Stanley Mountain

Distance: 6.5 miles
Elevation: 11,307 ft to 12,521 ft
Elevation Gain: 1,214 ft
Date Hiked : 9 August, 2009

The view looking south from the summit of Stanley Mountain

Stanley Mountain is a lovely tundra walk on the west side of Berthoud Pass. It is not as topographically varied as Mt. Flora on the east side of the pass, but it is lovely none-the-less, and a great place to let the dogs run.

The initial trail goes in and out of groups of trees

Views of mountains and meadows periodically grace the lower portion of the trail

The route gets rockier as the trail approaches the plateau. The trail eventually ascends the hill in the distance.

The trail starts out winding up through coniferous trees with occasional openings into cascading meadows with views of nearby peaks. The initial destination of this portion of the trail is a flat, rocky plateau. For those looking for an al fresco lunch spot, this would be sufficient in and of itself. 180° views of verdant peaks combined with interesting geology make this more interesting that your average picnic ground. It is a bit of a lung buster to get to this point though so leave the candelabra in the car.

Looking southeast from the plateau

On the plateau, heading towards the ridge

Looking up at the wall. It looks harder than it is.

A short walk across the plateau leads to a wall about 200 ft high. Tight switch backs ascend this wall in short but steep segments. This is the hardest portion of the hike. On top of this wall is the ridge and from here, it is just a tundra walk to the summit of Stanley Mountain.

Looking north from part way up the wall

Looking southeast and down onto highway 40

On this trip, the temperatures were warm, but the wind was blowing at least 20 mph. We had to wear our rain coats the whole way, and since I had forgotten to put my newly washed gloves back into my pack, my hands were freezing. I walked with them shoved into the pockets of my pants, making for an awkward gait. This is one more reminder that even in early August, conditions in the high country can be unpredictable.

On top of the wall, the trail extends across the tundra

A little ways along the ridge, a hidden lake comes into view

You can not see the summit of Stanley Mountain until you are within a 100 yards or so of it. The trail undulates across the tundra in a series of false bumps. That is in essence what Stanley Mountain looks like from the trail, a small pile of talus, a bump on the tundra. It is not until you scramble to the top of this pile that you realize you are on a mountain. The sides to the south and west drop off precipitously. The wind was blowing so hard and cold that we did not linger on top, but eased down part way to hide in the rocks and wolf down our sandwiches.

Even though this was the first weekend in August, the tundra flowers had all turned brown.

Vasquez Peak is off to the right and in the distance. Notice Elaine's rain jacket. It is filled with wind.

Those looking for a longer challenge can bushwhack across the tundra to the west and the summit of Vasquez Peak. There is no designated trail to this peak and the route descends quite a bit before heading straight up Vasquez, so plan accordingly.

The summit of Stanley Mountain comes briefly into view. It is the bump at the far end of the ridge.

The summit viewed from below

We did meet two hikers on the summit who were doing a shuttle hike down into the tree filled gulch visible from the ridge. The far end of the gulch is accessible from the Granby area.

Vasquez Peak from the summit. Here the pile looks like a bump.

The view looking south from the summit. From this angle the rock pile feels more summit-like.

While I think that Mt. Florais more scenic than Mt. Stanley, this trip is worth doing particularly at the height of the tundra wildflower season. Consider it an altitude training hike for loftier, and more difficult pursuits.

Nova Scotia: Wrap Up

The famous Bluenose schooner sailing in Lunenburg Bay. This historic reproduction sails much of the year from either Halifax or Lunenburg. We were lucky to get tickets early on. Seeing a real tall ship in action was a treat.

This ends my series on my vacation of Nova Scotia. I would recommend that anyone interested in nature, relaxation, and seafood visit this Canadian province.

Unless you have several weeks, choose either Cape Breton, the Fundy Coast, or the South Shore as your base and try to spend as much time there. It takes longer to get around than you think and there is more to explore than the guide books make evident.

For my next trip, I would like to return in the fall when the leaves have turned.

I mentioned seafood above....I went on a fall color vacation to Massachusetts a couple of years ago and was hoping for seafood. We hardly found any. Not so in Nova Scotia. If you love the fruit de la mer, you will love Nova Scotia. Mussels were everywhere. I could have eaten them for breakfast, lunch and dinner! We ate lobster twice and I even ate pickled herring one night since it is a local favorite.

Our base as you know was Lunenburg. There are many restaurants in this town to choose from, which is another reason to make it a base. Most of the places close to the wharf are touristy but are relatively cheap. We ate at the Grand Banker, the Dockside Cafe, and Magnolia's. Only the latter would I recommend. One street up is the Trattoria Bella Donna and the Fluer de Sel. Both are outstanding but pricey. My lamb at the Bella Donna was $30 and my butter poached lobster at the Fleur de Sel was $42. The Fleur de Sel won Nova Scotia's best restaurant award in 2008. Some locals sitting next to us kept raving about it. Had it not been for Hurricane Bill, we would have missed out on that treat.

Only one restaurant, the Bella Donna, carried any of the renowned ice wines of the area. It was sold in the liquor store, but I wanted to taste it before buying a bottle. Sweet wine goes a long way. I was also anticipating more of a selection of other Canadian ice wines, but no joy there. I am just going to have to order through an on line retailer and have some shipped to me.

Finally, I need to shout out a big thank you to Ethan and Nancy Evans who allowed us to stay gratis in their home, who allowed us to rummage through their drawers for shorts and t-shirts, and whose beautiful home was the highlight of the trip. A true catharsis.

I also want to thank the neighbors whom we got to know quite well and who regaled us with all sorts of stories about life in Nova Scotia, including their health care system. They enriched our trip immeasurably.

Sometimes I think we lazy Americans forget that Canada even exists. It is there, it is significantly less expensive than Europe, and is culturally and geographically diverse. All I can say is go...enjoy!

The author getting ready to set sail on the Bluenose.

Nova Scotia: Gaff Point Trail

Distance: 3.5 km
Elevation: 50 ft
Elevation Gain: Negligible

The wilder side of Nova Scotia, Gaff Point Trail

Gaff Point is a narrow headland that extends into the Atlantic Ocean near Hirtles Beach. Our original intent was to walk on the beach but when we arrived we realized the beach was not sand but large 30 pound cobbles. After a few steps we realized this beach had ankle twisting potential. A sign near the parking area told us about the trail, which was not mentioned in any guide book of the area, including the local gazetteer. We then drove around trying to find a way to get closer to the headland so that we did not have to walk very far on the rocks. We did eventually find a road, but had to park near someone's property and walk through another person's field. There was a sign that indicated that pedestrians were welcome, and a social trail was worn into the grass so we did not fee too badly. I was concerned that our car might be unwanted but there was not way to tell.

Looking south from the Hirtles Beach parking lot towards an estuary and houses beyond.

A view of the beach, the fog, the large rocks, and one brave surfer

Storm damage on the beach. You can see the imprint of the wave that brought all the large cobbles into the estuary and the overturned picnic table.

We hiked this trail two days after Hurricane Bill had hit the province and it was clear that this area had been impacted by some heavy waves. Large boulders were tossed up on the rocks, the the shale cliffs had been fractured and chunks were tossed about. These remnants made the trail feel even more primeval.

A small house we passed on the way to the trailhead

After cutting across some land, we came to the farther end of Hirtles Beach. Gaff Point is in the distance.

The lichen covered trees and moss covered ground of the inland forest

The trailhead is barely visible from the beach. A small placard marks it, but then you have to bushwhack just slightly through the shrubs.

The center portion of the trail crosses an exposed area of heaths. There are nice views of the cliffs here too along with social trails heading down either side to small, rocky beaches.

The latter half of the trail is a loop. Here is where it splits. Note the log and wood tailings trail construction. This was the state of the trail in the forest.

The trail eventually reaches the cliffs. This is looking back towards the beach, which is just of site.

The trail itself spends part of the time in the forest and part of the time on the cliffs, which are incredibly scenic. Storm damage aside, the rocks of the coastline are paper thin shale layers turned vertical by the forces of geologic time. I wanted to spend some time prying apart the layers in search of fossils. The trail travels directly over these area, the route marked in splashes of yellow paint. It was actually hard walking since nothing was flat.

Our first exposure to the vertical shale. The rocks look much thicker in the photo. They are in fact composed of many thin layers.

Looking down into the sea on a relatively calm day. It is not difficult to image what the sea was like during the storm.

The trail continues to skirt the cliffs

The forested part of the trail were unique to our Colorado eyes. Moss and lichens covered every inch. It was peaceful and yet mysterious at the same time. Too damp for fairies, which are admittedly delicate, it was just right for shore birds of various shorts. Chirps and whistles could be heard from the branches of the overhanging trees.

Here you can see the shale torn into chunks and scattered about

After rounding the point, more damage was evident. Large chunks of dirt had been eroded, leaving boulders lying on the rocks below.

We are about to head back into the forest

Gaff Point is a trail of the Canadian Nature Conservancy. Kudos to this organization for trying to preserve some natural space in an ever urbanization of Nova Scotia's coastline. We stumbled across this trail by accident, but I would recommend it to hiker visiting the South Shore. It was one of our trip highlights.

We took one of the social trails down to the shore from the center open area. The rugged beauty of the area is evident.

These flat cobbles are testament to the enduring power of the waves. Each of these stones started out as a chunk of shale scoured from the cliffs along the coastline. Time and the constant pounding of waves have turned them into tiny smooth rocks.

Nova Scotia: Bird Islands

On our last day on Cape Breton, we decided to depart late and take a boat tour to the bird islands and their well know sea bird nesting colonies. The Bird Islands are two small rocky outcrops, Hertford and Ciboux, that jut out into the Atlantic Ocean between the eastern extent of the Cabot Trail and the Sydney peninsula. A tour of the islands takes about 2.5 hours.

Boarding the boat

Approaching the first bird island

Cormorants sun themselves as the boat gets nearer

We took the tour to see Puffins, but this late in the year most had departed. The rocks were still home to the Greater and Lesser Cormorants, however, as well as large numbers of Bald Eagles, a pair of Blue Herons, Gulls, and various other smaller birds. Large numbers of Gray Seals also inhabited the area.

Cormorant on a rock. They were everywhere.

Then the Bald Eagles came into view like fighter jets over a war zone.

No critter is safe from these marauding raptors.

Even with a telephoto lens, it was hard to view the birds in real time. Between the bouncing of the boat, the movement of the birds, and the shadows near the cliffs, many birds were just a blurr. It was not until I manipulated the photographs for this post that I could see what I actually captured. Still, I love being out on the water and any chance to feel salt encrusting my hair is worthwhile for me.

I love this shot. It was dark against the cliffs and I had no idea if anything was in focus. If you click on the image to view the larger version and look into the eyes of the eagle you won't see compassion for its fellow avian brethren.

Another great action shot. There were so many eagles, it was like sparrows around a bird feeder.

Here we have a juvenile. The punk of the rocks. It takes several years for an Bald Eagle to develop its trademark coloring.

The most interesting aspect of the tour was the lesson the boat captain gave us about man's effect on the birds and seals. The chain of events all begins with Lobster season. During the season, the fisherman have to replace the bait in their traps once a week. This is a bounty for the Gull species on the island which eat the scraps left by the boats. This ready food supply means the Gulls can stay close to their nests and their large numbers fend off Bald Eagles, which other wise swoop in to eat the Gull chicks. Lately though, there have been too many fishermen, and the area catches it quota in about 2 weeks. It used to take 6 to 10 weeks. Now the Eagles are arriving early, eating the Gull chicks and scaring the Puffins out to sea. This effects the tour groups who lose income because the Puffins are gone. While we did see a few, solitary Puffins floating on the waves, we also saw large numbers of Bald Eagles, so I am not sure which situation I would prefer.

Gray Seals

The Puffin's chick rearing habits are unique indeed. The Puffin digs a burrow into the rocky cliff face and lays its egg. When the chick hatches, the adults feed the chick to such an extent that it grows so large that it can't leave the nest. The parents then leave. Over time, the chick looses weight, matures and finally leaves the burrow. Puffins are pelagic birds, they spend 90% of their life out on the open sea.

It was easier to see the birds on the sunny side of the island. Can you pick out the Grand Cormorants in this picture?

A shot rounding the farthest point

The life of the Gray Seal in this area has also been effected by man. General overfishing has reduced fish stocks and many of the seals are starving. How to balance fish stocks for both humans and seals is a difficult task.

Two Great Blue Herons had taken up residence. Our guide said this is very unusual.

One last eagle shot

Whether or not I would recommend taking a boat tour depends upon the time of year you go. Be careful to ask the tour operators exactly what you will see and whether the mentioned species are on the rocks or out on the water. There are several tour companies in the area, so it does not hurt to shop around.

My only decent Puffin shot. They fly incredibly fast and would not let the boat come near them. I could barely see the bird with the naked eye, but despite the bouncing of the boat, I managed to get one in focus.