Day
19, August 31
Locations: Athabasca River; Moab Lake; Mt. Edith Cavell; Medicine Lake
Miles driven: 171
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I set the alarm for
6:20 and I had apparently opened the door to check the sky then, but failed
to shut it as I figured I’d be getting up in a couple of minutes.
My locks will automatically relock the doors if the system senses a door
hasn’t opened within 30 seconds. Due to a loose wire connection
in my door, though, the system didn’t realize the door ever opened
and they locked anyway while I snoozed for a bit longer. At 6:40, my 4Runner
horn starts going at it! Apparently, the wire connection twitched just
enough that the system now sensed a door was open when it should’ve
been shut and locked. I probably woke a few campers up. Dang it! I was
now wide awake!
The sky was overcast again, but I went to the same spot where I shot sunrise yesterday just down the road, but no color got through this time around. I stopped at a couple of the Athabasca River overlooks to check out the different views and to get an idea of what they offered for future reference. I then went to the Mt. Christie Viewpoint and took a few shots from there.
I went as far south as the boulder field (10 miles south of Beauty Creek) where I looked briefly for a picture possibility at some point, but nothing stood out and I never did stop here during the rest of the trip. I turned back north and stopped in a pullout near Ranger Creek. I was exhausted from getting up for all the sunrises and I haven’t had a chance to nap for awhile, so I napped here for about three hours. I woke up around noon and had some snacks. 1:35 rolled around and I was just waiting for time to go by and waiting for sunset to arrive. It had been mostly cloudy with a number of patches of blue sky and the sun was shining through most of the time. I was hoping the sun would be able to keep find an opening at sunset where I would be back over at Medicine Lake. I left this pullout a bit before 2:00.
At 2:25, I got on 93A at Athabasca Falls and drove the Moab Lake Road which goes back in 7.5k. I walked the short .2k trail back to Moab Lake and went just past the boat dock to the next peninsula where the best view is at. I took a couple of snaps and walked back out and left the parking lot at 3:28.
I went to the next spur off 93A, the Mt. Edith Cavell Road, to check it out for the first time. I arrived at the parking lot at 4:15 with no intention of taking any pictures, but just to get an idea of what lies up here. While I was sitting in the truck, a couple walked up behind, and the guy said, “There's that Colorado 4Runner again. That's not a city car, I betcha.” Evidently, they saw me roaming around somewhere on a different day.
I drove to Medicine Lake and arrived there around 6:30. At this time, there was heavy overcast with some light areas in the clouds, though the sun was shining on a couple small spots on the peaks above the lake. I sat in one of the pullouts midway along the lake waiting for sunset, but sunset was a dud. I left here at 8:20 and headed back to the Kerkeslin Campground for a third night in a light drizzle. I pulled into the campground at 9:05. Site #24 was taken, so I opted for #34, right next to the outhouse and water tank on the far end.
7:40 AM —
Mt. Christie from the Mt. Christie Viewpoint
3:09 PM — Moab Lake
3:10 PM —
Moab Lake
3:42 PM —
Whirlpool River and Peak
5:02 PM —
Cavell Lake
5:02 PM —
Mt. Edith Cavell from Cavell Lake
5:15 PM —
Looking down the Astoria River valley below the Tonquin Valley trailhead
5:15 PM —
Looking down the Astoria River valley below the Tonquin Valley trailhead