Citadel Pass, Banff National Park, August 19 2024

🎵 She's got a ticket to ride! 🎵

It was a nice surprise to realize that in addition to getting the senior’s discount to ride the Sunshine Gondola, this year there is an even further discount for seniors if you reside in Alberta.  I got my ticket to ride the Sunshine Gondola up to Sunshine Village to hike to Citadel Pass in Banff National Park and Assiniboine Provincial Park. It’s a favourite hike of mine covering approximately 22 kms with roughly 750 meters of elevation gain.  It packs a beautiful punch from the second you step off the Gondola until the second you step back on many hours later.  This adventure is as National Park as National Park can be when it comes to iconic National Park beauty!  On the other hand, it is so non National Park given not many people hike this route.  I saw maybe 30 people along the Citadel Pass trail instead of a few hundred that would be on other trails.

That’s Rock Isle Lake down there, part of the true Sunshine Meadows hike.

I admired it from a distance then carried on along the Citadel Pass Trail.

The “hippie on a stick” marks the way!

The top of a “hippie on a stick”!

doing double duty

I made it to Quartz Ridge where I could see Howard Douglas Lake down below, Citadel Peak to the left and Mount Assiniboine off in the far distance at middle right.  It was here that I met the first people of the day coming in the opposite direction.  They spent the night at the campground by Howard Douglas Lake.  

She offered to take my photo at Quartz Ridge!

After the couple left, I had a snack then captured this 360 degree video.

The view after descending from Quartz Ridge to Howard Douglas Lake.

a big bouquet of wildflowers

Fireweed and Fatigue Mountain 

Citadel Lake

After rounding the corner and covering the last bit of elevation, I came upon a herd of Mountain Sheep feeding.  They saw me, they ignored me, they continued feeding, they navigated around me, and then ,,,,,,,

…..they took off running!

at the Citadel Pass kiosk

There were a few large flat rocks not far off the trail.  I picked this one to settle on for awhile.  First though,, I captured a few selfies, this being my favourite.  That’s Mount Assiniboine!  

360 degree view while at Citadel Pass

No one was at the Pass when I arrived and no one came while I was there.  I took plenty of time to “remember to breathe”, to be one with this little piece of paradise and to savour these precious seconds in such a peaceful place.  Time came to head back, this was the view in front of me as I left Citadel Pass behind.

fireweed framing the mountains 

It was a very slow ascent from Howard Douglas Lake up to Quartz Ridge.  

After completing the elevation gain, I turned around to have one last view.  

aiming for that meadow in the middle away over there

Mountain Paintbrush Wildflowerx

continuing along the trail

last part of  the trail before descending to Sunshine Village to catch the Gondola 

This adventure was ideal in every way!