPHP’s spirits, especially while traveling. It was time to get serious about making some progress getting home! Lupe was in for a good time – after all, the cows and horses in Montana alone were going to provide at least 500 miles of frenzied Dingo barking pleasure!
Links:
Peyto Lake & Lupe’s Search for the Peyto Glacier (7-26-13)
Bow Lake & The Trail to Bow Glacier Falls (7-25-13)
Book Review: Ain’t it Hell, Bill Peyto’s Mountain Journal
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