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Again, beginner hikers might need some coaxing on several of the looser / steeper sections.Another boulder / debris field to ascend. Also note the larches? This will be very colorful in another 3 weeks or so.Our lunch spot sitting over one of the tarns. To be honest, the tarns are pretty low this late in the summer.Views from the bridge over Sparrowhawk Creek.The trail is a highway from the Sparrowhawk Picnic area to the High Rockies Trail (HRT).More interesting terrain as we near the lower part of the headwall beneath the tarns.One of the lower tarns with Red Ridge looming over it on the upper left.An adolescent marmot scopes us out.Marmot baby and mama.Picking through the various boulder fields was fun but it was easy to lose the trail.At least there are some signs indicating which way you shouldn't go if you are headed for the tarns. This one looks unofficial so it may not last.Beginner hikers may not like some of the loose / steep bits on the headwall but there is usually an easier way up if you look for it.This tarn was also almost completely gone this late in the seasonInteresting terrain - I'm not sure why some of these trees are so dead - and still standing.After a few kilometers of nice forest hiking the trail turns sharply right near a pile of debris (rocks) before continuing left up a steep roll.More nice alpine meadow. You lose height as you near the headwall to the tarns and start trending to the right.The HRT is quite the project! We checked out the bridge over Sparrowhawk Creek before continuing up the proper trail to the tarns which is out of sight at upper right here.Looking back at our approach from Spray Lakes with Old Goat rising at left and Read's Tower at upper right.The trail is well-defined and passes through some blow down areas.
© Vern Dewit Photography
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