backpacking elk pass loop

Way back when the fam got together at Uncle Val's for the annual Canada Day potluck, Mom, Dad, Arianne, and I decided we needed to get a little backpacking in before the summer ended. We all pulled out our phones to check our schedules and all of us had the weekend of August 11th free. It was so perfect because the 12th is Dad's bday! We planned to go to Cleft.

Last week I realized the weekend was near at hand and nobody had really said anything about where we were meeting or what was happening, so I asked Dad if the trip was still going to happen. He said, "Yap", so I asked Arianne if she was so excited to go. Turns out she was really busy with work so she and Daryn weren't going to be able to make it :(

Mom, Dad, and I then put our thinking caps on and turned to the web for more backpacking trails closer to Calgary so that I would be able to go (my car isn't the most reliable thing in the world right now). We all agreed that Elk Pass Loop would be a fun one to try... minus the loop part because that would take more time than just over night.

I invited Lita out but she wasn't able to come, so I invited Haillee. On Friday night she and I went to the mall and we got her a new backpack. I was so excited to use my new backpack that Burns got me for Christmas! Aaaand my brand new hiking boots that I had only worn once before! By the time we got back from the mall, my parents were at my house. We organized and packed our camping gear and headed to bed.

In the morning I dropped Kobe off at Tim and Elise Wright's house. He stayed with them for the weekend. Then I went home and we loaded up the car and were on our way to Banff! When Mom registered for the campground the info guy told her that we could have a fire, to which she replied that we probably wouldn't have one. He then told her that she probably would because of the mosquitoes. They couldn't be that bad could they?

Oh they were bad. So, so bad. The worst I have ever seen added to the fact that these were no city mosquitoes, these were MOUNTAIN mosquitoes. Very large and so many of them! If we didn't have bug spray I don't think I would have done the hike. For those of you who went cliff jumping at Seebe, it was worse than that.

Anyways the hike started just past the Norquay ski resort.

Just about to embark on our new adventure:

On our way, still chipper and energetic:

We crossed a dry stream bed:

And a not so dry one:

We crossed rickety, old bridges:

And had great views of the surrounding mountains:

Nearing the campsite about 11 km and four hours later, we had to follow the trail through large shrubbery.

We finally reached the campsite at around 4:00pm and it was beautiful. There was a tent area and a separate cooking and food storage area.

This was at the cooking area:

Haillee waiting for some grub.

Making some noodles for din din:

The stream that separates the path to the cooking area from the path to the tenting area.

Parents hoisting up our smelly goodness so bears couldn't get it.

The mosquitoes were still really bad so we covered up as much as possible:

After dinner we were just hanging out with the other campers (two guys had taken their sons on the backpack trip and had left their wives at home). They were good company and the teenage sons made a fire. It definitely helped with the mosquito situation.

Parents having loads and buckets full of fun:

Poor Haillee was growing another toe by the time we got to the campsite:

There it is on top of her pinkie toe:

Mom popped it before we left the next morning:

We were at tent site 5:

Welp we had an okay sleep and then we got up early to go to Elk Lake. Mom and Dad were too tired to hike another 5 km on top of the 11 km we had to go back, so Haillee and I went by ourselves. It was worth it.

View in the morning:

2.6 km there
2.6 km back

Haillee and I were just hanging out on a rock, enjoying the sounds of the fish breaking the surface of the water and the chuckling stream flowing next to us. So serene and peaceful. Then suddenly the silence was broken by something big moving through the forest. My first instinct was to remain silent, but Haillee came prepared and started talking really loudly to make sure that whatever it was in the forest knew that we were there so we wouldn't startle it. The biggest problem that we faced, however, was the fact that the beast was in between us and the exit. We were so scared, but we decided it was best for us to leave, so we talked loudly while moving around where we heard it, towards the exit. We talked loudly all the way back to the campsite.

Once we were back, we loaded up our gear and headed out.

I never thought I would be so happy to see a ski lift in the summer. Haillee and I got back to the car first and I nursed her blisters while we waited for Parents to get back. I had a really great time and I'm glad I got to go backpacking with my parents for the last time. They decided it puts too much strain on them, so this was their last trip.

We went to the Banff townsite and I suggested we get some sandwiches from Squish. So good. Then we went home, I picked up Kobe, and went to relax at home.

Once I was home all by myself, a lot of stresses built up all at once, so I felt pretty miserable. Lita came to the rescue and we went for a walk at Bowness Park. The ducks kept following us even though we hadn't fed any of them. It was kind of creepy haha.

Thanks for the great trip, Parents and Haillee, and happy birthday Dad!
And thanks for cheering me up, Lita!

Another great weekend.