Helena Ridge & Rockbound Lake

Rockbound Lake with Helena behind

Rockbound Lake with Helena behind

Wednesday August 27th 2014

Last year I went to Rockbound Lake but did not go to the top of Helena Ridge Peak. The hike is a bit of a bore up until Tower Lake but it has to be done to reach the good stuff. The description of the hike is the same as last years so see Hyperlink  https://willski.ca/rockbound-lake/click on photo’s to enlarge.

Rockbound Lake with Helena behind

Rockbound Lake with Helena behind

The trail to Tower Lake is about 5 km and 500 m. To Rockbound it is another 3.5 km and 700 m. The summit height gain is 1400m to Helena so another 700m from the lake.

Helena Cairn just below the summit

Helena Cairn just below the summit

To reach the cairn in the photo above follow the trail to the right of the lake and gain the small knob. From the knob the route is up the scree gully to the Col. At the top of the Col take a short breather and head off up more scree and rubble. Keep right with the big cairn insight as you work up the trails to the ridge. After soaking in the view of Johnstone Canyon and beyond. Head up the remaining 25 m to the summit.

Stuart Knob from Helena summit

Stuart Knob from Helena summit

This is the view of Stuart Knob. Ambitious scramblers can head off to this peak next. I believe you can down climb onto the ridge from Helena but I did not go all the way to confirm this. Next time maybe. As you can see in the shot below there is a faint trail

Rockbound Lake & the route off Helena to Stuart Knob

Rockbound Lake & the route off Helena to Stuart Knob

 

Hamming it up with Castle Mt behind

Hamming it up with Castle Mt behind

Helena Ridge

Helena Profile

Distance return 22.0 km Time return 9 hrs ( inc 30 min lunch ) Elevation Accumulated gain 1540 m Elevation to Summit 1390 m Summit height 2896 m

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Tower Lake

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Tower Lake

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