Sunshine - Healy Pass- Monarch Ramparts - Eohippus Lake - Sunshine Loop, Aug 25 | Trip Reports

Sunshine – Healy Pass- Monarch Ramparts – Eohippus Lake – Sunshine Loop, Aug 25

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8:24 pm
August 25, 2011

RyderDA

Canmore

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Took advantage of locals discount day to head up to Sunshine on the bus today. However, we're wiped after doing the 25.6 km circuit noted above (with it's associated 1,130 m of climbing), following the ridgewalk route described by Mike Potter.

Interested in doing this? While the Monarch Ramparts are amazing, I can't recommend continuing down to Eohippus Lake if you choose to do The Ramparts from North to South. The offical "trail" out of Eohippus back to the Simpson Pass trail is little more than a game trail near the lake (it becomes more defined about 1.5 km north of Eohippus). One party on our bus did the same route as us but did the loop part in reverse (Simpson Pass – Eohippus – Monarch – Healy – Simpson) and reported having troubles (a) finding Eohippus because the trail "evaporated", and (b) finding the route from Eohippus up to the Ramparts. We had trouble in the same place she did finding the way down as we got closer to Eohippus — but there is a well defined trail from Healy Pass to the main "peak" of the Ramparts, and a reasonable trail near the south end, too. Accordingly, I cannot reccomend that if you intend to do the circuit, you do it via Eohippus (which, by the way, is supposedly what the Copelands recommend, explaining why the lady on our bus went thet way…). Be aware it's a full day; we went up on the 9 AM bus, and barely made the 5:30 pm last return, and we were in hurry mode for the last 2 hours all the way back from Eohippus.

There were few mosquitos but a LOT of deerflies and horseflies today.

We talked to folks with first hand reports of a grizzly sow and 3 cubs near Egypt Lake if folks are heading that direction. We were also warned that Sunshine is seeing a black bear regularly visiting Laryx over the last few days. We saw a bunch of wolf poop and tracks close to Healy Pass, and folks on our bus at the end of the day claimed to have seen a pack of 5 wolves on the Sunshine road at 8:30 AM. Otherwise, it was a VERY quiet wildlife day, with only 1 marmot, no pikas and a bunch of Columbian Ground Squirrels.

See photos and more soon on my blog at http://drandkc.blogspot.com

1:31 am
August 27, 2011

Peter Irwin

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I was in that same area on the 20th. Healy pass is amazing this time of year! My friend and i hiked from sunshine parking up to Healy pass then down to Egypt lakes. We then spent the rest of the day scrambling the three Pharoah peaks. The first (highest) wasn't bad except for large unstable scree near the summit. The view from the top was incredible! We then traversed to the middle Pharoah which had more of the same (but worse) boulder size rock near its summit. A traverse to the little Pharoah isn't possible from the middle so we had to head down to Whistling pass first. This descent was slow with many cliffbands and boulders to get through. Once there we talked to a group of backpackers from Ottawa then hurredly set off to the little Pharoah. This peak was alot steeper and more scrambly but we topped out at 5:30 (our turnaround time from Egypt lake!) Scrambled down. Changed into our running shoes and headed back to sunshine with daylight fading….long story short… 14 hour day, a few breaks, 35+ km, 2500 m or so of climbing. The last 10 km in the dark and fresh bear scat on the trail (Yikes!) but an awesome day out. Unfortunately sunday was spent sleeping and not being able to walk! Next time i'll backpack in so i can see all the beautiful lakes in the area! Laugh