At the snow line

At about 1600 metres, the snow is just barely sticking. Looking up from below, this elevation displays itself as a distinct snow line.

A question of scale

It might look like a nondescript photo of a trail with a bit of snow and moss, but it's actually a photo of a creekbed in a high alpine basin, taken with a zoom lens from a nearby summit. There's a girl in the photo, at about 2 o'clock.

Lyle Creek Basin

A beautiful alpine basin, the result of a long slog up 750 metres of switchbacks, near Mt. Brennan. Arrival over the lip of the basin, welcomed by this sudden view, makes it all worth it.

Alps Alturas Lake

This lake is about 1500 metres above the elevation of Slocan Lake. Despite its small size, it is incredibly cold, even at the end of the summer.

Azure pond

One of the tiny alpine lakes along the Alps Alturas route.

Watermelon snow

Watermelon snow is the pink mid-summer snow that we often see in the alpine. It's the result of an algae that thrives on slowly melting snow exposed to lots of bright sunlight. It actually smells of watermelon too.

Pika

Alps Alturas

Alps Alturas Trail
Distance: 9.61 km (6.0 mi).
Route type: Out-and-back
Suitable for: Hiking
Elevation change: 509 metres up, 509 metres down

Technical difficulty rating:  
Navigational difficulty rating:  

The Alps Alturas trail will fill a big half day, or a lazier full day. The access road takes about an hour to drive the 28 kilometres each way and is best suited to 4WD vehicles, but it's a drive that holds its own magic: the views begin to open up by the 12 km mark and are breathtaking. The drive is not for the faint of heart, but this year the road is in good shape except for the last 750 metres or so. The turnoff from Highway 6 is at Rosebery, 5 km north of New Denver, along East Wilson Creek Road. After a couple of kilometres, take the right fork towards Dennis Creek Basin and Alps Alturas. Keep following the main road. Once the views open up, the road descends for a bit. Don't worry: you're still heading the correct way!

We took it easy and found that the hike took about two and a half hours of moving time. With breaks, and a bit of picnicking and exploration time at the top, we probably took closer to 4 hours on the trail. In late August the wildflowers were a little past their prime, but the boggy area was relatively dry and the temperatures were perfect -- not too hot despite the bright clear exposure.

This is a trail best undertaken by people who are reasonably fit. We brought a determined little 10-year-old with us and it was easily within her capabilities, but it was a fair bit of work. The climbing isn't overly steep, and is broken up by some rolling sections, but you do gain 300 metres of it over the first couple of kilometres.

The trail affords some spectacular views and changes of terrain, everything from lush green basins, vistas of the Valhallas, raw stony slopes, last winter's snow to cold clear lakes. If you have the vehicle for the drive and thighs that don't mind a bit of muscle burn now and then, this is one of the best day hikes in the area.

Create Maps or search from 80 million at MapMyRun

Create Maps or search from 80 million at MapMyRun

School canoe trip

The Grades 4-6 kids were canoeing and kayaking the lake last week. Nights at the campsites were cold -- note the greyish dusting of fresh snow on the mountain in the distance -- but the days were glorious. Fall is treating the Slocan very nicely indeed so far this year.

Late summer lake

Sun rays

Evening over the Valhallas.

Sunset

Off and paddling

The second team through CheckPoint 6 heads out on the lake for a 23 km paddle after spending the past 26 hours trekking and mountain-biking through the mountains from the north.

Raid the North Transition Area

Bikes are left in the transition area by teams who have taken up the first paddling leg of the race. GPS navigation is not allowed so traditional compass and topo map navigation skills are required.

More Lupins

The lake is so high right now that the lupins have wet feet.

Looking down Carpenter

The tiny white stripe is Carpenter Creek, which runs into Slocan Lake from here. 

Valhalla View

Foul weather blowing in

Weather comes from the west here. Which means we see storms coming "from the Valhallas," meaning from the Valhalla mountain range on the west side of the lake. When the Valhallas start to disappear in clouds of precipitation you have just a few minutes to take cover.

Ski Hill Perspective

Putting perspective not on the size of the hill, or the view of the base area, but on the size of the operation. On a beautiful day in February with fabulous snow conditions and finger-and-toe-friendly temperatures, you can count nine cars in the parking lot, and the only four skiers you can see in this photo are the four I brought with me.

Ski Hill View

Looking down on Summit Lake, which marks the northern end of the Slocan Valley, from part way down the southernmost easy ski run.