Hiking The Berg Lake Trail | Mount Robson Provincial Park | August 2006

The Berg Lake Trail is one of the most popular backpacking routes in the Canadian Rockies. The trail takes the hiker through a number of ecozones as it ascends from heavily vegetated forests of sweet smelling cedar and hemlock to engleman spruce and sub-alpine fir. The trail passes jewel coloured lakes and threads through valleys filled with waterfalls including majestic Emperor Falls. A constant companion along the trail is the Robson River which can be followed to its source, the spectacular Robson Glacier. The glacier spills from the imposing north face of Mount Robson, the tallest mountain in the Canadian Rockies (3954 m / 12,972 ft). Another glacier, the Berg Glacier, flows from Mount Robson's southern face directly into turquoise coloured Berg Lake. An extension of the Berg Lake Trail takes the hiker along the Robson Glacier, source of the Robson River, through a marmot filled meadow to Snowbird Pass with a view of the immense Reef Icefield. With scenery such as this, it's no wonder this trail is popular.

The Berg Lake Trail had been on my list of trails to hike for some time but I kept bumping it down in priority because of past experiences at Mount Robson Provincial Park. I had been to the park six times and only saw the summit of Mount Robson twice; both times in the evening after a heavy rain. The other four times I had been to the park Mount Robson had not been visible due to very heavy rain. The trail length, 21 km / 13 miles one way to the Berg Lake campsite, was another factor putting me off. However, my positive experience along the Rockwall Trail the previous year whetted my appetite for more mountain scenery so I decided 2006 would be the year.

Three months and 2 days prior to my first night on the trail I called the Discover Camping campground reservation service (1-800-689-9025) to reserve a site at the Berg Lake campsite. This was the only campsite I could reserve in advance. I booked five nights without a problem. I planned breaking the hike in and the hike out into two days, staying at the Whitehorn campsite for one night each way. Whitehorn is roughly the halfway point to the Berg Lake campsite, at least in terms of distance, so I thought it would be a good place to stop. Most of the 788 m / 2585 ft elevation gain from the trailhead to the Berg Lake campsite happens after the Whitehorn campsite so again it made sense to stop and tackle the elevation after a good night's sleep.

The day before I was to begin the hike I drove the one hour drive from Jasper, Alberta across the border to the Visitor Centre at Mount Robson Provincial Park, British Columbia. I left beautiful sunny Jasper at noon. Forty minutes later I was driving through a wicked thunderstorm; thunder, lightning, pouring rain and hail. Is this is what I had to look forward to for the next week? I immediately sympathized with anyone hiking the trail in these miserable conditions. I arrived at the Visitor Centre and booked the Whitehorn campsite for one night each way, paid my fees, obtained the camping permit, watched the 13 minute mandatory video then drove back to Jasper wondering what tomorrow would bring.

Day 1 - Trailhead to Whitehorn Campground

I left Jasper and arrived at the Berg Lake trailhead at about 10:00 am CST (9:00 am local time) on a cloudy foggy morning. I couldn't see the top of Mount Robson but at least it wasn't raining. The trailhead had parking for about 80 vehicles and was quite full. A quick survey of the license plates found the usual suspects: Alberta, B.C., Washington State and what's that, Saskatchewan!!! There were actually a couple of vehicles in the parking lot with Saskatchewan plates (a rare sight). The trailhead had a shelter for assembling gear but I had packed my pack the night before so was ready to head down the trail. I had assembled the pack before I left home just to make sure everything would fit (it did) and made the mistake of weighing it. It weighed 29.5 kg /65 lbs! I strapped the monster on, grabbed my trekking poles and headed off. It was 10:30 am, elevation 984 m / 2800 ft.

The initial portion of the trail leading to Kinney Lake followed the Robson River. The trail was broad and had little elevation gain as it meandered among towering western red cedar and hemlock trees set amidst a carpet of thimbleberry. There were interpretive signs along the way that explained a bit about the geology and plant and animal life in the area. The river, quite turbulent in places, calmed as Kinney Lake neared. Something else happened near Kinney Lake; the sun came out and the summit of Mount Robson became visible! Kinney Lake was named after Reverend George Kinney who was a member of the first mountaineering party to attempt Mount Robson in 1909.

Just before I reached Kinney Lake I crossed the Robson River on a sturdy bridge (elevation 984 m / 3228 ft) and read the last of the interpretive signs. Just after the bridge, the trail divided into two branches. One branch led to a viewpoint / picnic area while the other branch continued to the first campsite along the trail: the Kinney Lake campsite. The viewpoint / picnic area marked the turn around point for many day hikers so the trail beyond this point was much less travelled. The trail gained elevation and followed the eastern shore of the lake through the trees until I reached the Kinney Lake campsite. I arrived at 12:30 pm.

Kinney Lake campsite at kilometer 7 / mile 4 along the trail is one of seven campsites along the Berg Lake Trail and one of three that have shelters. The shelters offer refuge from the frequent rains and serve as a meeting place for campers. I dropped my pack at the shelter and had a few handfuls of trail mix. As I was relaxing, other people arrived; some heading into Berg Lake and others heading out. I spoke to the people heading out about trail conditions and to people heading in about their impressions so far. I stayed for about 20 minutes then put my pack on and continued along the trail. The next stop would be the Whitehorn campsite in the "Valley of 1000 Falls."

Soon after leaving Kinney Lake I reached a bike rack and a trail junction. Bikes are not allowed past Kinney Lake so a rack is provided to secure your bike. The trail junction had two divisions: horse and human. I had read about people taking the horse trail because it travelled across a large area of gravel beds at the north end of Kinney Lake without any elevation gain. The human trail by contrast was a roller coaster that gained and lost a significant amount of elevation only to end up meeting the horse trail at the gravel beds; seemingly a needless gain of elevation. It may seem like a no-brainer to take the horse trail, but there's a catch.

The Robson River enters the gravel beds and divides into a number of rivulets that feed Kinney Lake. These rivulets are spanned by simple log bridges. The catch is that if there has been a heavy rain the bridges may be washed out. There was a heavy rain the day before I set out so I took the roller coaster. This turned out to be a wise decision. As I would later learn from other hikers, the bridges were in fact washed out which meant the hikers had to back track adding an hour to their hiking time. Not fun when carrying a heavy pack.

The human trail descended to the gravel bed and crossed two bridges spanning the Robson River. The first bridge was sturdy and led to a small island. The second bridge, leading off the island, was narrow with a sign warning that only one person at a time should cross. Looking at the bridge didn't inspire much confidence but it turned out to be sturdier than it looked. The trail then crossed a flat area heading toward the western side of the valley. It was here where the trail gained elevation as it switchbacked up the side of the valley heading north toward the Whitehorn campsite. The distance between Kinney Lake campsite and Whitehorn is 4 km / 2.5 miles with an elevation gain of 113 m / 371 ft. The trail was narrow with a loose gravel base making the footing difficult. The sun was also beating down on this side of the valley making the hike uncomfortable. My pack was beginning to feel very heavy. I reached the suspension bridge leading to the Whitehorn campsite at 2:45 pm (elevation 1097 m / 3600 ft).

B.C. Parks does an excellent job maintaining the campsites. The shelters are well built and fit naturally into their surroundings. The wood burning stoves in the shelters can be life savers; the weather in the Mount Robson area can be quite bad (cold and wet). There were four picnic tables in each shelter plus benches outside to sit on. There were grey water disposal pits near the shelters that you don't always find in campsites. The tent pads were covered with wood chips that absorb precipitation and prevent it from pooling under the tents. Metal food lockers were provided that not only kept food away from the local inhabitants but also protected it from the weather. The signage is also good; indicating where the tent sites, toilets and shelters are located.

The valley bottom is dominated by the Robson River which runs right past the campsite. Glaciers are directly visible hanging off cliffs and indirectly visible in the form of waterfalls. The campsite is set against the western flank of Mount Robson which rises 2857 m / 9372 ft directly above the campsite. It is an impressive sight. The location of the campsite means it takes some time for the sun to reach it; mornings are cool.

Whitehorn had a shelter with a wood stove. The gravel floor of the shelter contained several pools of water; a testament to the previous day's deluge. Across the river was a Warden's cabin with an emergency radio. I could see some of the trail I would be travelling the next day. It was not an encouraging sight. As I mentioned previously, most of the elevation gain along the trail happens after Whitehorn. The top portion of Emperor Falls was visible. I would pass this waterfall on my way to Berg Lake. It seemed a long way off. The consolation was that once past Emperor Falls most of the elevation gain would be behind me.

I met a number of people during my one night stay at Whitehorn; several would become companions for the next few days. Those people coming out of Berg Lake encouraged those of us heading in with descriptions of the beauty we were about to experience. Those of us heading in got to know each other. I spent the day's remainder exploring along the river. I slept very soundly that night.

Day 2 - Whitehorn Campground to the Berg Lake Campsite

The trail followed the Robson River north out of the campsite for a short distance then crossed the river, entered forest and immediately began to climb. It was a tough climb with a heavy pack (now weighing more due to the wet tent) over patches of scree and fractured rock. The area I was hiking through jutted into the valley and was separated from Mount Robson by a deep narrow canyon cut by the Robson River. Most of the trail was along the edge of the canyon hence the sun exposure. East of the canyon towered Mount Robson. I passed three waterfalls on my way up this steep section of the trail: White Falls, Falls of the Pool and Emperor Falls. Each falls served as a distance marker. I found this encouraging as I could see Emperor Falls (and the end of the elevation gain) getting closer and closer.

I arrived just below White Falls at 10:25 am (elevation 1253 m / 4111 ft) then at Falls of the Pool at 11:10 am (elevation 1377 m / 4519 ft). It was here that I dropped my pack and had a bite to eat. The area adjacent to the trail was fenced off to prevent falls into the deep canyon below. "Falls of the Pool" is a double waterfall where the first portion of the waterfall falls into a pool then falls out of the pool and continues along. None of the falls are lit by the sun until midday. After about 20 minutes I donned my pack and continued along the trail to "Emperor Falls."

The trail from Falls of the Pool to Emperor Falls turned into the forest then emerged once again to follow the edge of the canyon. The trail here was fractured rock which didn't provide the best footing and was quite narrow in spots. The good news was that Emperor Falls was getting closer with every step. Eventually, I drew even with the falls across the canyon. This was the best vantage point for a wide shot of the falls.

A little farther along, the trail reached its northern end then swung east heading toward Emperor Falls. There was a short spur trail that lead to the base of Emperor Falls. Unfortunately, the spray from the falls was so heavy it made photographing the falls from this spot virtually impossible (I tried anyway). The cold spray did feel good though. The elevation at the base of the falls was 1544 m / 5068 ft. There was a bit more elevation after the falls junction then the trail levelled off and entered the Emperor Falls campsite. I arrived at 1:20 pm (elevation 1615 m / 5300 ft). Thus far I had hiked 16 of the 21 km (9.9 of the 13 miles) to the Berg Lake campsite and most of the elevation gain was now an unpleasant memory.

The trail into the Emperor Falls campsite followed the Robson River. Many of the 9 tent pads in the campsite were right beside the river. I found an unoccupied site, dropped my pack and took a break. The view was beautiful. The top of Mount Robson was visible under a cloudless sky. It was a perfect day. I left the campsite after about 20 minutes; next stop, the Berg Lake campsite.

The trail continued through some trees then headed onto a moraine; as it did, the trees dropped away and I was witness to a spectacular sight. Ahead and to my right, the Mist Glacier spilled down the northwest flank of Mount Robson to the valley bottom. Stunning! This would be the first of a succession of spectacular views as I made my way to the Berg Lake campsite.

The views from the Marmot campsite were impressive. To the north stretched turquoise coloured Berg Lake with the Berg Glacier spilling directly into it. There was a bench on the gravel overlooking the lake a short distance from the campsite so I took off my pack, sat down and soaked up the views. It was 2:40 pm (elevation 1641 m / 5383 ft).

The last 2 km / 1.2 miles to the Berg Lake campsite passed through trees and followed the western shore of Berg Lake. The trail was a packed dirt and gravel mix and quite broad with larger rocks sticking out. It was a pleasant change from the gravel beds I hiked through to reach the Marmot campsite. There were frequent breaks in the trees through which Berg Lake, the Berg Glacier and Mount Robson could be seen. I arrived at the Berg Lake campsite at 4:30 pm. My total hiking time from the Whitehorn campsite had been 7 hours.

The Berg Lake campsite is the largest campsite along the trail. It has 26 tent pads and a fully enclosed shelter called the Hargreaves shelter (the shelter was re-built in 2014 preserving its basic structure but making it more robust - concrete pilings now support the front deck). The shelter has a wood burning stove and storage areas along the interior walls for packs. Just behind the shelter were metal food storage lockers and an actual sink for washing dishes and disposing of grey water. The two toilets in the campsite were located above and to the south of the shelter. Just to the north of the shelter, Toboggan Creek divided the campsite into two. Most of the tent sites were located to the south of the creek. This is where I set up camp. I found a nicely sheltered site two levels up from the main trail with a view of Berg Lake through the trees. I pitched my tent on the wood chip pad then explored the campsite.

The Berg Lake Trail continued behind the shelter, crossed Toboggan Creek then continued north to the Rearguard and Robson Pass campsites one and two kilometers (0.6 and 1.2 miles) distant respectively. The Berg Lake campsite is quite busy so Rearguard and Robson Pass campsites are a popular alternative if you want a quieter environment. Directly across Berg Lake from the Hargreaves shelter was a full on view of the Berg Glacier spilling into the lake. Spectacular! Berg Glacier and Lake were named for the fact the glacier frequently calves icebergs into the lake hence the name "Berg."

I prepared supper in the Hargreaves shelter then sat on the ample front deck marvelling at the sight before me. There was the scene I had seen countless times in photographs; the Berg Glacier draped over Mount Robson's flank dipping into the turquoise waters of Berg Lake. It was amazing to see it with my own eyes. I lingered on the Hargreaves deck thinking about what tomorrow would bring until it was dark then retired to my tent. It had been a long spectacular day.

I was awakened several times during the night by the sound of thunder. I have a window in the ceiling of my tent and could see the sky was clear so what was making this sound? It turned out it was the cracking of the glaciers and small avalanches coming down Mount Robson that were responsible. The sounds weren't as common during the day, but once the temperature cooled the mountain came alive. The mountain was not as active for the remaining four nights of my stay. I guess the activity on my first night was Mount Robson's way of saying, "welcome."

Day 3 - The Mumm Basin Route (1/2 day)

The Mumm Basin Route is one of three main hikes that can be done in the Berg Lake area (the other two are Hargreaves Lake and Snowbird Pass). Mumm Basin and Peak were named after Arnold Mumm, a prominent British mountaineer who was among the party that made the first ascent of Mumm Peak in 1910.

There are a couple of ways to access the Mumm Basin Route. One is to leave the Berg Lake campsite behind the Hargreaves shelter, cross Toboggan Creek then follow the creek up toward Toboggan Falls (there is a sign just across the bridge explaining the route). The other way is to hike to the Robson Pass campsite and start the trail from that end. Both accesses are steep trails. I chose to go up Toboggan Creek. If you are ambitious, the Mumm Basin and Hargreaves Lake routes can be combined into a single 14.8 km / 9.2 mile loop.

The Toboggan Creek trail rose steeply among rocks and tree roots. After some time I reached an area where the creek was flowing over slabs of rock set at a steep angle, this was Toboggan Falls. The water didn't fall but rather "tobogganed" down the rocky slope, hence the name. The trail then turned away from the creek and headed into the forest. There was a log bench above the falls that offered spectacular views of Mount Robson, Berg Lake and Berg Glacier. I stopped here and took a few photographs. The trail then passed through forest following yellow blazes affixed to trees and eventually reached a junction. The junction sign indicated to continue along the Mumm Basin Trail turn right, to go to Hargreaves Lake turn left, to go to "the cave" go straight. The cave is a solution cave high up on a ridge that is big enough to explore. The distance to the cave was about 1.5 km ( about one mile). I turned right.

The trail continued in a northeasterly direction following yellow tree blazes until treeline then followed rock cairns across the rocky terrain beneath Mumm Peak. Once above treeline the views of Mount Robson, Berg Lake, Berg Glacier, and Rearguard Mountain became breathtaking. As I continued along the trail more and more of the distant Robson Glacier came into view as did the trail to Snowbird Pass. Just before descending down to the Robson Pass campsite, a border marker marked the border between British Columbia and Alberta.

When I was above treeline, I heard the sound of thunder and immediately knew what it was. I turned toward the Berg Glacier in time to see the glacier calve icebergs into Berg Lake. It did it a second time about 10 minutes later. The icebergs floated out from the toe of the glacier in two arcs. I sat in the afternoon sun watching the icebergs slowly move across the lake. It was such a gorgeous day! I took the very steep trail down to the Robson Pass campsite then returned along a mercifully flat trail to the Berg Lake campsite.

I waited on the lakeshore for the wind to push the icebergs to shore. Most of the icebergs had melted by the time they reached shore but some large pieces remained. I scooped one piece up and had a look at it. It was incredible to think I was holding a piece of ice that was possibly thousands of years old. Where on the mountain did this piece of ice form? How long did it take for the ice to make its way to the toe of the glacier? It looked as if it had been sculpted. I had seen this look before in some ice caves I had explored. I broke a few pieces off and ate them. This may seem unceremonious given my previous thoughts, but you would have done the same. It tasted like ... well, like ice. I took the iceberg to the Hargreaves shelter and set it on the ground. It was a warm sunny afternoon. The next afternoon the ice was still there.

I have a few recommendations about the Mumm Basin Trail. The only access to water along this trail is a small stream that flows at the northern end of the trail (closer to the Robson Pass access) that I would only drink if dying of thirst. Make sure you take an ample supply of water when hiking the Mumm trail. The trail is completely exposed above treeline. Ensure you have foul weather clothing, a hat, sunscreen and of course a camera. You may also want to begin the hike from the Robson Pass campsite. Doing this will allow you to face the spectacular sight of Mount Robson, Berg Glacier and Berg Lake as you descend past Toboggan Falls to the Berg Lake campsite.

I spent the remainder of the afternoon along the shores of Berg Lake watching more ice pieces come ashore. I fished a few more out of the water marvelling at their appearance and contemplating their age and my own. I returned to the Berg Lake campsite, ate supper then passed the evening sitting on the Hargreaves deck drinking hot tea and talking to fellow campers about the hikes they had done.

Day 4 - Snowbird Pass (22 km / 13.7 miles return)

The Snowbird Pass Route is the premiere hiking trail in the Berg Lake area. It follows the Robson River to its source, the Robson Glacier, then ascends and follows a lateral moraine deep into the glacier carved valley. The views from this moraine include the Robson Glacier and the stunning north face of Mount Robson. The trail then ascends into a meadow populated by countless marmots then up to Snowbird Pass itself with a view of the immense Reef Icefield. Allow a full day for this hike. The pass is named for the "snowbird," the white tailed ptarmigan, a member of the grouse family, that makes its home high in the Rockies.

I set off for Snowbird Pass from the Berg Lake campsite at 9:00 am. I followed the Berg Lake Trail north 1 km / 0.62 miles to Rearguard campsite. Just on the other side of the campsite was a sign that indicated the start of the Snowbird Pass Route. I turned east and followed the Robson River through gravel beds glowing with Mountain Aven seed heads and passed a sign that indicated where the toe of the Robson Glacier had been in 1911 (the toe is now some 2 km / 1.2 miles from the sign).

The trail continued along the river then began to gain elevation as the marginal lake at the end of the glacier, the source of the Robson River, was reached. A little further along the trail came a large yellow sign (elevation 1722 m / 5650 ft) warning that glacier travel was dangerous. A black and white arrow beneath the yellow warning sign indicated the trail turned 90 degrees to the left. It was here that I saw some climbers come off the glacier.

The trail continued and climbed steeply through a rock cairn marked boulder field. The footing here wasn't the greatest. At 10:55 am (elevation 1896 m / 6220 ft) I reached a transitional area where metal posts with chains had been installed to keep hikers from falling off the trail. I call this a transitional area as it appeared to me that a slide had occurred that split the lateral moraine in two. To continue along the moraine into the valley this area had to be negotiated. Once across this area the trail followed the top of the moraine with minimal elevation gain. Several people had lost the trail here the previous day and were forced to turn around and abandon the hike. The trail through this transitional area was a bit difficult to pick up but not impossible. There were a few times I had to stop and look for the next rock cairn but I always found it. One problem with rock cairn marked trails is the tendency of people to build their own rock piles to say that they were there. This can be confusing to other hikers and cause them to be led astray. I suspect that is what happened to the hikers the previous day.

The views from the moraine across the Robson Glacier toward the north face of Mount Robson were spectacular, the best of the hike! I paused several times to photograph the enormous glacier, fractured into building sized seracs as it tumbled toward its marginal lake. As it turned out, this would be the best vantage point to photograph the glacier and Mount Robson's north face.

At about 5.8 km / 3.6 miles (elevation 2001 m / 6566 ft), I encountered a broken sign that read "Snowbird Pass." The top of the post where the sign had been had rotted off and the sign was now propped up at the base of the post. I turned left and followed the steep trail up through a vegetated area into a meadow. I gained elevation in stages as I passed through the lush meadow occasionally getting a glimpse of my destination. The meadow was home to a large number of marmots. Their sharp sounding high pitched warning whistles could be heard as I approached them.

The trail steadily gained elevation through the meadow then climbed up onto a rocky bench. A notch in the distant mountains could be seen from atop the bench: Snowbird Pass. A faint trail meandering through a vast scree field could also just be made out. This was my road.

It was a long tough slog through scree to Snowbird Pass. The path was marked with rock cairns. It was difficult to get lost here as it was obvious where the pass was. I reached the pass at 1:30 pm (elevation 2407 m / 7900 ft). The total elevation gain from the Berg Lake campsite had been 741 m / 2430 ft. The total distance to the pass one way was 11 km / 6.8 miles.

By the time I reached the Pass, the view of the north face of Mount Robson was partially obscured by cloud. The view had been better from the Robson Glacier moraine. This would be the most cloud I would have the entire time I was in the area. The view east of the Reef Icefield and Coleman Glacier was impressive. There was a lot of ice there! The icefield extends as far as the eye can see. Amazing!

It was very windy atop the pass and considering the sheets of ice that were nearby I don't have to tell you it was a very cold wind. I didn't linger very long at the pass, it was just too cold, even wearing several warm layers. The wind kept trying to blow over my camera tripod making photography a challenge. Even hanging weight under the tripod didn't help. There was a lot of cloud too which made for poor photographic conditions. I was a bit disappointed at not being able to get better photographs, however despite the less than ideal conditions, I can say that I stood on Snowbird Pass (and didn't get lost along the way)!

The descent was more difficult than the ascent due to the scree. Thank goodness for my trekking poles; they saved me from falling a number of times. It took me 5 hours to get back to the Berg Lake campsite. The total hiking time had been 9.5 hours (at least 1.5 hours of that had been taken up doing photography or trying to). It was a long but memorable day. I slept very well that night.

Day 5 - The Hargreaves Glacier Route (1/2 Day)

I chose to begin the hike at the Marmot campsite trailhead about 2 km / 1.2 miles south of the Berg Lake campsite. I hiked the gently undulating Berg Lake trail southwest until I reached the trailhead sign just before reaching the Marmot campsite. The rugged trail climbed steeply through trees marked with yellow blazes until treeline. I turned around at one point and was greeted with the spectacular sight of the Mist Glacier and its turquoise coloured terminal lake. You can see the yellow blazes that mark the Hargreaves Glacier trail below treeline in the photograph.

The trail then climbed steeply along the lateral moraine left by the Mist Glacier. I think it was the Mist Glacier's moraine. There are so many glaciers in the area that it's difficult to tell which glacier created what moraine. The trail was marked by rock cairns but I found some of the small cairns difficult to distinguish amid the jumble of rocks and had to stop several times to pick up the trail. I found it was more difficult to recognize this trail than it had been to find my way through the transitional area of the Snowbird Pass trail. I wonder if anyone got lost in this area?

The views of the Hargreaves Glacier and Lake were quite nice. It wasn't very windy so, like the marmot, it was very enjoyable to spend some time at the overlook soaking up some sunshine and the impressive views. The marginal lake at the toe of the Hargreaves Glacier could be seen clearly. This lake isn't visible from lower elevations as the Glacier's terminal moraine envelopes the lake. Apparently there are trilobite fossil beds near the edges of Hargreaves Lake but I wasn't ambitious enough to climb down the very steep lateral moraine (then climb back up) to investigate.

It's amazing to think that within the last 200 years the Hargreaves Glacier completely filled the basin containing the lake, right to the top of the lateral moraine where I and the marmot were standing. It would have been interesting and much colder to be standing where I was back then. I retraced my steps back to the viewpoint sign then continued along the trail until it intersected with the Toboggan Falls / Mumm Basin trails. I returned to the Berg Lake campsite via Toboggan Creek.

I should mention that Hargreaves Glacier, Lake and shelter were named after the Hargreaves family, owners of Mount Robson Ranch. The shelter at Berg Lake was originally built as a guest chalet then donated to B.C. Parks.

Day 6 - The Last Day at Berg Lake

My last day at the Berg Lake campsite was spent doing nothing; nothing requiring physical exertion anyway. I had planned on a few days of bad weather when I booked my campsite at Berg Lake so padded my stay with an extra day or two. I had not planned on 4 full days of gorgeous weather. I hiked all the trails I wanted to hike in the first 3 days and thought I deserved a day off to rest for the hike out. I had brought a book along, Dan Brown's "Angels and Demons," but hadn't started it yet. This seemed like a good time. So, I sat on the Hargreaves shelter deck on yet another beautiful day reading my book and sipping tea. I also got to know some of the other campers a bit better. Many of them were doing the same thing I was. Occasionally, new hikers would come into the campsite and I would act as the official greeter answering questions about food storage, tent sites or toilet locations.

I had supper with new friends (Michael and Merei - I'm sure I've spelled Merei wrong), watched an "outback oven" cook a cake (cool) then walked to the lakeshore and took in a final sunset on another cloudless evening. The setting sun set the snow on Mount Robson aglow, a phenomenon known as "alpenglow."

Early morning was another good time to see "alpenglow" occur. I would get up around 5:30 am, walk the short distance down to the lakeshore, set up my tripod and camera and wait for the sun to hit the mountain. I did this every morning I was at Berg Lake (except for the last morning when I felt I deserved to sleep in) and was always the only person up that early. It was always very quiet with only the background noise of distant waterfalls to keep me company. Each morning was always calm so the surface of the lake was like glass; perfect for reflections.

Day 7 - The Hike back to Whitehorn Campsite

There was no rush to leave the campsite the next morning as I was only going as far as the Whitehorn campsite. I had a leisurely breakfast, all the while gazing at Mount Robson and Berg Lake. I emptied out my tent, dismantled it and let it dry in the ample sunlight. I did the same with my sleeping bag. I sorted out the rest of the gear I had brought while the tent and sleeping bag were drying. Once things were dry, I crammed everything into my pack, said good-bye to some of the other campers I had come to know, took one last look around and headed down the trail. I left the Berg Lake campsite at about 9:00 am. I wasn't alone on the hike out.

Helicopters are allowed to land at the Robson Pass campsite on Monday's and Friday's. They were a constant companion on the hike out (I hiked out on a Monday). There were a number of people at the Berg Lake campground who had flew into Robson Pass. The hike from Robson Pass to the Berg Lake campground has little elevation change so the helicopter is a good option for people who physically aren’t able to make the hike from the trailhead.

The hike down was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. The weather remained beautiful during my descent which helped soothe my aching muscles. I reached the Whitehorn campsite at 1:00 pm (4 hours to hike out as opposed to the 7 hours it had taken me to hike into the Berg Lake campsite from Whitehorn). I found a tent site at Whitehorn, a different one from my first stay, set up my tent, put my food away and finished reading "Angels and Demons." The review: very similar in feel to "the Da Vinci Code," but set in the Vatican during the election of a new Pope. It was an interesting and entertaining read.

That evening, over supper, I got to know a very nice German couple, Ulf and Krystal. I had spoken to them briefly at the Berg Lake campsite but didn't get to know them too well as we all had our own schedules. We dined by headlamp and candle lantern long into the night, sipping hot chocolate that they had prepared to keep warm. It was a very enjoyable way to pass an evening. Ulf and Krystal are Berg Lake trail veterans, they had come from Germany every year for the last several years.

Day 8 - The Hike back to the Berg Lake trailhead

I slept in the next morning. It was a bit overcast but still remarkably good. Most of the descent to the trailhead had been done the day before so I didn't feel too concerned about what lay before me. Again, I had the opportunity to dry out my tent and sleeping bag before I left.

A group of teenagers had come into Whitehorn the previous night heading into Berg Lake. After they had eaten breakfast, their adult leaders were a little concerned about the amount of fuel they had used that morning. I had half a bottle left so gave them what I had. Less weight for me to carry out!

I dismantled my backcountry home one last time and skillfully found a place for it in my pack. I'm always amazed how much I can cram into the pack until I put it on and realize I shouldn't have taken so much. Ulf and Krystal emerged from their tent about the time I was ready to leave so I said a final good-bye to them. Ulf offered to take a photograph of me which I though would be a nice reminder of the trip then I crossed the suspension bridge over the Robson River and was on my way out.

I crossed the river many times before finally reaching the Berg Lake trailhead. It took me three hours to hike out. I was happy to see my vehicle and to know I wouldn't be carrying the pack anymore. I munched on a chocolate bar I had left in my vehicle as a little reward for making it back, breathed in a few more deep breaths of cedar infused air then drove the short distance to the Mount Robson Provincial Park Visitor Centre.

There was a bulletin board on the Hargreaves shelter deck that displayed maps of the area, warnings and had a type-written sheet containing the distances to and elevations of all the destinations in the Berg Lake area. I had intended to photograph the sheet before I left but I forgot. I thought that same information summary would be available at the Visitor Centre so I stopped in to ask. They didn't have anything like that type-written sheet. I was disappointed. I intended to put it on this web site as information for others to use in planning their time in the area. Oh, well.

A few years after I did this hike, I received an email from a man who was intending to hike The Berg Lake Trail. He asked me a few photography related questions which I answered. Then I asked him whether he would take a photograph of that type-written sheet on the Hargreaves shelter deck and send it to me. He did. Thanks James!