Rummel Pass, Kananaskis October 4, 2021

This life I live these days of retirement that's filled with flexibility, is a treasured thing!  When a shout was put out to join him in a hike up to Rummel Pass, just like that my day immediately became wide open!   I shouted back loud & clear "YES"!  I ventured up to this Pass only once and that was in 2014 when I shared the day with a group of friends.  It is not a trek I would attack on my own.  

We arrived at the trailhead parking location to see one vehicle there that appeared it could belong to backpackers.  It was fresh, frosty and chilly yet with no wind.  With a view like this while gearing up,  I was excited for our day!

We got through the first forest section and arrived to the first opening with this view behind us!

male Spruce Grouse

We made it to Rummel Lake but did not stay too long.  The lighting was not the greatest and we knew it would be much better for photos on the way back.  We worked our way around the lake then up through the forest to where the larch trees were and to where the grand views began.

my friend with some larch trees

The higher we got, of course the sights improved!  I could not stop looking behind me!

While I photographed the view, my friend photographed me photographing the view.

a perfect little bundle of larch beauty 

While I was checking our surroundings for bears my friend was eyeing the slopes for other wildlife. He spotted a herd of mountain sheep huddled together with their backsides against the wind for protection.  I zoomed in a bit to capture this shot.

Along the way through the alpine meadow, we stopped in a sheltered area for some fuel to get us to our destination.  For the next section it was on the rough and rugged side.  We looked for the easiest way to go which was not necessarily following the multitude of cairns scattered everywhere.  

We made it to Rummel Pass!  

This is the view down the other side and was also our lunch time view.

We did find the perfect spot to hunker down away from the wild wind.  When it was time to pour my hot beverage, I stepped out into the open to see how windy it really was.  No tea landed in the cup on this try!

My destination shot with Lost Lake in the middle down below and Mount Kidd behind me.

Here we are, praying my camera does not blow over and that I do not blow over the edge!

After investing the perfect amount of time savouring our lunch and the scenery, we packed up, stayed layered up, then braced against the wicked wind and began the descent.  The wind was so strong, it kept unzipping my jacket and blowing the hood off my head.  It even played with my snug fitting winter hat and my sunglasses.  

aiming for where the wind is not as wild

We had an amazing view in front of us for the whole stretch from the top down to the tree line.  

Our goal was to get down to that dried up tarn behind me.

The tarn still contained water in one area and as you can see, ice was beginning to form.

hiking through the rubble to the next dried up tarn which is behind me

colourful alpine rocky meadow

Once again while I was checking our surroundings for bears, my friend had a different focus.  This time he spied a mountain goat high up on the slope.  I zoomed in and cropped a bit to get this photo.  We believe it was siesta time.  

back at tree line and where the larch trees were

Another friend told me, we dressed to coordinate with the trees today.

You know how I like being all matchy matchy!

Now Rummel Lake looked glorious!  It was here where we spotted two people off in the distance, they were not even close enough to yell hi to or to even wave at. These were the only other people we saw during the entire seven and a half hours.  How lucky were we today.  We owned it all!  

When we arrived back at the bench, we took some time to take it all in.  

Talk about experiencing that feeling of feeling fulfilled!  That is how I felt and I am sure my friend did also.  There's nothing else we could have asked for to make this day any more perfect than it was.  Oh, just one thing, total perfection would have come if those wind gusts were not so gusty! 

Thank you for today!