Stanley Glacier Snowshoe/Hike

Where:

• Stanley Glacier

 

When:

• March 22, 2019

 

Who:

• Ed, Jace, Craig, Ian, Lisa, Dave, Lorna, Geoff, An, Stephanie, Rob, Oak, Ceili, Peter, Lisa, Oggie, Peggy, Chris, Finn, Winnie, Michael

 

Trailhead:

• take the #1 highway from Banff towards Lake Louise and turn south onto the #93 towards Radium
• it is about 10 minutes from the turnoff to the parking lot which is just inside the B.C. border past the Boom Lake trailhead
• the trail is the left (east) side of the road

 

 

Degree of difficulty:

• the trail starts as a switchback up the burnt out area which is relatively easy and allows a person to get in a good rhythm
• once you crest the initial hill and cross the bridge into the valley, you need to be cognizant of the avalanche slopes on the left (north) side of the valley
• every shoot had recently had an avalanche come down however they were quite small due to the low snowpack this year
• in the wintertime, we only go partway into this valley, and on this day the gang went to the middle part of the valley and had lunch under a huge boulder
• the challenge at this time of year was that if you stepped even slightly off the trail, your foot would sink up to your knee or waist
• even the main part of the trail up in the valley floor was like walking in a land mine field as you never knew when you would fall thru
• the smart ones (which was not many of us) had taken snowshoes which kept them buoyant
• it took us 3 hours round trip at a leisurely pace and with a 15 minute stop for lunch

 

 

Interesting notes:

• one of our chaps did not have proper grippers for his boots and ended up turning back, so a couple of us went back down the trail for him to get his snowshoes on which made it an easier trek for him
• the trail has spectacular 360-degree views, so I recommend some regular stops to take in the views down the valley with Castle Mountain looming in the distance
• is a great mid to late summer hike as there are 50+ waterfalls streaming down the sides of the valley wall

• the distance we did would be considered a moderate outing suitable for most people