Alpine hike - Helen and Katherine Lakes, Banff; August 13, 2013

A justifiably popular hike... easy (+6 km and ~550 m elevation gain on good trail) and extremely scenic...

Nice views on the way up of Crowfoot Glacier, and gaining more height, of Bow Lake:

And rounding the bend after the climb into the Helen Creek valley, the magnificent slopes of the Dolomites:

The sub-alpine firs seem to be having a huge cone year in this area (not sure if the high density of purple, upright cones at the tops of the spire-like trees comes across on this photo):

Sub-alpine meadows still full of bloom (Senecio triangularis, Valeriana sitchensis, Parnassia, etc.) even this late in the summer:

Crowberry in a shaded spot along the trail:

Out in the alpine tundra area, a very attractive fellow (Columbian ground squirrel):

And climbing up from Helen Lake (which I've shown in previous threads of this area) towards Katherine Lake, Saxifraga azoides:   

As much as I enjoy the rich alpine meadows, I also love these alpine moonscapes!  Every plant seem special, and is offset against the colourful rock.  Climbing past Helen Lake, and down toward Katherine Lake, with Cirque Peak in the background (first photo) and the Dolomites (2nd photo):

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In the desert-like high alpine scree, Erigeron compositus; Tonestus lyallii; Senecio sp.:

Katherine Lake:

Phacelia sericea, very compact and colourful examples:

Beautifully coloured and varied rocks as a radiant background for the alpine plants...  Senecio sp.;  Agoseris lackschewitzii; Epilobium latifolium: