Due to the significant amount of misunderstanding about the Restricted Area
related to this hike I contacted Banff Park on Jul 20, 2023 and spoke to two
ParkWardens/Enforcement Officers and confirmed with them that the O/T
portion of this route did not encroach on any Restricted Area. More detailed info
on this on the below Banff Parks Map with my notes and markups and a Google
Earth photo of the GPS track of the actual trip.

This was a very pleasant trip we were a very talkative group who tried hard to solve all
the problems of the World we started almost from the time the vehicle left the meet
up point. We left the Sunshine PL at 8:15am with very comfortable hiking
temperatures which lasted all day.
We made it to Healy Pass at 10:42am
and here we met a single hiker, Joe (visiting from San Diego) whom we invited to join
us for the remainder of the trip.
In referencing the Banff Parks map it indicates that you leave the Restricted
Area before you get to the the Pass. After a short break we proceeded higher and in a
westerly direction on a trail which then turns more southernly. This "normal" route I
used, for which I have a previous GPS track can be viewed in Google Earth.
The trail/route lies West of a "O/T Restricted Boundary which runs due South
from Healy Pass. The first 1.2 km of this trail approaching the Ramparts is in
Alberta after which it goes up and enters BC and Kootenay National Park.

Slight upclimb to the Ramparts and into BC

It should be noted that there are no O/T Restrictions in BC or Kootenay National
Park. For approximately the next 1km along the Ramparts centerline you could
be in either Kootenay National Park (BC) or Banff National Park (AB) so
we/you stay to the centreline or the West BC side of the centreline. After this
1km the BC/AB border goes sharply East and all of the Ramparts are in BC.
We had a relaxing lunch at 12:03pm in BC on the Ramparts with a view of the
unrestricted BC part of the Healy Meadows.



Groups Photo at our Lunch Spot in BC (photo BL)

Sonja and Harold having Lunch (photo from BL)

Our "Little Mermaid" Sonja

Our visitor Joe (from San Diego) that joined our groups (photo from BL)

Our View looking South (photo from BL)

Even though the wild flowers were not at their peak Bill manged to find a few rare
blooms.



Rusty Saxifrage (Saxifraga ferruginea)

After a relaxing 53min lunch we proceeded on along the Ramparts into
Assiniboine Provincial (BC) Park and then further down to Eohippus Lake. The
portion of the trail down off the Ramparts to the lake comes and goes is vaguely
defined in places and eventually intersects a north going trail which takes you
back into Banff National Park. We went through Simpson Pass rejoined the main
trail and were back at the vehicle at 4:55pm. It was a fun trip which I had not
done in a few years.

Thanks to participants: Joe (from San Diego), Bill, Paul, Sonja for joining me Harold, on this hike,.

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Banff Parks Map c/w my notes and markups


Healy Pass Meadows Area Map c/w Markups and Notes by HM

Google Earth photo c/w trip GPS Track


Google Earth Photo c/w plotted GPS track of hike on Ramparts by HM

Interesting Note on Healy Pass
Healy Pass was not always located where we know it to be today. The true historical location of Healy Pass was 700m southerly on the approach trail to the Ramparts.
This was measured by Bill as the actual low point. I understand in talking to retired parks wardens that they at one time crossed the meadows and then ascended to cross at this location on their way to Egypt Lake.
It was eventually relocated to mitigate damage to the Healy Meadows due to traffic by hikers, visitors and Parks personnel.