Packers Pass

Elevation: 2470 m
Elevation Gain (from Skoki Lodge): 400 m
Packers Pass is the high alpine col located immediately east of Ptarmigan Peak and south of the Skoki Lakes (Zigadenus and Myosotis). Until the 1960s, supplies destined for the Skoki Lodge were packed in by porters. These "packers" typically received one dollar per day to carry 75 pound loads. Although most visitors reach the Lodge via nearby Deception Pass (which is located on the west shoulder of Fossil Mountain), Packer’s Pass provides a more direct route. Some packers, therefore, favored the Packer’s Pass route to save time. Today, Packers Pass provides a scenic, more adventurous, alternative to better-known Deception Pass.
My Ascents:
July 16 2023, February 2 2017
Trailhead: Skoki Lodge
GPS Track: Packers Pass

“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” – Dr. Seuss.

July 16, 2023, was destined to be bittersweet. You see, this midsummer Sunday would bring my Skoki adventure with “Grandma” (aka my Mom, Pat Hobbs) to a close. Planned for many, many months, this backcountry trip was meant to mark the grand occasion that was her 70th birthday. 🥳 Fortunately, it accomplished much more than that. Over the course of our four-day stay at the Skoki Lodge, we made new friends, feasted on spectacular food, rejuvenated my Mom’s sense of adventure, and enjoyed more uninterrupted quality time together than we had in decades. The latter was, of course, always supposed to be the real gift: time. 🎁

Alas, as our time at the cozy Skoki Lodge drew to a close, we were acutely aware that “all good things must come to an end.” If the trip had to end, however, I was intent on it ending in spectacular, memorable fashion. While we’d enjoyed three days of beautiful hiking so far, I knew that we’d saved the best for last: the hike out via magnificent Packer’s Pass.

LEFT: As dawn broke on the 16th, Grandma and I woke to a parting gift from the mountain gods: smoke-free, crystal-clear blue skies for the first time all trip! 🤩 Today would be the end of our time together in Skoki, but what an end it promised to be!
RIGHT: Yet another parting gift! While the weather gods smiled down upon our final day, the Skoki chef did likewise, with a wonderful, hearty hiking breakfast. I’d never enjoyed oatmeal until this serving! If you can make oatmeal taste amazing, you must be a master chef! 🤯😂

LEFT: After very successfully “breaking our fast,” Grandma and I grabbed our heavy packs, and started our egress hike by crossing the now-familiar log bridge over the Pipestone River. Grandma is smiling here because this bridge is more substantial than others further downstream…
RIGHT: A sad farewell to the “fork in the road.” Yesterday, we took the right-hand branch, and enjoyed an alpine adventure at and above Lake Merlin. Today, we’d follow the left-hand path towards the Skoki Lakes (Zigadenus and Myosotis), and Packer’s Pass.

LEFT: Hiking in the valley bottom, we enjoyed the last of the cool morning shade, while the sun dramatically lit up the surrounding peaks.
RIGHT: Although we’d left the Skoki Lodge by ourselves, it soon because clear that we were not the only ones on the trail today. “Yo Bear!” 🐻

After about a kilometer in the woods, the trail found its way to more open terrain, granting the first of many spectacular views towards glaciated Ptarmigan Peak.

A series of obstacles masquerade as magnificent alpine scenery in this photo. First, the fast-flowing creek in the foreground: beautiful, yes, but we needed to cross this creek and there are no bridges (substantial or otherwise) here. Second, a pair of waterfalls cascading down a steep headwall. Again, these were a sight to behold, but we’d need to climb up this headwall through a break just to the left of the cascades. Last but not least, Packer’s Pass (the left-hand shoulder of Ptarmigan Peak above). The views from this high pass would, no doubt, amaze but, from here, it sure looked high… 😬🤔

Up to this point, only the bear was in front of us on the trail. Mindful or how long the hike out might take us (and the fact that we only had until 3 pm to catch the bus down), Grandma and I left the Lodge quite early. At the creek, however, we were finally passed by a kind group of backpackers. These lovely ladies crossed the creek in front of us, and then returned to help my Mom with her pack. If they should ever stumble upon this blog, thank you! 🙏

The remaining members of our Skoki Posse 🤠 (Sandy, Tamara and Eric) also caught up to us at the creek-crossing. Again, we’d left ahead of them because we knew they’d be faster than us, but from this point on, we got to enjoy their company once again!

Looking back downstream towards Cyclone Mountain and Skoki Mountain (from whence we came), after everyone made it across the creek unscathed and (relatively) dry.

LEFT: Looking ahead to the next obstacle: the imposing headwall below the Skoki Lakes (shortly after one of the backpackers succeeded in ascending it). 😐 Fortunately, this headwall looks a little less fearsome up close.
RIGHT: From the base of the headwall (just to the climber’s left of the falls), a series of rock “steps” lead the way towards a well-hidden but passable break.

LEFT: Grandma smiles as she contorts her way through another rock chimney, below a chockstone. Fortunately, we’d hiked enough during this trip to offset the Lodge’s excellent food. If we hadn’t, I fear there could have been a Winnie the Pooh-type incident here… 🍯🐻
RIGHT: Tamara pops out of the chimney near the top of the headwall.

LEFT: Having scaled the headwall, Tamara and Grandma took a break to regroup atop the chimney (while Eric engaged in a futile search for a hat, 🎩 lost in this spot some years earlier).
RIGHT: I knew that the headwall would challenge Grandma, but she expertly scrambled up it, and is clearly capable of more difficult things than she gives herself credit for. Her reward for pushing her limits: spectacular shoreline views from Myosotis Lake (and a hug from yours truly)! 🤗

Towering Ptarmigan Peak and the Wall of Jericho make a fine, panoramic backdrop for Myosotis Lake’s cerulean surface. Click to see larger.

LEFT: A closer look at Ptarmigan Peak’s dramatic north face from the Lake. The view of the Lake from the top of this mountain is equally impressive!
RIGHT: Water plummets dramatically down a series of rock benches below Ptarmigan’s glacier.

LEFT: Glaciers above and gorgeous glacial lakes below.
RIGHT: A closer look at the toe of the Ptarmigan Glacier and the braided cascades below it. Further down still, a massive lateral moraine shows how big this glacier was at the height of its most recent advance.

LEFT and RIGHT: After a brief break to soak in the scenery, we continued along the Lake’s north shore.

Scenic boulder-hopping on the north shore and a view towards the day’s next obstacle: another headwall (which separates the two Skoki Lakes: Zigadenus and Myosotis)! Luckily, this second headwall was much less intimidating than the one we’d already overcome.

Having successfully rounded Myosotis Lake, this pair of happy hikers stopped for a colorful selfie.

Looking back towards Myosotis and more distant Skoki Mountain, as we prepare to hike through the next headwall towards Zigadenus Lake.

LEFT and RIGHT: Much easier going through the second headwall, thanks to a steep but grassy larch-lined trail.

And the hits just keep coming! Not to be outdone by Myosotis, Zigadenus Lake was at least as spectacular, and featured an even more vibrant turquoise color as a result of being directly downstream of the glaciers above. Click to see larger.

LEFT: Who could resist a polar plunge in such a pretty lake on such a perfect summer day? As it turns out, Sandy and Grandma were able to resist, 😂 however, the rest of us thoroughly enjoyed the refreshing 11.9 degree Celsius water 🥶 (whose temperature was confirmed by a pair of scientists collecting data from their inflatable kayaks).
RIGHT: While some of us hooted and hollered in the glacial water, Grandma enjoyed another fine hiking sandwich from the Lodge. 🥪 After everyone had their clothes back on and had a chance to enjoy their lunch, we took a quick selfie before setting our sights towards the next obstacle: the steep hike up Packer’s Pass.

Grandma starts up the scenic slabs that contain Zigadenus Lake towards the pass above (right).

LEFT: A scenic and solitary former tree on the larch-covered slopes above the Skoki Lakes.
RIGHT: I think she’s enjoying her birthday present! ❤️ As we hiked around and above the spectacular Lakes, tears of joy welled up in Grandma’s eyes more than once… 🥹

I. JUST. CAN’T. GET. ENOUGH. OF. THIS. LAKE.

Above the slabs, we followed a good trail up, up, up through sunbaked alpine meadows.

LEFT: Despite the grade, Grandma was all-smiles on this slope… 😊
RIGHT: Of course, that was probably because I was carrying her ONE MILLION POUND pack up the pass for her. 🤣

A tiny Tamara and Grandma reach the day’s high point, Packer’s Pass, with Ptarmigan Peak towering directly overhead and Zigadenus Lake sparkling like a jewel below.

The rest of our Skoki Posse (Eric and Sandy) also at the pass.

A final shot north from the pass (without any darned hikers spoiling the view of Zigadenus Lake below the Wall of Jericho’s dramatic ramparts). 🤩

While the view north from Packer’s Pass was exceptional, the panorama to its south was as fine a sight as you’ll find anywhere in the Rockies 😍 and included (from left to right): Fossil Mountain, Mount St. Bride, Lychnis Mountain, Brachiopod Mountain, Anthozoan Mountain, Heather Ridge, Unity Peak, Redoubt Mountain, and the peaks of the Lake Louise area beyond Boulder Pass. Click to see larger.

Looking east towards Baker Lake. Peaks of significance include: St. Bride, Lychnis and Brachiopod. The grassy slopes at left are also of interest as the site of “the meltdown in the meadow” many years ago…

Looking south towards Redoubt Mountain and Ptarmigan Lake.

A closer look at Ptarmigan Lake (bottom), Redoubt Lake (mid-ground) and the beautiful alpine valley east of Redoubt Mountain, which leads to Unity Peak (center right). Beyond Unity, Storm Mountain and Mount Ball can also be recognized in distant Kootenay National Park.

Happy 70th birthday Grandma!!! 🥳 While I was sad to see this trip near its conclusion, I was thrilled to share this time, and these special places with my Mom. 🥰 And, when it comes to hikes, I can’t think of anywhere better to go out On Top than atop Packer’s Pass.

Packers Pass views towards Mount Temple (left) and Mounts Aberdeen and Lefroy (right).

LEFT: Soaking in the final Packer’s Pass views before beginning our race down towards the 3 pm Skoki shuttle bus. 🏃🚌
RIGHT: Grandma starts down towards the main trail on Ptarmigan Lake’s shores. We left Packer’s Pass at 1:30 pm, figuring that 90 minutes was plenty of time to get back to the Skoki shuttle bus stop at the top of the Temple Fire Road. In retrospect, I’m not sure why we thought this was enough time… It had taken us 4.5-hours to hike 5.5-km from the Lodge to the Pass, and we now had only 1.5-hours to hike the remaining 6.5-km…

Back on the main trail, beautiful views like this conspired to slow our progress (at a time when we probably should have been running to ensure that we caught the bus)!

Ptarmigan Lake sparkles at the foot of Redoubt Mountain on a perfect summer afternoon.

Tamara and Eric stop to photograph poo-eating purple butterflies (while I stop to photograph them taking photos of poo-eating purple butterflies). Yes, that’s right. We were at very real risk of missing the 3 pm shuttle bus (which would turn our 12-km hike with heavy packs into a 17-km hike with heavy packs), but we still stopped for poo-eating purple butterflies. 💩🦋🤣🤦

Back at Boulder Pass, we enjoyed one final look back over Ptarmigan Lake and into Skoki (click to see larger) before beginning our 5-km hike back to the bus. Two things: 1) What a difference a couple of days makes! 2) We now had about 20 minutes to cover that 5-km… 😬

Grandma starts down from, aptly named, Boulder Pass while Tamara makes haste ahead. Luckily for the Posse, Tamara volunteered to run down from here, in an attempt to hold the shuttle for the rest of us!

The Valley of the Ten Peaks, Mount Temple and Mount Hungabee make an appearance beyond Whitehorn (center left) and the Pass’ many boulders. Once again, all of this was invisible because of noxious wildfire smoke when we’d hiked in only a few days earlier.

Grandma crosses the bridge below Pika and Ptarmigan Peak (otherwise known as the last pretty part of this hike). Despite moving at a pretty good pace, it was now dead-obvious that we couldn’t possibly make it back to the bus by 3 pm as required and our hopes now rested squarely on Tamara catching the driver in time…

LEFT: Maybe we should have brought a raft?...
RIGHT: Grandma and Sandy plod on as Mount Temple looms above, and the prospect of having to hike an extra 5-km out on the Temple Fire Road looms large…

As we neared the bus stop, Eric also elected to run. It was now 3:25 pm, and he wanted to let the driver know that the rest of the Posse was almost down. The thought being that this would maybe buy Grandma, Sandy and I another 10 minutes grace (presuming that the bus hadn’t left already). As we rounded the final corner, we were beyond thrilled to find the bus, with Tamara and Eric, still waiting for us. It seems that the driver was happy to wait, provided that he was compensated for his time with Lodge-baked cookies; thank God we had a few extras! 🍪😂

And so, Grandma’s 70th birthday celebration ended with an air-conditioned ride into the proverbial sunset. ❄️🌅🥰 As I write this (over a month after it happened), I’m deeply thankful for the time my Mom and I shared in Skoki, and for the wonderful friends we made. I hope to run into them all again some day on the trails. I’m also sad that this adventure has come and gone, but remind myself that there will be others…

Like Dr. Seuss said: “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”