To Jasper: Kinney Lake

July 29, 2023

We’re driving to Jasper today, where we’ll have a four night stay at an Airbnb. It’s not a long drive so there’s plenty of time to stop somewhere along the way. The obvious spot is Mount Robson, only about twenty miles from here. Valemount is the closest real community to Robson, and I imagine a fair percentage of its tourism is folks here to visit that park

I first saw Mount Robson almost thirty years ago, biking from Prince George to Calgary with an ex-spouse. I was stunned and still remember the striking appearance it had, a giant soaring into a solid cloud-cover that left me wondering just how far up this monster must continue rising. I don’t have any photos from that tour unfortunately, but the image of that first view is still clear in my mind.

Five years ago I was back again, with Rachael this time. As we did this year, we were staying in Valemount then; and we had come this way specifically with the intent to visit Robson again, and hopefully see more of it this time. We stayed in Valemount for three nights that time, and visited the mountain twice - once when we biked from Valemount to the provincial park boundary and back, and then the next day when we drove out for a hike to Kinney Lake. We had a camera with us then of course, and though the skies weren’t clear we were lucky enough to come away with a nearly complete view of the mountain:

Mount Robson: July, 2018. Robson is the highest peak in British Columbia and the most prominent peak in the entire Rocky Mountain chain.

The third time really is a charm, and this time the weather couldn’t be better - a clear sky overhead with thankfully no nearby fire to diminish the view. Seeing it when approaching it from the west when it suddenly appears as you round a bend is a true show-stopper.

It’s a wonder there aren’t more accidents at this point in the highway.

We could have chosen to bike a stretch of the Yellowhead Highway today, but really nothing sounded better than hiking to Kinney Lake again. It’s an exceptionally popular hike even given the relative remoteness of the park, and a coveted overnight camping spot also. Camping at the lake is on an advance reservation basis only. Reservations for the coming summer go on sale in February, and are typically all sold within the first hour. It’s that kind of place.

It also helps us reach a decision about taking this hike again when we learn that it has been closed all year for repairs from extensive flooding damage last year and was only reopened for the year just two days ago. With such fortuitous timing, it feels like of course we should go. We get an early start to beat the crowds, and pull into the huge but nearly empty parking lot before nine.

The view from the parking lot. This is the same spot the shot from five years ago was taken.

It’s not a long hike to Kinney Lake, roughly seven miles round trip. It’s technically easy - unpaved but well surfaced and maintained, suitable for accommodating the crowds it attracts. This morning though the trail is nearly empty - we share it with only a few other walkers, and when we reach the lake there are only two other parties there. It will be quite different two hours later when we walk out.

Crossing the Robson River. It has a very short existence - it rises from Kinney Lake about three miles upstream and merges into the Fraser about the same distance ahead.

For most of the hike we’re walking within sight or at least the sound of the raging, intensely ice-blue Robson River. Surrounding us are stands of majestic cedars, with the understory blanketed in ferns and devil’s club.

I’m not sure of what this is, but from the map it looks like it could be a flank of Cinnamon Peak. Makes sense.

Early on we can see Robson from the trail, but before long we’ll lose it in the trees.

Some of the cedars along this trail are stunning. Robson Valley claims to contain the most extensive example of an inland rainforest in the Northern Hemisphere.

The long eastern flank of Mount Robson looks like the buttress of a cathedral. The high point on the right is The Dome.

Nearing Kinney Lake, a bend in the river gives us a last view of Mount Robson.

Zooming in on The Dome, the high point on Robson’s eastern shoulder. At 10,300’ it’s a significant peak in its own right; but it’s still 1,500’ lower than Robson’s summit.

Three miles into the climb we come to a second bridge across the river, a smaller and more rustic one this time. It’s in excellent shape, and I wonder if it was rebuilt or renovated this spring after the flood. This is the transition point of the hike. We’re just below the outflow of Lake Kinney and the start of the river. Looking north we can see slackwater at the edge of the lake just a few hundred yards away.

Crossing the Robson River, just below Kinney Lake.

I think I look like John Lennon here. It must be the hat. I’m pretty sure he had a red hat too.

Looking upriver. Zooming in a bit we can see the edge of the lake and the transition point.

Crossing the bridge, we’re buried in the forest again for a short distance. When we come to a clearing though we’re at the near edge of the lake and experience our second jaw-dropping moment of the day. The view across Kinney Lake is stunning, with Whitehorn Mountain reflected on the absolutely still surface of the lake.

There’s a small group of Spaniards (from near Madrid, we’ll later learn) occupying this first viewpoint, taking one shot after another of themselves with the lake and mountain behind them. I can hardly blame them, and I wait patiently for my own chance until Rachael beckons me from up ahead. She’s at the next viewpoint which is every bit as breathtaking. She continues walking ahead while I take my time and stop at all the viewpoints, finding each one just a bit different and worthy of attention.

And as though the lake weren’t enough to make this a memorable day, I look up and see a bird alight on a stump up ahead and improbably remain there long enough for me to focus in on it. A Swainson’s thrush! It’s a bird I’m well familiar with for its unmistakeable song and was hoping I might see somewhere along the line but not really expecting it. It’s one of those reclusive birds that you’re much more likely to hear than see. Lucky day!

Whitehorn Mountain, another of the lesser peaks surrounding Mount Robson.

To the left of Whitehorn we can see just a sliver of Cinnamon peak.

Worth another look. Here we can see parts of three mountains: Cinnamon Peak on the left, Whitehorn, and then Mount Phillips behind on the right.

There’s some confusion and concern when I come to the end of the lake and haven’t found Rachael. The trail leaves the lake here and starts climbing into the woods, and it’s unlike her to continue on past a point like this without waiting to check in. There’s no cell coverage so I can’t call her, and I don’t really know she’s ahead of me. It wouldn’t be unprecedented for me to have walked right past her without noticing. I do the safest thing and walk back to the first viewpoint and wait; and within a minute or two I hear her calling from up the trail.

She had gone ahead alright, and found one last viewpoint from a shoulder a hundred feet or so above the lake. Fortunately she had her camera out so we can see what she climbed up there for.

The walk back to the car is the same, but different. As happened the first time we took this hike, we can see why it’s so worthwhile getting to places like this early in the day. We pass one hiking or biking party after another all the way back to the car, with their numbers increasing as we go. I’m sure we’ve passed a hundred or more by the time we’ve returned to the car; and when we arrive there the huge parking lot is half full.

Walking back. This boardwalk looks like it could have been recently renovated too.

Looking back at Robson again from the parking lot. The sky is just starting to wisp over.

It’s roughly an hour drive to Jasper, and we arrive at our AirBnB around 2:30. It’s a self-checkin place with a keypad, and they’ve notified us that it will be ready when we arrive. It’s an excellent apartment, the lower half of a duplex just a short walk from restaurant row. But we’ll be here four nights so there’s time to elaborate later.

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2023 Bird List

176. Swainson’s thrush

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Tricia GrahamWhat stunning photos
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9 months ago

Carolyn van HoeveStunning!
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9 months ago

Patrick O'HaraThanks for reminding us about Robson. Sue and I did a 2 month long backpacking trip in the Rockies 25 years ago. Great shots. Glad you were able to avoid the crowds.
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9 months ago