Summit Lake Hill

Elevation: 2075 m
Elevation Gain: 500 m
Summit Lake is one of 47 officially named bodies of Canadian water, which share this title. The lake sits on a high pass immediately south of Alberta’s Mount Carthew and just north of the Canada-US border. Since the lake is not at a summit, it was presumably named for the views that it offers (which feature many nearby summits).
My Ascents:
July 8 2023
Trailhead: Cameron Lake
GPS Track: Summit Lake & Summit Lake Hill

Sigmund Freud believed that there was no such thing as an accident. In his view, our actions are always intentional, whether deliberately or unconsciously.

I’m not big on psychoanalysis (pseudoscience alert!), so I maintain that the ascent of my 300th unique summit was a complete accident. Herein, I shall describe the events that led to this milestone and I’ll leave it to you, my esteemed reader (“Hi Mom!”) to decide for yourself. Whether Freud (or my wife) want to believe me is up to them. This is how it all went down:

Saturday July 8, 2023 dawned earlier than we’d hoped (when our 5-year-old Penny whined that she was hungry around 7 am). Emerging from our camper to set up breakfast on the picnic table, crisp mountain air, blue skies and sunshine greeted us. It was going to be a beautiful day in Waterton Lakes National Park. Days in the mountains (beautiful or otherwise) mean hiking and today would be no different. As Brianne and I allotted each of our children a single mini-muffin alongside their breakfast (and snuck an additional one each 🧁), we shored up our plans. “Today, I think, is a good day for a hike to Summit Lake (and no further)” I recall saying. Brianne nodded in agreement and replied “Here, here!” (while sneaking her third mini-muffin 🧁). And so, we made lunches, packed bags, and set off up the Akamina Parkway towards Cameron Lake (which would serve as the trailhead for the day’s mountain meanderings).

As we tied our boots and left the car behind, a summit was the furthest thing from my mind…

Trailheads aren’t always beautiful, but even when they are, they are rarely as beautiful as this one at Cameron Lake. Compelled by blue skies and emerald waters, we paid the lake’s boat docks a visit, to fully take in the scene, before embarking on our hike to Summit Lake (and no further 😏).

LEFT: My beautiful hiking ladies (5-year-old Penny, 9-month-old Lillian, the ageless and amazing Breezy Goat 🐐, and 7-year-old Mera), ready to show all the other hikers how it’s done.
RIGHT: “Yo Bear!” 🐻 As we made our way along Cameron Lake’s shore to the Summit Lake/Carthew-Alderson trail, Mera and Penny fell prey to these polymer bears, which Parks Canada has placed here to distract the masses of tourists from the area’s natural surroundings.

Another lakeshore tourist distraction: a Parks Canada sign assuring visitors that the fire that RAVAGED this area in 2017 was a natural, renewing process (and not a disconcerting example of once-unthinkable extreme events becoming routine due to human-caused climate change).

The girls look to see what they’re in for at the trail’s real beginning on the northeast side of Cameron Lake. No more touristy distractions from this point on – just hiking! 😁

LEFT: Penny forges a path through the thick, wet underbrush as the majestic trees above provide shade. This first bit of trail falls within an isolated pocket of forest that did not burn. It was lush, cool and refreshing in the early morning hours.
RIGHT: But all too soon, we reached the burn zone. Despite vigorous undergrowth (which was often taller than our kids), there would be no shade from this point forward.

The summer sun ☀️ beats down upon the remains of a, once, mighty forest (which covers the steep slope leading to Summit Lake).

While the ascent slope is STEEP, the trail up it expertly (and endlessly) switchbacks, making the grade very manageable and, perhaps, even pleasant (on the way up at least)!

LEFT: Mera and Penny pause to investigate the dense foliage that surrounds the trail.
RIGHT: A small stream cascaded down the ascent slope, crossing the path over and over and over again at each switchback. Wherever it did, the slope was littered with vibrant monkeyflowers.

Monkeys checking out monkeyflowers 🙉 (as their hot Mom 🥵 watches on).

Cameron Lake makes another appearance beyond the abundant monkeyflowers.

As the trail zig-zagged up the steep, fire-ravaged slope, the panorama towards Cameron Lake (left) and Akamina Pass (right) steadily improved. In years past, this slope was enshrouded in forest and no such views were available. Thanks to the Kenow blaze, however, these vistas are now prevalent. Click to see larger.

LEFT: Despite occasional stops to investigate the trail’s diverse flora, the girls were “all business” when it came to hiking on this day and maintained a speedy pace without complaint. The contrast between this and yesterday’s sloth-like pokey pace 🦥 to Crandell Lake could not have been more stark! I guess breakfast mini-muffins 🧁 are required more frequently!
RIGHT: While the monkeyflowers captured Mera’s attention, she was truly enthralled by the bear grass that proliferated higher up. Come to think of it, she comes by that honestly as I love bear grass too!

LEFT: Eventually, the steep switchbacks relented, and the ascent angle eased as the trail reached a broad, bear grass-filled pass. Stepping stones suggested that the area is often wet but, on this day, they were unnecessary (except to amuse our kids who playfully hopped from one to the next).
RIGHT: Penny sashays through her bear grass-filled surroundings as the trail takes one last dip down towards Summit Lake.

Arriving at Summit Lake, we were greeted by as fine a view as you’ll find anywhere in Waterton Lakes National Park! 🤩

LEFT and RIGHT: The only thing that could accentuate the view above was the placement of my three beautiful hiking girls in the foreground. 🥰

A Summit Lake panorama to rival any of the other summit panoramas on this website. Click to see larger.

Reflections of Montana’s Chapman Peak shimmer atop the lake’s surface.

Mount Custer looking oh-so-good on the other side of the 49th parallel.

An awesome family photo at Summit Lake: a perfect end to an awesome family hike on a beautiful day.

LEFT: While I took a selfie with our littlest hiker at the lake, she spied a nearby “summit” (or high point anyways) that looked tempting… “No, Lillian.” I said. “We planned to hike to Summit Lake and no further!”

RIGHT: The object of Lilly’s desires: Summit Lake Hill, which rises above the pass just southwest of Summit Lake.

In all seriousness, Lillian (of course) didn’t care about extending our hike. Truth be told, the idea to keep going was shared amongst Brianne, Mera, Penny and myself. The day had been so great thus far, and we’d made such good time; we weren’t really in a hurry to get back down. We were briefly tempted to continue up the Carthew-Alderson trail to its magnificent high point, but this would add 6 km return to our 8 km day and the girls poo-poo’ed 💩 that idea. As an alternative, I therefore suggested that we wander an extra kilometer or so to check out Summit Lake Hill; it was right there after all. Brianne didn’t seem to like the idea that this would involve bushwhacking but Mera emphatically stated that she wanted to turn this into an off-trail adventure so we gave in. 🤷😏

It was at this point that Brianne pointed out that, should we succeed, this lowly hill would end up being my 300th summit. Suspecting that I’d covet a more impressive peak for that milestone, she really expected that this line of reasoning would save her from the impending bushwhack. Imagine her surprise when I sided with Mera and said that “I’d be happy to have any summit with my 4 girls for this milestone.” ❤️ And so, by complete accident, we started up Summit Lake Hill.

LEFT: Older sister Mera holds Penny’s hand to guide her through the (very tame) bushwhack.
RIGHT: Mera and Penny continue to lead the way as Summit Lake grows more distant below. I wonder if Brianne is smiling under that hat?... 🤔

LEFT and RIGHT: My girls lead the way as the terrain becomes slightly rockier just below the hill’s high point. As we neared the “summit”, Mera suddenly decided that she didn’t like this anymore and would rather quit. 🙄 Brianne looked like she agreed with Mera 😬 but was willing to keep going for a little, so we did. Earlier in the day, I had no desire to hike up this hill, but I definitely didn’t want to quit now that we were mere meters from its top!

Fortunately, the top wasn’t far and, when we arrived, we were greeted by outstanding views of this metal thing-a-ma-jig (I think it’s a weather station). Truly breathtaking! 😂

While the girls sat, unimpressed, by the weather station, I sprinted 🏃‍♂️ about the broad summit trying to find open spots to capture photos of the surrounding panorama. Click to see larger.

Looking east towards Summit Lake and down the Boundary Creek Valley towards Waterton. Visible peaks include (from left to right): Mount Alderson (yellow), Mount Richards (pointy and yellow), Sarcee Mountain, Miche Wabun Peak and Mount Campbell.

As with any high point in the area, massive Mount Cleveland (distant center) was apparent across the US border.

In truth, many of the views were better from Summit Lake than they were from Summit Lake Hill (with the exception of this view towards beautiful Lake Wurdeman and the snowy north face of Chapman Peak).

More typical views of burnt forest with Mount Rowe (red) and Mount Lineham (yellow) beyond.

Summit Lake Hill may be the least impressive of the 300 peaks on my CV but I was more than happy to have hiked it, and thoroughly enjoyed the views from its top (even if they were through matchstick forest). 🌲🔥

Better still, I got to share my 300th summit with those who mean the most to me. ❤️ See how “happy” they all look to be a part of this milestone? 😂

With my family looking increasingly unimpressed, I ran to a steep edge to get one last panoramic view towards Chapman Peak and Mount Custer before starting the bushwhack back down. Click to see larger.

Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows, lemon drops and everything that’s wonderful when we bushwhack together!

LEFT: After a brief thrash (more of a bear grass-whack than a true bushwhack), Mera was relieved to happen back upon the main trail. 🤣
RIGHT: Brianne and Lilly on the road again; just can’t wait to get on the road again; just can’t wait to get ice cream at the end…

With a good trail now underfoot, we made quick work of the switchbacks back down towards Cameron Lake. I’d hiked this trail several times before the blaze but never really noticed how steeply it dropped off to the side. 😮🫣 There were several kilometers where I was nervous that if Penny (our resident clutz) tripped, she would tumble straight down if I failed to catch her!

LEFT: Penny provides a healthy dose of sass during our one rest stop on the way down. Note the ash on her face from the completely unplanned and accidental bushwhack. 😂
RIGHT: Back at the parking lot, we celebrated a beautiful day together in the Rockies with a “special drink.” 🍻 Summitting my 300th peak may have been accidental but the cooler full of beer in the car was placed there VERY deliberately!

Back in Waterton, we made sure that the kids were provided with more kid-friendly treats 🍦 to celebrate as well. Even Lillian got in on the festivities (thanks to her very generous older sister). Whether Freud was right or not, we’ll all remember our beautiful hike up Summit Lake Hill for years to come! 🥰

PS: I planned it all along. 😏🤫