Notes: Seasonal bear restrictions require hiking in groups of 4. Morraine Lake Road is now closed to personal vehicles.
Trip Report
As of 2023 Moraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles. The remaining options are Parks Canada Shuttle, Roam Bus, or biking. In winter the road is fully closed to vehicles and a portion of it is groomed for cross-country skiing. This area is frequented by grizzly bears and subject to seasonal restrictions requiring groups of four, all carrying bear spray. Check the latest Parks Canada bulletins for restriction dates and further details.
Larch Valley is spectacular during larch season, but also extremely popular. This year’s beautiful and unseasonably warm autumn left me craving a larch fix, so we chose to brave the crowds and head to Moraine Lake. The routes to Wasatch Mountain, Eiffel Peak, Mount Temple, and Sentinel Pass all lead through Larch Valley – we picked Eiffel Peak for that day’s conditions and daylight hours. After securing one of the last parking spots at 5:00 AM, we had a leisurely cup of coffee in our car before heading out in the dark. We easily passed group after group in the steady line of traffic hiking towards Larch Valley – this was not because of our physical fitness, but because we were one of the only groups that remembered headlamps. The larches attract a bit of an interesting crowd.
For anyone longing for the days when personal vehicles were allowed at Morraine Lake, here’s a reminder of what the road used to look like at 5:00 AM.By the time we reached Larch Valley, it was nearly dawn and we’d left the crowds behind us. Eiffel Peak can be seen at the left.We were rewarded for our early start with spectacular views of the sunrise. Quadra Mountain with its distinctive four peaks and glacier can be seen at the right.Gazing across Larch Valley at sunrise.Eiffel Peak offers an excellent vantage point to take in The Valley of the Ten Peaks, including the three peaks seen here: Mount Tuzo (left), Deltaform Mountain (center), and Neptuak Mountain (right). This picturesque valley was previously featured on Canada’s twenty-dollar note.Dan studies our objective. Behind him the sun rises behind Panorama Ridge.Alpenglow provides a spotlight on our objective for the day: Eiffel Peak (left). Mount Pinnacle is at the right.Making our way up a blocky talus field.Looking back at the way we came through Larch Valley (left).Continuing up the slopes of Eiffel Peak on a well-worn trail.Looking back from the shoulder of Eiffel to Mount Temple (left) and The Valley Of The Ten Peaks (center-to-right).Making our way through the cliffs below the summit. While chatting with locals on a previous trip we’d been warned that Eiffel Peak is notorious for rockfall and to avoid funnel-like features when there are parties above. We have the mountain to ourself for now, but will keep an eye out on the return trip.Dan nears the top, with The Valley Of The Ten Peaks in the background.Summit panorama.Eiffel Tower, the feature for which this peak was named.The Horseshoe Glacier lies to the northwest of Eiffel Peak. Mount Hungabee and Mount Lefroy stand above the glacier, hiding in clouds today.After sufficiently soaking in the views at the peak, we returned the way we came. A few groups were catching up behind us by this point, so we added a few extra breaks to let others pass, avoiding sharing narrow features like this one.Returning the way we came. Daylight reveals interesting rock features.Following the shoulder of Eiffel Peak back down to Larch Valley. Moraine Lake can be seen at distant center.Finishing the day hiking out through Larch Valley. The larches were starting to lose their needles by October, but still offered wonderful scenery.
We made it back to the parking lot in 5 hrs 45 min, early enough for lunch. The other morning hikers were finishing their day too, but wave after wave of hikers was still setting out for their own adventures. The views make it easy to see why this spot is so popular in autumn. I thoroughly enjoyed taking in the golden colours for a day, but haven’t yet felt a need to return for future larch seasons.
Peak Bliss 