Rawson Lake was supposed to be a quick hike in, 4 pm start, set up a space and wait for the stars to come out (and hopefully the aurora). Hiking in the Canadian Rockies in May always comes with a bit of risk. Sure enough we would have been better off with our touring gear.
There was no obvious spot to sit away from the four feet of snow blanketing the entire bowl, so we explored the area for some reprieve, which did not exist. Our footwear became increasingly soggy with each sinking step we took, and so naturally we warmed our wet socks over the butane stove for a few minutes and defeated, began our journey back down to Upper Kananaskis Lake.
With a bit of patience and luck, we were able to wait out the cold long enough for a beautiful display of aurora to the northwest at around 1 am. It takes courage, persistence and a bit of dumb luck to witness this incredible display, especially as far south as Kananaskis, but it is always worth the effort.
