Alpine Tundra at Wilcox Pass

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Yesterday found us hiking up, and I mean UP, above the tree line to the alpine tundra of Wilcox Pass. The first part of the hike took us through spruce forest and to a magnificent overlook of the Columbia Icefields. In front of us across the valley were three spectacular glaciers. Athabasca Glacier is the most accessible, so, Jasper National Park built a center along the highway to accommodate the crowds. Visitors can drive near the base of the glacier and hike near the “toe”, or if you want the pricey tour, you can pay to be bused closer to the glacier, then put on an icebus, and be driven up an ice road on the glacier to a parking lot. We could see five buses parked and three more coming up the road. Dozens of tiny dots were milling around the parking lot walking on a glacier.

Looking west at the Columbia Icefield beyond the ridgeline

Tourists ride icebusses up to a bulldozed pad in the middle of the descending glacier

We continued on up the trail which eventually flattened out when we reached the start of the pass and the alpine tundra. The wide glacially carved valley stretched out in front of us and we left the crowds behind, pushing on further and further, looking for the sight of the mountains where the pass starts to descend. On the way we spotted a few bighorn sheep on the slopes across the valley and lots of arctic ground squirrels nearby. The trail took us across the rocky tundra, wildflowers blooming, and small ponds and streams to ford. We kept pushing on to one more rise, another rise, until we finally glimpsed the next mountain range through the pass.

Almost to the tree line, maybe halfway up.

Above the trees on the alpine tundra

In the flatter glacial valley near the top of Wilcox Pass

Looking back at the glacier

The peaks are carved from hard, fossiliferous limestone. Found these ancient seabed fossils in a rock along the path.

Boulders, sphagnum moss, tundra grass, and ponds

Looking for the far end of the pass

Looking back up the trail.

Tundra mushroom

Finally, the northward slope of Wilcox Pass

The trail is shared by Bighorn Sheep and people

Lichen

Stream channels filled with brilliant green algae

This spruce was at least 10 years old, and miles beyond the tree line.

A selfie at the turnaround point. Hold onto your hats!

After a brief snack and water break we reversed our steps. From that vantage point we could see storm clouds building behind the glaciered peaks, the wind picked up and we decided to speed up our journey back. Going downhill on a steep slope can be as strenuous as going up. We had to watch our footing and make way for the people still heading up, even with the signs of bad weather. We scurried through the forest where the flies and mosquitoes are sheltered from the wind, since we forgot our bug spray, and arrived back at the parking lot. Then, we still had the uphill walk to the campground. That stretch just about did me in! Greg had to put me in a camp chair, bring me water, and my shoes. Glad he's still part mountain goat! Thank goodness, because earlier on the way down the trail, he had to pry my fingers off a young spruce tree I grabbed when I picked a path along the edge of the trail. The dirt gave way and I grabbed the tree. He managed to haul me back onto the path. Oh, such drama!

The clouds moved in as we hiked back south to camp

Heading downhill to the tree and mosquito line

Keep going faster, we forgot the insect repellant

After all the foreboding clouds, we only had a few sprinkles, but since we had a thunderstorm the night before, we didn't want to get caught on the ridge, just in case...

Back to camp!

Our view from camp

Thistle bloom

Adding water from our reserve jugs

Moonrise