After my somewhat disappointing trip up Tangle Ridge earlier in the day and a body wracked with exhaustion, I was in no mood to scramble up Nigel Peak or Little Hector as planned. Instead, I decided to do an experiment that involved scrambling up Cirque peak in my runners and with only water and extra clothing in my backpack. This 16+ km hike seemed an odd choice given my less-than-peak physical condition at the time, however, even if I could get to Helen Lake, I would consider it a victory.

For the ascent, wearing only my runners made quite a difference. I was able to move fast and without stopping to rest. The first 4 km were long and not terribly scenic, however, turning the corner and heading into the meadow was like stepping into a different world. The scenery and colours were phenomenal - striking Dolomite Peak on the left, shapely

Cirque Peak straight ahead in the distance, small ponds, streams, and lakes, lush meadows, interesting rock formations and craggy ridges - you couldn't ask for more! 

As I proceeded towards Cirque Peak, the scenery only got better. It's too bad that I was in such a rush - I could have easily spent an entire day there. I arrived at Helen Lake at the 1 hour, 10 minute mark and continued  on without stopping. From the lake to the summit was very easy. There was a nice trail all the way there and the slope up to the ridge was made up of very finely crushed shale, almost the consistency of sand. At the summit, the view was utterly breath-taking - Hector, Andromache, Dolomite, Balfour, the Lake Louise group, the Wapta, Icefield, Chephren, Observation Peak, and Bow Lake - stunning beauty in every direction. Again, I could have stayed there for an hour taking in the panorama, but I had to get back. The return hike was just as enjoyable, as the clearing sky revealed even more of the stunning surroundings. Going down the shale slope was a blast, even though I ended up with more fine shale in my shoes than feet! My descent time was relatively slow, however, after almost 4 km of elevation gain and approximately 50 km of hiking in the past 48 hours, I think I earned a relaxing return to the car. In terms of scenery alone, Cirque Peak has just moved into the top spot. This won't be my last trip up this mountain!