Cathedral Park in the south-east of British Columbia is a beautiful place in the mountain, however, not without problems. The road to the central, the most interesting part of the park, is private, you cannot use your own vehicle, and, not many vehicles can make this road anyway. So, you have two options: a long hike through the relatively boring forest that takes most of your weekend or an absurdly huge payment to the road owner to drive you up. The last (and second) time I was in Cathedral Park in 2012, and, despite my love for this place, we did not visit it again until last year. However, last September we decided that once in ten years it is worth repeating. So, we took a couple of our friends and went. The main features of the park are snow goats and larches. So, the ideal time for a visit is the second half of September, a time when larches become yellow. Ten years ago we had yellow larches and snow goats. Last year the spring started a month later than usual, summer followed the spring, so the larches decided to keep green needles till the last moment. Despite frosty nights, they were green. Goat also disappeared somewhere. Therefore, I finally made Сathidral Rim Trail and saw everything from the top. Snow goats were substituted with white-tailed ptarmigans.
Ground squirrel on our campsite.
So, on the first day we came into the park, set the camp, walked around the Quinscoe Lake, and on the next day went to the Rim via Ladyslipper Lake.
Between Pyramid and Ladyslipper lakes.
Descent to the Ladyslipper Lake.
Ladyslipper Lake.
Went around the lake, and started to went up.
The lake from the top.
Came on the Rim and first went on the left to the Smokey Bear and Giant Cliff.
The Cliff and the Bear.
The Cliff and the Bear from the top.
Back and further along the Rim.
Stone City
Here we met the ptarmigans, but it would be separate post about them.
After the photo session with ptarmigans continues our way.
Ladyslipper Lake below.
Three lake together – Glacier on the right, Quiniscoe on the left, and Pyramid.
Going down to Glacier Lake. A deer was met.
Now back to Quiniscoe lake and our tents for the night rest.
Cathedral Park. Ten years hence. White-tailed Ptarmigans
Cathedral Park. Ten years hence. Part Two
