Kootenay Park Rockwall Backpack

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Distance: 33 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Hiking time: 4-5 days

Season: July through mid-October

Maps: Canadian topo Mount Goodsir

Info: Kootenay National Park, (604) 347-9505 (June-September), (604) 347-9361 (October-May)

BACKPACKING TRIP NOTES:

Access: From Kootenay Park entrance at Radium, British Columbia, drive 43 miles north on Highway 93 to Floe Lake trailhead on west side of road.

Shuttle: Leave car or bicycle (or plan to hitchhike) at Ochre Beds-Paint Pots trailhead 8 miles farther north on Highway 93.

Attractions: Premier route in 850 square miles of Kootenay National Park, and one of most scenic trips in Canadian Rockies. (Trust me.) All but last day involve considerable climbing: Cross four passes for total vertical gain of 8,500 feet. Elevation losses total 7,400 feet. But daily distances short and views have anesthetic affect on cramping legs.

Excellent trails lead through old-growth valleys, alpine meadows and past spectacular peaks, cliffs, glaciers, lakes and streams. Mountain goats inhabit rocks, particularly near Floe Lake and 1,160-feet-high Helmet Falls, one of tallest in British Columbia.

Middle portion of trip parallels “Rockwall,” unique formation of limestone peaks and cliffs that extends 32 miles.

Spectacular wildflower displays peak mid-July in valleys, early August in alpine meadows. Alpine flowers can hold blossoms well into September. Alpine larch stud high country with brilliant yellow by early October.

Hazards: Grizzly bears. One creek crossing. Possible whiteouts at passes.

Comments Rockwall snags weather, sometimes creating rain or snow while sunshine bathes Kootenay Valley. (That’s how those glaciers have survived so long).

Hiking time each day ranges 3-6 hours. Be wary for grizzly bears, particularly on trail sections through avalanche slide areas. ALWAYS use poles provided at campgrounds to hang ALL food away from campsite.

Camping allowed only at designated campsites. Hikers must reserve campsites when getting trip permits by phone or in person at Radium. Cost: $5 (Canadian)/day/person. Park also charges $5/day parking fee for cars left at trailheads. Trip a bargain even with these fees, listed in Canadian funds. Make summer reservations months in advance, although there’s always a chance of spontaneous trips to take advantage of cancellations.

Side-trip note: When making trip reservations, consider staying two nights at Helmet Falls campground, allowing for dayhike to Goodsir Pass, spectacular view of Goodsir Glacier and peaks. South tower of Mount Goodsir, elev. 11,755 feet, highest peak in Rockies between Mount Assiniboine and Columbia Icefield.

Short mileage of following recommended days allows ample time to drop packs at passes and explore.

Highway 93 (elev. 4,415 feet) to Floe Lake (elev. 6,790 feet), 6-1/3 miles. Climb gently for 4 miles, then climb groaning 1,300 feet in 1-1/2 miles. But what a payoff at Floe Lake! Named for glaciers that calve into water. Note that lake has no obvious outlet. Water seeps through porous rock and gushes out far below moraine.

Floe Lake to Numa Creek (elev. 5,050 feet), 5-3/4 miles. Head uphill immediately to stunning views near Numa Pass, which slopes down in shadow of Mount Foster. Then plunge into longest sustained drop of trip to campground, split on both sides of creek. Bridge across East Fork Numa Creek was only unimproved bridge on route in 1996. Flattened surface of single log that spans creek could be hazardous when wet.

Numa Creek to Tumbling Creek (elev. 6,240 feet), 4-3/4 miles. Begin by climbing about 2-1/2 hours on trail through avalanche slides. Take breather near stream crossings and look back (east) to see Mount Ball. Walk through bouldered meadow basin, then head up again to broad expanse of Tumbling Pass, elev. 7,445 feet, for view of Tumbling Glacier. Strongly recommend dropping pack and exploring views from ridges north of pass.

Trail drops precipitously down to Tumbling Creek, then across bridge leading to campground.

Tumbling Creek to Helmet Creek (elev. 6,390 feet), 7 miles. From campground, climb 950 feet in nearly 2 miles to explore Wolverine Pass, only significant break in Rockwall on this trip. Then continue through alpine meadow to Rockwall Pass, elev. 7,435 feet, for view of Rockwall in its most wall-like form - 2-1/2 miles of rock face between Mount Drysdale and Limestone Peak. Go down to South Fork Helmet Creek, elev. 6,390, then back up to Limestone Summit, elev. 7,175 feet. From here, it’s downhill to Helmet Creek, with first good views of towering Helmet Falls. Cross Helmet Creek and turn right to campground, or turn left and hike unmaintained trail to base of Helmet Falls.

Helmet Creek to Highway 93 at Paint Pots (elev. 4,830 feet), 9-1/3 miles. Scenery wanes as trail leads gently down Helmet and Ochre creeks for gentle hike back to Highway 93.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Map of backpack route

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