Rocky Mountains

Portal Creek from Maccarib Pass

This is a photo looking back on the Portal Creek trail from near the top of Maccarib Pass. The elevation gain from the Portal Creek trailhead to the top of Maccarib Pass really creeped up on me. The gain was solid but not steep for the first eight kilometres to Portal campsite and from there is spiked as the trail neared the pass. The trail is an average hike in the Canadian Rockies up to the pass and then as it crosses over, you see the far side of Edith Cavell and your first glimpse of the Ramparts. I had wondered whether I should hike in to Tonquin Valley via Portal or Astoria - Astoria is much faster and much less elevation gain but Portal is regarded as the more enjoyable hike. The hard work of climbing through the pass is enjoyable afterwards as you decend slightly into the Tonquin Valley and are able to hike the full length of the Amethyst Lakes down to Surprise Point.

2015Tonquin Valleyalbertacanadajasperjasper national parkmaccarib Passmountainsnational parkportal creekvalley