Rummel Lake Hike

Where:

• Rummel Lake

 

When:

• December 17, 2022

 

Who:

• Ed, Dave, Erin, Oak, Peter, Roger, Rod

 

Trailhead:

• a half hour drive south (36 kms) from Canmore on the Spray Lakes Road, but it can also be accessed from Peter Lougheed Provincial Park
• park on the road across from the intersection of the road to Mt. Engadine Lodge/Mt. Shark (east side of the road)

 

 

Degree of difficulty:

• 400 meters elevation to the lake
• 11 km to the lake and back
• 3 hours total time on the trail
• moderate climb most of the way with no extreme elevation
• need to follow the signage as the trail intersects with the High Rockies biking trail, where you turn left and follow the biking trail for about five minutes until the Rummel Lake trail breaks off to the right up the valley
• at Rummel Lake, you can take the trail along the left side of the lake, and near the end of the lake, the trail cuts left up a steep gulley into the upper valley that leads to Rummel Pass (which we did not do on this day)

 

 

Interesting notes:

• a nice mid-level hike that does not burn out your lungs
• we didn’t need snowshoes as there was no fresh snow
• beautiful views up and down the Spray Valley on the front end of the hike as you exit the first set of trees into a cut block (we had an overcast day, so the views were limited)
• we had a cool day around -15C but less wind than expected, so it was a pleasant day except at the lake, where it felt chilly
• Rummel Lake is very picturesque, with Mt. Galatea as a dramatic backdrop
• the trail is named after Lizzie Rummel, who was known as the Baroness of the Canadian Rockies