Recovering the Spirit at Jasper and Maligne Lake

On our first day in Jasper (19th July), we went sportclimbing to the Lost Boys crag. Fun story: the name actually origins from some guys getting lost on their search for another crag and stumbling over this cliff. While climbing a couple of routes, I realized I had no motivation at all because I felt drained, with no energy to deal with strenuous moves. That, seriously, NEVER happened to me before. I always get excited when I see the crag, or even a climbable-looking wall. But this time, I just thought "Nah, not interested." I suppose there were so many impressions to take in the last 3 days in Kootenay National Park and on Icefields Parkway, it was just a bit too much. My brain was simply overloaded and needed some more time to process all the experiences. So, I belayed Philipp and top-roped a bit. In hindsight, it was actually a good spot with great quartzite rock.

So, we rested the following day and used the time to wash our laundry and call our families. Plus, 3 female wapiti/elk were roaming around right next to our tent in the morning. They’re graceful animals and even taller than Philipp. It seems the Wapiti campground lives up to its name!

After resting, we did a full-day kayak tour at Maligne Lake. We woke up shortly before 04:00 am and paddled to Spirit Island, which is a spiritual place for indigenous people of Canada. In the morning, it was colder than we thought, but we really enjoyed the relaxing peacefulness of the lake. You could only hear the birds singing and the paddles splashing on the smooth as a mirror water. It only took us 3 ½ hours for the journey there. So, we could even appreciate the quiet at Spirit Island before the first motorboats, packed with tourists arrived. On the way back, we allowed ourselves plenty of time and stopped at some of the backcountry campgrounds and picnic areas. After 30 km of paddling, our arms felt quite heavy. But it was worth it. It was a great change to all the hiking and climbing. Plus, Maligne Lake is a perfect place for paddling, as it is only accessible by boat. On the drive back to the campground, a male wapiti/elk with gorgeous antlers crossed the road. For dinner, we treated ourselves to a barbecue with some delicious steaks and cheese. Yummy!

On July 22nd, we took it a bit easier. We had a look at Maligne Canyon and did a couple of climbing routes at Rock Gardens. Especially the last one, Footloose 5.10b, required some challenging footwork, so I was happy to on-sight it.

Click to watch video of paddling Maligne Lake