MT ROBSON PROVINCIAL PARK – BERG LAKE TRAIL
Mount Robson, at 3954m (12,972 ft), is the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies. It was first climbed by Conrad Kain and party in 1913. The park was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990. Possibly the premier backpacking trip in Canada, I had wanted to do it for many years. Campsites must be booked (1-800-689-9025) and are in demand in the summer. Most of the hikers were from northern Alberta and BC, along with a surprising number of Americans and Germans.
This must be one of the most beautiful places in Canada and possibly the world. The trip has become the second favourite backpack of my life (after Havasu Canyon in Arizona).
After hiking camp, I drove on one of the most spectacular roads in the world, the Icefields Parkway. Visitor facilities are in the neighbouring communities of Jasper, Tete Jaune Cashe and Valemount. Register at the Visitors Center and get your permit. All campsites, with a total of 97 camp tent pads, have food storage boxes, pit toilets (no toilet paper), and wash basins. Camp stoves are mandatory. Sleeping is not allowed in the shelters except in emergencies.
Hiking alone, my 50-litre pack was at its maximum. The trailhead is a kilometre from the Visitors Center and sleeping overnight is not allowed (although I did in my camper and escaped detection). I planned on walking the 21km to Berg Lake over 2 days, day hiking for 2 days and returning in 1 day. The trail follows the gorgeous, glacial silt-laden Robson River, in the headwaters of the Fraser River. With no lake along its entire length, that silt is carried to Georgia Strait (I kayaked around Gabriola, Valdez and Galiano in June and it was easily noticeable in the currents). Along the flat 4.5 km to Kinney Lake, one meets a stream of day hikers. The Kinney Lake Campsite is at 7 km and has a shelter. Mt Robson creates its microclimate and an interior rainforest of cedar and hemlock. Beyond Kinney Lake, the trail enters the spectacular Valley of a Thousand Waterfalls. I camped my first night at Whitehorn (21 sites) at 11km.
Emperor Falls
Whitehorn Falls
The trail soon starts its 1800-foot climb up to Berg Lake. The many huge waterfalls are spectacular – the Falls of the Pool, White Falls and Emperor. At the top of the climb at 16 km is Emperor Falls campsite (16 tent pads) and at 19 km, at the start of the lake, is Marmot campsite (7 tent pads). I was lucky to get a permit for the Berg Lake campsite at 21 km, with 26 tent pads and a “chalet”. The closed-in shelter has large storage lockers, big tables and cooking inside. It is the premier place to camp. It sits across the lake, under the towering north face of Mt Robson with its two huge glaciers, Berg and Misti, spilling down the mountain and terminating in the lake. Ice calves off frequently producing loud roars that reverberate across the valley. Icebergs litter the lake. Rearguard Campsite (5 pads) at 22 km and Robson Pass Campsite (15 pads), at 23km are also available.
a. The Hargreaves Lake Route continues to meet the Toboggan Falls Route. Above is a small non-limestone cave with 6 chambers. This trail can be continued to Mumm Basin with alpine lakes and great views.
b. Snowbird Pass. This is the premier day hike. The 11 km trail climbs moraines and cliffs above the massive Robson Glacier. One passes a sign placed in 1913, then 1.5 km from the terminus of the glacier. The trail continues along a pretty boulder-strewn creek through a meadow to eventually reach the saddle of the pass. On the other side of the Snowbird is a gigantic glacier that fills the entire valley. The hike requires a full day. I was surprised at all the people day hiking with no pack. They seem unaware of possible severe weather in the mountains.
c. Moose River Route. This is a 7-day, 105 km backpacking trek across Robson Pass to Adolphus Lake and onto the Jasper National Park trail system. Moose Pass returns you to Mt Robson Park and down the Moose River to Highway 16 near its confluence with the Fraser River.
I walked out in a day and continued on my driving holiday through northern BC, the Yukon, and Alaska.
Damage to the Berg Lake trail.
A seven-kilometre section of the world-renowned Berg Lake Trail in Mount Robson was severely damaged in 2021. “BC Parks has been working hard to reopen the Berg Lake Trail in Mount Robson Provincial Park since the 2021 heat dome, rapid snowmelt and excessive rain caused substantial damage to large sections of the trail. “We know people care deeply about provincial parks and want them stewarded effectively. That’s why we’re focused on building back in a climate-resilient, sustainable manner to ensure inspiring natural spaces, like Mount Robson Park, will be accessible for people to visit and enjoy for many years.”
Located near Valemount, Mount Robson Provincial Park is the second-oldest park in B.C. and has the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies – the 3,954-metre Mount Robson. It is also home to the Berg Lake Trail, which boasts some of the most spectacular scenery in the province. During peak season, as many as 1,000 people hike the trail per day, and the trail has approximately 115,000 visitors annually.
To accommodate the trail’s growing popularity, 97 parking stalls were added to the trailhead parking lot, including six accessible parking spaces. The expansion nearly doubled the number of parking spaces.
For the 2023 season, most of the 23-kilometre trail remained closed for ongoing repairs. The first seven kilometres up to the Kinney Lake Campground were repaired and are open for day hikes and overnight stays at the 18 backcountry campsites. These sites must be reserved in advance.
In 2021, large sections of the Berg Lake Trail were heavily damaged by flooding. BC Parks has been rebuilding the trail in three phases. Phase 2 includes repairing the next four kilometres (Kinney Lake to Whitehorn Campground). This section was scheduled to open in 2024. Construction on the third phase (Whitehorn Campground to Berg Lake) is to start in 2024, with the entire trail to reopen in 2025.
The park also has three front country campgrounds and diverse recreational activities, fishing, boating and hiking. Trails range from short family-friendly day hikes to overnight backcountry camping trips.
For more information about Mount Robson Provincial Park, visit:
https://bcparks.ca/mount-robson-park/
To learn more about camping reservations at the Kinney Lake Campground, visit:
https://bcparks.ca/reservations/backcountry-camping/berg-lake-trail/
