Sufferfest Day 9 - HI Rampart Creek to HI Beauty Creek

I got up at 6:30am with my alarm, but let Marieka sleep in. Yesterday hd been a long one of biking, and she needed sleep. Plus, I had woken up at 3am to the sounds of comething small and furry gnawing away, and woke Marieka up as well in trying to explore it.

I finished making our breakfast of the Peak Eats meals we had gotten. Although the fruit was nice, it was a bit disappointing and not as filling as I normally make for breakfast. I think Marieka felt this way too. If you were comparing to instant oatmeal packets, it's way better, but I'm comparing to my overnight oats with chia, flax, raisins, almonds, and walnuts, so wild rice, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, and pumpkin seeds just wasn't substantial enough. I'll bulk it up tomorrow, and maybe also cook up the last of the dehydrated hashbrowns.

Early morning at Rampart Creek

Our cabin, for the second time!

Sunlight on the mountain above the hostel

Mountains across from the hostel

Foxtail close up

The old hostel sign

 

I had remembered a lot more downhills on the way to Rampart Creek Hostel from Parker Ridge, but we only had a few more climbs before beginning the ascent to Parker Ridge. As Marieka was taking a stretch break, Ha caught up with us and I asked where in Toronto she lives, and it turns out she worked at Erindale College, in Accessibility Services! It truly is a small world.

Stretch break with foxtails!

Ha, taking a picture of me taking a picture of her. Very meta

Weeping Wall on the way to the climbs

 

The ascent up to Parker Ridge came in two big climbs. The first was up to the Big Bend, and the second to the Parker Ridge trailhead. Ha went on before us for the former, although we caught up with her at the bridge construction, arriving behind one car, just as the light was turning green for us to go across. Rising on this climb, we could see the line of the second climb in the distance, and it did not look as bad as it had coming down it. Even still, we took a break at the Big Bend to eat a bit of real food and the second half of our energy chew packets. Starting up the second half we had a tailwind, and it really wasn't all that steep or bad. Pulling into the first pullout, neither of us needed to rest that much, and I enjoyed taking some photos, in awe of the area around. Before the second pullout the road got steeper and we warmed up. I took off my pants to ride only in my bike shorts and took some photos of the nearby waterfall. The next pullout was only a couple of hundred meters further, but offered better views of this waterfall, and a much needed rest.

Heading up with the second climb visible in the distance.

First climb over, past the bridge and heading for the Big Bend, with Mount Saskatchewan looming.

Looking back on Mount Saskatchewan from the first pullout.

Waterfall from the third pullout.

We ground our way up, pullout to pullout, noticing things we were unable to see on the way down, when our focus was just on the road in front of us. I saw the Parker Ridge Slabs (a rock climbing area), a packed hiking trailhead, as well as all the mountains around us. I also took a few little stops to take photos of the climb.

Climb!

Looking out at the mountains

Cresting and heading down to the Parker Ridge trailhead.

Eventually, the grade lessened, peaked, and we were at the Parker Ridge trailhead, where we grabbed a lunch of 1.5 cheese buns each, some vegan jerky and a bar, then changed a hiked up to the top of Parker Ridge. As we broke for lunch, it got cooler and we began to cool from the wind. On went my pants and a toque. Climbing and upon the ridge did not really warm us to offset the chill wind and, by the time we got back down, I suggested Marieka keep her puffy on for the ride. This time, she didn't. We rose gently to the peak of Sunwapta Pass, covering ground quickly, arriving at the Icefields Centre in less than half an hour. Here, Marieka and I had some miscommunication as she went in the bus entrance and then went towards the hotel/commercial operation and I didn't fully understand what she was doing, and couldn't seem to ask the questions to get clarity until we had cone in and figured out how to order a poutine, soup, and hot chocolates. Marieka was still chilled, lunch had not been fulfilling, and she gets hangry, plus her neck was sort from riding, all of which added up to some frustration.

"Seriously human, just gimme some of your food already"

All ready for the hike

Traces of snow on the way up

Golden paintbrush!

Moss Campion

A break on the way up

The Saskatchewan Glacier and Mount Castleguard from Parker Ridge

By the summit

Alpine Truffula Tree

Sunwapta Pass crossing into Jasper on the way to the Icefields Centre

Restored somewhat by food and drink we headed out through the bus lane to the road and let gravity help us along the new few km's at 30km/h, pretty much coasting to the hill up to the Skywalk. The climb to the Skywalk went quickly and, despite saying she might stop, Marieka led out descent without stopping, and even joined me in a woop of victory as we neared the bottom. The next several km's disappeared quickly and easily as well.

Happy at the bottom of the hill.

Soon after, beds and dinner were made (a bean and rice dish as well as over-rehydrated Pad Thai), we did a stroll of the Sunwapta River, and retired to journal and bed.

The Sunwapta, running much lower than last week, likely due to cooler weather.