Circle the Cirque Crest

At the shore of Marion Lake this is just one of your views.

Marion Lake

Circle The Cirque Crest - By D.W.Donehoo (All rights reserved)

We arrived in camp fairly wasted from the long trek from Horseshoe Lakes, which now seemed a distant memory. We set up camp as quickly as possible, and seeing how late it was, had dinner. As we sat there waiting for the water to boil we looked up in awe at the route we followed to get there. The way from Red Pass looked like a vertical red wall, and the last gully leading to the lake was nothing more than a rock filled gash in the cliff face. We had come from the right direction: we shuddered to think what it would be like ascending that monstrous wall and crossing over and beyond to Horseshoe Lake. A heck of a lot more climbing going back that direction. That night we watched the dusk turn to night over Cartridge Creek near the lake outlet. When it was full dark we were treated to strobe-like flashes coming from the east. The thunderstorms were pounding away somewhere beyond earshot to the east, but their mighty lightening flashes were lighting up our night. Weird. We went to bed looking forward to a layover day.