True North Blog

[NOTE: Different photos from my FB post]. Day three in Canada started quietly on the placid shores of well-known Pyramid Lake. With a chill in the air, we acquired a couple of hot chocolates from the local resort and took off to explore the lake.

Imagining that bears might be attracted to the smell of chocolate, we walked fast and made our way to the causeway at Pyramid Island.

Today was a great study in the power of positive thinking. We refused to be deterred by the inclement weather forecast. So much so, that when many people were walking away from the Sky Tram due to clouds at the top, we decided to be contrarian and take the ride anyway. We had a tram to ourselves and were greeted with clearing conditions at the top (and also a beautiful, fresh snow cover!

We had lunch at the peak restaurant: I had some warm bison chili with a glass of Canadian Merlot. Ian had fish and chips with a local Pilsner. And we split a slice of triple chocolate cake.

I’ll skip the silliness with the toques and snowballs. But suffice it to say, the hearty meal buoyed our moods and made us ready to tackle, well, almost anything as we would find out.

For the afternoon we decided to explore the number one recommendation from every wait person we had talked to—Edith Cavell. Not a person—a mountain. Once we got there the challenge was clear : Go glacier or go home!

Once we snaked our way up a narrow road to Edith Cavell Mountain, we parked and headed up an innocuous looking asphalt trail into a breathtaking cathedral of towering rock cliffs. The path led to a glacier-fed lake that was precariously positioned just underneath not one, but two significant glaciers.

Here is where we made a series of decisions that would both save us and challenge us. The first decision was whether to go clockwise or counter-clockwise around the lake to get to the glacial ice. Both ways had field of boulders and limited or non-existent paths. We started out clockwise.

We picked and stumbled across several “small” boulder fields (watching for landslides) until we got to a “large” boulder field that appeared to be virtually impassable. We pondered our progress and position for several minutes. We seemed to be “so close yet so far”. Ian finally said “the Boy Scout in me says to turn around”. That was enough for me. Another life lesson for the day: Sometimes “discretion IS the better part of valor.” After a disappointing backtrack we assessed our energy levels and decided to take on the counter-clockwise route. This became either the most heroic or most stupid decision of the day!

Pictures can’t really depict what we encountered next. Boulder fields that required stepping from rock to rock to rock. Waterfall streams that had to be forged by picking the best submerged path with Gortex boots! But, we forged on. Eventually, we were there. At the edge of an ancient glacier that was still moving several centimeters every day.

We stepped carefully onto the pebble strewn ice, and I for one felt a sense of wonder at the natural power under my feet that had carved valleys with snow and ice. As I looked around I noticed crevasses that previewed the next slide of ice into the lake.

That’s when I decided that perhaps a quick celebration, then timely retreat was in order!

Thankfully, we were both able to re-trace our footsteps and return safely to the trails and our parked car. What a day from beginning to end! Some optimism (and well timed prayer) had resulted in an exciting and successful day in the Canadian Rockies. My son Ian and I have created a new set of memories that will linger as we return to the Arizona heat.