The trip started out under sunny skies and the burnt forest meant we had good views of the surrounding peaks:

Sunny view of Mt Anderson at Red Rock Canyon PL

There were lots of different flowers and chirping birds to distract us on the trudge of 4.5 km along the Snowshoe trail/road to the junction of the Goat Lake trail. We reunited with two participants who had done the distance on bikes. The trail was in good shape as it climbed up to the hanging valley with views of the waterfalls and the appearance of Waterton's trademark bear grass:


Looking up the trail to Goat Lake, Waterton

John viewing some of the Goat Creek waterfalls

Bear grass near Goat Lake

After a rest stop at Goat Lake we continued up the valley and navigated through the rock bands:


Barbara on the steep climb up a creek through one of the rock bands

Eight of us went up to the Avion - Newman col which was an appropriate lunch locale where you could see north into the Castle area and south to the other Waterton peaks, now getting hazy and showing cloud buildup


Lunch at the Avion-Newman col, Avion Ridge behind

Four took a short foray up Avion Ridge to the first high point:


Trekking along Avion Ridge

while the others descended to Goat Lake where the waiting time was passed dipping hot feet into the cool lake water. The four ridge walkers were not long in returning and with clouds building up we descended to the access road. The bike riders recovered their wheels and had the fast ride back to the trailhead:


Barbara jealously watches John biking the 4.5 km road back to the parking lot

The walk back was accompanied by the sound of thunder and the occasional visible cloud lightning just over the mountains to the south and it looked to be getting progessively darker as we approached the Red Rock trailhead. But we had luck on our side as the rain started one minute after we arrived at the cars.

Thanks to a great group for all the interesting conversation and flower and bird call identifications. Participants: Rosanne, Philip, Ron C/S/P, Barbara (photo), Nancy, John, Dave, Evan, Carolyn, Jo.
Flower appendix:

Pearly everlastings

birchleaf spiraea (Spiraea betulifolia)

Wild bergamot

Bear grass (Xerophyllum tenax) near Goat Lake

Yellow Buckwheat (Eriogonum flavum) with Acmon Blue butterfly? (Plebejus acmon)

Cushion Buckwheat (Eriogonum ovalifolium) eking out a living in the shale