Fri. 30 July: Moose MountainThis mountain, just five feet short of 8,000 ft., apparently looks like a moose from some angle which I haven’t yet discovered!
There’s no question that this rugged peak is one of the most popular hikes for Calgarians, being so handy to the city. I myself have been to the summit three times before and today would make it four. And I have been part way up on other occasions.
Someone should give it a popular nickname, such as “the mother of all lookouts”, or “the jewel in the crown” - something to denote its position as perhaps the “premier” fire lookout mountain in Alberta. So naturally I wanted to climb to the top during this year, when most of my hikes are focused on visiting the fire lookouts of the Rockies.
J and I were on the hill just after 7 a.m., managing to be first in the small car park at the top of the steep road leading up from the Elbow Valley. This road was wet and slightly muddy after yesterday’s thunderstorms, but easily driveable.
I tried to make a bet with J that ours would not be the only vehicle by the time we returned to the car. He was too wise to put any money on it.
There is a large green sign at the start of the trail warning visitors to be careful not to get caught out on the high bare mountainsides during a thunderstorm. Today promised to be one of those days, so we had started early.
Almost immediately we had views of the lookout, perched high on the top the mountain, far across the valley, looking impregnable and unattainable.
But the gentle trail steadily climbs up the forested ridges, until finally it pulls itself up out of the trees. Here on the broad, grassy slopes, we could see the trail ahead as it climbed up onto the bare rocky hillside, in a series of zig-zags. According to the guidebook, you can choose whether to use the switchback trail or to head straight up the mountain. We didn’t need the guidebook to tell us that most sane people would choose the zig-zags.
Once up on the wide bare upper ridge, the final summit of Moose Mountain lay ahead, a fortress guarded by dangerous cliffs. But there is a straightforward path down across the col, up the final ridge, across the steep rocky scree slopes, and up to the lookout perched on the tiny summit. Here we sat on the helicopter pad just below the lookout building, and enjoyed some lunch.
The views west to the mountains were very good, and the atmosphere was clear enough in that direction for us to distinguish many of the Front Range peaks and valleys. But off to the east across the prairie it was hazy, due apparently to the many forest fires now burning across British Columbia. And there was a sense of instability about the atmosphere, despite the blue skies. Some clouds were starting to appear, and a front was appearing to the southwest. It turned out that, only a few hours after we completed our hike, some severe thunderstorms developed up and down the foothills, and there were even a couple of tornados to the north of Calgary.
Our lookout friend did not choose to make an appearance, but we signed the handy visitors book, and admired the views on this warm, almost windless day – a rare period of calm up on this exposed mountaintop.
The sound of distant vehicle engines could be heard below. Through the binoculars we could see that a new gas well site was being constructed far below us on the northern slopes of the mountain.
Just below the summit, someone had constructed an ugly little structure which looks like a noticeboard with a roof on it, held down by two concrete blocks. Nearby was a picnic table. Perhaps this will become a holding area for hikers waiting their turn to sign the visitors book!
As we started our descent, I glanced back to see the shirtless observer basking in the sun beside the lookout building. I gave him a friendly wave and got a hesitant wave in reply. It would be impossible for any fire observer on Moose Mountain to greet every visitor – they would have no time to do their real jobs. But in past years, when there were fewer visitors, there was perhaps more connection between hiker and observer. On our first visit here, way back in 1982, for example, L and I were invited inside the lookout building and met not only the young observer, but his pet spider too!!
There were quite a few mosquitoes flying about, even on the summit, They were later than normal arriving this year, so were now clearly making up for lost time. We met our first trippers of the day at the foot of the zig-zags above the broad meadows. The two guys commented on the lack of hikers today. On their last trip up here, they were chased down the mountainside by a thunderstorm, while other people happily sat up on the hillside as lightning flashed all around. As we traveled back along the lower trails, we met a few other groups of hikers, but it was relatively quiet for a summer’s day, and there was not even one mountain biker.
Looking back up the mountain, we could see late morning thunderclouds starting to build up above the peaks. The wildflowers on the steeply sloping hillsides beside the trail were at their best. We agreed that we needed to do some homework on finding out their names, since the mountain flowers on display on every hike in the Rockies are a big part of the pleasures of the journey – and after all these years I am ashamed to admit that I am no better able to identify most of them.
The final hill back up to the car was a good test of one’s stamina. Back at the car park, a number of hikers and bikers were preparing to set out up the mountain. I hope they were able to get down again before the arrival of the thunderstorms which were brewing up there.
As for J and myself, we felt pretty good about being able to reach the summit of Moose Mountain and back in just under four and three-quarter hours. A very respectable time for a couple of slightly ageing gentlemen!
There’s no question that this rugged peak is one of the most popular hikes for Calgarians, being so handy to the city. I myself have been to the summit three times before and today would make it four. And I have been part way up on other occasions.
Someone should give it a popular nickname, such as “the mother of all lookouts”, or “the jewel in the crown” - something to denote its position as perhaps the “premier” fire lookout mountain in Alberta. So naturally I wanted to climb to the top during this year, when most of my hikes are focused on visiting the fire lookouts of the Rockies.
J and I were on the hill just after 7 a.m., managing to be first in the small car park at the top of the steep road leading up from the Elbow Valley. This road was wet and slightly muddy after yesterday’s thunderstorms, but easily driveable.
I tried to make a bet with J that ours would not be the only vehicle by the time we returned to the car. He was too wise to put any money on it.
There is a large green sign at the start of the trail warning visitors to be careful not to get caught out on the high bare mountainsides during a thunderstorm. Today promised to be one of those days, so we had started early.
Almost immediately we had views of the lookout, perched high on the top the mountain, far across the valley, looking impregnable and unattainable.
But the gentle trail steadily climbs up the forested ridges, until finally it pulls itself up out of the trees. Here on the broad, grassy slopes, we could see the trail ahead as it climbed up onto the bare rocky hillside, in a series of zig-zags. According to the guidebook, you can choose whether to use the switchback trail or to head straight up the mountain. We didn’t need the guidebook to tell us that most sane people would choose the zig-zags.
Once up on the wide bare upper ridge, the final summit of Moose Mountain lay ahead, a fortress guarded by dangerous cliffs. But there is a straightforward path down across the col, up the final ridge, across the steep rocky scree slopes, and up to the lookout perched on the tiny summit. Here we sat on the helicopter pad just below the lookout building, and enjoyed some lunch.
The views west to the mountains were very good, and the atmosphere was clear enough in that direction for us to distinguish many of the Front Range peaks and valleys. But off to the east across the prairie it was hazy, due apparently to the many forest fires now burning across British Columbia. And there was a sense of instability about the atmosphere, despite the blue skies. Some clouds were starting to appear, and a front was appearing to the southwest. It turned out that, only a few hours after we completed our hike, some severe thunderstorms developed up and down the foothills, and there were even a couple of tornados to the north of Calgary.
Our lookout friend did not choose to make an appearance, but we signed the handy visitors book, and admired the views on this warm, almost windless day – a rare period of calm up on this exposed mountaintop.
The sound of distant vehicle engines could be heard below. Through the binoculars we could see that a new gas well site was being constructed far below us on the northern slopes of the mountain.
Just below the summit, someone had constructed an ugly little structure which looks like a noticeboard with a roof on it, held down by two concrete blocks. Nearby was a picnic table. Perhaps this will become a holding area for hikers waiting their turn to sign the visitors book!
As we started our descent, I glanced back to see the shirtless observer basking in the sun beside the lookout building. I gave him a friendly wave and got a hesitant wave in reply. It would be impossible for any fire observer on Moose Mountain to greet every visitor – they would have no time to do their real jobs. But in past years, when there were fewer visitors, there was perhaps more connection between hiker and observer. On our first visit here, way back in 1982, for example, L and I were invited inside the lookout building and met not only the young observer, but his pet spider too!!
There were quite a few mosquitoes flying about, even on the summit, They were later than normal arriving this year, so were now clearly making up for lost time. We met our first trippers of the day at the foot of the zig-zags above the broad meadows. The two guys commented on the lack of hikers today. On their last trip up here, they were chased down the mountainside by a thunderstorm, while other people happily sat up on the hillside as lightning flashed all around. As we traveled back along the lower trails, we met a few other groups of hikers, but it was relatively quiet for a summer’s day, and there was not even one mountain biker.
Looking back up the mountain, we could see late morning thunderclouds starting to build up above the peaks. The wildflowers on the steeply sloping hillsides beside the trail were at their best. We agreed that we needed to do some homework on finding out their names, since the mountain flowers on display on every hike in the Rockies are a big part of the pleasures of the journey – and after all these years I am ashamed to admit that I am no better able to identify most of them.
The final hill back up to the car was a good test of one’s stamina. Back at the car park, a number of hikers and bikers were preparing to set out up the mountain. I hope they were able to get down again before the arrival of the thunderstorms which were brewing up there.
As for J and myself, we felt pretty good about being able to reach the summit of Moose Mountain and back in just under four and three-quarter hours. A very respectable time for a couple of slightly ageing gentlemen!
Statistics
Moose Mountain
Fri. 30 July
Total Dist. 14.6 km (hike)
Height Gain 2198 ft.
Max. Elev. 7995 ft.
Time on trail 4 hr. 41 mins.
Moose Mountain
Fri. 30 July
Total Dist. 14.6 km (hike)
Height Gain 2198 ft.
Max. Elev. 7995 ft.
Time on trail 4 hr. 41 mins.
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