September 12, 2019, Sarrail Ridge
Distance: 11.5 kms
Elevation: 670 m
In June 2018, Fred and I met Kathrin and Sascha, a couple from Germany, while scrambling up the Tower of Babel. We so enjoyed this unexpected adventure with them that we stayed in touch throughout the winter and made plans to try and connect in-person when they came to Canada in September 2019. Shortly after their arrival, Fred and I met them in Banff for an enjoyable and leisurely, late lunch but we also wanted to show them some of Kananaskis and take them on a hike in this park. The challenge for me was trying to suggest the “right” trek. I had a list of options based on what I thought their interests were (Little Lougheed or Windtower, Tent Ridge or Smutwood Peak, King Creek Ridge or Mount Indefatigable), but I knew weather would play a dominant role in whatever choice was made. Based on everyone’s schedules, the four of us landed on Thursday, September 12 as the day to do a hike together. Unfortunately, the weather would not be great 🙁 and so Sarrail Ridge was chosen because even in poor weather, the ridge views are spectacular.
After a quick pick-up from the Elk campground, Fred and I drove them up to Interlakes for a close up look at Mount Indefatigable, and then we cycled back to the main parking lot for Upper Kananaskis Lake. It was a rather brisk day, but the sky was a gorgeous blue with white puffy clouds and the lake already had a wonderful colour to it.
After a few pictures of the lake and the falls, the cameras were packed away. While the trek up to Rawson Lake is a relatively boring forest walk on a well-established trail, our conversations kept us entertained and made the trip seem quite short. Once at Rawson Lake we started to experience the views we would have this day. Rawson Lake was beautiful as always. The ever impressive Mount Sarrail dominated the scene at the back of the lake, and the quickly moving cloud gave the day a bit of a moody feel to it. Even though there was increasing cloud cover, the scenery was wonderful. As we walked around the lake, we could hear picas constantly chirping their displeasure to our presence in the area. After a quick check for 🐻 in the avalanche gully we would use to climb to the ridge (we have had 2 past bear encounters!), we began the slog upward. I was particularly happy to have poles with me because the trail was quite muddy and slippery.
While I have hiked up to Sarrail Ridge a few times during the past 10 years, the views from the top never disappoint. When we crested, no blue sky could be seen but after half an hour or so, the sun made an appearance, creating vibrant colour and wonderful shadows in the various lakes below 😊. I took a ton of pictures, from different spots along the ridge, and with different levels of cloud and sun. Kathrin and Sascha decided to explore another bump on the ridge – we were able to use our long lens to grab a few photos of them 😮.
All too soon, it was time to head down. I didn’t find the gully too slippery at all. Fred and I did stop a bunch to chat to the hikers heading up, offering words of encouragement. Before too long, we were back at Rawson Lake. Fred, Kathrin and Sascha waited patiently as I tried to track and then snap pictures of tiny picas in the rock piles. Once I got the photo 😁 we headed into the forest for the climb down to Upper Kananaskis Lake.
Fred and I had hoped to do another hike with Kathrin and Sascha, or at least see them before they left Canada, but hiccups in our schedule got in the way. Fred and I look forward to seeing them next year!
