Mount Robson is proposterously vertical as it stands at 3954 m (12,972 feet) and is designated as a Canadian Rocky Mountains World Heritage Site by Unesco. To get there you will hike through such powerful scenery that will instill a sense of reverence in you. You will hike through the Valley of Thousand Falls and see glaciers of such magnificence that will make you wonder "Who needs Alaska?". This geoearth cache will take you to a breathtaking shoreline of Berg Lake where you may watch the Berg Glacier calve with a thunder into the water leaving a trail of small floating icebergs in the summer. Mt. Robson is an example of something that all highest peaks have in common in the Canadian Rockies. It is not in the strength of the rock it contains but in the horizontal layering of the rock beds.You will notice that the nearby mountains and smaller mountains in other areas have angled layers which promote sliding and therefore faster and more effective erosion processes. When the rock layers are tilted the rivers and glaciers gnaw away at the edges removing support resulting in land slides (dip-slope slides - geologically speaking). In contrast, when the layers are flat like at Mt. Robson, they cannot slide and erosion can only gnaw at the edges of the layers resulting in a peak. The beauty of the area is not only defined by the Robson mountain but also by the unique arrangement of Berg Lake nestled between the Robson and Rearguard mountains with the Berg Glacier descending directly into the lake. You will see numerous rock debris riding on top of the glacier and you will appreciate the erosive course of this prehistoric chunk of ice between the two mountains. The Berg glacier displays numerous horizontal crevasses due to different speeds of ice layers as it travels down the steep mountainside and follows the rock contour which it grinds down into a fine silt. The silt imparts the greyish tint to the lake water. Chunks of this glacier break off (called calving) on warm days and result in numerous icebergs floating in the lake during summer months. The Berg Glacier is only a small portion of a larger Robson glacier that is the source of Robson River coming down from the northeast.
To log this cache you have to answer the following questions: 1. What is the source of water at Berg Lake? 2. In the summer it is a common occurrence that backpackers staying at nearby campgrounds sit at the shoreline of Berg Lake watching and listening for .... what do you think they are waiting to see and hear from across the lake that occurs at frequent intervals? If you hiked up in the warm months the answer will be obvious. 3. At coordinates there is a glacier polished flat boulder in the Berg Lake near the shoreline - an ideal spot for standing for photos. There are grooves ground into the rock by the glacier from the past before it receded to current size. Approximate the compass direction in which the grooves run. 4. A photo of yourself, your hiking party or your GPS with the Berg Glacier across the lake in the background from the location given by the coordinates is optional but would be greatly appreciated. There is no cellular reception and so i-phones will not work at this location and you will need a GPS. You may also wish to go for a dip in the water as I did, but you will not last long as there is a reason why it is called Berg Lake. No, you do not have to take a dip to log this cache although it was tempting to include that as a requirement.
Before your trip obtain a backcountry camping permit at the Visitor Centre on Highway 16 by calling Discover camping at 1-800-689-9025. By vehicle you may wish to travel from Jasper townsite west 84 km on Yellowhead Highway 16. From British Columbia side you will travel 16 km east from Tete Jaune Cache junction. Stop at Mt. Robson visitor centre on the north side of highway and register there. There is a restaurant, information centre, ranger station and a gas station. Then from there you can follow the trailhead access road north for about 2 km with ample free overnight parking. Greyhound busses also make runs east and west on Hwy 16. The trail is well maintained with many bubbling creeks crossing you path. I did not filter the water from these as I drank it but it is generally recommended. The glacier silt in the water tends to plug up filters anyways. As you hike along I would recommend filling a bottle right at the suspended bridge over Robson River as there is no water over 4 km thereafter on the ascending switchbacks where your cardiovascular system will be tested and you will be dripping with sweat.
Best time to go is in July-August, unless you are an experienced alpine backcountry skier. No campfires are allowed in this highly protected ecosystem so bring a stove. Needless to say that this is a Grizzly Bear country and there are other inherent risks involved in this fine Canadian wilderness. It is not for the weak or faint at heart.
References:
Canadian Rockies Geology Road Tours by Ben Gadd, Corax Press, 2009, PP. 447-449.
Don't Waste Your Time in the Canadian Rockies published by Hikingcamping.com, inc. 2011. pp 289-296.