Handstands Around the World

If you’ve ever hiked to Crypt Lake, you’ll understand why it’s on my All-Time Favorite Hikes list. If you haven’t, you should definitely add it to your to-do list.

It’s also high on the list of the most challenging hikes I’ve ever done. It’s incredibly difficult but also incredibly – well – incredible. It’s the entire reason we planned a trip to Waterton Lakes National Park a few summers back.

I first heard about this 17 km (10.5 mile) round trip hike years ago when some friends and I embarked upon a Canadian Rockies adventure. It was the only real plan we had for our one day the park, and we got as far as stepping up to the counter to purchase tickets for the boat ride to the trailhead before being told the trail was still icy and just the previous week a woman had fallen and was still in the hospital.

Needless to say, we bailed.

Now here I was, four years later, finally about to check this off my list. We were pretty sure we were acclimated to the elevation, but we were still a little nervous.

Mostly, though, we were excited as we boarded the boat for the short ride across Upper Waterton Lake. The boat dropped us off at a tiny dock on the other side of the lake, in the shadow of one the more enormous mountains I’ve ever seen, and we were off.

Right away, the trail began to climb, switchbacking up the side of said giant mountain. Eventually it flattened slightly as it curved around to the back side of the mountain, dipping down into a drainage and then climbing back up and eventually traversing a second mountain with many, many more switchbacks. They were good switchbacks though… the gradient was steady enough to keep us climbing without making the daunting elevation gain seem impossible.

There are three waterfalls visible from the trail and a fourth that’s a short (but steep) detour. It’s recommended to wait until the hike back to attempt the side trip, as there are only two boats per day so time is somewhat limited.

As it turned out, we had the time but not the leg muscles. But I digress.

I don’t have any pictures of the first falls because it was at an odd angle through the trees, but as the trail switchbacked up the side of the second mountain and the view opened up, we could see Burnt Pine Falls far below, a thin stream of water falling over yellow-brown rocks (hence the name, I assume).

Further up is Crypt Falls, a 600 foot (180 m) rivulet of water falling out of the Crypt Lake basin to the floor of the hanging valley below. There wasn’t a lot of water owing to the dry weather but it was spectacular nonetheless.

After a short break, during which I regained my air supply and my mom her leg muscles, we followed the trail across a huge talus slope to the set of obstacles that would help us on our journey; a ladder, a tunnel blasted through the mountainside, and a stretch of chains drilled into the rock.

These brought us to a headwall – the final climb up, then it’s just a little ways back to the lake.

The trail opens up onto the north shore of Crypt Lake, but there’s a small trail around the perimeter that actually loops back into the US. There is no marker present but we walked all the way around the lake, meaning we at some point crossed back into the US.

All in all, Crypt Lake was absolutely worth the sheer exhaustion, oxygen shortage, and plethora of ankle rolling that we encountered.

As soon as my boyfriend saw the pictures, he said he wanted to do this hike someday as well.

Lucky for him, I’m absolutely on board to do it again!

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The Important Stuff:

• Getting there: Waterton Lakes National Park is located at the junction of AB Highways 5 and 6, approximately 1 hour north of the US-Canada border via the Chief Mountain Port of Entry. If you’re coming from the US, be sure you have the appropriate documents to cross into Canada.

• Fees & passes: a daily per vehicle fee or Parks Canada pass is required for entry into the park. If you plan to hike to Crypt Lake via the Wishbone Trail (a 28 mile/45m roundtrip), no additional fee is required. If you plan to take the boat across Upper Waterton Lake to the trailhead, you will need to purchase a boat ticket.

• Where to stay: there are two campgrounds in Waterton Lakes National Park, as well as two others just outside. In addition, backcountry camping is an option with the appropriate permits. Plenty of other lodging (hotels, cabins, yurts, etc.) is available within the town of Waterton. All lodging options should be reserved well in advance.

• Hiking: beginning from the boat dock, the hike to Crypt Lake is about 17 km (10.5 mi) roundtrip, with 700 m (2300 feet) of elevation gain. It’s a very difficult hike, and one stretch has quite a bit of exposure.

• Other: this trail is very far from any sources of food, potable water, medical facilities, or other amenities. Be sure to bring all the food, water, sun protection, warm clothes, and rain gear you’ll need for an entire day in the mountains. You should also carry bear spray (and know how to use it); this is grizzly country.

• More information about this hike and the park itself can be found on the park website.