Saturday 20 August 2022

White Goat Wilderness Trip Report

 The past week I was graced with the opportunity to travel once again to the Canadian Rockies in search of wilderness, solitude and whatever the mountains would give me.  My travelling companion was Mountain Mike and we had a fantastic time!  As I am short on time these days, I have provided an abridged trip report that includes mostly my faviourite photos of the trip.  

We started our journey at the Nigel Creek Trailhead in Jasper National Park and hiked far into the wild and remote White Goat Wilderness for a 6 day journey.  

We woke at 3am local time and made our way 3.5hrs northwest of Calgary towards the trailhead.  A cotton candy sunrise blanketed the sky as we wound our way through the mountain roads.  Upon arriving at the trailhead we made our way towards Nigel Pass and then onwards to the Cataract Pass area and White Goat Wilderness beyond.


Nigel Pass area


Looking towards Cataract Pass


White-tailed Ptarmigan

Fledged White-tailed Ptarmigan


Campsite at the lake near Cataract Pass

Camp 1 at Cataract Pass - it is actually lake front 

Baird's Sandpipers


Cataract Pass

First look at Bighorn Sheep


Cresting Cataract Pass

Goodbye Jasper, hello White Goat Wilderness!




Cline Pass area

Least Sandpiper

Snow near our campsite

Campsite near Cline Pass area, note white tent in lower left

View down valley towards Brazeau River

Marmot eating flowers


Golden Eagle

Astrophotography - caught a shooting star in the mid-right!


Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches (adult and young)

Clark's Nutcracker

Climbing Cline Pass

Top of Cline Pass - 9,000+ft



Cline Pass- not sure why its called a pass, looks like only goats could pass this.



Cold Blue




American Dipper

Window on the West - after the rain

Least Sandpiper

Bighorn Sheep!

A long way down



They made it down - apparently for fun as they could have just walked around

Last night camping.  Valley paradise!

Bumble Bee at 1/8000th of a second.



Aurora Borealis intermingled with a late sunset and stars - 1230am


Bighorn Sheep kids

What an amazing trip!  I look forward to the next time I can get out again to spots that are still wild!

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