Hike to Croteau Lake

The hike to Croteau Lake attracted participants from 8 to 65 for this six hour hike through rolling terrain past meadows, ponds & lakes.

Marsh marigold has been abundant in the meadows for over a month, now accented with globeflower. 

Green-flowered bog-orchids are appearing among the swaths of shooting star.

The company of whiskey jacks along the way was especially enjoyable! Just hold out your hand & they will visit.

On the drier rocky areas toward the Plateau, paintbrush is beginning.

Croteau Lake was free of snow - interestingly, one remaining patch filled the old foundations of the Croteau cabin on the edge of the lake.

Thanks to guides Robin & Jennifer for contributing some natural history knowledge, expecially about the 'watermelon snow'! The Wilderness Centre has a copy of the latest BC Nature magazine which explains the ecology of the pink patches of algae seen on snow.

Everyone ably negotiated the remaining patches of snow, mainly past Battleship Lake, on the way to Croteau Lake.  Other hikers reported heavier snow from Kwai Lake to Circlet Lake, with some difficulty route-finding. A couple of hikers did camp at Circlet Lake where they reported several tent platforms are now cleared, and the lake is starting to thaw. They were able to summit Mt Albert Edward as the snow was soft enough for kicking steps on the steeper parts.

As the snow melts, the trails are getting muddier, so appropriate footwear is required, so that you can walk through the wet areas rather than widening the trail.

More Sitka valerian is blooming, as well as three-leaved goldthread, pink and white mountain-heathers, bog-laurel, and mountain arnica. Partridgefoot is beginning to bloom.