Measuring Up

Sat. 16 June:  Surveyor’s Ridge, Mt. Ware Circuit

Of all the hiking routes in the Alberta Foothills, this long circuit might be among the very finest.  And on the summit of Surveyor’s Ridge, there was even a welcoming committee! 

This is quite a long, arduous circuit of about nineteen kilometres across a sweep of forested and open-ridged foothills.  The guidebook indicates that it would also need some route-finding skills in the remoter sections.  But thanks to the horse-back riders who have traveled this route, there was never any serious doubt about the right path. 

It was obvious why horse riders come this way.  The views are stunning, and the route is always changing and interesting, but never impossible for riders.  For the hiker, the added enjoyment comes from climbing to the summits of Surveyor’s Ridge and Mt. Ware – which are bypassed by the horse trail.

I would recommend this circuit be done in an anti-clockwise direction, my chosen direction.  The climb to Surveyor’s Ridge, while anything but direct, is easy enough, once you have labored up to the high point on Volcano Ridge Trail.  Just a few hundred metres from the Volcano Ridge Trail, I was treated to the first of several spectacular mountain views, with the vista framed by rugged pines.

Luckily, in the forested sections, the snow had now melted, and only remained along the eastern edges of the high ridges.  Of course, there was still plenty of snow on the mountains framing the western horizon.  Looking east, the skyscrapers of Calgary were visible beyond the low foothills.  The eastern horizon stretched flat as an ocean.  

The summit of Surveyor’s Ridge is at the northern end, and so as I reached the top, I was confronted by a large stone cairn, on which sat a welcoming gopher.  He allowed a few photos before retreating into his hole in the rocks.  The open, grassy ridge spread southwards in front of me, with the distinctive peak of Mt. Ware off to the southeast.  Behind was a wall of snowy peaks.

The only potentially tricky section was the high forested link between Surveyor’s Ridge and Mt. Ware.  But the horse trail was clear as it wound through the trees, out onto open mountainsides, then dropping down steeply to the connecting ridge below.  This was a grand trail, always changing in character.  Higher up it provided great views across to Mt. Ware.  Lower down, it opened up into green grassy meadow ringed by peaks.  It then climbed back up to the open flanks of Mt. Ware, and the final scramble up its steep rocky northern side to the narrow, wind-swept peak.

Mt. Ware has a narrow, short ridge-top with a small cairn.  It always seems to be windy up here.  It sits alone, surrounded by the Front Ranges.  To the north I could see my route up, and along, Surveyor’s Ridge.  You have to be very careful coming down off the very steep slopes of Mt. Ware, as it’s made up of loose rock.  Once down off the peak, it’s an easy stroll down the grassy upper hillsides, through the trees, before the long, steep, forested descent to Gorge Creek far below.

I could not find any decent trail down through the forest, but luckily the trees were not too tightly spaced. Lower down I picked up a trail, and before long I was safely back down on the valley floor.  There is no sign marking the junction, except for a number of sawed-off branches on a tree.  Here in the valley, the grass was green and there were lots of bright yellow dandelions.  The trees all had new leaves on them, blowing in the breeze.

The stroll back down Gorge Creek was a delight.  The path follows the bubbling creek, sometimes climbing high above it on the steep valley sides, and then dropping right down to the stream.  This was a good place to relax by the water’s edge.  By now it had warmed up since the cool start earlier in the morning.  The sun was starting to break out.

I had not seen a person all day.  Only a few yards from the car park, I came upon two groups of hikers starting down the trail.  The car park was full of vehicles, so there were lots of people out there somewhere.

It’s a long trip, but standing on the remote, 7,080 ft. summit of Surveyor’s Ridge, it certainly measured up to expectations.  

Statistics
Surveyor’s Ridge/Mt. Ware
Sat. 16 June
Total Dist.	19.0 km (hike)
Height Gain	2,530 ft.
Max. Elev.	7,080 ft.
Time	6 hrs. 46 mins.

Other Stats.
Start hike:     7.11 am Surv. Ridge:   9.47 am Mt. Ware:     11.19 am Ret. to car:     1.57 pm	Temp:   + 5C to + 18C Cloud, some wind, warm, clearing gradually