Memorial Lakes: 3rd (upper) lake Off-Trail hike on 15-Aug-2026

We had a fine trip, if a bit more arduous and tricky than we who did it a while ago remembered.
Only a few drops of rain, mixed sun and cloud.

We set out shortly after 9. The regular Ribbon Creek trail has been out for a while, so we had to follow the detour using the Kovach trail. This added less than a kilometre in distance and probably less than 100 m of elevation. Not long before we were at the junction, now marked, and on the unmaintained trail up to the Memorial Lakes. Unmaintained, but it does have two bridges.

A little past the second bridge, the trail became quite indistinct due to a washout. We ended up following the wrong trail for a bit before realizing our mistake and then having to bushwhack directly back to the track we had off the Rambler website. In the end rejoining it about 200 m on. We took very brief breaks at the waterfalls and the first lake.

And arrived at the second Memorial Lake around 12:30 for a fairly brief lunch.

Two remained at that beautiful lake while the rest continued on. I was really expecting that the trail up to the third lake would by now be fairly well established. But that wasn't really the case. Teresa did much of the leading up the braided slopes. Along the way we had a dew drops of rain and several jackets and pack covers came out. But it never really rained and continued to be mixed cloudy and bright sunshine for the rest of the day. We made it to the cairn at the third lake a little after 1:30.

Then it was back around the lake, down the headwalls.

And back to the others at the second lake.

The walk out seemed to be longer than the walk in, doesn't it always? Back at the cars a little after 5:30.

Around 19 km, 850 m ascent, 8 1/2 hours.

Many thanks to participants: Susan, Nardi, Sonja, Gary, Teresa, Jane, Sue, Gordon, Jenny, Kate, Tina, Andrew, Laura, John, and Jenny for joining me me, Carl (C/S). (Not sure if I have ever had 16 participants on a Rambler hike, now I know how Francisco feels.)