9 September 2016, Friday

Spirits are high this morning as everyone prepares breakfast and readies for the day. Despite the sub-zero temperature the sky is blue and the promise of warm sunshine raises everyone’s spirits. O starts the fire in the cooking shelter wood stove as we are the first ones there. As others arrive they express their gratitude to the “fire-meister.”

By 9:30 we are hiking up the trail towards Linda Lake and then on to Cathedral Prospect. We plan a long hike today, and possibly a short hike tomorrow before we catch the bus, weather permitting. The first several kilometers of today’s hike go smoothly as the trail rises gently through beautiful forest. A grouse by the side of the trail ignores me as I stop to watch. I could reach out to pet it if I wanted.

Linda Lake is yet another gorgeous teal-colored lake with ducks paddling about and diving. We stop awhile to watch. From Linda Lake we ascend gently to Vera Lake and then a bit more steeply to the Cathedral Lakes. After these last lakes the ascent begins in earnest through a glacial boulder slide. We can hear pikas calling as we scramble upwards. We manage the climb without difficulty, but we are both dreading the steep descent. As we climb we enjoy the warmth of the sun during occasional breaks in the clouds. Most of the sky remains cloudy, but at least the clouds are higher and it is not raining. We finally reach a high trail that progresses along a ledge and through a pine forest. We follow cairns and blazes to Cathedral Prospect with its view of tall-peaked Cathedral Mountain with Monica Lake below.

Behind us we can see the lakes we passed on the way up. It is cold and gusty at the prospect so we backtrack and find a sheltered rock for a picnic lunch. For the first time in days we get to eat uninterrupted by hail, rain or wind.

After our lunch we begin our painstaking descent. We place each foot carefully, making sure we are balanced and our footing is secure. It takes us almost an hour to reach more level ground. The pikas squeak as we go by. I have a refrain going through my mind:

Oh I wish I were a pika

So furry, gray and small.

I’d scramble right across these rocks

And never, ever fall. . .

Finally on smoother paths, we take the loop to the south shore of Linda Lake and then cross the Duscheney Basin towards the Morning Glory Lakes. We pause for many photos of these striking alpine lakes. Among the tumbled glacial boulders near one of the lakes, I finally manage to capture a decent pika photo.

Now the trail climbs along a wooded ridge. It is late in the afternoon and we are both getting tired. The path seems to go on forever, and I could swear I have seen the same rocks and roots many times over, but finally we break out of the woods into the alpine meadows surrounding the Elizabeth Parker Hut. Familiar territory.

We arrive back in camp about 5:30 and rehydrate our tamale pie with polenta. It is delicious. For dessert – more brownies and the last of our chocolate cherry truffle wine. As we eat, it begins to rain. Again. O and I wash our dishes (this time with water warmed on top of the wood stove, a brilliant idea) and retire to our tent. Despite the patter of rain on the tarp, other campers are sitting around an outdoor fire doing their best to ignore the weather. O and I are happy to be warm and dry.