Hiking Trails - Wilcox Pass

The hiking trail over Wilcox Pass was used frequently before the Icefields Parkway opened in 1940. It is best in late June through to mid-August, although snow can remain in Wilcox Pass until late July. Wilcox Pass is in Jasper National Park, Alberta and accessed just off the Icefields Parkway (Highway 93).




[1- Indian Paintbrush near the Icefields Parkway - click to enlarge]







The trailhead begins at the Wilcox Creek Campground with the distance to Wilcox pass is 4.0 km (2.5mi) one way. To take the full hike one-way from the Wilcox Creek Campground to Tangle Falls is 11.2km (7.0mi).



Half day to day trip
Allow 1.5 to 2 hours to Wilcox Pass
Elevation gain: 335m (1,100ft)
Maximum elevation: 2375m (7800ft)

To reach the trailhead take the Icefields Parkway Hwy 93 to the Wilcox Creek Campground on the east side of the highway 2.8km (1.7mi) south of the Icefields Centre or 1.9km (1.2mi) north of the Banff-Jasper boundary at Sunwapta Pass.

This hike is considered one of the best day hikes in Jasper National Park.



[2- Golden Mantle Ground squirrel aka Chipmunks - click to enlarge]

These little guys seem to populate the wood piles near campgrounds wherever one travels in the mountains.



The Wilcox Campground road is at an elevation of 2040m with a steep climb through alpine forest.



At approximately the 1.7km mark the trail emerges above the treeline gaining 120m in less than a kilometre.

In another 2.5km there is a steep climb to flat alpine meadows and the viewpoint for the Athabasca Glacier.



[3- Viewpoint of Columbia Icefield, Mt. Athabasca to left with Mt. Andromeda behind, the Athabasca Glacier in the middle and Mt. Kitchener and the Snow Dome on the right - from the Wilcox Pass Trail - click to enlarge]


Only a small portion of the Columbia Icefield is visible from the Icefield Parkway. The Athabasca Glacier is the most accessible and visible of the glaciers which flow from the Icefield, but there are numerous others. Over three hundred square kilometres in area, the depth of the icefield varies from 100 to 365 metres. The average annual snowfall on the upper reaches is seven metres.

From the viewpoint the trail moderates, opening out onto a ridge overlooking the Icefields Parkway and the Athabasca Glacier. The hiker can feast his/her eyes upon the massive ice-covered Mount Athabasca (3491m) (11454ft), Mount Andromeda (3450m) (11,319ft), the Snow Dome (3460m) (11,399ft) and Mount Kitchener (3511m) (11,500ft).

Mt Kitchener was named in 1916 after Horatio Herbert Kitchener (Viscount Kitchener), a British Field Marshall who organized the British armies at the beginning of WWI. He was lost when HMS Hampshire struck a mine in 1916.



[4 - Snow Dome and Mt. Kitchener from the Wilcox Pass trail - click to enlarge]



Norman Collie and Hermann Woolley completed the first ascent of Mount Athabasca on August 18, 1898. Collie described a vast icefield that stretched westward and surrounded by unknown peaks.




[5 - Snow Dome Glacier above Mt. Kitchener - click to enlarge]



The Snow Dome was named in 1898 by J. Norman Collie . This dome-shaped mountain is covered by the Columbia Icefield. The water produced from this mountain flows into three oceans through the Saskatchewan and Nelson rivers to the Atlantic, though the Columbia to the Pacific, and through the Athabasca and Mackenzie Rivers to the Arctic.



[6 - View from Wilcox Pass trail toward Mt. Andromeda, the Athabasca Glacier and Mt. Kitchener on right - click to enlarge]




Past the viewpoint the trail climbs along the edge of a creek, then levels out across alpine tundra and heads northwest into the long U-shaped pass between Wilcox and Nigel peaks.




[7 - Looking back to Mt. Athabasca and Mt. Andromeda from the Wilcox Pass Trail - click to enlarge]


Here the wildflowers grow close to the ground.





[8 - Wilcox Pass trail - click to enlarge - Mt. Wilcox is above horizon of hill on left side]





At 4.0km is the summit of Wilcox Pass (2374m). Wilcox Pass and peak are named after Walter Wilcox, whose party first crossed the pass in 1896 on horseback. The pass became the usual route north as it avoided the Sunwapta Gorge and the Athabasca Glacier, which nearly blocked the valley below.





[9 - on Wilcox Pass trail - click to enlarge]


It is here and at the other end of the pass that the hiker will find Bighorn Sheep.




[10 - Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep at Wilcox Pass - click to enlarge]







[11 - Wilcox Pass trail with Rocky Mountain Sheep - click to enlarge]




Here the hiker can often find small herds of Rocky Mountain Sheep grazing.



[12 - Wilcox Pass - click to enlarge]






[13 - NW on Wilcox Pass trail with Mt. Wilcox in background - click to enlarge]









[14 - Wilcox Pass - click to enlarge]







[15 - Wilcox Pass - click to enlarge]



To continue on to Tangle Falls the route continues north across the pass to trail makers or cairns at the 7.1km mark, where there is a steep descent into the forest. Stick to the left side below Mount Wilcox. At about 8.6km, the trail crosses to the left of the creek where it becomes more defined. Here the slope goes from moderate to steep on the descent south of Tangle Creek.

At 11.2km is the Tangle Creek trailhead (1860m) with the Icefields Parkway 200m south of Tangle Falls and 10km north of the Wilcox Creek trailhead.

Otherwise, at the rock cairn the hiker can begin to backtrack the way they came to return to the Wilcox Creek Campground.


[16 - Wilcox Pass - click to enlarge]







[17 - Coming down from Wilcox Pass - click to enlarge]







[18 - Mt. Athabasca with glacier - click to enlarge]








[19 - On Wilcox Pass Trail looking toward the Athabasca Glacier]






[20 -Mt. Kitchener beneath the Snow Dome]



Photo Credits: [1]-jdww CC=nc-nd-flickr, [2]-karenwithak CC=nc-nd-flickr, [3][16]-richd777 CC=nc-sa-flickr, [4][6][7]-A tea but no e CC=flickr, [5][9][13]-Alaskan Dude CC=flickr,[8][19]-BinoCanada CC=nc-sa-flickr, [10][11][12][14][17]-Feffef CC=nc-sa-flickr, [15]-canoe too CC=nc-nd-flickr, [18]-gordmckenna CC=nc-nd-flickr, [20]-DavidQuick CC=nc-nd-flickr,

Hiking Trails - Fryatt Valley (Day 2)

[20 - From Headwall campground]


This is a continuation of Day 1 of the hike through lower Fryatt Valley. Fryatt Valley is in Jasper National Park, Alberta in the Canadian Rockies. This is considered a difficult hike and any hiker should consider making this a 4 to 5 day excursion.






[21 - Headwall Falls]


The headwall portion of the trail gains 200m in less than a kilometre.














[22- Looking down lower Fryatt Valley from the trail up the headwall]





[23 - climbing the headwall]





[24 - Part of the Headwall Falls - click to enlarge]














[25 - Nearing top of the Headwall]




[26 - Mossy waterfall in Fryatt Valley - click to enlarge]

Near the top of the headwall is a small waterfall with a pool – good place to stop and rest.





[27 - near the top of the headwall overlooking Fryatt Valley toward Athabasca Valley]





[28 - Upper Fryatt Creek above the headwall - click to enlarge]



100m farther along is the Sydney Vallance Hut run by the Alpine Club of Canada at approximately the 22km mark. The hut accommodates 12 hikers and is the only place to stay overnight in the upper valley.



[29 - Sydney Vallance Hut in upper Fryatt Valley]




[30 - Sydney Vallance Hut - click to enlarge]


From the ACC hut after a night's rest plan on exploring the upper Fryatt Valley with a light pack.



[31 - Upper Fryatt Valley - click to enlarge]


Above the headwall the upper Fryatt Valley opens up to reveal ice-clad peaks and subalpine meadows.

The trail here is often wet and covered in a carpet of wildflowers in July. The route climbs a rocky moraine then descends thru stands of alpine fir to the shore of a small lake fed by the meltwaters of the nearby Belanger Glacier. From here there is an unobstructed view of rugged peaks and glaciers.




[32 - Harlequin ducks on Fryatt Creek]







[33 - Harlequin ducks on Fryatt Creek - click to enlarge]





[34 - Upper Fryatt Valley]





[35 - White speck is Mountain Goat - click to enlarge]









[36 - Mountain goats shedding winter coats - click to enlarge]





[37 - Upper Fryatt valley toward the glaciers - click to enlarge]











[38 - Butterfly on wildflowers - click to enlarge]







[39 - Upper Fryatt Valley - click to enlarge]




Source: ParksCanada - Jasper
Photo Credits: [20][25][37][38][39]-HandsLive CC=flickr, [21][22][23][24][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35]-brilang CC=nc-sa-flickr, [27]-wikipedia, [36]-filo1000 CC=nc-nd-flickr.

Hiking Trails - Fryatt Valley (Day 1)

[1-Upper Fryatt Valley near glaciers - click to enlarge]









Fryatt Valley is in Jasper National Park, Alberta. This hike is best completed over 3 to 4 days or longer, because once you’re up there you won’t want to leave. The distance, one way, is 23.2km (14.4 miles). Fryatt Valley is a hanging valley, the remnant after the glacier retreated.

Elevation gain 800m (2,700ft)
Max elevation 2,040m (6,700ft)

Map: Athabasca Falls 83C/12

The trailhead can be reached by going to the Highway 93 junction at Athabasca Falls 31 km (19 miles) south of the Jasper townsite.

Follow hwy 93A north to the Geraldine Fire road slightly over 1km. this is a gravel road, where there is a small parking area and sign at the trailhead. This is also the trailhead to go to the Geraldine Lakes.

Hikers will need a ParksCanada wilderness pass.





[2-Mt Kerkeslin near Athabasca Falls]






The trail follows a relatively flat, old roadbed through the forest.




[3-Forest Arch]


At about 7km the trail comes alongside the Athabasca River.





[4-Athabasca River]




Here the hiker can see the Icefields Parkway 200m across to the other side.




[5-Icefields Parkway - click to enlarge]







[6-Bull elk]



Now the trail climbs away from the river, veering south to begin the climb into the Fryatt Valley.

It's a good idea to make noise while walking to alert any bears that may be nearby.

Viewpoint is at 8.6km.



[7- Looking up Fryatt Valley]






[8-Looking up toward Fryatt Valley]







[9-Looking down Fryatt Valley]






[10-Crossing Fryatt Creek]



Fryatt Creek is crossed to go to the east bank. Here the Lower Fryatt campground is located at a distance of about 12km, which is entered through a narrow gorge between Mt Fryatt and Mt. Christie.

At 15.9 km the trail crosses the creek and goes past gravel flats where views of the glaciated peaks can be seen at the head of the valley.



[11- Peaks across Athabasca Valley]






[12 - Looking down the lower Fryatt Valley]






[13 - Fryatt Lake and Headwall Falls]


The trail goes over a large rockslide for a kilometre.




[14-Fryatt Lake and Headwall Falls]






[15-Silt in Fryatt Lake]






The trail follows the west side of Fryatt Lake.




[16 - Fryatt Lake]






Beyond the lake, the hiker climbs through forest to the headwall and Brussels Campground.



[17 - Fryatt Lake rainforest - click to enlarge]









[18-Near Brussels campground in Fryatt Valley - click to enlarge]



At about 18km is the Brussels campground where it is warm and sunny throughout the day.








[19- Peaks visible from campground]


TO BE CONTINUED

Sources: ParksCanada - Jasper


Photo Credits: [1][18]-HandsLive CC=flickr, [2][2][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][19]-brilang CC=nc-sa-flickr, [6]-sabindle CC=nc-nd-flickr.