Yoho NP, Iceline Trail

Ben

Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Messages
1,873
My trip in Yoho National Park was nearly the shortest that i did last summer, but one of the most rewarding. A lot of scenery in a small space. I only spent one night there, and walked probably right about 20 miles.

Click here to view on CalTopo

First here's a handful of shots from the Icefield Parkway, as i traveled from Jasper to Banff and Yoho.
DSCF4171.JPG


DSCF4173.JPG


DSCF4176.JPG


DSCF4178.JPG


DSCF4180.JPG

Takakkaw Falls thunders right above the trail head. 991' tall, you can see and hear it from the parking lot. It's got a nice kick just below the top there.
DSCF4182.JPG

Looking North, from just beyond the trail head, you can see all the way up Yoho Valley to the Yoho Glacier.
DSCF4184.JPG

Looking back at Takakaw Falls.
DSCF4187.JPG

I've never seen a river so milky white as the Yoho. It looks like what's left in a cereal bowl after you've finished eating.
DSCF4188.JPG


DSCF4191.JPG

A point where the river narrowed up.
DSCF4194.JPG

Laughing Falls.
DSCF4203.JPG


DSCF4212.JPG

A Porcupine. I have a video of this guy that i'll add once i upload it to youtube. This guy was large enough i initially mistook it for a mid sized dog.
DSCF4215.JPG

Yoho River. A little bluer here.
DSCF4218.JPG

An early view of Twin Falls.
DSCF4222.JPG

I took a spur trail toward the Yoho Glacier, but after walking the better part of an hour i still hadn't found it, so i had to turn back for the sake of time. I probably walked about 2.5 miles toward it. The trail peters out to a cairned route, and then i believe cross country travel. I imagine like most all the others the glacier has retreated over the last several decades.
Looking up the glacial valley.
DSCF4224.JPG


DSCF4229.JPG

I turned back just up above here.
DSCF4235.JPG


DSCF4236.JPG

Some fungus back at the trail.
DSCF4240.JPG

The Twin Falls Tea House. An original cabin was built in 1908, with further construction in the 1920s.
DSCF4245.JPG

Twin Falls above. I'd hike around up above it.
DSCF4248.JPG


DSCF4252.JPG

On the top, the bridge over Twin Falls Creek.
DSCF4255.JPG

The view out over the precipice.
DSCF4258.JPG

Looking back over the drainage of Twin Falls Creek.
DSCF4268.JPG

Zoomed in, i believe this is Mount Pollus.
DSCF4270.JPG

The Yoho Valley spreads to the right.
DSCF4284.JPG

Looking up, across, and down the valley.
DSCF4290.JPG

Zoomed down the valley.
DSCF4296.JPG

Looking across the Little Yoho Valley, a tributary of Yoho proper. The actual Iceline Trail runs slightly above tree line below the glaciers you see here.
DSCF4299.JPG

Looking across the Yoho Valley again.
DSCF4301.JPG

Zoomed on the near glacier across the Little Yoho Valley.
DSCF4303.JPG

Looking back, zoomed on the Yoho Glacier that eluded me earlier. Readily visible now.
DSCF4307.JPG


DSCF4308.JPG

A long cascade to the Little Yoho.
DSCF4310.JPG

Little Yoho Valley. There is a chalet here.
DSCF4321.JPG

Peaks above the Little Yoho.
DSCF4324.JPG

One peak above the Little Yoho.
DSCF4328.JPG

Fungus.
DSCF4330.JPG

Looking back now across the Little Yoho from the South side.
DSCF4333.JPG

Looking out to the Yoho Valley from a little farther back in the Little Yoho.
DSCF4349.JPG

The trail winds through the moraine. It's lovely.
DSCF4354.JPG


DSCF4356.JPG

Looking back again.
DSCF4360.JPG

Nice layers.
DSCF4362.JPG


DSCF4363.JPG


DSCF4370.JPG


DSCF4374.JPG


DSCF4381.JPG

The trail.
DSCF4385.JPG


DSCF4386.JPG


DSCF4403.JPG


DSCF4404.JPG


DSCF4410.JPG


DSCF4418.JPG


DSCF4419.JPG


DSCF4423.JPG


DSCF4425.JPG

Closer to the end of the trail, you can see Takakkaw Falls again in the bottom left here.
DSCF4427.JPG

Looking back, Yoho Glacier center in the distance. I narrowly dodged some worse weather.
DSCF4431.JPG

Yoho Glacier.
DSCF4432.JPG

Here you can see the tiny dots of people all along the trail. The Iceline sees quite a few day hikers, so if you can't handle other people being around you, skip this one.
DSCF4435.JPG


DSCF4437.JPG


DSCF4440.JPG


DSCF4445.JPG


DSCF4446.JPG


DSCF4448.JPG


DSCF4451.JPG


DSCF4452.JPG


DSCF4457.JPG

Looking back at the rain North of me.
DSCF4464.JPG

Emerald Glacier.
DSCF4467.JPG


DSCF4480.JPG

Rock stacking.
DSCF4481.JPG

A glacier above Takakkaw Falls.
DSCF4486.JPG

Takakkaw right of center.
DSCF4488.JPG


DSCF4491.JPG


DSCF4493.JPG

Here you can see that kick.
DSCF4501.JPG

A rather old pipe.
DSCF4503.JPG


DSCF4505.JPG

DSCF4509.JPG


a few videos.

Laughing Falls.

a porcupine.
when this porcupine came up to me i tried to step off the trail out of it's way, but it got scared (may be it hadn't noticed me before then?), and ran (waddled) off slightly faster than it had been going before with it's quills raised.

Takakkaw Falls.
 
Last edited:
Awesome. I have had a Figure-8 route there on my To Do list, consisting of that loop you did, + the triangle route next door (Burgess, Emerald, Wapta) linked by Yoho Pass. Thanks for posting the photos - Sweeeeeeeet.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ben
That waterfall is mind blowing. Nearly a thousand feet! I was in awe the first time I saw Niagara Falls as a kid and that's under 200'. I can't imagine what it must have felt like to see those falls that high in person. You totally underplayed this trip when I saw you and asked about it. Now I see it's probably cause you didn't even know where to start. Awesome stuff.
 
All of that was packed into an overnighter?! That is an amazing place. Thanks for posting this.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ben
Uhh... wow. Adding this to the "to do" list.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ben
a couple videos of the porcupine and the falls added at the end.

@Vegan.Hiker , i read the main free fall is about 850'. it is pretty cool to see.

@Jackson , it was a very nice over night, some thing to see every mile.
 
Last edited:
SO AWESOME!!! When I was there in early May 2008 the trail was closed due to avalanche danger (I think there were some large cornices that they were afraid of coming down). We wanted to go to Takakaw Falls and Twin Falls and were so disappointed that it was closed. We even thought about sneaking in, but thought better of that.

Thanks for sharing, makes me want to go back even more!!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ben
Looks like an amazing place, love all the pictures and the video of the porcupine!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ben
Wow, wow, wow.....Awesome place & pictures! Thanks for sharing
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ben
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
Jimmy BANFF/Jasper/Yoho Backpacking Suggestions Trip Planning 18
HomerJ Banff, Jasper, Yoho, and Kootenay NP's Hiking & Camping 13
TrailScot Escalante Loop via Dry Hollow and Boulder Mail Trail - September 2023 Backpacking 8
Tweedie Weminuche off-Trail from Elk Park to Needleton 2023 (Via Vestal, Balsam, Noname and Ruby) Backpacking 15
beaver-one Section Hiking the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail): Oregon + Washington Trip Planning 3
balzaccom Hard work on the trail--literally Hiking & Camping 3
b.stark Brent's Trail Hiking & Camping 1
Bob Trans Canada trail Trip Planning 0
TrailScot Dayhiking the Under-the-Rim Trail - Bryce Canyon NP - October 2023 Hiking & Camping 4
Outdoors24 A weekend on the Pony Express Trail Off Road 2
wsp_scott Lakeshore Trail and two creeks in the Smokies Backpacking 6
J Paria Canyon - One Day Trail Trip Planning 10
A Teton Crest Trail Shuttle Resource Discussions 3
TractorDoc CVNP Towpath Trail 07/16/2023 Hiking & Camping 4
balzaccom Trail Crews--one more time Backpacking 1
Bob 206 mile water trail Trip Planning 0
Bob New USA long trail Trip Planning 2
Henk Hiking The Portal Trail, Moab Everything Else 2
L Boulder Mail Trail April 2023 Qs Trip Planning 14
fossana AZ Strip bike exploration (Sunshine Trail/Hurricane Wash Loop) Everything Else 3
W Gulf of Slides Ski Trail Trip Report 1/25/2022 Trip Reports 0
B Sawtooths - Off Trail Route Plan Trip Planning 9
balzaccom Trail Crew Story General Discussion 0
marquiri Off Trail Advice Trip Planning 17
balzaccom More trail work! Backpacking 0
Miya Pacific Crest Trail (NOBO) Part 10/10 Backpacking 59
R Pony Express Trail, Black Rock to Simpson Springs Hiking & Camping 3
Miya Pacific Crest Trail (NOBO) Part 9/10 Backpacking 16
Miya Pacific Crest Trail (NOBO) Part 8/10 Backpacking 42
Miya Pacific Crest Trail (NOBO) Part 7/10 Backpacking 10
R Wind River Range: Green River Lakes/Clarks Trail/Porcupine Creek Trail Trip Planning 3
Miya Pacific Crest Trail (NOBO) Part 6/10 Backpacking 10
dennisrodman A week in the Grand Canyon / Boucher / Hermit / Tonto Trail Trip Planning 4
Miya Pacific Crest Trail (NOBO) Part 5/10 Backpacking 20
Ellen Zion West Rim Trail, December 2022 Trip Planning 3
Miya Pacific Crest Trail (NOBO) Part 4/10 Backpacking 13
Miya Pacific Crest Trail (NOBO) Part 3/10 Backpacking 7
Miya Pacific Crest Trail (NOBO) Part 2/10 Backpacking 35
Miya Pacific Crest Trail (NOBO) Part 1/10 Backpacking 23
R Pony Express Trail Hiking Recommendations Trip Planning 4
balzaccom Desolation Trail Work Backpacking 7
JBG Water Beta 2022 - Highline Trail Trip Planning 6
kwc Backpacking on the Northville Placid Trail (NPT) Backpacking 13
4 Centennial Trail SD information Trip Planning 1
The Trout Whisperer I took on Hotter than H£#§ !!! Hotwater Trail in Texas… Hiking & Camping 19
seekinglost Introducing the Mojave-Sonoran Trail: A NEW 625-mile Winter Thru-Hiking Route Backpacking 4
balzaccom Help on the trail--literally General Discussion 7
Mikjik86 4 Days Backpacking Grand Teton Wilderness/Teton Crest Trail - Wyoming, July, 2021 Backpacking 0
priz1234 John Muir Trail 2021 Backpacking 8
seekinglost 1000 Mile Nevada Thru Hike on the Basin and Range Trail Trip Reports 14

Similar threads

Back
Top