I spent a weekend at the end of June hiking in Glacier National Park of Canada and visiting Mount Revelstoke National Park.
The last time I hiked there was in 1975, when I worked that summer hammering in spikes on the Canadian Pacific Railway near Rogers Pass and would hike on weekends. It rains a lot as the tall Columbia and Selkirk mountains catch the Pacific moisture.
My hike to Balu Pass was through prime grizzly territory — anyone who was a Cub will remember Balou was the bear — and I was prepared with bear spray and constantly on the lookout. I never actually saw any bears, though did see a few tracks in the mud on the trail. (Richard McGuire photos)
Bright red Indian paintbrush grows in meadows part way up the mountain in Mount Revelstoke National Park. The yellow, I believe, is mountain arnica. (Richard McGuire photo)
Bright red Indian paintbrush grows in meadows part way up the mountain in Mount Revelstoke National Park. The yellow, I believe, is mountain arnica. (Richard McGuire photo)
The hike to Balu Pass starts off from the Rogers Pass visitor centre and ascends through rain forest with tall trees and hanging moss. (Richard McGuire photo)
Leaving the forest on the hike to Balu Pass, you emerge in meadows with views of the mountains on both sides — when the clouds don’t obscure them. (Richard McGuire photo)
The vegetation in the mountain landscape changes with elevation and direction. Deciduous bushes grow lower down, but change to conifers or barren, snowy rock as you get higher. (Richard McGuire photo)
A grizzly bear has left a paw print in the mud on the trail to Balu Pass in Glacier National Park of Canada. The human footprint heel in the upper right gives an idea of scale. (Richard McGuire photo)
The mountain landscape on the side of Cheops Mountain towers over the Connaught Creek valley. It’s stunningly beautiful, but in the harsh weather, it wasn’t very inviting. (Richard McGuire photo)
The mountain landscape on the side of Cheops Mountain towers over the Connaught Creek valley. It’s stunningly beautiful, but in the harsh weather, it wasn’t very inviting. (Richard McGuire photo)
The mountain landscape on the side of Cheops Mountain towers over the Connaught Creek valley. It’s stunningly beautiful, but in the harsh weather, it wasn’t very inviting. (Richard McGuire photo)
Alpine flowers grow next to the trail on the hike to Balu Pass in Glacier National Park of Canada. (Richard McGuire photo)
The trail to Balu Pass switches back several times as it gains elevation through meadows. The elevation here is about 1,610 metres or 5,282 feet. (Richard McGuire photo)
The morning light reflects in the water of Upper Arrow Lake south of Revelstoke, B.C. (Richard McGuire photo)
Eagle Peak and Uto Peak tower above the Illecillewaet Valley in Glacier National Park of Canada. (Richard McGuire photo)
Snowy mountains tower above the Illecillewaet Valley in Glacier National Park of Canada. (Richard McGuire photo)
Mount Sir Donald towers above the Illecillewaet Valley in Glacier National Park of Canada. (Richard McGuire photo)
The Illecillewaet River tumbles down over rocks from the Illecillewaet Glacier in Glacier National Park of Canada. (Richard McGuire photo)
The Meeting of the Waters as the Illecillewaet (left) and Asulkan rivers join in Glacier National Park of Canada. (Richard McGuire photo)
