Home»All Photographs»2015 Hikes»Leman Lake - Spray Pass 08-22-15

When there is a chilly, rainy day in Calgary with winds from the north, it usually means snow in the mountains, regardless of the time of year. Friday was no exception. By early Saturday morning the trails were blanketed in snow. I arrived at the trailhead bright and early, to fresh snow and sunny skies.
Within an hour or so, I was joined by a fresh set of wolf tracks (set overnight after the snow stopped). Soon after, a less welcome set of fresh bear tracks continued up the trail. There was an amazing bear dig (probably after a ground squirrel - too deep and focused compared to when they dig for bulbs/roots), that looked like someone had buried a grenade two feet in the soil. I called out very frequently and proceeded with caution - never seeing the bear.
Once west of Burstall Pass, the temperature soared as I descended into Spray River Valley. Leman Lake and the accompanying backcountry campsite are lovely. I hiked to Spray Pass, which was anti-climactic as it is a low pass and is completely forested.
The return trip was just over 29 kilometers and involved 1100 meters of elevation gain.