Three Isle Lake
Date Walked: 25th June 2017
Distance: 15.5 miles (25.2 km)
Actual Ascent: 2874 ft (876m)
Time Taken: 7.5 hours
My hike today begins at our favourite Canadian location, Upper Kananaskis Lake. After turning off the Trans-Canada Highway at junction 118, head south on highway 40 for 63 kms. Then, turn right at the well signed junction and stay on that highway without turning off for 15km to the 'North Interlakes Day Use Area' at Upper Kananaskis Lake.
The view that greets you from the car park is that of Mt Indefatigable just across a small dam (currently holding a large yellow berm) I set out along the dam at 10:30am intending to investigate Upper Kananaskis Falls as we have never made that particular hike.
The view that greets you from the car park is that of Mt Indefatigable just across a small dam (currently holding a large yellow berm) I set out along the dam at 10:30am intending to investigate Upper Kananaskis Falls as we have never made that particular hike.
After crossing the dam I follow the trail along the north side of the lake heading west, this is grizzly territory so as always make sure you've got bear spray and bangers. The views across the lake today are beautiful and through the gaps in the forests I can see Fossil Falls pouring down from the col between Mt Sarrail and Mt Lyautey and, further behind than it looks, the Mangin Glacier lurks on the horizon.
The lake is calm this morning and the reflections of Mt Sarrail et al is almost mesmerising as I make the short walk along the lakeside. The gaps in the forest provide small windows through which to view the lake and each one causes me to stop and take in the beauty of this area.
After just 2km or so I am leaving the lake behind and passing the turn off for the Lower Falls which crosses the huge boulder field at the base of Indefatigable. The trail for the lower falls is also the trail for the campground or full circumnavigation of the Upper Lake (which is a lovely hike of 16 km with very little ascent).
After another 3km of forest walk I reach a wide washed out area which signals the spot that mountain bikes are not permitted beyond, how I wish I'd used my bike for this one. If you are thinking of making the hike to Three Isle Lake and back in a day I would suggest using your bike for this first 5km, and riding the last 5 km on your way out almost all downhill.
Just another 1.5km gets me to a well constructed bridge over the creek that pours through the tight rock formation at Upper Kananaskis Falls. This was to be my destination for the day so I idled around taking pictures and exploring downstream.
After a while I decided that I was going to extend the hike, it was a beautiful day, still quite cool and the scenery (as always) was spectacular.
As it was all undiscovered territory for me I continued west along a very easy going and mostly level trail that stayed close to Three Isle Creek for the rest of the hike.
The trail is forested but there are open sections for short distances providing views that keep you tempted by the mountains stretching out ahead on an endless horizon.
At every crossing of the numerous small creeks along the way there are well constructed bridges. As I approach the great divide with Mt Putnik dominating the skyline I still feel fresh, the trail has been mostly level so far and it's an easy hike to the campground just ahead.
At the campground I take a hard left turn onto the Three Isle Lake trail, directly ahead leads to Turbine Canyon via the Maude-Lawson Trail (much further than I would like to go today)
It's just 4 km from the campground junction with Maude-Lawson to Three Isle Lake so I check the time and decide I can get there and back before Sarah gets into a panic and calls mountain rescue. I'm soon heading along the trail and ascending quite rapidly.
The ascent is now almost constant as I rise up through a couple of boulder fields into cooler air from the surrounding snow speckled peaks.
I reach another waterfall as I pass through a densely vegetated area, there's no indication on my map as to the name of the falls and I suspect it may just be a temporary 'snow melt' fall.
Soon after passing the falls I see a large but skinny grizzly on the trail ahead, it looks starving but turns and scarpers before I can get the camera out of my bag, as I walk tentatively toward the area I see the trail is surrounded by fresh bear scrapes where it was diggin for roots and the like, the scrapes go on for about 50m so it must have been there a while.
I looked for the bear but it had disappeared into the impossibly dense thicket beside the trail, I quickly decided that getting out of that area was a good idea and I continued my ascent back into more open space and boulder fields.
The ascent is really working the legs now and after 11km it comes a long way into the hike. I stop and turn around, half checking for that starving bear and half taking in the view.
With no hungry bear after me I slowed considerably as I began the grind up a wide snow covered area that made much harder work of an already strenuous climb.
Once across the snow patches I am onto a steep rocky slope with switchbacks provided to ease the climb but it is hard going so far into the hike. After a while I reach a very well made wooden stair that seems to be completely unnecessary, it only has 4 steps and ascends a minor scramble hardly worthy of the effort but it does provide a wonderful platform for the view back down the valley.
From the stairs a trail runs tight to the rockwall for a short distance twisting and turning through natural passes that lead slowly upwards. I'm almost there now and only that knowledge is keeping me climbing.
Up and out of the rock bands leads me to a small plateau where the trail finally levels off and meanders around the gullies and boulders scattered around.
From the plateau a forested trail descends steeply to the lake, plunging through knee deep snow was not what I wanted by now but I had little choice if I was going to make it to the lake. From the campground overlook I got the best shot of the day (I think) The water is low but the scattered snow patches really add to the overall aesthetic.
I could only sit at the lake for 10 minutes as I needed to get back to the truck and head home before Sarah called mountain rescue and got her hopes up about my life insurance. I have to say the final few km's were hard going and I really do wish I had brought my bike for that first 5km but it was a fantastic hike. I saw a small black bear on the roadside as I drove home and a coyote trotted along in front of me for a few hundred metres too, all in all it was another great day in the mountains.