Redearth Creek to Shadow Lake

[Smitty]

*Post 1 of 2, split up to accommodate pictures*

Area Trail Map

Had a great tour with my father in-law yesterday. We skied the Redearth Creek Trail, then took the off-shoot up to Shadow Lake. This route is an out-and-back in Banff National Park, running through the valley that splits Copper and Pilot Mountains, heading southwest from the TransCanada Highway toward the British Columbia border.

The first 4 km was a nice steady climb, gaining about 250 metres as you follow Redearth Creek through a snow-covered Lodgepole Pine forest. After the initial elevation gain, the incline was pretty mellow with some rolling sections for the next 6.5 km as we continued to enjoy the quiet zen of skiing through the pines along the creek. There are a few bridge crossings, one over Lost Horse Creek and two over Redearth Creek itself, which still had open water in several sections. The trail also crosses two avalanche runout zones, but they are pretty narrow and could be crossed quickly to limit exposure. They also provide the only unobstructed view of Pilot Mountain. Although most of the trail is thick forest on both sides, there are a few openings for views of Copper Mountain on skier’s right. At the 10.5 km mark, Redearth Creek Trail ends. There is a fork where you can access either Shadow Lake (our destination) or follow Pharaoh Creek to Egypt Lake. I’d like to go back later in the season and take the tent, making a 2+ day trip into Egypt Lake area. But we only had time for a day-trip, so Shadow Lake it was.

Lodgepole Pine galore

Me, with Copper Mountain in background

Avy Runout Zone, Pilot Mountain in background

Redearth Creek

Stu on the bridge crossing Redearth Creek

Copper Mountain

[Smitty]

The first couple hundred metres of the Shadow Lake trail was quite steep. I put on my mohair half-skins and the pitch was definitely past the limit of their capability. I had to herring-bone a couple sections – but it wasn’t a long enough climb to bother with the full skins. Once past the initial push, it was a mix of mellow climb and flats. As we approached Shadow Lake, the view opened up and the valley provided a beautiful panoramic view of Storm Mountain and Mount Ball. Deeper into the valley, sitting at the foot of Mount Ball, is Shadow Lake itself. It feeds Redearth Creek (which we followed on the way in), eventually flowing into the Bow River below.

Just before Shadow Lake is the Shadow Lake Lodge. Originally built in 1928/1929 by the Canadian Pacific Railway as a backcountry lodge for mountain recreating, it has been expanded over the years and is currently operated for the same purpose by the Alpine Club of Canada. The lodge is now comprised of 11 small guest cabins (solar electricity and propane heat, no running water), and a couple of common buildings (bathroom/shower house with running water, dining hall). The lodge is only operating during the weekends, so the front porch of one of the vacant guest cabins provided a perfect place for us to catch some sun, take in the views, and have lunch. After lunch and a little bit of skiing around the Shadow Lake area, it was back out on the same track to head home.

Naturally, we made a stop off in Banff on the way out for Steak-and-Guiness pie with a pint of Kilkenny Cream Ale to wash it down.

This trail, like many in the Banff National Park and down through Kananaskis Country, is “occasionally groomed”. Several times per season it is flat packed and a classic ski track set on one edge. It is a multi-use trail that can also be used for snow-shoeing and fat biking (only Redearth Creek section). It was last groomed on January 20th, and was in great shape for the most part. A skiff of fresh snow over top of the packed base. The only sketchy part was on the way out, the last ~200 m of steady downhill immediately prior to parking lot was starting to get ploughed right out and ice up, making it difficult to check speed.

Distance: 13 km one-way with 410 m net elevation gain on the way in. Total 26 km round-trip.

Kit: Asnes Nansen 205 cm, NNN-BC, Alpina Alaska. Toko Blue.

Stu's Kit: Karhu XCD-GT 205 cm, SNS-XA, Salomon X-Adventure 8. Toko Red.

Temp: -10 C at outset, increasing to about -5 C at warmest.

Approaching Shadow Lake, vistas opening up

Lunch break on the patio!

View from the cabins

Back out the way we came

Nothing better than a pub dinner and a pint after a ski!

[Stephen]

Wow, nice trip, write-up and pics — Looks like you had a beautiful day in the Canadian Rockies!
Thanks for putting that together.
Blue sounds right, red sounds soft — how did that work out?

[Smitty]

Thanks Stephen. No problem, it was fun to put together. It was a good exercise for remembering the finer details of the trip, which are easy to forget as time passes - interesting sections, other routes in the area, which peaks you were viewing, etc.

Wax worked great on both sides. I've got about 50 lbs on Stu, so when temps are at an "in between" zone I will always skew the colour colder to maximize glide and he will skew the colour warmer to maximize grip. It held true the other day, and worked well for both of us. It also warmed a few degrees as the day progressed, temps ending more in Red territory.

[fisheater]

Smitty, sounds like a nice trip in beautiful country. It’s also nice to know that there are others out there that are built more like working men than marathon runners.
Absolutely beautiful than you for sharing

[joeatomictoad]

It’s also nice to know that there are others out there that are built more like working men than marathon runners.

Good call. Nothing wrong with being lean & mean... but being mean is enough to have fun, too.

[Smitty]

Thanks Bob, sure was a fun tour. Hopefully get out for a few more trip report worthy days this year.

And you folks are absolutely right, no one has ever accused me of being lean, but so far it hasn't hobbled my ability to enjoy myself sliding on snow haha.

[KDog]

Very nice! Great write up and photos Smitty! Even though we're from the States, my wife and I have spent a lot of time in the Rockies and the Koots. We've skied in Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper and around the Icefields Parkway. It's unbelievably beautiful up there. Your picture of the peaks up by Shadow Lake says it all! I love your pub dinner too, but my wife would have had us sitting in Radium hot springs apres ski rather than having a pint!

Cheers!

[lowangle al]

Great trip in a beautiful spot Smitty I'd love to get up there.

[Smitty]

Thanks Al and KDog!

Definitely nothing wrong with a soak and an apres ski in Radium KDog, that's a beauty valley to spend time in! I think my day may have ended something like that had I been skiing with my wife - but she's pregnant with number 2 and sticking to mellower skiing this winter.

This spring we moved back down to west-central Alberta after 10 years in the northeast of the province. I sure missed canoeing on the boreal lakes this summer, but man is it nice to be back within daytrip distance of the mountains.