Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
halfway there and have made over half of the elevation gain. Upon reaching Larch Valley,
take the formed trail that winds through the open meadow. After climbing steadily beyond
Minnestimma Lakes, the trail switchbacks for 1.2 kilometers (0.7 mile) up a steep scree
slope to the pass, sandwiched between Pinnacle Mountain (3,067 meters/10,060 feet) and
Mount Temple (3,549 meters/11,645 feet). From the pass most hikers opt to return along
the same trail, although with advanced planning it is possible to continue into Paradise
Valley and back to the Moraine Lake access road, a total of 17 kilometers (10.6 miles) one-
way.
Eiffel Lake
• Length: 5.6 kilometers/3.5 miles (2 hours) one-way
• Elevation gain: 400 meters/1,310 feet
• Rating: moderate/difficult
• Trailhead: Moraine Lake
Eiffel Lake is small, and it looks even smaller in its rugged and desolate setting, surroun-
ded by the famed Valley of the Ten Peaks. For the first 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles), follow
the Larch Valley Trail, then fork left. Most of the elevation gain has already been made,
and the trail remains relatively level before emerging onto an open slope from where each
of the 10 peaks can be seen, along with Moraine Lake far below. From left to right the
peaks are Fay, Little, Bowlen, Perren, Septa, Allen, Tuzo, Deltaform, Neptuak, and Wenk-
chemna. The final two peaks are divided by Wenkchemna Pass (2,605 meters/8,550 feet),
a further four kilometers (2.5 miles) and 360 vertical meters (1,180 vertical feet) above
Eiffel Lake. The lake itself soon comes into view. It lies in a depression formed by a rock
slide from Neptuak Mountain. The lake is named for
Eiffel Peak
(3,085 meters/10,120
feet), a rock pinnacle behind it, which with a little imagination could be compared to the
Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Consolation Lakes
• Length: 3 kilometers/1.9 miles (1 hour) one-way
• Elevation gain: 65 meters/213 feet
• Rating: easy/moderate
• Trailhead: beside the restrooms at Moraine Lake parking lot
This short trail begins with a crossing of Moraine Creek at the outlet of Moraine Lake and
ends at a pleasant subalpine lake. The first section of the trail traverses a boulder-strewn
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