Wilcox Pass Hike


After paddling and hiking around Lake Louise, we ventured out a little and arrived at Wilcox Pass. We did the first approx. 1.5km of this out and back trail until we reached a pair of Red Chairs (right about here), then turned back for a 3km round trip.

Junior had a blast on this trail today. He walked like a champ for about 1km, having lots of fun with tree roots on this packed dirt trail.

Soon we left the woods and arrived at a ridge, where we had a great view of the Columbia Icefield and Athabasca Glacier across the valley.

The wind picked up quite dramatically here, and the temperature dropped considerably. By the time we reached our destination, we were ready to put on extra jackets.

Junior was not happy about the temperature drop. Tantrums are a part of hiking with toddlers.
Thankfully he settled down after some snack bribes.

The trail continues on this very exposed ridge for another 3km to another view point, but the view from the Red Chairs are probably enough of a highlight.

Washroom

Two pit toilets at the parking lot

Parking

Small parking lot at the trailhead but we had no trouble finding spots.

  • Difficulty – easy to reach the red chair
  • View – great view of the valley and glaciers
  • Traffic volume – moderate foot traffic
  • Facilities – pit toilets
  • Overall score – 7/10

Continue reading about our 2020 Rockies Road Trip!


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