10:50

Stanley Glacier trailhead parking lot.

Navigating through a new growth forest emerging from the ashes of two past wild fires in this area.

BERRY SEASON

With all the information about "dos" and "do nots" recorded, we're on our way. Oh yes, the bears are hungry after hibernation and will be seeking out the berries along the trail.

Various bear scratch mark heights. A bear may have pealed this bark for bedding purposes, which may also indicate to others how large it may be.

Five minutes from the parking lot and Randey can still lock his car.

FOREST FIRES

There have been two major forest fires through the Stanley Glacier area, one dating back to 1968 and the most recent one in 2003.

This area was burnt out in 2003, and further up are remnants of the /68 fire.

TRAIL CHATTER

I lucked out on this photo.

Just as I was composing this scene a lady approached from behind. I encouraged her to move ahead because I wanted to take the photo with her colour blending in with the orange coloured Indian paintbrush.

Crossing over Stanley Creek.

Nestled into Stanley Creek

Moving forward I am leaving the rooted packed closed-in trail behind and entering into the more rocky and unstable trails of the Stanley Glacier Basin with wide open vistas.

"Talus slopes are a type in which debris piles up to a characteristic angle of repose. When new debris is added to the slope, thereby locally increasing the angle, the slope adjusts by movement of the debris to reestablish the angle."

Stanley Glacier to the right. My destination for lunch is the treed plateau in the distance underneath the glacier.

On our way down we will follow the route underneath the distant rock face.

The cavern, or bat cave, is the round dark hole below the smaller dark patch left of centre.

I'll also get a shower from the water dripping down the mountain face originating from the snow pack on the peaks.

Hikers entering the cave.

When the Stanley Glacier filled the basin these small caverns were dissolved. Now the hollows are home to the small brown bat.

When I'm on my return trip back down after lunch I'll be standing at the entrance as well.

My lunch-seating spot is amongst the trees sitting atop the hump on the left-hand side.

My first time up in this basin was August 1997 and again in 2007. Both times before I made the steep trek up to the tip of the glacier. Today, it's "been there done that."

On my way down I'll emerge from the trees on the right side of the plateau and continue along the trail on the other side of the basin.

Viewing Stanley Glacier from my lunch seat, which is further away than it appears. From here it is at least another 45 minutes of a slow uphill climb before reaching the tip.

Heading back down.

This time I'll follow the faint path you see on the left-hand side and across the talus slope.

The large rock to the left of centre in the distance is called an erratic, leading the way down and connecting with the trail directly ahead and into the trees.

"Glacial erratics are stones and rocks that were transported by a glacier, and then left behind after the glacier melted. Erratics can be carried for hundreds of kilometres, and can range in size from pebbles to large boulders. Scientists sometimes use erratics to help determine ancient glacier movement."

Descending down to the bat cave.

Notice hiker in white going up the rocky slope towards a higher cave.

Two of my hiking companions for this leg of our descent.

Melt water showering down from snow packs above is just a few steps away from the cavern.

Hiker inside of the brown bat cave.

The white streaks are water droplets.

This is a steep pebbly trail which can make the footing very unsure at times. We discovered walking on the larger rocks adjacent to the path were more stable and offered less chance of taking a hurtful tumble.

Rubbing my hand at right angles to the ripples on this rock felt like a large potato grater.

Three pounds soaking wet was all this Chihuahua weighted.

Something I do not see very often are flowers picked and cast aside by an uneducated hiker.

Flowers are much more attractive when not picked.

A new growth forest is emerging after the wild forest fires.

Twenty minutes more before the parking lot.

Thank you for viewing.