Tonquin Valley Adventure with the Dodds

Meet the Dodds (l to r) Simon, Lynn, Matthew, Jessica and Alex, of London UK.

Wow, was this ever an awesome trip. Although I've guided into the Tonquin many times, never have I had this much fun with a family of guests!

Here's how the trip panned out:

Day 1: Enter Tonquin Valley via Edith Cavell Road

Distance: 18.7 km

Start: 09:30

End: 15:00

Total: 05:30
Min Elev.: 1660m

Max Elev.: 2126m

Total gain: 466m

This was a simple day following the trail, before the bridge crossing the Astoria River, I knew that I was going to like this family. The Dodds are full of wit, and enthusiastic for just about everything. We took our time to get the Lodge, and allowed the horses to pass us at our lunch spot. Upon reaching the lodge we settled into our cabins and were treated to amazing spread of food (which was of amazing caliber the entire stay). The timing of supper and breakfast did not allow for huge days on the trail as we could never get out before 9 am and needed to be back by 6 pm for dinner. We would have accomplished even more if we had more time (but no one was complaining).

Day 2: Majestic Meadows

Distance: 18.5 km

Start: 09:15

End: 17:15

Total: 08:00
Min Elev.: 1980m

Max Elev.: 2394m

Total gain: 414m

I had been in this area before, but never through the Meadows, in fact, if you've never been on this OLD hiker trail, you wouldn't even know the Meadows existed (without a map). I was pleased to see the trail was very dry (for the Tonqiun) to Maccarib Camp, little snow last winter. We ascended to a small tarn and were originally heading toward a peak overlooking the Maccarib pass. This was said to be possible by the Tonquin Valley Adventure staff, but upon reaching the meadows I understood they were speaking on another small peak. Anyhow we excursion allowed us to have lunch with a lone young male Caribou... we felt he was lonely, as he stayed within 15 m of us while we ate lunch. We saw him earlier as he approached us from over a rise... and people say Caribou are skiddish. We decided to change our perceived goal and top out at another ridge further west (the above mentioned). This allowed us a splendid view of the Ramparts, Moat lake, Tonquin Hill, Amethyst Lakes, and even Monarch Mountain in the Victoria Cross Ranges. That evening Alex, Jessica and Matt accompanied me to a little fishing excursion on Amethyst Lakes. They all agreed that fishing wasn't exactly the most interesting pass time, especially when we never even had a bite. For Matt's sake I should mention that he spotted a large male Caribou on the shore that left us all amazed with his observation skills... Alex and Jessica are rolling their eyes as they read this.

Day 3: Eremite Valley

Distance: 17.5 km

Start: 09:15

End: 17:30

Total: 08:15
Min Elev.: 1830m

Max Elev.: 2092m

Total gain: 262m (aprox 500m as the low point was in the middle of the trip)

I tried to redeem myself early this morning by going fishing. Unfortunately I forgot the fishing net as the three pound rainbow I caught snapped off my lure and got away... like anyone believed that I caught it. After another fine breakfast we set off for the Eremite Valley. Our day started off with questionable clouds, after two blue sky days I was expecting the worst. We passed Surprise Point Camp to see only one tent, and took our first break at Chrome Lake, soon after we encountered a mother moose and her calf in the most picturesque meadow. This trail is truly amazing, complete with expansive meadows, surrounded by high mountain peaks, and light blue rivers, one of which that disappears into a cave. We reached our lunch spot on the east shoulder above Arrowhead Lake, not before Matt slowed considerably. Matt had stayed by my side the entire trip but here, he was low on fuel. It was interesting that Lynn and Jessica existed on more or less bird food, but Matt's roaring engine required more octane than that (He is 13 after all. And I'm sure it bugs him to death that I wrote this... haha). Anyhow, lunch stop was a bit before our projected stop of Upper Arrowhead lake. After lunch we reached the Upper Arrowhead Lake which was our turn around point. The panorama was stunning, nothing but one valley like a street entering a col de sac of glaciers and peaks. Alex said that this was the highlight of his Tonquin experience, and I can understand why. Simon, in particular, loved the fact that we never saw a single person on the way in out out of the Eremite Valley. The clouds did produce a bit of hail/rain, but nothing of substance. This was a great day for large birds, sighting Bald Eagle, Owls, Northern Harriers, and Osprey. That evening I tried to redeem myself with the fishing... not so, I caught two trout well under 10 inches long.

Day 4:Ridge/Meadow Hike

Distance: 11 km

Start: 09:30

End: 16:45

Total: 07:15
Min Elev.: 1980m

Max Elev.: 2531m

Total gain: 551m

Our original plan was to summit the shoulder of Mount Clitheroe, however, upon reaching the Clitheroe Meadows the plan was changed. I spotted a gorgeous ridge that would take us the the summit of Maccarib Mountain. Our original goal was to over look the Majestic Meadows, this was the substitute trip for the Tonquin Hill that I had earlier proposed, the discarded when it was decided as a marshy bog slog. Anyhow, we set off for our loft goal, Maccarib Mountain, knowing that we could, and would stop at any point to turn around due to weather or time. We encountered another Caribou in the Meadows below the Mountain. We gained the ridge and continued along slopes of shale. We cut up a steep shale slope in a 'z' pattern to gain the ridge joining Old Horn Mountain and Maccarib Mountain. This was the turn around point, high point of the trip (2531m), and our lunch spot of the day. It was awful windy, and the weather didn't look great, so we circled around this ridge and descended to the trail accessing the Tonquin from Mount Edith Cavell (our trail in and out of the valley). On the way down we observed a large Bull Moose that wasn't kind enough to come out of the thick trees... maybe a good thing. We got back to camp the moment it started to rain -- brief shower 15 min long.

That evening I did redeem myself fishing, first Matt caught a 3 lb rainbow, but I finished off the evening with a 5-6 lb rainbow! Never have I fought a fish like that... it took Alex (Net-man) six attempts to get it into the net. Props to Net-man and Lure-girl for their support, this fish would have been impossible with out you! Matt refused to quit fishing until he caught another... Unfortunately it didn't happen, but I think he's hooked (sorry for the pun).

Day 5:Exit Tonquin Valley to Edith Cavell Road

Distance: 18.7 km

Start: 09:30

End: 15:00

Total: 05:30
Min Elev.: 1660m (Start at 1980m)

Max Elev.: 2126m

Total gain: 221m (include gain from lunch spot to trailhead)

I really had a great time with the Dodds, and hope to see them again. Matt wanted to be a part of Rocky Mountain history, well, he goes down in my volume as the most entertaining 13 year old I've ever met (sorry, Matt but I was the best looking 13 year old ever, HAHA)

Grand Totals:

Hours on the trail: 34 hours 30 minutes

Total distance on trail: 83.9 km

Total Elevation gain: 2152m (approximate)