Home»All Photographs»2017 Hikes»Merlin Castle 09-06-17

The larches have started changing color by now, so what better place to go than Skoki? This area is rife with the deciduous conifers, and after ditching work, I was on my way to check them out.
The day started with a slow grind of a bike ride up Temple Fire Road after which I hid my bike in the woods and changed into hiking gear.
The air was smoky from the forest fires in B.C., but the environment in which I was in was still beautiful. Fewer people on the trail could be attributed to the mid-week visit.
I marched my way over Deception Pass, past Skoki Lodge, and into Merlin Valley. The trail approaching the lake is quite a feat of stonework.
Then, through the gloom of dense smoke, Merlin Castle appeared. It is quite a dramatic mountain feature as can be seen in the photos. I was the only person up there, and spent quite a bit of time hanging out with the marmots.
Soon after my departure from Merlin Castle, it was evident that the 30+ km hike paired with the shorter days would result in a dark-ish return for me. I put my head down and made some good time for a couple of hours - until I came to Myosotis and Zigadenus Lakes - my favorite in the Rockies. I had another lunch break here and decided to ascend Packers Pass Peak since I was in the area anyway.
At this point, the sun had set and I was sure I would be head-lamping it out. But nay, the ambient light stuck around long enough for me to get back to my bike and switch gear again.
The 50 minute ride up was a quick 7 minutes down. I got back to my truck just as the last light had faded.