Chapter 4
Helen Lake and Cirque Peak

Day 8

On Saturday we did the first of our two best day hikes in the Canadian Rockies, namely Helen Lake and Cirque Peak. The hike started off through the usual lodgepole pine forest, gently climbing up and around the side of some mountain with lovely views of Crowfoot Glacier across the valley. The trees slowly got sparser and the meadows got larger. We eventually arrived at Helen Lake (8,000 ft elevation), nestled at the foot of Cirque Peak (9,819 ft elevation). We stopped beside the lake and enjoyed our lunch as we contemplated our ascent of the peak. The route was clearly visible and totally exposed. Cirque Peak was an imposing rocky, rugged peak.We could see the thin line of the trail etched on the surface of the mountain and an occasional “ant “ sized hiker on their way up to the peak. After our lunch, we followed the trail alongside the lake and up the switchbacks to the top of the ridge behind the lake, where we started our ascent up the talus sides of Cirque Peak. The other hikers coming down were telling us of fantastic views.“The view is fantastic!, It’s well worth the climb” they kept telling us. However, as we approached the top, the clouds started getting lower and thicker. About 10 feet below the peak, the clouds socked us in. We arrived at the peak in a snowstorm. (Just like our arrival at the top of the Jasper Tramway!) Visibility was about 10 feet and the snow was blowing horizontally. We stayed about 15 minutes, enough to have a quick snack on the peak, and then we reluctantly left, never having seen the fantastic views. Bummer !! As we descended, the clouds parted and the peak cleared. We stopped and thought about turning around and going back up, but as we were thinking, another cloud came and socked the peak in another shroud of mist. We continued on down. Every time we turned and looked back, the peak was either clouded in or clear. We could see there was a long line of clouds heading for the peak much like a long line of aircraft on final approach at a busy airport. Although we were disappointed in missing the views from the peak, we enjoyed the views along the ascent and descent. Lesson learned: ascend peaks earlier in the day when the weather is clearer.