Rockies :: Banff-Louise :: Sawback Trail |
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Enjoying view of Pulsatilla Lake from 2360m Pulsatilla Pass. Sawback Trail continues north towards Wildflower Creek |
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Sawback Trail is one of best known multi-day backpacks in the Rockies, at the same level as Rockwall, Skyline, Tonquin, Brazeau Loop or Berg Lake/Mt. Robson. It travels between Banff and Lake Louise, linking several valleys and high-mountain passes of Sawback Range. South Terminus is at end of Mt. Norquay Ski area access road above Banff, while North End is at Fish Creek (Skoki) trailhead east of Lake Louise. Length is ~75km and requires 4-6 days, although there are YouTube videos made by crazy trail runners doing it in a day. Trail, well documented in Patton/Robinson Canadian Rockies Trail Guide, benefits from several official back-country campgrounds. Alternate and shorter version starts (or ends) at Moose Meadows near Castle Junction instead of Mount Norquay; initial part is ultra popular Ink Pots hike, also serving as start/end for "Sawback Loop" backpack. Large segments of trail are shared between the two.
Classic Sawback Trail Map
Preferred direction for Sawback Trail is south-north; main reason being that scenery gradually improves leaving the best part for the end. For Sawback loop most hikers seem to prefer clockwise direction as Badger pass ascent is more gradual from the west. Classic version of Sawback trail does not cross Badger Pass as it switches over to Johnston Creek valley over Mystic Pass. Typically it consists of following legs:
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| Day | Start | End | Overnight | Length (km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mt. Norquay | Mystic Junction | Fm19 / Mi22 | 17 or 19 |
| 2 | Mystic Junction | Luellen Lake | Jo18 / Jo19 | 19 or 22 |
| 3 | Luellen Lake | Badger Junction | Jo29 | 5.5 |
| 4 | Badger Junction | Baker Lake | Sk11 | 17 |
| 5 | Baker Lake | Fish Creek | 11 |
Mystic Lake is must brief side trip on Day 2. Preferred camp on Day 2 is Jo19, but if not possible Luellen Lake is only 1km side trip from Jo18. Day 3 is the shortest on purpose, to allow time for afternoon half-day hike to Badger Pass after setting camp at JO29. Wildflower campground Ba15 should be avoided. Note that Parks Canada has decomissioned Baker Creek and trail is now overgrown with bad bushwhack, to be avoided at all costs as Sawback Trail alternate access. Campgrounds are maintained regularly by Park Canada and are good throughout; narrative that follows will include more details for the ones I spent night(s) at.
An alternative, dubbed "Fitch Variation" (by Gavin Fitch, President of Canadian Royal Geographical Society), continues from Mystic Junction over Forty Mile Summit to Flints Park/Block Lakes junction on Days 2 and 3; Days 1, 4 and 5 are still the same as main variation:
| Day | Start | End | Overnight | Length (km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Mystic Junction | Flint's Park | Cr31 | 14 |
| 3 | Flint's Park | Badger Junction | Jo29 | 17 |
This option has the advantage of visiting rarely seen Sawback and Rainbow Lakes on Day 2, however Mystic Lake and Pass as well as Luellen Lake are left out. Crossing of Badger Pass on Day 3 is major highlight, however ascent from considerably steeper east side with overnight pack will be physically quite demanding. Some people also chose to add extra day at Cr31 and explore North Fork of Cascade River as day hike; this adds total tally to 6 days.
I have not hiked Sawback Trail (or "Sawback Loop") in its entirety as single trip; rather I chose to focus on single segment at a time, day-hiking with light pack after setting "basecamp" at one of back-country campgrounds. This strategy worked well because it limited carrying of heavy overnight backpack, while allowing more time to explore fantastic alpine areas. Following are the sections I explored in such manner; as I continue I will add to this page, hoping to eventually cover entire official Sawback area while adding several lesser known side trips.
- Johnston Creek
- Pulsatilla Pass and Lake
- Badger Pass
- Forty Mile Creek and Mystic Lake
- Forty Mile Summit / Sawback and Rainbow Lakes
- Mystic Pass
- Baker Lake/Skoki
Sawback Lake
Beautiful Sawback Lake, a must side trip on "Fitch Variation" between Forty Mile Summit and Flint's Park