Springtime In The Rockies

April 22, 2012, hike the Lakeshore Trail in Waterton Park, solo.

I started out from the Bertha Lake Parking area and took the Bertha Lake trail to the view point. Where the tail to Bertha Lake takes a sharp turn west the Shore Line trail continues on to the south along the west side of Waterton Lake. This trail is described in Joey Ambrosi's Southern Rockies Trail Guide.
 The day was sunny and warm. As I started out on the Bertha Lake trail I was walking on packed snow that was now softening in the warm weather and in a few places my foot would break through and sink into deep snow. I had my doubts about whether to continue, but there were hundred of butterflies and in the book The Alchemist it says "butterflies are a good omen" and indeed they seemed to be as they would flutter past me as though to urge me to continue down the trail.  As it turned out much of the trail was bare and excellent hiking.
I enjoyed hiking in the spring conditions, even walking on the softening snow with rivulets running under the it and down the trail. What is there about the sound of trickles of water that pleases the senses and soothes the soul?
 Just beyond the Bertha Bay Campsite the trail goes under a rock overhang and as I returned that way I slipped on some ice and fell, it was a gentle fall with no harm done.

At most of the stream crossings there are well constructed bridges but at one stream there were only stepping stones.  I am certain that normally crossing on the stones would be easy but, because of the increased run off, crossing on the stones was a bit daunting. This is where my trekking poles became my best friend. I was a little concerned about when I returned later in the day as I knew that on such a warm day the run off would be peaking more toward late afternoon or evening. I hiked all the way to the Canada - USA boundary and beyond. I stopped long enough at the junction of the Goat Haunt Trail and the Boundary Trail for a quick lunch. Sure enough when I returned to the creek with the stepping stones the water level had risen a couple of inches and my stepping stones were under water. It was a bit daunting getting back across in flowing water on stones that were now slippery. I was happy and more relaxed to have that stream behind me.
At one place on the trail there is a rock fall on one side and the lake on the other. I was making good time so I rested on a the pebble beach by the lake. A stiff breeze on the lake made waves and the last of the melting ice tinkled as the waves shifted it and moved it. A pair of mergansers silently swam by.
I also saw a couple of Ruff Grouse on the trail. At the end of my hike  my feet were wet and I was tired but I felt good.

Distance: 15.2 km

Time: 5 hours 11 min. moving, 2 hours 53 min stopped

Ascent: 3076 ft max elevation 4613.