Dolomite circuit Off-Trail hike on 23-Aug-2025

A spectacular day for a fantastic hike. Not sure why this hasn't been done by the Ramblers for almost 8 years.
After picking Evan up at Mosquito Creek we started off from the already very busy Helen Lake trailhead around 9:40. And walked fairly quickly up to the lake where we took a short break.

From there we climbed up over the shoulder of Katherine Ridge and headed down to Katherine Lake. (Nardi taking the steeper track up to the col and beating the rest of us handily on the more gradual track that takes you a way up the ridge.) From there we had to weave our way down through the numerous marmots down to the lake.

I had wondered a bit about the creek crossing, but there were stone laid down to skip over. We were at the Lunch Rocks at 12:30 and took a half hour break there.

From the Dolomite Pass area it is a longish climb up to the col.

Where we took another break.

The one drawback of the whole Dolomite Circuit is that it is a long, not very easy trek from that col down to the Mosquito Creek trailhead. First some slightly tricky drops.

Then a long fairly nice meadow (sort of), then a fairy long stretch of toaster sized rubble, then a short climb, then a longish walk through the woods, and a drop to the Mosquito Creek trail about a km from the trailhead.

I believe that we found as good a route as is possible. I've ended up on some fairly steep ugly bushwhacking, and I've also ended up at the highway.
Evan was then able to take the three other drivers back to their cars. Thank you so much, made the planning easier.

We hiked about 19 km, with 800m of ascent, a little over 7 hours.

Three of us stopped at The Outpost in Lake Louise for dinner. Unfortunately they don't have my favourite goulash/spaetzle/redcabbage on the menu any more.

Many Thanks to participants: Alda, Susan, Cordula, Nardi, Doug, Evan, Krystyna, Annie, Colleen, and Kate for joining me, Carl (C/S)