Backpack Northover Ridge

This is my favourite thing I've done so far. In my life. More one why in the description, so here's how to do it.

As with all backcountry expeditions, a little bit of planning needs to go into this trip. This trip is done in a loop and can be done either clockwise or counter-clockwise depending on backcountry campsite availability --- or not, keep reading! The two campgrounds that most people use are at Aster Lake and Three Isle Lake - doing the loop clockwise is more popular which visits Aster Lake on the first night, and Three Isle Lake on the second. However, there is an alternative option to Aster Lake in case it's fully booked -- Northover tarns which reside on the BC side of the divide --- again, more on that below!

Day 1: Assuming the loop is being done clockwise, park at the Upper Kananaskis Lake parking lot. Make your way clockwise around the lake on its southern shore. About 5 km in is a turn off that you need to take to make your way to Hidden Lake. Two key pieces of information about this turn: it's marked by a cairn and flagging tape, but can still be easy to miss if you're not looking for it; and you should hear rushing water around that point in time. The rushing water comes from an underground stream, so if you walk passed that, turn back and look for the cairn!

This route to Hidden Lake is a bit of a slog, if only because you're carrying a large backpack that you may or may not be used to carrying up steep hills. However, the quality of the trail has dramatically increased from straight bushwhacking to a boot beaten trail marked with flagging tape that meanders through dead fall. Once again, if it weren't for the backpack, it would be incredibly enjoyable -- in fact, I still had a blast heading up!

Depending the on water levels at the time of your trip, this next part of the route could change. With average/below average water levels in Hidden Lake, you should make your way out of the forest and just follow the trail that's present on its shoreline. If that trail is submerged, just follow the shoreline clockwise until the south point of the lake. The trail is pretty clear as it veers into the forest, and up another steep forested slope.

Once out of the forest, the trail moves onto the scree slope of Mount Sarrail (the mountain to the south) and it becomes a bit faint. Keep picking your way up the slope if you lose the trail, but always be on the lookout for those all-saving cairns. While this part is a bit of a slog, it's still pretty incredible. Once on the scree slope, you should be able to see Fossil Falls to the southwest, which is worth a hike in itself. It's pretty magnificent, and luckily you'll be getting different views of waterfalls along Fossil Creek most of the way to Aster Lake. Fossil Falls aren't even the only waterfalls in this section of the hike, as there are spouts of water that seem to be everywhere -- definitely refreshing on a hot day.

The trail is still very defined as you pass Fossil Falls and enters into a sparse forest with beautiful meadows littered with wildflowers - particularly brilliant magenta Indian Paintbrush. One point of confusion could potentially come at the crossing after Foch Creek -- picking up the Kananaskis Lakes topographic map is pretty useful for this part in case you make a wrong turn. The key is to cross Foch Creek, but then follow it downstream for a few hundred metres -- once again, it's been marked a lot more clearly than it has been in the past, but just keep an eye out of that. From that point, it's only a few hundred more metres to Aster Lake.

For the unfortunate (or fortunate depending on your perspective) who don't get a campsite at Aster Lake, have no fear, because I have it on good authority that Northover tarns is actually a phenomenal place to camp, and could be one of the biggest highlights of the trip (at least according to me). The reason why Northover tarns is an option is because they're located in BC, in Height of the Rockies Provincial Park, in which random camping is allowed. If you choose this option, which I actually recommend if you can handle the longer day on Day 1, do it, but please follow Leave No Trace principles, as I'm sure you would be doing the entire trip.

Getting to Northover tarns from Aster Lake could be a bit of a challenge as it crosses a braided river and there are very few cairns - if any - at this portion of the trip. Best way to attack it is make a clockwise loop around Aster Lake and then follow whatever inklings of trails you can see until you get to the river. As you cross the river, you should see a glacier to the north-northwest - that's Northover Glacier, and you don't want to go up that. The col to Northover tarns is the next one to the west, so keep hugging the base of the mountain until you come to that -- don't stray too far south when you cross the river, the north side is your friend. At some point you should be able to see a path heading up the col. I hope you prepare yourself before you pop over the col, because it's really something else.

There are two tarns - I recommend the lower tarn since you're right close to the edge of the bowl, and there are some pretty epic views to the southwest -- a really great place to watch the sunset. We were euphoric. There are little rock cubbies to keep your food in overnight -- not because of bears, but there are crap ton of marmots living there. All you need to do is put your food container in the hole, and cover it with rocks. A lot of rocks. We used an Ursac and it worked just fine.

One of my favourite parts about this trip was the utter darkness we experienced at night, with the exception of the stars. For anyone looking to try out some night photography, this would be a good time to start. Night photography is one of my favourite activities, but I think it's because it causes me to actually go outside at 1:00 AM, and just look up. Definitely bring some music to set the tone and just look up.

Day 2:The second day takes you over Northover Ridge and to Three Isle Lake. It's about a 9 km day, which isn't too bad seeing as how day 1 was a bit of a grueling 13 km (to Northover tarns). You should be able to see the trails that lead up the col to Mount Northover to the northwest. Once up at the col -- after taking it all in -- continue the ridge to the northwest. Remember you have tons of time today, so use it. The traverse continues, but does take a turn to the west after you've passed the western lobe of Northover Glacier -- once again, marked by cairns, but keep your head up for them. It's difficult to describe this ridge walk, other than saying that you just have to do it. It should be on everybody's list. One of my favourite views was Three Isle Lake from the ridge -- it really looks like an oasis surrounded by a limestone desert.

Disclaimer: there is a bit of a sketchy part on the ridge. There's a section of about 20 feet where the ridge is only about a foot wide. It's a tad (really) windy up on the ridge, which just adds a bit more adrenaline to the situation. Walking and crawling are both options, just as long as you get across safely! After that, it's a cakewalk off of the ridge and down to Three Isle Lake through a gorgeous meadow and braided river. Remember to keep an eye out for those cairns in the valley!

Day 3:From Three Isle campground, head to Forks campground. It starts off with some minor elevation gain to get over the headwall, but it opens up to some big views. The trail picks its way down the headwall and then follows Three Isle Creek all the way to Interlakes parking lot. Once at the parking lot, you have two options: walk another 4.5 km to Upper Lakes parking lot, or hitch hike and hope some kind souls give you a lift. The former also involves crying, so you might as well give hitch hiking a shot!

Day 4 and onward: never stop saying good things about your time doing the Northover Ridge traverse.