Day 1, July 16, 2022, Boulder, CO to Bighorn Mountains, WY; National Forest, West Tensleep Lake
We departed from Boulder shortly before 9 am, only making one u-turn to go grab a spare wiper from the garage. It was a long day in the van, but as expected, Logan did very well. Having a trial road trip under our belts, we left with confidence that we can make this an enjoyable trip for all of us. We will try to intersperse our longer travel days with “nature days” where we get to spend more time outside. While there will be a lot to figure out along the way, and adaptations we need to make to ensure the experience is positive, we are flexible and ready to make those adjustments. We are thankful we get to spend this quality time together as a family in such close quarters and any of the downsides or potential negative impacts of road tripping for 10 weeks will be outweighed by the bonds we strengthen as a family, the adventures we have, and the memories we create. We do wish Logan would be able to remember them all but are hoping we can capture some of the really special moments in photos and that he will remember through the stories shared.
We made one quick stop north of Laramie to make coffee and eat brunch. With the surge in gas and diesel prices, we knew this trip would be pricy. With our van loaded, it is currently averaging just over 20 mpg, and we figure we are paying roughly $0.30/mile. I had a short-term seasonal job this spring/summer helping prep backpacking food for Skurka Adventures. We’ve decided to use the earnings from this job as our “gas card” for the trip…hopefully it lasts!
As we entered the Bighorn area the terrain changed from flat to rolling hills. We passed rocks with signs letting us know they were 2.8 BILLION years old, isn’t that crazy? We got to the turnoff for West Tensleep Lake and started up the dirt road. Having learned from our Idaho trip, Charlie fashioned a foam handle bar pad for the bike nearest the door. So far it seems to be working because we don’t have another broken window on our hands (crossing our fingers this stays the case!)
We found a free camp spot that was perfect for us a ¼ mile from the trailhead. Immediately, we were thankful for our purchase of the “bug door” which is a screen that has magnets that affix to the door opening, and almost automatically shuts via magnetic closures as we enter and leave the van. The only challenging part is getting it up single-handedly, or even tougher with a baby in our hands.
We made some chicken and potatoes for dinner, letting Logan taste what he would and then took a nice evening stroll to the lake. Charlie got himself packed and ready to climb Cloud Peak, the tallest peak in the Bighorns, and one of the ultra-prom peaks I’ve recently started to learn about. At first, Charlie thought it would be too big or too selfish, but I reassured him that we needed to seize unique opportunities like this. I was excited to spend the day with Logan, and it’s not every day we’re in the Bighorn Mountains. Logan and I planned to head up to Lost Twin Lakes, as we were already missing home a little and the name intrigued us, but we’d just get ready in the morning for our adventure.
Day 2, July 17, 2022: Bighorn Mountains, WY to Little Belt Mountains, MT; National Forest, Little Belts
Today was big! In all sorts of ways. Charlie woke at 5 AM, leaving by 5:25 for a big day on Cloud Peak. I set an alarm for 6:30 AM after he left, possibly the first alarm I’d set since the White Rim. Turns out I didn’t need it because Logan woke at 6:15. After feeding him, we changed into our hiking clothes and drove the ¼ mile up the road to the trailhead. We started hiking at 7:30 following the Gaia map on my phone for the start of the trail, which turned out to be what must have been an old spur. Eventually we intercepted the well-beaten path of Trail 69 and were on our way. Logan napped in his new Osprey Poco LT hiking pack early on. We stopped at the top of the first climb to apply sunscreen and de-layer. Next stop was at a beautiful alpine lake where I found a boulder to sit on while I fed him in a secluded little cove. Logan slept again as
we ascended towards Lost Twin Lakes. I wanted to see both lakes so instead of hiking down towards the first one where we spotted tents, we took the high route
following a cairned path. Surrounding the lakes were huge granite cliffs. We found a grassy nook among the steep slopes where we could view the entire cirque. Logan picked wildflowers as he rolled around in the grass and I looked north, wondering if we could see all the way to Cloud where Charlie was. I don’t think we could as there were some other high peaks between us
and him.
After some photos and another “milk break” we retraced our steps back to the trailhead.
I wanted to get as much hiking as I could done while he was sleeping because this was quite a long hike for the little guy (6 miles, one-way; 12 miles total!) and I knew he’d be kind of sick of it by the end. I had brought the front carrier just in case but using it was a little harder on me, and hot for both of us. Even though I carry him, I think he gets quite the workout stabilizing himself. He slept, only awaking when some dogs barked at us as we rock-hopped across a stream when we were about half-way back. I was initially frustrated with the dogs, but what can you do, they’re dogs and that’s their way of communication. We continued on our way, and Logan was in an alright mood but I knew he was physically tired because he’d lean over in the carrier and his head would get “stuck” beneath the sunshade. To my surprise, he fell asleep again until we were about 1.5 miles from the trailhead. I wasn’t too concerned now if he wanted out however he was tired out, and took one final nap about ¾ mile later until we arrived at the trailhead shortly after 1:00 PM.
Upon reaching the trailhead an older lady was excited to see a baby. She shared her journey to the Bighorns which included an unexpected overnight, as she traveled from a town near the base of the Bear Tooths in Montana, bringing along an Amish community. I guess they thought the trip
was much shorter. She was very enamored by Logan, and I think Logan was excited to be done with the hike, so he pleasantly listened and interacted. I got his play mat out of the van and he enjoyed rolling around on it, picking at the dirt and pine needles surrounding him. Charlie showed up around 2:30 and we decided to hit the road shortly after towards the Little Belt Mountains.
We stopped at the Yellowstone River along
the way to make dinner, wading and dipping our heads to cool off. On the road again, we awed at the beautiful sunset in the Big Sky Country, and I looked up the different mountain ranges we passed by. As the sun was setting, we spotted Crazy Peak, a “Montaneous” climb Charlie and I had done on our first trip to the Canadian Rockies together. We almost turned off towards the Bridger Mountains shortly after, but kept on our way, eventually entering the Little Belts. It was late, and we were all tired, so we took the first National Forest Access Road we found, which wasn’t great. We found a flat enough spot to park our van for the night and quickly went to sleep.
Day 3, July 18, 2022: Little Belt Mountains, MT to East of Glacier National Park, MT; Creepy Cabin
We woke to cows as wildlife and had a lazy morning sipping coffee in the shade of our van. We got Logan’s camp chair out, which has a small tray and serves as his high chair. He played with the banana I gave him. Now that he’s 6 months, he’s ready to eat solids based on the doctor’s recommendations and public opinion. So far, he’s curious about food and seemingly enjoys the sensory experience of touching it, but unless Charlie or I put the food in his mouth, he doesn’t really consume much. I’m trying to follow the “Baby Led Weaning” philosophy of letting him feed himself and eat what we eat (as long as it’s appropriate for a baby). Hoping that this method will help prevent picky eating as he is exposed to lots of foods and flavors.
Once the morning heated up we decided to pack up camp and head on our way. Initially we were going to head straight to Great Falls and then try to find camping near Glacier National Park, but we spotted a Forest Service Road that paralleled a creek and decided it’d be nice to hang out by it for the day to escape the heat. I’ve gotten in the habit of trying to load Gaia maps for the area I’m headed before losing service. Downloading the maps takes too much time, but as long as it is loaded I can still see the map once we’re out of service. I realized that I could ride my bike up the road we were on and get on an ATV trail towards Mount Baldy, the highest peak in the Little Belts. With a late start, and travel still to be done, I decided not to ride all the way to Mount Baldy, but climbed Teepee Butte, which was a bit closer. It was nice to get some exercise after a lazy morning and before getting back in the van.
We stopped in Great Falls for groceries and diesel. Because we give Logan a bunch more new foods I figured we better have some baby Benadryl on hand, just in case he has an allergic reaction to anything. Before we left, he actually reacted to eggs. Luckily he didn’t have an anaphylactic reaction, but his eyes got really itchy and he developed a rash on his arms, face, and chest. We thought about trying to find Charlie’s Great Uncle Max’s house before leaving town, but in the sake of time got on our way. It was getting late and we wanted to find camping soon. We spotted a dirt road by a river and decided to pull in. There was an old structure that was falling apart, which kind of creeped me out, but we decided to stay as there were signs of other’s camping in the area. During one of Logan’s middle of the night feedings Charlie saw some lights, which initially scared me but as he watched he realized it was two campers setting up their hammocks in the structure itself.
Day 4, July 19, 2022: Creepy Cabin, MT to Glacier National Park, MT; Swiftcurrent Lake
We woke early with hopes of snagging one of the first come, first served campsites at Many Glacier Campground in Glacier National Park. As we passed the campground we noticed a lot of vehicles lined up on the side of the road and parked in what looked like illegal parking. We parked in the visitor center lot and walked over. They had just given out the available sites for the day, of which there were 9. The park ranger told us there were still 3 that might become available and it seemed that if they did we would qualify, however we quickly realized there were others who had been waiting in the line since 5:30 AM in front of us. Even though we didn’t get one, I’m glad we didn’t spend hours in our van waiting to find out we didn’t get one.
We had hoped to spend two nights at Many Glacier, but with that not being an option we decided to make the most of our day in this area, which was all new and exciting to me. We started by grabbing breakfast at the lodge, which allowed us to shift gears. We found Logan Pass which was on the map that covered the table. Logan enjoyed sitting at the booth and flashed smiles at the waitress. I had been planning to do a big trail run loop through the Ptarmigan Tunnel and around the mountains but because we only had the day I decided to just do an out and back to Iceberg Lake and up to Ptarmigan Tunnel. The Iceberg Lake spur was closed due to bear activity so instead I went a little further down the other side from Ptarmigan Tunnel before turning around. It was a beautiful clear day. My knee has been hurting a bit as I run so I was happy to have a slightly shorter day than initially planned.
Once I got back Charlie got ready to go up to Swiftcurrent Pass. I knew there was a trail to the summit of Swiftcurrent Peak and encouraged him to summit the peak. Again, it’s not everyday we’re in these areas. During his hike I took Logan on a short hike up the Swiftcurrent Trail to a couple of lakes. Many of the hikers returning said there were moose in the first lake so we decided to walk down to it.
As we were watching mama moose eat, which I guess she had been doing for the last 45 minutes she got out of the water. The family near me said, oh, she must be going to find her baby. She seemed to call, and all of a sudden the baby came running across the little channel that separated them. As they reunited he went to get milk from his mama. It was a pretty neat little sight to see with Logan, and shared similarities to our lives which was special. At the next lake I found a private area and fed him. We looked up towards the pass, which looked pretty steep and I thought about where Charlie must be.
When he returned we left our prime parking spot we had snagged in the morning, which was right next to the trailhead, and somewhat shaded and drove down towards Swiftcurrent Lake and found camping for the night.
Day 5, July 20, 2022: Glacier National Park, MT to Whitefish, MT, National Forest Road
Another early morning was upon us. We wanted to snag a parking spot at Logan Pass so I could run part of the Highline Trail, and possibly climb Gould Peak. There were low-lying clouds that created a blanket of fog down low, and amazing views of the sunlit peaks while we ascended towards the pass. We were happy to be early birds and snapped some sweet photos of little Logan with both Charlie and I at the pass.
Surrounded by peaks, with sheep posing for all of the tourists, we made breakfast in our van and I got ready to head out. Within 5 min of leaving the van, I was turned around by another trail closure. One of the parking attendants told me there was still avalanche debris that obstructed the trail. I was bummed as the trail looked neat, but shifted gears quickly once again. I decided to climb Swiftcurrent Peak, the same one Charlie had climbed yesterday, approaching from the east side. We hurried down the other side of the pass to snag a parking spot at the Loop Trailhead.
I felt good and held a pretty steady pace up the switchbacks to the chalet. The views of the surrounding peaks were incredible. On the final climb to the summit the wind picked up and I added a wind layer before reaching the lookout tower. I met a couple on top who were staying a couple nights in the chalet. While an incredible basecamp for some neat adventures, I’m not sure I could spend the $300/person/night for shared living quarters. There were some
marmots on top who were not a bit shy about humans. At one point I was taking a photo and one tried to steal my trekking pole. Luckily I grabbed it just in time for it not to get flung off the cliff. After soaking in the views, I scurried down back to Logan and Charlie.
We continued down the pass, stopping at the river along the way, and then heading to the north side of Macdonald Lake where we
found a secluded beach to hang out. We enjoyed a Huckleberry Cider after a quick dip to rinse off, as our clothes dried after our first batch of laundry. With the clothes still damp, we figured we better hit the road so we could pitch camp before it got too late. We headed on towards Whitefish, stopping to pick up a few things at the grocery store and fill up diesel, and then found a forest road to camp on just north of town.
Day 6, July 21, 2022: Whitefish, MT to Fernie, BC via Roobois; Hartley Lake Recreation Site
We had a lazy morning in camp before gathering our stuff and moving on towards the border. We were all excited to enter Canada, and make our way into the Canadian Rockies. We submitted our ArriveCan form the day prior, which perhaps speeds things up because we had one of the quickest entry’s I’ve ever had over the border. We found the Tim Horton’s in Fernie and ordered the classic Timbits and coffee. Logan sat in a highchair playing with his bumble bee while we checked emails, and made plans for the coming days. I found a road that headed up towards the Three Sister’s Trail, which was one of the prominent peaks seen from town. There was a camping area shortly before the
trailhead, so we decided to head there after picking up groceries.
The road up was rough, and we decided we really needed to avoid these steep dirt roads as it wasn’t the best for our van, but since we were there we might as well take advantage of the area. It was Charlie’s turn to have a bigger day out so I decided to do Muscular Endurance that afternoon, using the lake as a warm up for the workout. What was a warm up also served the purpose of cooling me down as it was really hot out and I needed to muster up the motivation and energy to complete the workout. While mentally tough to do circuit type training with weights when we are in such beautiful areas, I think these workouts have really been helping me get stronger in the mountains, especially on climbs, and I’m also trying to prevent overuse injuries as I increase mileage.
Logan has been having a difficult time getting to sleep, often waking soon after he finally falls asleep. It causes doubt, frustration, and makes all of us feel bad. From the research I’ve done, it seems unless we teach him independent sleep, the disruptions will keep happening, and unfortunately if he doesn’t learn now, it will only get tougher the longer it goes. The crutch to get him to sleep is feeding him, but
then he wants fed every hour or two, which is exhausting and doesn’t allow for quality sleep for any of us. Charlie and I agreed to let him try to fall asleep on his own, even if it caused tears. I
have to remind myself that (re)learning something is tough and frustrating, hence the tears. Eventually we had to console him to help calm him down, but we didn’t give into letting him nurse as we knew he had plenty of food in his belly, which I think is progress. I decided that while Charlie hiked the next day I would read the sleep book we have along and write down a plan, so that we could try to create more structure and consistency in his day-to-day, that would hopefully help with some of the sleep challenges he is currently facing.
Day 7, July 22, 2022: Hartley Lake, BC to Fernie, BC; National Forest, Hartley Lake Rd.
Charlie left to climb Three Sisters in the morning so Logan and I had the morning to ourselves. After it warmed up a bit we headed outside and I tried to give him some real food in his camp chair. He wasn’t very interested in any of it. After his first nap I blew up the packraft and got us ready for a morning paddle on the lake. We had taken Logan canoeing, but never in the packraft so I wasn’t sure how it would go but he fit
perfectly between my legs. While the PFD he uses is designed for an infant, it is pretty tight around his chubby little cheeks. We paddled to all ends of the lake with fish jumping, frogs hopping, and mountain views. After about half hour Logan was sick of it so we headed back to shore.
I was reading Logan a book before his second nap when Charlie returned from his climb. He remarked that he had bad news,
he had left his phone on the summit. Not seemingly bad to me, it meant I could go retrieve it. We checked the weather to make sure a big thunderstorm wasn’t set to roll in and then I took off. Even though I had done muscular endurance the afternoon prior, I felt pretty good and tried to move swiftly so that we could get on our way the same day. The trail was really steep in a few sections, but then would level out. I was trying to break 3 hours to the top, but when I got to what I thought was the top in just under, I realized I still had a little ways to go to the true summit. I found Charlie’s phone laying right on top as he said. I snapped a few photos, grabbed his phone, and headed on down, getting back to camp in just under 5 hours. I met Charlie and Logan on a little walk up the road from Hartley Lake. After dropping off my bike I went and joined them. Hartley Lake was filling up with more campers tonight, and we decided we’d drive part of the rough road down, and perhaps try to find camping along the Elk River. When we got to the bottom of the road we spotted a campsite which wasn’t the prettiest, but decided to stay there as the stress of finding a camp spot near bed time is not worth it.
Day 8, July 23, 2022: Fernie, BC to Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, AB; Mount Sanai Campground
We headed into Fernie in the morning to get service so we could do some research on our next stops, pick up some staples from the grocery store, fill up our water, and try to find some maps of the areas we’d be traveling next. Initially we stopped at Tim Hortons but the Wi-Fi wasn’t working great and Logan wasn’t keen on being there. Instead, we moved to a local park after picking up groceries and just used LTE. We thought there might be water there but were directed to the Aquatics Center.
The Aquatics Center was surrounded by a park which had a bike park, an outdoor pool area, as well as these outdoor exercise machines. It was fun to see kids playing on the elliptical, stationary bike, and ski ergometer. It seems like there are a lot of bike trails around town, and the culture of the area was friendly. Fernie is definitely somewhere I could spend some more time.
Initially we were going to head to Two Elks
Provincial Park and turned up towards Elkford; however, upon entering Elkford we realized to drive into the provincial park it would be 60 miles on dirt road and we could easily hike in from Kananaskis Lakes where we were planning to go afterwards. To save some time in the car we decided it’d be better just to head to Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. Elkford wasn’t a complete bust because I found a nice spot to dip in the Elk River before heading out. We drove up towards Crowsnest Pass and started taking the more direct route; however, when it turned to dirt, we figured the other way which was a little more mileage, but all paved, might be better. Entering Kananaskis country was beautiful. The peaks grew more rugged, and swirly striations through the rock bands created beautiful contrast.
Every road we thought might have camping was closed due to construction or bear activity. We also kept noticing that all the parking areas required the Conservation Pass, which was something new since last time we had been in the Canadian Rockies. Eventually we were at Kananaskis Lakes, where we went to the visitor center. Turns out the Kananaskis Parks and Bow Valley Parks require this pass, so we went ahead and purchased that. We were able to get a camp spot at a tent only site at Mount Sanai for the next 3 nights.
It was already nearly Logan’s bedtime so after setting up the tent we laid him down to sleep and Charlie and I took turns walking on the bike path that left from our campground. I took a social trail down to the lake and walked the beach for a bit, eyeing the ridge across the way and soaking in the beautiful turquoise color of the lake.
Day 9, July 24, 2022: Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, AB; Mount Sanai Campground
We started our morning with blueberry pancakes and then it was my turn to go adventure. At Hartley Lake Charlie had met a couple people who were biking part of the Tour Divide Route. They had started at Kananaskis Lakes and remarked how pretty the Two Elks Lakes were which I could ride to on the Great Divide Trail. Leaving camp I spotted a moose, but rode on by up to West Elk Pass. Here I saw a sign that no bikes were allowed past this point so I stashed my bike.
I figured I must’ve left the Tour Divide Route on my last turn up to the pass. From here I hiked down to the lakes and up to a viewpoint. I was in my bike shoes which gave me blisters. The lakes were pretty but I kind of wished I’d just gone to Frozen Lake which was more elevation gain, but much shorter. I hurried back the best I could so Charlie would have time to go do something if he wanted.
That afternoon we headed to the Boulton Trading Post. We were hoping it’d be similar to Glacier National Park which had Huckleberry Soft Serve for only $3. They did have an ice cream front, but it was much pricier. Oh well, we split soft serve in a waffle cone which fulfilled our craving. For dinner we parked at the trailhead across from our campsite by the dam. It was a nice place to hang out and a little less buggy which allowed us to eat outside.
Day 10, July 25, 2022: Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, AB; Mount Sanai Campground
In the morning I encouraged Charlie to go bike up to West Elk Pass and hike up to Frozen Lake. I spent time reading the Scrambles book and found a route description on Mount Indefatigable, which had a very short approach, although it was on a trail that had been decommissioned due to prime Grizzly habitat, but not officially closed.
The trail had a few down trees at the
beginning, but was relatively clear for not having been maintained for 10+ years. It had a direct approach up a ridge, and the views of the Kananaskis Lakes were awesome. I didn’t see anyone else out there. At the trail junction between the North and South summits I headed to the North, as I had read the scramble was easier going in this direction. After a lot of “hey Bears” and clapping I was to the tarn and nearly above
tree line, without any encounters. The wildflowers were incredible and I loved the solitude. I started up what I thought was the gully of the route described and started to feel a bit nervous due to the looseness over exposure. It was easier to head up, picking my way through the more solid rock than trying to traverse further. I eventually got to the gully that had been described and the going got easier to the summit. I could see
Mount Joffre which Charlie was considering climbing, and it looked like there was still a lot of snow along the approach. After soaking in the views I headed along the ridge towards the south peak, eventually dropping slightly towards the East. There was one 4th/5th class move and then I regained the summit ridge, where the going was pretty straightforward. On top of the south summit was a radio tower. I hadn’t
really read the route description for getting off this summit, but noticed signs of a trail down the ridge, and then a cairn where the route dropped into an avalanche gully.
Once I gained the trail I ran back to the van. This was one of my favorite days so far. I loved getting up high, yet not being gone for the entire day, and the scramble was the right amount of technical difficulty adding some spice, but not making me too nervous. Once reunited with Logan and Charlie we headed to Boulton Bridge Trading Post to get another ice cream. Today we tried the hard serve, but turns out we didn’t get as much ice cream…our loss. We then headed to the visitor center to get Wi-Fi and make dinner before returning to camp and performing our nightly rituals…Logan to bed, watch Virgin River show in the van, bedtime in the tent.
Day 11, July 26, 2022: Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, AB to Banff National Park, AB; Two Jack Main Campground
Charlie found a route from Kananaskis Country to Dead Man Flats, just outside of Canmore along the Centennial Trail, up and over Mount Allen. The trailhead where he started had a nice trail along Surprise Creek, so Logan and I did a short hike there. It appeared that the trails I was on were all Nordic Trails in the winter, which will be fun to check out when we live in Canmore this winter. Once back to the van I fed him and then he napped while we drove to Dead Man’s Flats. We spent most of the afternoon in the van but when it got close to the time we expected Charlie to arrive, we decided to hike up the trail a ways to see if we could find him. The bugs were pretty bad and we hadn’t spotted him after about 30 minutes so we decided to turn back. Soon after, he
rolled upon us and we hiked back the rest of the way together.
We stopped at Safeway in Canmore to pick up groceries, and also filled up diesel before heading into the park. Shopping takes me a little longer as I try to find what I am looking for in stores I do not know and with slightly different brands than I am used to. I find it funny that even though there are just small differences between the US and Canada with how food is packaged, it can make decision making more challenging for the individual. I recognize that in the store I get a little overwhelmed trying to find the best deals while still getting quality food. A 6-pack of beer was also on my list. Turns out beer is super expensive but Charlie reminded me that we are paying Canadian rather than US Dollars.
Finally done with chores, we headed into Banff and to our campground at Two Jack Main, where we’d be for the next 2 nights. We set up the tent and gathered some firewood which is provided at the campgrounds. After dinner we got Logan to sleep in the tent. He struggled to fall asleep, perhaps due to the noises that filled camp, maybe due to the long daylight hours, or maybe because of so much change. Eventually he drifted off and Charlie and I hung out outside. The bugs were annoying and I figured the smoke of a campfire might help. Everyone else did the same (made a fire), which led to a lot of smoke in the air, which also wasn’t ideal for sleeping.
It was a really rough night for Logan, with him waking what seemed like every hour. Both of us exhausted, I resorted to what I knew would help in the moment. I pretty much fed him every time he woke and snuggled him to sleep, which I knew wasn’t ideal for our long-term sleep goals, but it’s all the energy I could muster.
Day 12, July 27, 2022: Banff National Park, AB; Two Jack Main Campground
Charlie reminded me it was my turn to do something. I had spotted a route up Alymer on my Gaia map that was near us, however I read that the Lake Minnewanka trail might have restrictions that required you to travel in a party of 4. We drove the few miles up to Lake Minnewanka where the trail began in the morning so I could see if there was any signage. On the way out of camp we spotted a young Grizzly sniffing around camp.
Charlie told Logan that some people come to the Rockies and never see a bear so we were lucky. As a family, we walked over to the start of the trail to see if we could see any mention of the bear
restriction. There wasn’t anything so I figured it might be a go. This trail allows bikes for the first bit, which was also nice as I could just ride my bike back to camp. After changing into hiking attire and eating some breakfast, I took off.
Soon after starting up the trail I saw that there was a restriction in place on the trail I hoped to go on, however Stewart Canyon was open where I had identified a different peak I might be able to climb. I locked my bike at the Stewart Canyon Bridge, and instead of continuing along the Minnewanka Lake Trail, I headed up the canyon.
Eventually I turned off the main trail onto what seemed like a climber’s trail. I headed through a box canyon and eventually passed some people rock climbing. From here, it was rock hopping up a creek bed.
I went through some steep scree and gained a saddle on the final ridge. At this point, I decided to turn around. There was some exposure and looseness that I wasn’t in the mood to attempt, and I also didn’t want to get back too late. Simply getting to the ridge opened up incredible views of the peaks around me. Perhaps this fall I will return and climb my original goal of Alymer, which is the tallest peak in Banff National Park.
When I headed back down the box canyon there were quite a few rock climbers. The original party commented that I must’ve gone quite a ways. A different party, surprised by a hiker asked
where I had come from to be descending this way. Turns out the climbers trail was primarily for rock climbers as this area seemed much more popular for them, not the random peak baggers.
Once I got back to the Stewart Canyon Trail I was able to run to where my bike was, and then pedal on by all the hikers and back to camp. Logan was hungry when I returned so I fed him while Charlie packed up and biked into Banff. I tried to get Logan to take a little nap but unable to do so we drove into town to meet Charlie. We walked around town, stopping in at the outdoor store. I picked up some new La Sportiva approach shoes, and Charlie got some shorts. We also picked up some ice and a few more things from the grocery store as we’d be away from towns for the next week.
We decided to change things up sleep-wise, moving Logan and me to the van for the night. Not sure if we were both just tired, but he slept great, only waking once at 1:30, and again at about 5:30.
Day 13: July 28, 2022: Banff National Park, AB to Lake Louise, AB; Lake Louise Campground
After packing up camp we headed to a pullout by Lake Minnewanka to enjoy the morning. Charlie went for a bike ride up the Cascade Valley while Logan took his morning nap. I looked at maps, read, and enjoyed the sunshine. When he returned we realized we needed to pay for our first rental, and could possibly avoid the wire transfer fee if we did it in person while we were near Canmore. Turns out they wouldn’t accept the payment methods we had, so we’ll have to do
a wire transfer, but with the economy potentially declining, and the US/CAN dollar exchange rate changing we might actually end up saving money by waiting.
Since we were in town we stopped at the outdoor store, where Charlie found another pair of shorts, which he was in need of. Both of us wear our clothes into the ground and just the other day he had told me he’d pay anything for another pair of the shorts he had, which he liked the fit of. When walking from our vehicle we thought we’d seen a moose feeding near this pond we passed, but on the way back we realized it was an elk.
We headed on towards Lake Louise, where
we had a camp reservation. Since Charlie and I had been to Moraine Lake and Lake Louise during our previous trip, we opted not to compete with the other tourists for parking spots. In the fall we could return and show Logan the pretty water. I went for an evening bike ride along the Bow River, through town, and up the Pipeline Trail a ways, which was part of the nordic trail system in the winter. We took advantage of the shower house at the campground and had a pleasant evening around camp.
Day 14: July 29, 2022: Lake Louise, AB to Mosquito Creek, AB; Mosquito Creek Campground
The evening ride along the beautiful turquoise Bow River was so nice, and I wanted to go on a short morning walk with the family before leaving camp. We left fairly early as we didn’t have campsite reservations, and we wanted to make sure we got a spot before they filled up with the long weekend Canadians had. We pulled into Mosquito Creek at the perfect time. A party was leaving a very nice site and we quickly snagged their campsite. Not 30 minutes later it seemed that any of the remaining sites were gone. The campsite was much bigger than either of the one’s we had at Banff or Lake Louise, and there was nice shade from the big trees. I did another round of Muscular Endurance, with Logan joining me for some of the core activities.
Keep in mind, him doing core is really just a silly way of saying he’s rolling around grabbing dirt and pine needles, kicking his feet as though riding a bike, or holding boat pose while he tries to sit up and watch us while on his play mat.
That evening we drove up the road to Bow Lake, which was backdropped by the Wapta Icefield. Bow Lake is a beautiful teal blue and we enjoyed tacos overlooking the
beautiful water. After dinner we hiked along a lakeside trail , spotting some river otters along the way. Supposedly there is a ski route called the Wapta Traverse where you can stay in huts along the way. While difficult to do with a baby, it’d be fun to do something like that when we are up in this area this winter.
From Bow Lake we could also see Mount Hector, an 11,000’ peak that was near our camp. Charlie toyed with the idea of climbing it, however he didn’t like the idea of traveling on the glacier alone. He decided he’d attempt Willingdon the following day, which was a longer hike, but unglaciated. After he packed and Logan went to sleep, we played a game of cribbage on the picnic table. Charlie kept my losing streak alive.
Day 15: July 30, 2022: Mosquito Creek, AB; Mosquito Creek Campground
With the trail directly across the street from where we were camped, Charlie left fairly early on his hike. Logan and I had a lazy morning around camp. After his morning nap, we departed on a hike up Mosquito Creek. He fell asleep for another nap early on. We went to the junction with the climber’s trail that Charlie took up and over a pass and left him a note made out of sticks saying, “Hi Dad.”
Charlie estimated he’d be back around 6. I did core and Logan and I played. Around 6 I made dinner figuring Charlie would show up soon. I offered some to Logan but he declined. We took a walk around the campground so I’d stop looking down the road for Charlie and when we got back to our site, Charlie’s stuff was on the table.
Happy to have daddy back, we listened to his stories of the climb and looked at pictures before laying Logan down for sleep. Since our second night in Two Jack Logan and I have been sleeping in the van. I think the consistency has helped him be able to fall asleep independently and wake on average two times a night. Supposedly he shouldn’t need to wake at night anymore, but I don’t think weaning him from this habit is a priority right now as he is already adapting to so much.
Day 16: July 31, 2022: Mosquito Creek, AB to Rampart Creek, AB; Rampart Creek Campground
It was my turn for a big day in the mountains. I didn’t have the maps fully downloaded, but enough that I could see the Great Divide Trail paralleled the highway we were on. With Rampart Creek as our next site, I looked for something I could do around there. I pieced together a route from Saskatchewan Crossing, where Charlie could drop me off, to the Pinto Lake Trailhead, where I could exit returning to the Icefields Parkway. If he dropped my bike at the trailhead, I
would only have a few miles to bike back to our camp at Rampart Creek.
I still wasn’t sure I’d do this in the morning, as it was at least 21 miles based on a rough estimate of plotting the route, but Charlie encouraged me. Without a definite plan in place, we had a slow morning. We also had a ways to drive to get to Saskatchewan Crossing, and between the necessity to feed
Logan and pumping milk for when I was gone, I didn’t actually start until noon. I wanted to trail run, but quickly realized that at least for the first part, that wasn’t really an option. The route finding was tricky with the trail missing in areas, and the terrain was difficult. I knew I had one pass to go over, but after the second I looked at the vague topo map a little closer, and realized I still had 2 more. With much of the trail up high, I was thankful for good weather; however, already stressed on how much time this route would take. Without service, I figured the only way to go was forward, and after descending off the first two passes, thought this was the only reasonable way to go as reversing my track would take just as long.
The views at the top of each pass were incredible. Highlights included the amazing teal blue of Michelle Lake after the first pass, waterfalls spilling over from the high glaciers, steep valleys into what must be even deeper wilderness, the wildflowers that filled the tundra as I ascended the third pass of the day, the sunset as I reached the fourth and final, Sunset Pass, and seeing Charlie and Logan drive by as I pedaled my bike towards Rampart Creek.
I fought back tears when 7:00 PM passed, Logan’s bedtime, and I still had a long ways to go, when I couldn’t find the trail up the fourth pass, and resorted to steep bushwhacking following a dotted line on my phone, when campers saw my bloodied legs and asked if I was alright in the darkening night, and I said I was just trying to get down as fast as I could so my family wouldn’t worry anymore, and when I told Charlie that the day was a lot longer and harder than I anticipated. All in all, it was a really neat day, one that before having a family wouldn’t be that big of a deal, but one that I wanted to try to avoid moving forward. I recognized the need to be starting days like this much earlier, and that I should have had the inReach with me in case something more serious happened. It was about 10:00 PM when I followed Charlie into camp. I hadn't really eaten much and Charlie got a big tub of yogurt and granola out.
Fortunately, Logan had been sleeping in his carseat while Charlie drove the road looking for me, but awoke once the van stopped. I was happy to hold him in my arms and feed him back to sleep. Charlie, exhausted from worry, headed off to bed. After laying Logan down I rinsed off my super dirty legs and got into bed myself. Despite my own exhaustion, I was amped up and couldn’t sleep for the first half of the night, but eventually drifted off only waking when Logan needed me.
Day 17, August 1, 2022: Rampart Creek, AB to Mount Robson Provincial Park; BC; Robson River Campground
Charlie mentioned he had dropped Max off to packraft part of the Saskatchewan River after climbing Andromeda together. I offered to do the same but he opted for better style and rode his bike up the highway a bit and packrafted back to camp. It was nice to have a low-key morning with Logan. During his first nap I showered and then packed up camp. Soon after Logan awoke, Charlie came walking up the shore. He helped me finish packing up and we headed on our way along the Icefields Parkway. I reminisced on some of the views from my adventure from the day prior as we drove along the way.
Soon we made it to Sunwapta Pass and the Columbia Icefield where we stopped for a short hike. Charlie reminisced about climbs with Max, Rex, and Carolyn and described the routes he had taken to me as well as pointed out some classic Canadian Rockies climbs. When Charlie and I first started dating, I remember him planting the seed of a springtime ski traverse of the Columbia Icefield. It consisted of setting up a basecamp and climbing/skiing all of the 11,000ers that are accessible from there, and then dropping down and paddling out the Athabasca River. It’s something that I’ve been interested in ever since so it was neat to see this area with my own eyes for the first time. I’d definitely like to spend more time here on our way back through.
Our next stop was at Sunwapta Falls where we got lucky with a parking spot. We made some coffee and then took a short hike down to lower Sunwapta Falls. We continued on our way, stopping in Jasper with the hopes of finding Wi-Fi which was non-existent, and picking up ice. Next up, Mount Robson Provincial Park where we had campsite reservations the next two nights. Mount Robson itself is out of view until you arrive at the visitor center, where it becomes front and center. We weren’t able to see the top due to cloud cover, but I got a sense of just how big the mountain was just seeing its base in the valley. On a clear day, I’m sure it just towers above the small town.
The campground had nice amenities including a shower house, nice sized campsites, healthy trees, and river access. We took a short hike around it before Logan’s bedtime.
Day 18, August 2, 2022: Mount Robson Provincial Park; Robson River Campground
Unfortunately, due to the closure on the Kinney Lake and Berg Trails, options for hiking around the area were a bit limited. We headed into the Visitor Center, where they highlighted a few short trails in the immediate vicinity. We then returned to camp and spent most of the day lazing around. Logan and I hiked a little trail from camp down to the Robson River and waited for the striking view of Robson to clear.
It never did, but it was still pretty. We saw an older couple who were originally from the Yukon. They asked where we were from and where we were headed. They mentioned that one of their friend’s had recently driven to Alaska and said the roads were in really poor shape, however it sounded like he had taken an even more northerly route than us. It sounds like there are big road issues developing from the permafrost melting, which I imagine will be a long term ongoing issue. Charlie did muscular endurance, Logan played on his mat, and I did core in our site which overlooked the river. With access to water, I also seized the opportunity to do some laundry.
That afternoon we drove over to a small parking area by the Fraser River and hiked to Overland Falls. The trail was lush with ferns and cedars, which reminded me of the Lolo Pass area we had visited in Idaho in the spring. The water in the Fraser river was a beautiful turquoise color. We hiked a short ways along the river enjoying the neat area.
Day 19, August 3, 2022: Mount Robson Provincial Park, BC to Jasper National Park, AB; Wapiti Campground
We woke to a drizzle but I went on a morning trail run anyways. After hiking a short bit of the Fraser River trail last night, I wanted to see more so I started there. I was able to create a loop over to the Lookout trail which ascended giving way to views of the mountains to the southwest, and also of Mount Robson. On the climb I did 8x30 second pick-ups, meaning I simply tried to pick up my pace in 30 second intervals. I
have been reading the Uphill Athlete training book and supposedly this will get my legs and heart ready for the work of hill sprints, and hopefully train me to move faster on hills over time. It was nice to get a trail run in before heading back to Jasper.
In Jasper we picked up some more ice and a few groceries. We had a site booked at the Wapiti campground for the next 3 nights. There was service here which allowed us to do some planning. Our luck of sunshine had come to an end and rain was forecasted for the next 3 days, snow up high. My hopes of climbing the east ridge of Edith Cavell dwindled as it was a technical scramble and treacherous when wet. I had a meeting on the 4th, so Charlie planned a hike for himself the next day. It looked like a neat
area, and if I did it the opposite direction than him I’d end near the base of Edith Cavell, and we could have my birthday dinner there.
The Wapiti Campground came off as a bit barren, lacking much character, but we were thankful to have a place to call home for the next 3 nights where we could set up our tent and spread out a bit. Also, how much can you complain when you wake to views of Edith Cavell?
Day 20, August 4, 2022: Jasper National Park, AB; Wapiti Campground
I dropped Charlie off across from the Edith Cavell hostel where he hiked into the Tonquin Valley. There were views of the top of the peak in the early morning, with a dusting of new snow. Logan and I headed up to the Edith Cavell trailhead and did a quick hike up to a viewpoint of the glacial tarn. I imagined climbers accessing the Angel Glacier and climbing the mountain’s north face. There was a picnic table that was just a short walk from the parking lot that I thought would be a perfect place to celebrate my birthday. We had to hurry on so I could get back to service for my meeting.
After the meeting I looked at the map and saw that Athabasca Falls wasn’t that far away, so maybe we’d hang out there for the day rather than returning to camp. Before the falls I saw a nice pull off at the confluence of the Whirlpool and Athabasca Rivers. I was able to park parallel to the river and we hung out here for the day. It was quiet, had a bathroom, and was a nice place to read, nap, and play while we waited for 4:30 to come around. It drizzled off and on, but was never a downpour so I was hopeful Charlie wasn’t getting soaked. Around 3:30 we headed up to the trailhead where we planned to pick him up, which was near Marmot Basin ski area. Logan and I considered hiking up the trail a bit, and even put on rain jackets, but then the rain
really picked up, so we just hung out in the van and waited. I received a message from Charlie that he’d be down in about an hour.
He was wet and cold, so I made him some soup to warm up. He said the trail was basically a river in sections and didn’t recommend it for the following day. Unsure of what I’d do on my birthday, I peeked at the map which I’d already done numerous times, for any new ideas. I like to adventure
big, and I think something about being active in wild places is a fun way for me to celebrate each year of life. I have fond memories of my birthday adventures…climbing Mount Rainier on my 25th, the Ten Mile Traverse on my 29th, Mount Whitney on my 30th, Gannett on my 31st, the Cathedral Traverse on my 33rd, and Birthday Peak last year on my 35th to name a few. In this next phase of life I realize that what’s most important to me is my family so I didn’t want a day where I’d be gone from sun up to sun down, I wanted to celebrate with them as well.
We returned to camp and headed to the shower house. I ended up blowing up Logan’s inflatable bath and taking it into the shower. Fortunately, I put water in the tub beforehand because the pressure would have overwhelmed Logan. Everything with a baby takes a bit longer, and I figured I’d just shower the following day.
At camp we pulled out the Jasper map and I noticed I could bike the first 7 miles of the Fryatt Valley trail. Something about this sounded appealing as I could bike, hike/trail run up the valley, reverse it and then packraft—a triathlon! Nice to have a decision in place.
Day 21, August 5, 2022: Jasper National Park, AB; Wapiti Campground
We woke to rain, but I was anxious to get started. I didn’t want another day like my epic on the Great Divide Trail. Charlie made me pancakes and served them to me in bed while I snuggled with Logan, then we packed up and headed towards the trailhead. The rain had nearly stopped when we arrived, so I headed out on my bike, planning to meet Charlie and Logan at the confluence where Logan and I had spent the previous day.
What I thought was going to be a fire road was nearly single track and it was fun to ride my bike up the Athabasca River. At one point I had a creek crossing that ended up being thigh deep. On the way back I realized there was a bridge upstream of where I crossed. I got to Fryatt Creek and stashed
my bike, tipping over as I walked it into the trees. Here, the trail steepened as it climbed up the Fryatt Valley. I couldn’t really see the creek but I imagine it cascades through this section. After a few miles the valley opened up and there was a long wooden bridge crossing the creek. The trail meandered along the creek, and provided a fun section of trail running. I got to the remnants of a glacial moraine, which I climbed. At the top I was rewarded with a beautiful view of Fryatt Lake, which was the classic turquoise blue of the Canadian Rockies. This view, alone, was enough to make my day, but I continued towards the hut. As I skirted around the lake the trail became quite muddy. I looked at my watch and figured if I went through the headwall and up to the hut
it would be at least another hour, and cut into the time with my boys. I turned around at the upper end of the lake and retraced my steps. Originally Charlie and I had talked about me packrafting all the way back to camp, which was at least 10 miles. As I ventured, the idea of doing 36 miles total between the 3 activities would round out the Fryatt Valley Triathlon nicely for my 36th birthday. I pedaled into the parking area for
the "Meeting of the Waters" and found Logan bouncing in his rocker outside the van. I gave him and Charlie a big hug, and told Charlie I just needed to packraft 4 miles to get to a total of 36 miles. I had driven the road yesterday, and thought maybe I could get out at the Wapta campground. When we plotted it out on Gaia, the distance was perfect. Charlie blew up the packraft for me while I fed and snuggled Logan. Even though there were no rapids, I was nervous to get on the big glacial river. I forgot to put my legs in the thigh straps as I took off, and Charlie’s boat was big for me, so I was happy to just do 4 miles, as I didn’t want to flip due to some unexpected circumstance.
As I neared the end of Wapta Campground, I spotted Charlie and Logan waving at me in
a little cove. We packed up and headed to Jasper for a 6-pack of beer. Once back at camp I showered. The clouds had been lifting all day, and when we returned to our site, the sun was shining bright. It was so nice to sit outside with Charlie and Logan and soak it in, and along with conversations with my dad and Katie, made my special day complete.
Day 22, August 6, 2022: Jasper National Park, AB to Peace River, BC; Big Bam Ski Area
We headed further north into the unknown for both of us, making one final stop in Jasper to fill up our diesel. We turned west on “The Scenic Route to Alaska” highway. As we drove we noticed signs that would state when a section of forest had been logged, re-planted, and when it was due for logging again. The trees up here are pretty small, even after growing for 50 years and I’m curious what they are primarily used for.
Canada clears about 50’ on each side of the highway, probably to protect wildlife. It also makes it way easier to spot wildlife. Driving along, we saw a grizzly munching on berries. We got Charlie’s telephoto lens and snapped a couple pictures of the beautiful bear.
Eventually we got into country that had been transformed into land for farming and oil, and seemed to have an endless supply of heavy equipment. In Dawson Creek, we officially started the Alaska Highway. We were happy when we eventually got back into more forested terrain. With stops that included errands like groceries and fuel, as well as breaks for little Logan and us we only make about 400 miles a day. Evening was nearing, and we were in search of a
place to camp. The sites that had been plentiful on the first part of the highway were harder to come by now. Looking at a map I saw a road that headed to Big Bam Ski Area, which was closed for the summer along the Peace River. We turned on it, and drove to the end where we found a place to park on public land. It was clear from our short evening walks along the trails that this area was primarily used by ORV’s.
The bugs were annoying, but the spot sufficed, and I can’t help but appreciate a small hometown run ski area that we looked up at. Logan had a rough night. Around 11:00 PM a group of vehicles came driving up the road, offloading their 4-wheelers. They then proceeded to drive back and forth on the road revving what sounded like a bad engine. I tried to hum to numb the noise from Logan, but eventually
he woke. I consoled him and hoped that these people would go somewhere else. Right when Charlie was about to go explain our situation and ask if they could quiet down a little, they went into one of the other camping areas to hang out. We were awoken again when they wrapped up their night, so it was a pretty sleepless night for all of us.
Day 23, August 7, 2022: Peace River, BC to Stone Mountain Provincial Park, BC; Tetsa River
Sleep is powerful, giving rest and rejuvenation when we get it, and forgetfulness, moodiness, and lack of concentration when we lack it. When I was feeling down once, my dad offered the simple yet profound advice, “A good night of sleep can make everything feel a whole lot better.” Today I was driving while Charlie tried to get Logan to sleep. He cried and cried and eventually we just stopped at a roadside turnout. I needed a nap too, we all did. After an hour and a half, plus another round of coffee, we were all feeling much better and continued on our way.
We drove through Fort Nelson today, where Charlie connected a dot with a trip he had done with Tom in Nahanni National Park. It was fun seeing the Dominoes they had stopped at and hearing stories he had told me before, but I had forgotten in the place they had occurred. We kept our eyes peeled for a lynx as he had seen one in this area that time. Unfortunately, we didn’t spot one, but we did see a mama black bear and her cub crossing the road as we left town.
Looking at the map, we thought it’d be neat to spend some time around Rocky Mountain and Stone Mountain Provinicial Parks, which we’d be driving through. When we got to Summit Lake campground we were a bit disappointed in the campsites as they were so close together. We decided to drive back a few miles and check out a couple side roads we had spotted. We found a nice spot to set up a tent and camp near the Tetsa River. We weren’t near any trails, so I decided to do a muscular endurance workout which I was due for. Charlie and Logan hung out in the tent to escape the bugs and rain, so I did part of the workout in the van to stay dry. Eventually it stopped and I was able to finish up outside.
Logan had a much more peaceful night, waking only a couple times to eat, which is still his norm.
Day 24, August 8, 2022: Stone Mountain Provincial Park, BC to Lake Teslin, BC; Gravel Pit
Driving through the mountains, along the rivers, and into lake country was pretty. There were areas that reminded Charlie of the Nahanni which made sense because we were relatively close. Along the highway we saw a herd of Buffalo. Charlie told me they were all over Nahanni National Park, due to reintroduction in the '80's. As we passed through Watson Lake, we spotted the "Sign Post Forest," and a sign for Finlayson Lake.
If it didn’t cost so much to charter a bush plane, we would be heading to Finlayson Lake, where we’d take a plane of Warren’s into Glacier Lake. We decided it will be a more worthwhile trip when Logan is a little bit older, and has the ability to adventure further than Glacier lake, perhaps paddling down one of the rivers.
Today was another day that gave us a glimpse of just how big Canada is, how far
we have come, and how far we have yet to go. We drive what seems like all day, and there’s still a long way to go. Of course, it’s not all driving as there are stops that slow us down, but evening falls and we found ourselves still on the road, in search of a place to camp before Logan’s bedtime. Finding campsites in unknown territory is one of our least favorite activities. Looking at the map, I found some roads that looked promising. The first one we took led to a gravel pit which looked like an option.
We drove further, trying to get closer to Teslin Lake, but saw a sign that said, “Beware of Dog/Private Property,” so we turned around and parked in what looked like the public area. The owner of the land showed up soon after and told us where we
were parked was still his land and that we needed to leave, but that there was a different gravel pit across the street we could stay at. We headed there. Everyone needed to get the travel jitters out. Charlie went on a short bike ride on the highway while I took Logan for a hike around the gravel yard. We did core next to the pile of rocks. It was a reminder that not every day can be sexy mountain climbs.
Day 25, August 9, 2022: Teslin Lake, BC to Skagway, AK; Tidal Flats
As we made our way towards Skagway, we started listening to Jack London’s “Call of the Wild.” We found ourselves going through many of the towns that the sled dog team travels, and it was fun to imagine what life might have been like during the Gold Rush. Before crossing the border, we stopped at a small pond near Fraser where Charlie did a muscular endurance workout and Logan and I did a core workout. We then made our
way through Fraser, which has some really neat terrain made up of rocks, lakes, and the Boundary mountains. There’s also access to the north end of the Chilkoot Trail. We headed over White Pass and then started dropping down the steep mountains towards Skagway, which was very impressive. At the border, the US Customs
lady asked, "How many?"—We replied 3. She then proceeded to tell Logan to step forward..."Show yourself," she repeated. When I realized she was serious, I laughed and explained he was a baby, who happened to be sleeping. She opened the side door to verify, and we were on our way.
Walking through downtown Skagway, it seemed every third store was a diamond shop. Perhaps with the Klondike Gold Rush
history, passengers from the cruise ships are looking for jewelry keepsakes, or maybe a lot of people get married on cruises? We were in search of Buck and John Thornton, who Charlie had seen a statue of before. After finding them, we went in the museum to learn about the history of the area, and then stopped in a couple of art stores. I read one of the displays on how the indigenous people got run over when the
stampeders arrived. It made me sad that their livelihood was largely forgotten, and what Skagway is remembered for is this Gold Rush which only lasted a couple years. In one of the art stores we found a piece we liked, but decided we’d give it a day to see if we still wanted it.
After shopping we headed towards the Chilkoot Trailhead where there was a campground next to some tidal flats. After setting up camp, I went on a bike ride up the West Creek road, which based on the map, seemed like my longest option. It climbed steadily to a bridge, which crossed the creek to some trails. I tried to ride them but they were a bit muddy and technical, so I headed further up the dirt road. There was a big mountain with a glacier on top which was neat to see while riding. The striking contrast of this area from ocean to peaks is magnificent, and it was nice to get a glimpse.
Day 26, August 10, 2022: Skagway, AK to Fraser, BC; Fraser Pond
In the morning, we went on a family stroll on the tidal flats near our campsite. It was a typical coastal morning, with fog and mist, and Logan’s first time smelling the ocean. Charlie took off on a bike ride while Logan napped. I recently finished reading the Uphill Athlete and I told Charlie I’d write him up a plan so I worked on that. I think it’d be fun to be a coach, and see firsthand how training affects one’s fitness. Being on the road, there’s a lot of seizing opportunities when and where they arise, which can make it hard to stick to a plan. Regardless if he uses this generalized plan, it’s kind of fun thinking about it because it gives me ideas of workouts I can do. One thing I realized we can start introducing, having spent quite a bit of time doing Zone 1/ Zone 2 workouts which build aerobic base, are Zone 3 intervals. This book suggests 3x8 min intervals as being the most effective of this type, so no better day than today.
I wanted to check out the Chilkoot trail and figured I could do these intervals on it as it appeared to be pretty flat and runnable, based on the map. After Charlie’s bike ride, I had about 1.5 hours until I needed to be in a phone meeting. Starting out, I thought I would not be able to do intervals as the trail climbed steeply out of the gate, and was very rocky and rooty, however after 15 minutes, which was a warmup anyways, it flattened out and was runnable. Perfect for picking up my pace and increasing my heart rate. At one point I saw a ranger who told me he had just spotted a big bear. I made noise, and had bear spray with me just in case, but never saw the big brownie myself. I made it to some beaver ponds with boardwalks built across them which were kind of springy and fun to run on.
Afterwards, we headed to Skagway where I called into the Basecamp Cascadia board meeting. During this, Charlie went to the art store we had visited the day prior to purchase a piece of art that has a yurt with smoke from its woodstove billowing into the snowy backdrop. It is a unique shape, and I think it will fit perfectly onto our uniquely shaped walls at the cabin. It’s fun to have art as a keepsake from our trips, as it brings back memories from the places we visited while adding color and joy to our home.
We left Skagway after the meeting and ascended the pass to the border. Unfortunately, we forgot to fill out ArrCan, but luckily there is one get through free card. Next time, they told us we’d be turned around. We attempted to drive up what I thought was an access road for Taiya peak, but unfortunately it was a gravel pit with a No Entry sign. Luckily, we knew of a couple camp spots not too far off because we had stopped at them along the way. We headed to a little pond and fell asleep with the patter of rain on our rooftop.
Day 27, August 11, 2922: Fraser, BC to Kluane National Park, YT, Lake Kathleen
A couple weeks prior I had spotted a route up Taiya Peak out of Fraser when we were doing research on areas we’d be visiting. Charlie had mentioned he wanted to climb a
peak in the area, and this one seemed pretty accessible. Unfortunately the road that I thought provided access to the route was not open to the public, at least for parking. I figured Charlie could just hike the road and gain the route but it was pretty cloudy which inhibited views so we decided to head on towards the big town of Whitehorse. I wanted to try to get a few pictures of the neat topography in Fraser, which consisted of rocks, lakes, and mountains as I hadn’t taken any when we drove through on our way into Skagway. We stopped at a small picnic area and did a little bit of research on camping. Seeing that we’d be headed right by Kluane National Park, we decided we’d
head to Lake Kathleen, which had a campground we could stay at after our chores in the city. We headed to the laundromat first so we could get laundry started. I found a triple load washer that was the most economic, as we were able to do all of our laundry in it. Unfortunately it didn’t spin and the clothes were left drenched. Luckily, Charlie walked in as I was putting them in the dryer. He was smart enough to find someone that worked there to run a spin cycle for us, on the house. They would have taken forever to dry otherwise, and it would have wasted a bunch of time and money. Next, we
restocked our cooler, filled up diesel, and headed on our way. We found a great site at Lake Kathleen. After setting up the tent, we relaxed outside, and then took a trail down to the beautiful lake. Charlie planned to do King's Throne the next morning, which took off along the same trail, so it was nice to scout out the start as a family.
Day 28, August 12, 2022: Lake Kathleen, YT to Kluane Lake, YT, Nines Creek Gravel Pit
Charlie left from camp in the morning to climb King’s Throne, which I had read was the most popular day hike in Kluane National Park. He estimated it’d take him about 5 hours, and we planned to meet by the lake. While Logan napped in the morning, I filled our sun shower and washed my hair before packing up camp and heading down.
My coverage was in and out, but at 11:30
AM, I realized Charlie had sent a text 2 hours prior from the top. He must almost be down, I thought. As I got Logan out of the van to play on his mat he showed up, and it was my turn to go. I got ready and headed on my way. Charlie had mentioned he got to the top in under 2 hours. I didn’t want to go super hard, but thought it’d be nice to also beat 2 hours, which prevented any lollygagging. The first mile was flat so I jogged that, and then held a steady pace, making it to the top in 1:47. There were some massive peaks, which I initially thought was Logan, but in hindsight figured it was Hubbard. Seeing these snowcapped peaks, and even recognizing the shape of some of them, reminded me of climbing "Packrafter Point" with Charlie and Jon when we were on the Alsek last summer.
After taking in the views and snapping some photos, I headed down, kind of shuffling my feet down the steep ridge. A couple times I lost traction, and at one point pulled my quad muscle as I tensed it to keep myself from falling. Luckily it didn’t hinder me too much, and loosened up a bit as I continued on. I got back to the van in under 3.5 hours and found Charlie and Logan enjoying the afternoon together. I was sweaty from the run, and jumped in the cold lake to rinse off and refresh myself.
Heading north through Haines Junction, we picked up enough service to upload our activities to Strava. I saw that I got QOM on the King’s Throne Ascent, and had actually beat Charlie’s time which is a rarity. Typically, anytime I am notified I get a QOM, it is beat <2 weeks later. While mostly just fun, it is nice to be feeling strong on ascents, and like I have some potential for some bigger mountain goals. Back into the wilderness, we passed a turnoff for the Alsek River Valley and made our way on towards Kluane Lake. Looking at the map I spotted a short road next to Nines Creek, which turned out to be a gravel pit. There were no signs discouraging camping so we considered it fair game, plus there was an access road that continued further back along Nines Creek. We drove the smaller road back a ways, but it got quite rough for our van, and lacked anywhere flat or shady to set up camp. We retraced our tracks and set up camp next to the gravel pit, which was actually really nice for blocking the late evening sun which can disrupt Logan’s 7:00 PM bedtime.
