A Western Canada Road Trip – Day 13
Callum and I originally planned to do Moraine Lake early this day, but since we were able to do it in the evening a couple days ago, we decided to hike the Iceline Trail while looping through Little Yoho Valley and Yoho Valley.
This was a trail recommended from the man we rented our campervan from. He said this was his favourite hike in the Canadian Rockies, and now it is one of mine too!
Yoho National Park is close to Banff National Park so we left our campsite at Lake Louise Campground and started per usual early.
This hike is a 21.7 km loop with 978m elevation gain and we had to completed in a day. All Trails rates this as a Hard hike.
A Beginner’s Experience Hiking the Iceline & Little Yoho Valley Trail Loop
For this hike, the parking lot is at Takakkaw Falls. It’s not that big so we knew we needed to arrive early.
The Iceline hike began with switchbacks through a lush, green forest, offering glimpses of the Takakkaw Falls in the distance. This is where most of the elevation gain happens.
After ascending, the trail opened up to a rocky, limestone landscape (which I thought might be shale, but I realized I don’t really know what shale is, I’m not a geologist). This section offered stunning 360 views of mountain peaks, various glaciers, and a distant meadow. You will see the Vice President and Michael Peak.
I find I think about my meals often, so after we got to the top I ate my peanut butter sandwich. Peanut butter sandwiches are great for hiking, and I felt like I earned it after the switchbacks.
The hike continued along the limestone environment with relatively consistent elevation, providing ample opportunities to admire the surrounding glaciers. We did a mini photoshoot with us and the glaciers in the background.
About three quarters of the journey, on the right side of the trail there is, for a lack of a better word, hill where you get additional elevation for a nice viewpoint. This only added about ten minutes to the journey.
Upon reaching the top, a well-deserved peanut butter sandwich was enjoyed. The Iceline hike continued along the rocky path with consistent elevation, providing ample opportunities to admire the surrounding glaciers. A short detour led to a popular viewpoint, adding about ten minutes to the journey.
The rocky terrain was a bit deceiving, making the meadow appear closer than it actually was. I kept thinking we were almost at the meadow and then you would turn a corner, and be in the same limestone environment. The meadow looked so nice. I just wanted to be there.
The Iceline Hike’s Meadow
Eventually, we made it to the meadow, but the sun was starting to set, and we still had a considerable distance left to cover before nightfall.
Even though we descended at a quicker pace we didn’t let this stop us from admiring the lush greenery, and adorable Columbia Ground Squirrels. I just love them. The way they pop their heads out and stand on their back feet while looking around. Also their fur has nice gold highlights.
The last little bit of the hike was mostly flat. We ended up in an area with huts that seemed to be some sort of camp? Maybe it’s a day camp. Not sure, but it looked really nice regardless. We just didn’t see anyone there so I don’t know if it was operational. Thankfully we arrived back before dark, but probably hiked for nearly 10 hours.
After a fulfilling day of hiking, the evening was spent at Lake Louise Campground. We made our classic meal of Sidekicks, and stretched, and relaxed in the campervan. This was our last night in Lake Louise Campground.
Tomorrow we are driving the iconic Icefields Parkway towards Jasper National Park.
Prepare For Your Trip
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A few books, documentaries, and podcasts I recommend consuming before or during your trip to Canada 🇨🇦. Evolving Pop Culture Guide to Canada.
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