Backpack Skoki to Badger Pass Off-Trail hike on 21-Sep-2023
Day 1: It doesn't get much better than this in September. We left a car at Moose Meadows and drove to the Skoki parking lot to start the mundane trek up the road in shade and frost; our hands were still cold an hour later despite the climb! But the sky was clear blue, there was fresh snow on the mountain tops, and there weren't many people, so we were excited to start our adventure.
It wasn't until Boulder Pass that we were in constant warm sun and the coordinator's decision to wear shorts didn't feel quite so reckless. Fantastic views and golden larches accompanied us for the remainder of the hike to Baker Lake campground.
While the campground lacks privacy between tent pads, the setting on the shore of the lake is sublime. We set up camp and had lunch, then put on much lighter packs to ascend Fossil Mountain. Fortunately we could cut up through rocks and meadows to reach the base of the peak without having to backtrack all the way to Deception Pass. We followed a good easy trail until losing it just as the terrain becomes more complicated, and from there we each picked our way up crappy loose and slippery steep slopes until finally reaching the top.
Wow, wow, wow! Not only were there stunning views of the Skoki (and other) lakes and a 360-degree panorama of peaks, but the late afternoon sun was still warm. We ambled along the ridge (spotting our tents far below), and then Evan found a much better descent route that was fast and easy. Some nice off-trail walking led us back to the trail and to camp for dinner to finish off a golden day.
Wow, wow, wow! Not only were there stunning views of the Skoki (and other) lakes and a 360-degree panorama of peaks, but the late afternoon sun was still warm. We ambled along the ridge (spotting our tents far below), and then Evan found a much better descent route that was fast and easy. Some nice off-trail walking led us back to the trail and to camp for dinner to finish off a golden day.
Ascending to Boulder Pass
Walking to camp with Fossil Mountain above
Lunch at Baker Lake camp
Close tent pads! Now we know who snores. :)
Towards Fossil
View over Ptarmigan Lake and Boulder Pass
Easy-ish slopes at first
Skoki Lakes
Summit of Fossil Mountain with Pulsatilla Pass (next day's destination) at upper left
Heading back with views of Mt Hector, Dolomite, and other Icefields peaks
Upper slopes on Fossil
Evening at Baker Lake
Day 2: A place to linger.
It was COLD in the morning; Spotwx had forecast-5C and it sure felt like it. We packed up our frosty/wet tents and took some time before leaving to explore the ponds, waterfalls, and larch vistas around camp under brilliant blue sky. Then we put on the packs to travel first through a wide golden valley, and then through what seemed like endless forest (although to be fair, it was only for a couple of hours and was quite beautiful with pristine thick moss carpets). The unexpected benefit of the cold temperature was that the copious boggy and muddy sections were frozen solid (even in late afternoon, we were still finding swathes of frost and snow!).
Finally, after the big climb of the day, we reached the start of the expanse of Pulsatilla Pass. It is an indescribably beautiful area, and our photos were unable to capture anything close to what it felt like being there. We lingered and walked slowly and lingered some more, even climbing a little ridge from the pass proper to prolong the views. Tons of fresh grizzly diggings from a mom and yearling cub (according to two backpackers coming the other way), although we didn't see the bears. It's a good thing that it's so hard to get here so that it doesn't get overrun and destroyed by people. I could have spent many more hours there.
The descent to camp was scenic (with sightings of a large ram and some pikas) and the campground had private tent pads (with soft wood chips!) and a great view of larches on mountainsides. Another calm night, much warmer.
Lots of unbridged streams
Wolverine track!
At the start of Pulsatilla Pass, looking back towards our approach
Long rest break in summer weather
Pulsatilla Lake
Climbing to the high pass
Happy backpackers
Evening view from Badger Pass Junction camp
Day 3: Several uncommon events.
We knew even before starting this trip that our chances of getting up South Bonnet Peak were slim to none; forecasts were predicting not only showers but a cloud ceiling that was several hundred metres lower than the summit. Sure enough, clouds were already touching the ridges but we thought that with an 8:00 start we'd at least get to Badger Pass, and hopefully a bit further. The cool single-degree temperature led to the first uncommon event of the day in that the coordinator decided to wear pants instead of shorts.
The trail up to Badger Pass was beautiful, passing by waterfalls and through a larch forest. Then you emerge above treeline into a long and wide stretch of alpine terrain leading to the pass itself; there were 3 bighorn rams and more pikas. Fantastic place.
We reached the pass and had a snack, and thought that the high col looked doable despite the weather's impending sense of doom. It was a great amble through interesting rock, and we picked a high route of slabs and ledges to meet up with a clear trail climbing steeply through the scree to the col. You crest the col and the glacier is RIGHT THERE. Not a view in the distance, but just metres away! By this time it was raining (turning to snow), but we were so exhilarated at reaching such a remote place (the rarity of human visits being the second uncommon event of the day) that we were grinning and laughing and feeling like we were on top of the world, even though there was no way we could go any higher in the murky cloud (we couldn't even see the BASE of Bonnet Peak, let alone any tops).
So down we went, finding the easier low route.
Which led to the third uncommon event: we heard WOLVES! We're in this rocky wasteland at perhaps 2750m elevation, and we're hearing a large pack howling for many minutes. Wow. More on them later...
Intermittent rain accompanied us down from the pass, and a big storm lashed the tents with gale-force winds before dinner. Then it was peaceful again (but cold), and we were in our tents around 8:00 when the next sets of rain and winds continued for several hours into the night.
Larches on Badger Pass trail
Climbing to Badger Pass
Looking back towards camp; note the low cloud line!
At Badger Pass, looking towards the high col
Heading to Bonnet Glacier; Badger Pass in background
Climbing to the high (2900m) col in rain
A GLACIER! A GLACIER!
Bonnet Glacier, with Bonnet Peak presumably at the dark smudge
Descending in waves of rain and wind
Fun exploring the rocks (Evan even found a cave); high col in mist at centre. Shortly before this was when we heard the wolves.
Day 4: Lighter food bags but heavier tents.
We woke early and packed up by headlamp, our tents made sodden and heavy from the rain, leaving camp at 8:08 for the plod back to civilization. For the first 12 or so km, we were following fresh tracks (unspoiled by the rain) from many wolves and lots of fresh droppings. We deduced that we heard them howling as they crossed Badger Pass the previous day, and then they roamed the area just above our camp for the evening before setting out not long before us.
While it's a long walk through forest, it was much more pleasant than we had expected and the hour of rain wasn't enough to soak us.
After seeing only 3 other people since leaving Baker Lake, it was a bit jarring to start meeting so many day hikers around the Ink Pots (which are still pretty cool to see). Then there was nothing left but the the 100m climb up from the ponds and the easy descent to the car, arriving 6.5 hours after leaving camp.
Our trio of Ulrike, Evan, and Ingrid (coordinator) was a great synchronized team, walking 74 km with 3000m elevation gain in 4 days. As Evan remarked on the shuttle back to the other car, these were some of the best hiking days of the whole season.
Many wolf tracks
Warden cabin
At the Ink Pots and almost at the end of our adventure