Sun, Aug 23 2009 - Bow Peak (View Original Event Details)
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Do you know how far a pitcher of Honeybrown can take you...? Apparently, all the way to the summit of Bow Peak :-)
For the majority of the group today, Bow Peak was a first time visit that did not disappoint. Rated as a "premier" hike/scramble, one can easily understand why once the summit is reached as you get beautiful 360 degree views - a feast to the eyes between Bow Lake, Hector Lake, Mini-Hector Lake, Balfour Mountain, The Dolomites, Balfour Glacier, Cirque Peak and the list goes on. From the top, one gets a different perspective of Bow Lake & Hector Lake as they sparkle in the distance and look much bigger than initially thought.
Before reaching the summit, there was no shortage of entertainment as you start the day with a river crossing (hang on to those poles!), hike through the forest while glimpsing at Bow Lake and the valley, fight the occasional fierce wind at Crowfoot Pass, figure out the best scramble route to get you to the false summit then eventually make your way to the real summit. Absolutely beautiful !
Ideally you are a "boulder lover" like me and have fun while hiking up. Despite some hail/corn snow just after lunch, we were blessed with some sunny weather for the day hence the reason why we spent about 40 minutes at the top. The descent was another matter as scree is not always everyone's best friend... Given the fact that the scree was fairly unstable especially in the upper part, it was more challenging for some of us so we took our time. We split into three groups led by Marta, Kevin and Marcel for the descent to ensure it was done as safely as possible. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their patience with the descent. On the way back, Rao counted 79 fallen trees on the trail hence adding more exercise to the day. We were treated to the river crossing once again on the way back and those toes / feet were sooooooo happy ! The currents were stronger on the way back as the river crossing had water up to our knees. Just remember not to look further down to the rapids...
Another COC event with great company where we had a mix of familiar and not so familiar faces. Special thanks to Marcel for leading us through the boulders and scree and allowing us to discover this beautiful area - the trip was totally worth the wait and the Honeybrown ! On the way back, we all went to the Lake Louise Hostel / Bill Peyto's Cafe for dinner & drinks. Thank you to all the drivers, Kevin, David and Marcel.
Have a fabulous week and hope to see you on the happy trails again. Until then, be happy, stay healthy and keep smiling.
Veronique