Hike to Larch Valley

Recently we hiked into Larch Valley. We’ve been there a couple of times before but that was probably about 30 years ago. On the last occasion we hiked up Sentinel Pass and down through Paradise Valley. We had no desire to even start the climb toward the pass on this trip. I would have to say that I was one of the more ancient folks doing the hike. The trail was busy but it wasn’t even close to wall-to-wall people. There were many groups of people probably in the 20-30 year-old range. There were a fair number of folks with dogs and one person had a cat on a leash. She was on her way up carrying the cat when we were on our way down. There were several couples with small children and the kids were climbing up the trail with the seriousness of seasoned hikers. There was a couple with an old dog who were going about the same pace as I was and, judging by the hair colour of both of them, they were my age or possibly a bit older.

While I don’t want to go back to being a different age, I do admit to a tiny twinge of jealousy as the younger people passed us chatting without being out of breath and quickly disappearing around bends in the trail. I can remember being able to walk quickly and being a bit impatient with people who were making slow, steady progress up a trail. It’s taking me a while but I’m learning to start out slowly and at a pace I can keep. I’d love to rush off from the trailhead with enthusiasm but that only means that I end up tired, cranky, and gasping at which point the enjoyment is gone. So I go slowly and step aside to let people pass while my hiking companions kindly adapt to my pace.

We noticed one young woman carrying two camera bodies and remarked on her dedication as she passed us. When we got up to the lake, where the trail to the pass takes off, we saw her again. One of her hiking companions stood against the grey blue of the rocks and the yellow of the larches in a sleeveless maroon gown. Turns out she and her fiance were there to have engagement photos taken. I admire their creativity and fortitude since it was a little on the chilly side. Still, the photographer and the couple seemed to be enjoying themselves and I couldn’t help wishing that in 20 or 30 years they will be able to look back on this day with great fondness. 

At home after the hike I was tired and a bit stiff and the larches were past their brilliant best; nevertheless, it was worth getting up at 6:30 a.m. to catch the shuttle at Lake Louise. It was worth the fogged up glasses from wearing a mask on the bus. It was worth carrying the extra layers of clothing even though I didn’t need to wear them and, most of all, it was worth the effort of climbing up into the valley so we could spend the day with friends in the mountains among the larches while whiskey jacks and ravens looked on.