The Price of Gold is Rising…

[Steven Noel]

…so I'm buying while I can.



This past week I spent six days on a backpacking trip to Coral Lake in search of the elusive Golden Trout I got a teasing taste of last year at Michelle Lakes.

We left on the approximately 35 kilometre (one way) trail from the trailhead where the Cline River crosses Highway 11 late last Sunday.



It followed first the Cline River and then Coral Creek, both initially in deep canyons, scarred into the Earth with flow and time.



The trail dropped down into the valley (bad idea) after the flood plain widened enough to do so. We did our first four creek crossings that evening in about ten minutes before we decided to make a camp at a nice spot where a set of waterfalls on a tributary entered the creek. Light was quickly fading. This amounted to about three hours of hiking time.



We were up around first light the next morning and stepped off before 6:30. In hindsight this was probably a good call. Before long we came to see the lower half of the trail was gone. Not damaged or segmented but gone. Washed out in its entirety with this spring's high flows, there was nothing left. We resolved ourselves to picking our way up the creek.





We did so for about fourteen hours, finding usable trail only in the last few. That evening we made pitched tents, this time in an empty outfitters camp (nothing was set up for the season yet).

Again we were up early, pushing our way up the (then) fine trail to the intersection with the Job Pass Trail. From here were picked our way towards and then above the tree line.





Finally we arrived at the lake, after a total of twenty-three hours; a day and a half of hiking. It could be done in a long day with a consistent trail. We crossed Coral Creek 51 times en route. Trust me, I counted. Our appearance was greeted with a torrential rain and wind storm.

[Steven Noel]

After I was sufficiently satisfied that neither I nor my things would be blown off the face of the Earth I prepped my fishing gear. Despite a #20 BWO and 7X leaders I got several rejections, fish hitting a dozen other naturals on the surface all around my own while failing to acknowledge my imitation existed at all. I was having moments of déjà vu from Michelle Lakes last year. Regardless I was just happy to be somewhere so awe inspiringly beautiful. My friend managed to hook and land a single fish on a small mayfly pattern, just as light hit its optimal time.



That evening, after the risers ceased their session for the day, we decided to go for a short walk up the rocky ridge that forms the cliffs on one West side of the lake. From there we were afforded a beautiful vantage point of Coral Lake, and another smaller lake above it. The starkness of the scene was amazing.



I woke early the next morning, in hopes of quickly catching at least one fish to allow me the liberty to do other things without feeling the need to fish constantly. It was below freezing at five in the morning. After a short effort with the fly rod, I gave up and put together my ultralight spinning rod, and the smallest spinner I had. After hooking and loosing a small trout, I was ecstatic to land my first Coral Lake Golden Trout.





After a few brief photographs it was carefully released.

We continued to seek Alberta's most beautiful fish in arguably the province's most beautiful place to do so.







I landed another Golden on the steep drop offs of the West end and a third and final fish on the shallow flats of the East end.



In doing so I effectively tripled my count from my last Golden endeavour.

[Steven Noel]

Satisfied with having caught three of these most elusive fish we decided that a day hike would allow us to properly explore this amazing cirque; its fragile meadows and uncaring talus. Seldom can one say they were left without words. On that day however, such could not be more appropriate.

We pushed upwards, past the last of shrubs, the ground-hugging junipers and delicate grasses.



We pushed until all that was underfoot was rock, and what a great deal of rock there was.



We worked our way past several glacial blue tarns, a colour one's eyes could only envy.



My friend, still feeling the effects of the days of hiking prior, broke off and descended back to camp. I kept pushing forward, alone, accompanied only by the sounds of gusting wind and rolling rock. The hike became a scramble as I achieved the highest point attainable without climbing gear. GPS suggested about 2700 metres. The vista was grand.



Coral Lake is not visible in that shot, sheltered by a rocky ridge. The small lake in centre is however the lake above Coral Lake I could see the first evening I climbed.

From this vantage point it became apparent that the mass of rock to my right was actually a glacier, covered in several feet of talus, as evidenced by the sinkholes, revealing walls of ice in excess of thirty feet deep.



I worked my way towards it.



After about two hours of glacial traverse (very tedious and unnerving) I managed to work my way back to camp. The side trip took me a little over five hours all together.



We fished that evening but managed to land nothing. We packed what we could and departed early the next morning, managing to shave seven hours on our return trip.

While still at the lake we saw no big game (despite a great deal of fresh bear signs), but were accompanied by Pikas and Ptarmigans.





As I reached the trailhead, exhausted and banged up, I knew that I would be back soon, for it would pain me much more to be away from such beauty than the any pain getting there might inflict.

[waterninja]

what a story. what pics. what an adventure. well done. not many people would attempt a fishing hike like that. a group photo would have been nice. congrats, and thanks for sharing your experiance.

[flyguyd]

Great story and pics

[Reddevill]

Thanks for sharing, awsome story and great pictures. I appreciate the effort involved and agree, some very beautiful fish!

[zabbo]

Great post! Thx for sharing!

[Alberta Bigbore]

excellent thread!

[greywolffan]

Years ago I did trips like that every year and sure miss it. I have been in that area but just up to Allstones and that is nowhere near as far but it is great country. Great post . Wonder if a chopper would fly in there for people who want some real fishin.

[jacenbeers]

This is awesome and something I would love to do if it didnt require crossing a creek over 50 times. Great story and pictures.

[pophouseman]

Awesome thread, Awesome story, Awesome pic's!!!

[Geezle]

Wicked pics and story...thanks for sharing!

[ishootbambi]

great pics and story yet again steven. well done!

[kissarmygeneral]

Looks like a memorable trip. Great story and pictures.

[Marlin07]

Great thread, thanks for sharing!

[Bigwoodsman]

Thanks for sharing your quest for the Golden Trout. Great pictures and a true adventure. Good Job Steven

BW

[pikergolf]

Great story and pics!!

[Saltmania]

Excellent!

[OneGirlWolfPack]

Just amazing. If you're not a writer, you need to be.

[sco22]

I was going to say that you could write for Parks Canada. . .

Very, very well done.

Cheers.

[ericlin0122]

thanks for sharing. amazing trip and photos.

[justinO]

Sounds like an amazing trip. Incredible Photos thanks for sharing.

[Steven Noel]

Thank you everybody for the kind words on the matter, I appreciate it.

[Toirtis]

Fantastic story, great pics....you should write that up a bit more and submit it to Fly Fusion.

[Dust1n]

Those are awesome pics!

[Flyfisher87]

No matter how many pics I see, stories I hear, or similar experiences I have myself, I never get tired of hearing of others' experiences to places like this. Absolutely amazing! Well done Steven!

[CBintheNorth]

Originally Posted by Toirtis

Fantastic story, great pics....you should write that up a bit more and submit it to Fly Fusion.

Or, the Alberta Outdoorsmen! I'd love to see it in there. Great pics and a great read. Thanks for sharing, very impressive.

[ReconWilly]

Thats an adventure worthy of the effort, great stuff.

[WillyOneStyle]

Thank you for sharing this wonderful story and pictures. Very inspiring.

[mosbos]

One of the best reads I have had on any fishing forum.Thanks for sharing.