Popular Day Hikes

Kananaskis Country

Gillean Daffern Introduction About Seasonal road closures Kananaskis Country (commonly called K Hwy. 40 is closed December 1 to June 14 Country) is located on the eastern slopes between Kananaskis Lakes Trail (road) of the , west and south of and Highwood Junction. the Olympic city of , . Hwy. 66 is closed December 1 to May In the west near the Great Divide the 14 west of parking lot. Also scenery is much the same as in the adjoin- closed December 1 to May 14 is Hwy. ing : High limestone 546 west of Sandy McNabb Recreation peaks (up to 3449 m), glaciers, waterfalls, Area, Powderface Trail between Dawson blue-green lakes, boisterous streams, trailhead and Hwy. 66 and all of the Gorge forested valley bottoms of spruce and fir Creek Trail. with larches at treeline. Winter snowfall Facilities can be heavy, so some trails, such as Burstall Pass trail, may not be clear of Calgary, Cochrane, Canmore, Bragg snow until mid July. Creek, Turner Valley, Black Diamond and To the east the friendly foothills are a Longview have all the amenities. mosaic of sandstone bluffs, pine/aspen Hwy. 1A Exshaw: Store forests and meadows. They dry quickly (cafe, groceries, gas). of snow, making hiking possible from Hwy. 1X Provincial Park: March to November, and sometimes right Small store at Bow Valley campground. through the winter. Off-season closure. In between are the Front Ranges, a complex jumble of arid valleys, rocky Hwy. 1 Dead Man’s Flat: Motel, B&B, gas peaks and interconnecting ridges built of station/small grocery store, a few eateries. both limestones and sandstones. It’s here Hwy. 40 Kananaskis Village and Rib- you’ll find easy peaks to climb and ridges bon Creek: two hotels, one hostel, small to wander over, the Centennial trail up grocery store with snacks, outdoor rental Mt. Allan being a prime example. store, numerous eateries and watering Alpine meadows are sandwiched holes, nordic spa. Fortress Junction: Gas, between forest and rock and coat many good grocery selection and snack bar. good hiking ridges. For too brief a time The following are closed off-season. from late June to mid August, they are Highwood Junction: Gas, some groceries crammed with flowers. In particular, and snacks. Sundance Lodges: camping overseas visitors will be intoxicated by the in teepees, small store. Boundary Ranch: gaudy colours of North America’s Indian trail rides, restaurant. Kananaskis Coun- Paintbrush. I advise all flower buffs to buy try Golf Course: restaurant. a field guide to put in the pack. Kananaskis Lakes Trail Boulton Creek Getting there restaurant /grocery store. Boulton Creek See the map on page 6. Other than Grey- Rental for bikes, canoes and Kayaks. Off- hound buses that run along the Trans- season closure. Highway between Calgary and Canmore, there is no public transporta- Hwy. 742 Mount Engadine Lodge: accom- tion. You need to rent a car. Consider also modation (all meals provided), evening a mountain bike for some trails. Know that meals at 24 hours notice. all the trails in this book are accessible Hwy. 66—on nearby McLean Creek Trail from Calgary as a day trip. (road)—McLean Creek Camper Centre: groceries and snacks.

3 Introduction

Weather Elk and moose should also be given a wide Snow can fall in any month of the year in berth, especially in fall during the mating the Canadian Rockies. Having said that, season when males get very ornery. Lately, hiking usually starts in April in eastern K cougars have become a year round worry. Country. In May there is usually a period However, they are rarely seen, as are of warm sunny weather. Rains fall mainly wolves. And don’t get too close to picas, in June–the peak run-off time. During ground squirrels and chipmunks. They July and August temperatures can reach bite and could carry disease. the mid 30s and any rain is often associ- Ticks are lurking about between about ated with late afternoon thunderstorms. March and mid June in areas where there Smoke haze from far off forest fires may is a lot of sheep, such as Teahouse Ridge bother some people. The weather starts on Lady MacDonald. Wear light-coloured cooling off in mid September. Indian sum- clothing—all the better to see them—and mers can occur in late September through do a thorough check of your body and October and are glorious, bringing sunny clothes BEFORE you get into your car! In stable weather. By late October and No- this part of the Rockies, none of the ticks vember temperatures are dipping to the carry Lyme’s Disease. minus 20s and snow that falls stays over A few rules to know about the winter. But all is not lost. During this • No registration is necessary. However, period chinook winds can roar in and raise for your safety, registration books are the temperatures by 20 degrees in an hour. available at information centres. This occurs mainly in eastern K Country • Respect trail closures, open fire bans. where is it sometimes possible to hike all • Dogs must be on a leash. the year round. Generally, low cloud is not the problem Safety Tips it is in other wetter ranges of the world and • It is safer to travel with company. If you navigating by compass in K Country is an travel alone, let someone know where unusual event. you are going and when you expect to Drinking Water return. • Unless you are a seasoned hiker who Most locals drink from the creeks. How- knows the area well, going off trail can ever, there is a chance the water, especially be fraught with dangers. Rock is usually the water in the eastern foothills, may friable and rockfall common. be contaminated by Giardia lamblia, a • Start early, especially during the sum- parasite that can cause severe gastroin- mer thunderstorm season. Carry a testinal distress. It is best to at least start flashlight or headlamp when the days off carrying water from your home, hotel become shorter. or campground. • Carry bear repellent and read up on what Wildlife Concerns to do if you encounter a bear/cougar. K At all times be aware of bears, both Grizzly Country information centres carry leaf- and Black bears, particularly in spring or lets on the subject. in the early fall when the berries ripen. It’s • Hunting is allowed everywhere except a good idea to check K Country’s website in provincial parks and provincial rec- to see if there have been any sightings in reation areas. September to November the area you are going to. K Country will is the time to dress in red. Know that often close a trail until a bear has moved hunting is not allowed on Sundays. out of the area. • Carry a cellphone or satellite phone.

4 Using this book How the trails were chosen Except after rain or during run-off, minor For their popularity, first of all. You are creek crossings can usually be jumped or not likely to be alone. They are easily crossed on rocks. accessible from a road, start from parking lots for the most part that usually have Distances toilets and picnic tables, have no major Distances are usually round trip. river crossings and are well-marked. To Sketch Maps give variety trails in each area range from Red lines indicate main trails. Red-dashed short to long and from easy to strenuous. lines are options: Going Farther, Side Because of the constraints, this selection Trips, Detours and Optional Returns. does not mean they are my favourite trails, Black-dashed lines are other trails and are or even that they are the best trails. generally only shown where they intersect the red trails. Trails in the second edition Some trails from the first edition have Do I need other Maps? been omitted because of 2013 flood dam- While it’s possible to hike the trails us- age, and others trails, that have since come ing the maps in this book, why not take to the forefront of popularity have been in- along a 1:50000 recreation map by Gem serted. Well-marked trails have signposts Trek? They are available at most outdoor of the “You are here” variety at junctions, stores, bookstores and gas stations in the and coloured markers or arrows on trees region. The four that cover the trails in and posts in between junctions. Above this book are: treeline watch for cairns, paint splodges Canmore and Kananaskis Village or metal tags on rocks. Other trails, while Kananaskis Lakes not marked in any way apart from cairns or Highwood and Cataract Creek flagging are well used and obvious. Some and Elbow Falls trails are shared with mountain bikers and equestrians, most often those in the What to wear for the trails east Elbow. Be prepared for fast weather changes and pack raingear. For walks and scrambles Options above treeline, particularly in the off Type in blue indicates Going Farther, Side season, take a wind jacket, long pants and trips, Bypasses, Detours and Optional extra warm clothing like hat and gloves. Returns. A few of the Optional Returns During the heat of summer a sun hat, sun require a second vehicle or a bicycle. cream and mosquito repellent are must- Numbers in Text takes. Light hiking boots suffice for all the trails in this book. For clarity the text is written in short numbered paragraphs. Numbers in the Doing More photo captions refer back to the paragraph If you have enjoyed the trails in this book numbers. Numbers in photo captions with why not hike more trails in Kananaskis an 0 in front of them, refer to the option. Country? Kananaskis Country Trail Guide Difficulty volumes 1 through 5 cover all of K Country plus the Bow Valley, The Ghost and Elk Describes conditions underfoot and the Lakes Provincial Park. They are compre- steepness of the grades. Scramble steps are hensive, and describe all designated and noted. A few of the Going farthers involve undesignated trails, long-distance trails, scrambling or going off official trails. backpacks, easy scrambles and ridgewalks.

5 to Sundre

COCHRANE to B a n ff

T RA NS -C AN AD CANMORE A HIG DEAD HWAY Whiteman's EXSHAW MAN’S Gap FLAT LD C R E A E CALGARY BB K RAIL E SI T lbow River Jumpingp ound Creek RICHMOND ROAD Spray JUMPINGPOUND WEST BRAGG Lakes CREEK ROAD Ski Area y Reservoir P e O BRAGG l W l D CREEK a E

KANANASKIS V R Canyon Cre

F ek

VILLAGE A C s M to Hwy 2 i E C k T L E s R A PRIDDIS A N a I L n C R Fortress a E n E K Ski Area a MOUNT K ELBOW

SHARK S

M

ROAD

I T H Fortress -D Junction T O R MILLARVILLE R ek A R re I I C L E int N epo /S re P h R T A

Y T r R e GORGE A iv I R CREEK L ow PETER Elb TRAIL to Okotoks LOUGHEED PROVINCIAL BLACK PARK SHEEP DIAMOND TURNER Kananaskis VALLEY Lakes

S heep River

IL RA T to High River Highwood D Pass O HIGHWOOD O W LONGVIEW H la G Hig F t I h C H wo re od ek

ELK LAKES R PROVINCIAL iv e PARK r

ek r e o C KEY ekisk

Highwood P

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Information Centres k

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e Winter Gates r C Permanent Gates 532 AIL act K TR Rafter Six Trail Riding Specialists ar EE at R C C N O Sundance Lodges S HN to Nanton Kananaskis Village JO The Willow Cr Boundary Ranch Hump eek Wilkinson Fortress Junction Summit Boulton Creek Mount Engadine Lodge to to HWY 3 Highwood Junction Coleman

6 The Trails

Hwy. 1 Canmore, Bow Valley Hwy. 40 Kananaskis Valley

1 – 8 9 Lookout – 40 2 Ha Ling Peak – 13 10 Troll Falls Loop — 45 3 Lady MacDonald – 17 11 Centennial Ridge of Mount Allan – 47 4 Grotto Canyon – 21 12 Ribbon Falls – 51 5 Raven’s End – 24 13 Galatea Lakes – 54 6 Bow Valley Provincial Park Loop – 28 7 Heart Creek – 32 8 Wind Ridge – 36

Hwy. 40 Peter Lougheed Prov. Park Hwy. 742 The Smith-Dorrien

14 – 58 18 Buller Pass – 69 15 Rawson Lake – 62 19 Burstall Pass – 73 16 – 64 20 – 77 17 Ptarmigan Cirque – 66 21 Rummel Lake – 80

Hwys. 40, 541 The Highwood Hwys. 546, 549 The Sheep

22 Mist Ridge – 83 26 Foran Grade Loop –100 23 Picklejar Lakes – 88 27 Volcano Ridge Loop —103 24 Mount Burke – 92 28 Mesa Butte —107 25 Grass Pass, – 96

Hwy. 66 The Elbow Twp. Rd. 232 West Bragg

29 Fullerton Loop —110 35 Telephone Ridge Loop – 132 30 Elbow Valley / Riverview Loop – 112 31 Moose Mountain – 116 32 Prairie Mountain – 120 33 Powderface Ridge – 124 Hwy. 68, Powderface Road 34 Nihahi Ridge – 128 36 Jumpingpound Loop — 135 37 Jumpingpound Mountain – 138 38 Cox Hill – 141

7 2 Ha Ling Peak

Distance 5.6 km return A muscle-aching grind up the west Height gain 732 m slope of Ha Ling Peak, the prominent High point 2408 m mountain overlooking Canmore and Strenuous a fabulous viewpoint. From the col Late spring, summer, fall between the mountain and Miners Peak, both peaks are accessible. Start: Hwy. 742 (Smith-Dorrien—Spray Trail) at Whiteman’s Gap. Park in the Goat Creek parking lot just south of Whiteman’s Pond.

Difficulty: In 2018/19 the Matt Had- ley trail to the col superseded the old Trailminders trail that had become badly eroded. The new trail has easy switch- backs and rock steps and cable ladders up the steeper parts. The final ascent requires some route finding on scree.

1. Cross the highway, walk up a road or shortcut trail to the canal and cross it via the bridge. 2. Turn right and reach a large boulder with plaque “dedicated to the mining commu- Ha Ling Peak from Whitemans Pond. nity that worked beneath this mountain.” 3. Go straight across a gully and make a long curving arc through forest into the first left-hand zig. At its end viewpoint climb a rocky ridge to a second viewpoint. Zig right below a long slab, then back left to the third and best viewpoint for Whitemans Pond and Mt. Rundle. At the far end of the view- ing trail is a bench with a view of Canmore. 4. After the next two zigs, the trail travers- es through Whitebark pines at treeline. Steeper slopes at the end of this stretch is where stone steps and cable ladders make their first appearance. The last steepest zig climbs through scree with help from stone steps and ends on the col between Ha Ling and Miners Peak. Here ends the good trail. Plaque at the beginning of the trail at 2. 5. Turn left and pick your way up the rocky southwest ridge to the summit. There’s no one route, just innumerable trails etched At 2. The first plaque erected by Trailminders was in scree winding about the slabs. stolen and never recovered. Photo Doug Campbell.

13 Hwy. 1 Canmore, Bow Valley

Left: Steps chipped into bedrock between the first and second viewpoints at 3. Photo Alberta Parks/ Kananaskis Region. The new trail was designed by Matt Hadley of McElhanney Consulting Services in consultation with Alberta Parks/Kananaskis Region.

Below: The best viewpoint at the end of 3 overlooks Whitemans Pond and Mt. Rundle. A stone bench out of sight to the right open ups a view of Canmore. This is the logical turnaround place for walkers who don’t want to climb any higher, Photo Matt Hadley.

Whitemans Pond

to Canmore Ha Ling Peak

GOAT CREEK TraverseLeon’s 4.0 col

lly Miners gu Peak gully

Mt. Lawrence 14 Grassi Hwy. 1 Canmore, Bow Valley

6. In 1896, Ha Ling, a Chinese cook “As the peak has no name let it hence working in Canmore, was bet 50 dollars forth be called Ha Ling Peak in honour of he couldn’t climb up and down within his daring intrepidity” it was proclaimed. 10 hours. He made it in a 5 hour round For many generations, though, it was trip—a remarkable time that can hardly called “Chinaman’s Peak.” Then during be bettered today. Not surprisingly no the Great Canmore Influx of the 1990s the one believed him, so the next day he led a name officially changed to Ha Ling. To this group of doubters to the top where his flag day there are pockets of resistance to the was seen “proudly flapping in the breeze.” new name by long-time locals.

Top left: Treeline Whitebark pines at 4. The tree is an endangered species, so please don’t carve your names into the bark. Photo Matt Hadley. Top right: At the end of 4, a series of rock steps lead to the col. Photo Matt Hadley. Right: At 5, the last stretch to the summit is a lot rougher with trails winding between slabs

15 Hwy. 1 Canmore, Bow Valley

Above: Ha Ling’ summit cairn is Option Miners Peak perched on the edge of the north face, Height gain 50 m from col a popular rock climbing venue. From here enjoy a more extensive view of An easier option to Ha Ling that can also be Canmore and the Bow Valley. climbed on the same trip. Below: View from the col at the end of 4 showing the trail leading 1. At the col head up right along the slowly to Miners Peak, which is the rising ridgeline. When it flattens turn left promontory at left. Though it appears scarcely a peak from this and walk out on a slightly exposed prom- direction, it looks spectacular from ontory (cliffs on both sides) to the summit Canmore and has a surprisingly of Miners Peak. narrow ridge leading to its high point at far left.

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