Back Into Packing

This past week Dave and I did our first backpacking trip in two summers. I've been experiencing some ankle "issues" but this summer they've been much better. We decided to try a short trip into Jonas Pass. We started at the Nigel Pass Trailhead(on the Icefields Parkway near the Columbia Icefields) around noon on Wed. and had to hike 14 km to our campground at Four Point. The river (our camp water source) is pictured on the right. The skies indicate our perfect weather for this trip. I found the 14 km was about as much as I wanted to walk with a backpack but it's a very scenic walk and not too difficult with only about a 300 m elevation gain.

The next day we hiked up to Jonas Pass with a light pack and had a wonderful ridge walk on our return. We left in the morning and we up into the pass within an hour of leaving camp. The left hand picture gives an idea of the terrain. I think Jonas Pass has to be the longest mountain pass I've ever been over - about 7km across. I love walking at the valley bottom and looking up at the mountains on either side. Most hikers carry a big backpack over to another campground and 19km of hiking is required. We went to the top of Jonas Pass and beyond, then hiked up to a ridge to see a bit of the next valley and returned to our campground at Four Point. The next day we hiked back to our car and went off to the Edmonton Fringe.

I have to say that I felt a little wimpy after this hike although I'm pleased that my ankles were so cooperative and it was so good to get back into some real wilderness once again. We met some people who were around our age who were hiking the Great Divide Trail and had left on July 11th and had only taken two days off in all that time. They were also heading to Jasper before stopping. I don't think I'm yet ready for one of these long North American cross border trails.