It took a stranger on Mount Lady Macdonald to remind me why I haven’t set foot on this trail for a long time. The trail was closed from August 2020 to June 2023 during the the Cougar Creek debris retention structure construction.
I was deep in my quest to conquer new trails and peaks so the opening of the Lady Macdonald trail may have gone unnoticed. So many new peaks, so little time.
I felt it was about time I checked out the trail again. I had been sick all week with a head cold and I wasn’t feeling a long run in West Bragg. I needed to stand on a mountain for both my sanity and my well being. Last Saturday, I had run a few kilometres on the trail after my Grotto summit.
Here’s some history for you. The mountain was named in 1886 after Susan Agnes Macdonald, the wife of Canada’s first prime minister – John A. Macdonald.
My Saturday plan was to do an out and back to the teahouse. The trail starting from Cougar Creek was in good shape. A few spots, like the boulder section, completely slipped my mind. Thankfully I remembered to follow the blue markers on the rocks.
Fresh snow powdered the peaks thanks to a couple days of snow earlier in the week. A few runners descending the trail advised me about the slippery rocks on the summit. I wasn’t feeling the snow and I was thankful for the heads up.
I didn’t see any sign of the “teahouse” platform. A newly installed bench marked the spot of the now defunct platform. I learned this was the spot later from a hiker when I was passing it on my way down. I decided to go past the Lady Macdonald trail sign to another high spot before turning back.
This part of the trail was slippery and covered with patches of snow. I looked up to the summit convinced I was making the right decision. It was still early in the day so I plogged down and trotted over to Grotto. I climbed to the saddle before turning back. I had a great training day (2,000 metre elevation gain over 20 kilometres).
What’s a mountain you avoided for a while, and why? I would love to hear from you in the comments below.