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Vancouver, BC
Canada
26 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2012 : 09:12 AM
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Hi all,
The husband and I are planning to hike the Rockwall Trail in early September, and I was wondering if anyone had done this trail before? It looks amazing, but I'm trying to get a sense of how our two dogs might fair on it - mostly regarding:
- bugs at this time of year (the dogs have short hair)
- nighttime temps (they sleep in the tent, but will they need more than a fleece coat?)
- grizzlies
- porcupines (apparently there are a lot of them)
- other bitey things (wolves, cougars, etc)
- trail conditions in general, if you've been there
I've worked in grizz country, but have never brought the dogs - we have never had a close encounter with a black bear, so not sure what how they would react to a bear, but they will certainly be on leash for the entire trip! I'm just a little concerned if they bark at a grizzly, as they tend to be less forgiving than black bears.
Any suggestions / feedback / tips on hiking with dogs in this part of BC? Is it a terrible idea to bring them at all? All of our backpacking trips with them so far have been on the coast, and I suspect the Kootenays might be a different story! Any feedback people might have on hiking or backpacking with pups in this area of the world would be most appreciated - does not have to be trail-specific.
(and please, I'm not trying to start yet another debate about dogs in the backcountry - I'm legitimately asking for some advice based on the abundance of experience on this forum. We are very conscious of having good dog etiquette on any trail we hike, and get just as angry about out of control dogs, people not cleaning up after their dogs, etc. as "non-dog people"!!)
Thanks!! |
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High River, (just south of Calgary eh!), Alberta
Canada
1718 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2012 : 09:53 AM
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Early Sept bugs shouldn't be a problem. The trail is well graded so it shouldn't be too bad to have leashed dogs along (no bushwhack etc). Porcupines maybe at night coming to chew on your stuff. Nightime temps shouldn't be too bad (a bit below freezing maybe) but it is the mountains so - box of chocolates. Lots of critters like ground squirrels around the campsites.
Definitely bear country, if you aren't sure how your dogs might react maybe best for all concerned to find a sitter for the dogs. This is pristine alpine for a large part of it, a friend of mine even saw a wolverine at Wolverine pass.
There are many reasons I would suggest you not bring your dogs, but for the logistical stuff you list, aside from how they may react to wildlife, you should be good to go. |
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over the hills and far away
Canada
725 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2012 : 10:06 AM
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Because the Rockwall trail is in a Nationsl park, you may not be allowed dogs on the trail anyway. I'm sure someone else will clarify this for you, as it's possible the Rockwall is an exception.
I've done the hike over 6 days. Didn't see much in the way of wildlife- just the odd scat pile. In Sept the bugs shouldn't be bad, and nighttime temps will be approaching "chilly". Personally, I'd leave the dogs at home. It's over 50km. Do you have a plan in case one of them gets hurt? Just my 2 pennies... |
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294 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2012 : 10:14 AM
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Good choice by the way. Rockwall Trail is a great backcountry trail. I've hiked it twice in both directions. Just a side note. When you are planning your campgrounds, Wolverine Pass is close to the park boundary and so about 500m west of the pass, you can random camp at a higher elevation, have some solitude etc. There is an old fire ring and a small tarn for water. When we camped there, there was clear evidence of several groups also having the same idea. I'm not sure why, but it made our camp ground logistics a little easier by staying there.
Trail and bridges are great, rebuilt since the forest fires a few years back. I know some groups who only do part of the trail. I don't know why unless they have time restraints but it is worth your time to do the entire trail. I'm not sure of your car situation, but in doing this trail twice, we have always had to leave a car at one trailhead and both times were able to hitch a ride. We tend to leave our vehicle at the end trailhead and do the hitchhike at the start, nicer for drivers since one doesn't smell as bad at the beginning.
Another suggestion. If you like being on top of a mountain summit for stellar views of your hiking surroundings then I highly recommend Numa Peak. Once you reach Numa Pass, you can drop your packs and easily hike up the west facing slopes to the top of Numa Peak for incredible views of the entire Rockwall and Floe Lake. It took us 1 hour to go up and back plus 45min at the summit itself. The route is straight forward and if my memory is good, only easy class I scrambling, maybe class II once you near the summit cairn. But all in all, great bang for your hiking buck.
I'm not a dog person, so my advice would be to leave them at home. But I do think they'll be fine if you take them. I'm sure your dogs would enjoy the trail and being outdoors as much as you. I'm glad to hear you use a leash though.
Best of luck to you, hope the weather is good. Another thought, this trail passes through larch tree country, if you can, would be nice to postpone your trip 2-3 weeks, the larches in their fall colours are very beautiful. |
Edited by - jeffs78 on 06/01/2012 10:22 AM |
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Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
797 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2012 : 10:23 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Candy Sack
Because the Rockwall trail is in a Nationsl park, you may not be allowed dogs on the trail anyway. I'm sure someone else will clarify this for you, as it's possible the Rockwall is an exception.
I've done the hike over 6 days. Didn't see much in the way of wildlife- just the odd scat pile. In Sept the bugs shouldn't be bad, and nighttime temps will be approaching "chilly". Personally, I'd leave the dogs at home. It's over 50km. Do you have a plan in case one of them gets hurt? Just my 2 pennies...
You are allowed dogs on the Rockwall trail, the rule is they must be on a leash at all times though.
The trail passes through some prime bear habitat...especially in September. Some dense bushy areas where visibility is bad too. |
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
26 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2012 : 11:25 AM
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Thanks everyone for the great feedback so far - really appreciate it! I'm still on the fence about bringing them, but do also appreciate the respectful responses - I know dogs + backcountry can be a touchy subject.
Any tips on where to camp the night before we start? I'm thinking Red Streak near Radium Hot Springs?
Also, here's the tentative itinerary - any feedback or suggestions would be great! (jeffs78, thanks for the great tips re. campsites/worthwhile views!).
Day 1 - Paint Pots -> Helmet Falls
14.7 km
350 m elevation gain
Day 2 - Helmet Falls -> Tumbling Creek
12.5 km
gain 410 m
lose 260 m
Day 3 - Tumbling Creek -> Floe Lake
17.7 km
gain 1090 m
lose 965 m
Day 4 - Floe Lake -> Floe Lake trailhead
10.7 km
lose 700 m
My understanding from the website is also that dogs are allowed but must be leashed. The dogs have been on a few 50+ km backpacking trips with us and have done great - but injury is certainly always a concern...we prep as much as possible and bring dog-specific first aid items, but it is certainly always a risk. I'd personally prefer not to have to carry my 65 lb dog out in my backpack!
Thanks again - it's so helpful to get this kind of feedback from people who have done the trail and/or are familiar with the area  |
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Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
112 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2012 : 2:16 PM
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Numa Creek might be worth considering if you have the time to enjoy another day on that fantastic trail!
+2 thanks for jeffs78's tips too :-)
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Calgary, Alberta
Andorra
3830 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2012 : 8:23 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Candy Sack
Because the Rockwall trail is in a Nationsl park, you may not be allowed dogs on the trail anyway. I'm sure someone else will clarify this for you, as it's possible the Rockwall is an exception.
I've done the hike over 6 days. Didn't see much in the way of wildlife- just the odd scat pile. In Sept the bugs shouldn't be bad, and nighttime temps will be approaching "chilly". Personally, I'd leave the dogs at home. It's over 50km. Do you have a plan in case one of them gets hurt? Just my 2 pennies...
All our Rocky Mountain National Parks allow dogs, they just have to be leashed at all times. There are only a couple of places that briefly disallow dogs in high-bear-season.
The nice thing about the Rockwall is that there is a shorter escape route from most of the trail, so it's a good one if you're uncertain about the distance.
I did the Rockwall a couple years ago and put together a fairly comprehensive trip report which you can view here.
We had a 2-year-old husky with us, and he loved the trail. He was on-leash the whole time, and slept in the tent. We didn't encounter any bears though, and being as they are common on the trail, I'd be wary of bringing a dog you aren't confident you can control, even in a bear encounter.
The bugs were horrible in August, but by September it should be freezing overnight, so you'd likely be fine, with most of them dead (though expect mosquitos).
I have no idea how warm dogs stay (the dog with us belonged to a friend. I'm not a dog person).
Bears are common, but not known for being any more problematic than anywhere else.
Porcupines are rampant. As long as your dog is on a leash all the time, he shouldn't get into any trouble with them. Just make sure to bring your boots, poles, etc. in with you at night.
Trail conditions are in standard pretty good well-used-National-Park condition except for one jungley section, but keep an eye on the weather - it certainly could snow in September.
We did a leisurely 5-day trip, which was excellent.
Marble Canyon Campground is a kilometre or two up the road from the Paint Pots and is a nice campground. |
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Rockwall Trail / Grizzly factor
