The Onion - Iceberg Lake loop Off-Trail hike on 12-Jul-2019

The group left the Bow Lake parking lot under sunny skies at 9:45 am and headed up the trail around the lake . We regrouped at the chock stone over the canyon, which everyone made it up and over without any serious difficulty.

Bow Lake with the Onion in the centre
Bow Lake with the Onion in the centre

Negotiating the chock stone over the canyon
Negotiating the chock stone over the canyon

The group continued up the trail to Bow Hut at a steady moderate pace. In the upper end of the valley we got a good view of the Onion. After crossing the stream at the upper end of the valley, we headed up the steep trail which leads to the Bow Hut.

The Onion from the upper valley
The Onion from the upper valley

David and Philip crossing the stream below the hut
David and Philip crossing the stream below the hut

We took a 30 minute rest break at the hut to have lunch and enjoy the views.

Bow Hut
Bow Hut

Looking South from the hut
Looking South from the hut

Lunch stop at Bow Hut
Lunch stop at Bow Hut

We then followed the faint trail behind the hut to the Northwest, which led us up to a glacial tarn and rounded rock bands. There were numerous interesting features in the rocks and great views of the peaks and icefield. The group then headed up the gradual final slope to the summit cairn.

Glacier tarn
Glacier tarn

Philip leading the group up through the rounded rock bands
Philip leading the group up through the rounded rock bands

Mount St Nicholas and Mount Olive to the left
Mount St Nicholas and Mount Olive to the left

Another rest break at the summit allowed the group to explore and take photos of the lakes below and surrounding peaks and icefield.

Heading up the last slope to the summit cairn
Heading up the last slope to the summit cairn

Ramblers at the Onion summit cairn
Ramblers at the Onion summit cairn

Iceberg and Bow Lakes from the summit of the Onion
Iceberg and Bow Lakes from the summit of the Onion

Donna with Mount Rhonda and Mount Baker in the background
Donna with Mount Rhonda and Mount Baker in the background


With the clouds heading in from the West we started back down and retraced our steps to the hut and upper valley floor. Here three of the group chose to follow the trail back to the Bow Lake parking lot, while the other ten participants headed off towards Iceberg Lake.

The Iceberg Lake variant does add an extra 1-2 kms and an extra 100 vertical metres, but is well worth the effort.

Iceberg Lake
Iceberg Lake

The ladies heading down the upper moraine from Iceberg Lake
The ladies heading down the upper moraine from Iceberg Lake

After a short break at Iceberg Lake, the group headed down the steep moraine to a bench, and then down a series of treed ledges to a second moraine which took us back to the creek. Rather than cross Bow Glacier Creek, we traversed over to the creek below Bow Falls, and changed into our water shoes and crossed it instead. Everyone was back at the Bow Lake parking lot by 7 PM.

Thanks to Philip,Shirley,Nardi,Clifton,Jane,Barbara,Patty,Suzy,Donna,Glenda,Jim, and David a new member for their great company and for sharing this mountain trek in the Bow lake area with me Kevin (S/C). Congrats to David, who at 81 and on his first Rambler trip made it to the top of the Onion.

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