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Salmon Arm, BC
Canada
894 Posts |
Posted - 07/16/2007 : 4:07 PM
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Had a wonderful week's camping trip in Waterton-Glacier last week. In addition to several short hikes throughout these parks, I was able to get in a day hike to Crypt Lake while my family took the boat down the lake to Goat Haunt.
As a warmup, on the previous evening we hiked up Bears Hump trail for a super view overlooking Waterton
before heading down the lakeshore trail for a sunset view of the lake:
Two things make Crypt Lake hike unique--the boat trip to the trailhead, and passing through a tunnel just before reaching the lake.
At present, there are two scheduled boat trips per day: 9 and 10 AM for departure, with 4 and 5:30 PM pickups. They say to allow 3 hours up and 2.5 hours return. Cost of the round trip is $15. Of course, you could also take your own boat or kayak across, but the lake is usually very windy with whitecaps so not that enjoyable!
 
While I was hiking solo, there were about 20 others on the 10 AM boat, so I was not alone on the trail. And I caught up to many of the 9 AM hikers too!
The trail passes 4 waterfalls along the way: Hellroaring, Twin, Burnt Rock, and--most spectacular--Crypt Falls, 175 metres high!
   
Actually the main trail bypasses Hellroaring Falls, it's best to see it on the way back as it is more likely to be in the sun by then and the trail above the falls is a steep grunt.
First half of the 8 km trail (guidebooks say 8.6 km, trailhead sign said 8) is in forest, then opens up for the last half as you climb above Hellroaring Creek valley.
Crypt Lake is in a basin at the top of the Crypt Falls cliffs. To reach the basin, you traverse the neatest part of the trail--the Crypt tunnel. You climb up a 2-m high ladder, duckwalk through the 25-m tunnel, then ascend a narrow ledge for another 25 m or so to the basin.
   
 There's a cable handhold for this exposed part.
By the way, there's a campsite just before the tunnel, but it doesn't seem to get much use.
Crypt Lake is only 200 m or so past the tunnel. It's a pretty lake nestled in a high-walled cirque, but not spectacular.
 
There is a rough trail leading around the lake (you actually cross the border as you reach the south end), but I chose to scramble the slopes to the east, spending an hour above the lake in some wildflower displays. Plenty of tracks (goats or bighorns) but no animals evident.
 
Another unique thing I discovered--Crypt Lake has no surface outlet. Below a limestone ridge that holds the lake in its cirque, the water flows out of a cave,
trickles gently across a flat for 20 m or so, then simply drops off the cliff!
 That's 175 metres down, hope the tree I'm hugging is well anchored!!
On the way down I took the detour to Hellroaring Falls, but not before stopping for more wildflower and scenery pics.
 
Despite taking the late boat, spending a whole hour above Crypt Lake, taking that detour and despite all the photos I took, I was still able to make the landing to catch the 4 pm boat--just.
Then, for an after-dinner finale I joined my family for evening hikes at Cameron Lake.
There are many trails in the Rockies that have more spectacular scenery, but I highly recommend Crypt Lake for its variety and interesting features, as well as having the added bonus of a lake cruise with spectacular scenery.
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Anchorage, Alaska
USA
1340 Posts |
Posted - 07/16/2007 : 5:54 PM
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Nice! When I did it last year, it was 33 C the whole way up the Crypt Lake trail. Made for a great swim in Crypt. I wanted to jump off that passenger ferry into the lake so badly!! Was it that hot this time?? I heard it's been brutal back home in Alberta.
That's quite the waterfall shot...
Be neat to put dye in that corner of the lake and watch how long it takes for it to get to the waterfall. |
Edited by - northernalberta on 07/16/2007 5:57 PM |
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 bandana wearin', pole huckin', view lovin', dog herdin', 4x4 navigatin', lake huntin', butt-slidin' bridge crosser, who enjoys postholing with an overnighter pack
Surrey, BC
Canada
4649 Posts |
Posted - 07/16/2007 : 6:02 PM
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That's a pretty cool hike   . Thanks for posting a T/R on it  |
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Fleetwood not Surrey, bc
Canada
1125 Posts |
Posted - 07/16/2007 : 6:24 PM
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| Great pics and thanks for posting about this hike I would never have known about it had you not posted. Just another area to be explored |
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Coffee swillin', wine lovin', Owl fearin' Andie McDowell stunt double, who sports retro gear
Vancouver, BC
5466 Posts |
Posted - 07/16/2007 : 6:27 PM
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Very interesting looking hike.
Is this as hair-raising as it looks?
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Maple Ridge, BC
63 Posts |
Posted - 07/16/2007 : 6:30 PM
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| how were the bugs? any at crypt on your trip? |
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Happy go lucky, plaid wearin, postholin, safeway gaitor sportin, old-school film shootin, giver of many regards
Abbotsford, B.C.
Canada
13460 Posts |
Posted - 07/17/2007 : 10:15 PM
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Beautiful shots. Neat ones about the rock cavities and the waterfalls.
Regards, |
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Salmon Arm, BC
Canada
894 Posts |
Posted - 07/18/2007 : 2:40 PM
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Thanks for the kind comments guys! I'd never been to Waterton/Glacier before and really enjoyed the scenery. We did some touristy trails in Glacier (Hidden Lake and the Highline--they're crowded but absolutely must-do hikes; I'll post a TR). I'm licking my lips at returning to do some major hiking there in future!!!
We had virtually no bugs on the whole week's trip. Just the odd horsefly at Crypt.
We've had brutal heat in the Okanagan lately, it sure was great to get into the mtns and comfy temps especially at night!! Crypt was fine that day, just a bit stifling in the forest on the return.
Wilderness Seeker--on that side of the tunnel, it's mostly a talus slope. Not hair-raising to me...the exposure is past the tunnel, it's just a narrow ledge with a 30-50m sheer drop. Here's a pic (not a great one so I left it off the TR) that shows the face of the ridge by the tunnel. I've marked the ledge with red dots.
The cable helps considerably with the fear factor, but anyone who's done much scrambling in the Rockies will feel comfy enough on the ledge. I barely used the cable and didn't even bother to stow the camera, just held it. There was one lady who turned around at the ladder as her fear of heights already got the better of her (or was it claustrophobia?!), she didn't even see the ledge. So sad, she was so close to the lake!!
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Edited by - pmjwright on 07/18/2007 2:42 PM |
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High River, (just south of Calgary eh!), Alberta
Canada
1703 Posts |
Posted - 07/20/2007 : 08:45 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by pmjwright
By the way, there's a campsite just before the tunnel, but it doesn't seem to get much use.
I think that campsite has been decomissioned due to too many bear encounters so only day-trips into Crypt. Unless that has changed in the last few years. |
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Salmon Arm, BC
Canada
894 Posts |
Posted - 07/20/2007 : 11:31 AM
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Sodbuster, I didn't bother to read the trailhead sign, just stood beside it and smiled for the camera!!
All my trail guidebooks (even the recent ones) mention the campsite so I just repeated that outdated info. You're right, the campsite is officially closed. No rehabilitation efforts yet, no "area closed--rehabilitation in progress" type of signage. There's still a hitching rail for horses at the site. |
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Tumbler Ridge, BC
Canada
1364 Posts |
Posted - 08/06/2007 : 11:55 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by pmjwright
Sodbuster, I didn't bother to read the trailhead sign, just stood beside it and smiled for the camera!!
All my trail guidebooks (even the recent ones) mention the campsite so I just repeated that outdated info. You're right, the campsite is officially closed. No rehabilitation efforts yet, no "area closed--rehabilitation in progress" type of signage. There's still a hitching rail for horses at the site.
You just have the wrong guidebook. May I quote from the Southern Alberta Backroad Mapbook: "It is possible to hike in via the Wishbone Trail, but few people do, especially now that all the campsites along the trail are closed."
I must say, That pano from the bear's hump is great; I wish I had gone up there when I was in Waterton. I'm heading back to Southern Alberta in Sept; while my emphasis is on the eastern section, I might have to slip into Waterton, just for a couple portfolio shots.... |
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Crypt Lake, July 8
