Redearth creek to Shadow Lake Lodge
If the weather stays cool, the trail to Shadow Lake Lodge should be in great shape for their opening in 10 days. It was fantastic today.
Cindy had started ahead of me, but with the steep climbing, she had to stop and add wax.
Redearth creek in Banff National Park is a trail with lots of variety: a few segments where the climbing will get your heart rate up, with corresponding thrilling downhills on the return; you’ll be treated to spectacular views of Copper and Pilot mountains, a campground, creek crossings, a warden’s cabin, and the lake in the shadow of Mt Ball; the trail is narrow and twist-turny in places, and is only snowmobile packed for the final 2.9K as it meanders through the trees to the lodge.
Redearth creek at 3K
My GPS indicated a total distance of 13.1K, with a net elevation gain of 430 metres. My moving time on the way up was 1:55, and 1:08 on the return. The air temp was -5°C at the trailhead, and the snow was -8.
It was overcast and snowing lightly when I reached the lodge, so I didn’t get to see the wonderful sight of Mt Ball except for an apparition-like vision through the falling snow.
Shadow Lake and Mt Ball (file photo from 2011)
Sometimes the first kilometre can have thin snow, but not today. The snow cover was good right from the start, with tracks starting as soon as you get up the first hill. The only inconvenience was a few pine needles on the first 2K. The snow that’s in the forecast for tonight should rectify that.
A dusting of snow was in the tracks at the start, but by the time I reached the turn off to the lodge at 10.3K, there was close to 2 cm.
