Healy Pass via Sunshine Village and Simpson Pass Trail hike on 12-Jul

We had a fine day in lovely weather.
We started a few minutes after 9. In order to make a loop of most of the trip, and to include the lovely trail from Sunshine Village to Simpson pass, we hiked up the Canyon ski out trail from the Sunshine parking lot to the Village. This did end up being more than the TL2 rating for the plain j500 trip to Healy Pass.

Maybe a bit more so, as there was more water flowing down than later in the season. But we did manage to NOT be on the road at all (although occasionally seeing the dust from service vehicles).

Eventually we got to the maintained Sunshine area trails with their ubiquitous "Stay on the Path" signs, and hiked up the Eagle Meadows run and on to the Monarch Viewpoint on Wawa Ridge.

Where we stopped for Elevenses (well a little after 11:00). From that first high point it was a longish walk down to Simpson Pass and then on to Healy Meadows. We stopped for lunch around 1 a little bit shy of where we would meet the hordes hiking the direct route to Healy Pass. And it was busy. Others were already descending and it was actually a challenge when we met folk. Maybe they need to "twin" the trail in order to not have folk step off the trail. There were tons of flowers all along our route, but we missed having Ingrid (or even better Bill) along to regale us. Lower down the glacier lillies were well past their prime, but near Healy Pass they were still abundant.

We spent a fair bit of time over on the BC side of Healy Pass identifying the many peaks in the Egypt/Shadow Lake area. (Trampling all over the flowers where we are allowed. Just kidding!)

We started down around 2:40.

and were back at the cars at 5.

23 km, 950m ascent, 8 hours.

Many thanks to participants: Susan, Cordula, Yoko, Teresa, Barbara, and Cristina for joining me, Carl (C/S)