South Volcano Ridge

Fri. 30 November:  South Volcano Ridge

That’s it!  The winter gates are now closed – but not before I had one final adventure in the snowy back-country.

It was an overcast morning in the city.  The frost was heavy on the trees, making it a pretty sight in the pre-dawn half-light.

Halfway up the Sheep Valley I surprised a large herd of elk which quickly moved away into the trees.  Later in the day, a large group of bighorn sheep grazed beside the road.  From tomorrow they will have the valley to themselves.  For the winter gate closes at 8 a.m. tomorrow (Dec. 1st).

The narrow Gorge Creek road was covered by slippery, packed snow.  So I drove very carefully, especially along the section which clings to the hillside with a steep drop to Gorge Creek below.  At the end of the road, at the Gorge Creek trailhead, a truck with its horse trailer was parked.  Two riders (or one person with two horses - as I later figured) were already on the trail somewhere ahead of me.

I had planned to do a snowshoe/ski trip, but as I drove west up the Sheep Valley, it was clear that there wasn’t enough snow for skis yet. My idea had been to hike/snowshoe northwards up the low level Gorge-Ware connector trail, then ski back along the road.  Instead I did a much more strenuous high level trip.

Dropping down to Gorge Creek from the trail head, I sensed a difference from my last trip here in June.  It was silent!  Gorge Creek, usually a lively stream, was frozen up.  Crossing the bridge over the icy creek, I turned north, through meadows with a light snow cover on the ground.  Horses and hikers had been here since the last snowfall, so the route was easily hikeable (with MICROspikes).

Turning left onto the Volcano South trail, I followed the narrow valley, first flat, then steeply up the endless hillside to the ridge.  I remember this had been hard work in June, but today I managed it fairly easily.  The steepest section is right at the top, just when you think you’re there.  Turning left along the ridge for a few hundred metres, I came to the first viewpoint of the day.  This open hillside gives great views west towards Bluerock Mountain (9,150 ft.) and Mt. Ware, as well as northwards up the gentle slopes of Volcano Ridge.  These vistas were half hidden in swirling mist, but there was also plenty of sunshine. There were also a couple of snow flurries.

Returning to the trail, I stopped to put on my snowshoes, then followed the cutline down and up to the high point of the trail.  Along this section I came upon the two horses from the trailer I had seen in the car park.  Only one horse had a saddle.  The other would be for carrying the hunter's trophy off the hill.  Their owner was somewhere up on the mountain.  A little later I heard the sound of distant gunfire.

To my right, at the trail summit, rose the shapely peak of South Volcano Ridge, a destination that no hiker could resist.  To reach the top I had to do a tiny bit of climbing up the north face, a slippery, snow covered prospect.  Here was the perfect place for lunch.  On my first visit here, back in 1992, over twenty years ago, I had also enjoyed lunch in thick mist, with no views at all.  Today the light was flat, but the snow-covered hillsides rose up into the mist in spectacular fashion.  This was not unlike some of the scenery I recall from winter hikes in Northern Scotland way back in the 1970’s.

Slipping down the steep snowy ridge, I returned to the trail.  Here I found a new trail marker, which led me down off the mountain on a perfect snowshoe route.  This is a brand new trail, called Volcano Link, and was created in 2010.  The guidebook describes this as “Cockerton’s Corkscrew” after the trail designer.  This gives one the general idea of the route, as it plunges over a thousand feet down through the trees to the valley floor.  Along the way it passes beside a superb viewpoint of the eastern foothills.  Up here in the sunshine I could look east to where the low cloud enveloped the prairie and the lower hills.  Calgary today was dull and overcast, hidden somewhere beneath that cloud layer. 

Reaching the valley floor, I turned left and followed the forest trail out to the old abandoned Gorge Creek Trail road.  Now turning south, I trudged along this snowy roadbed for over three and a half kilometres, up over a high point on the road, then down to the gate, back to my original trailhead.  There was about six inches of crusty snow on the road, and animal prints, which, together with the long uphill, would have made it a very difficult ski.  I was better off with my snowshoes.

Reluctant to leave the Sheep Valley, I drove west to the end of the road.  A young couple was pulling their baby along the road in a sled.  There were only a couple of other cars along the way.  I walked down to Tiger Jaw Falls to photograph the ice building up around the tumbling water, and the icicles on the rocks.  It was starting to feel cold, and the sun was setting behind the mountains. 

Before the sun would rise tomorrow, the winter gate would be swung closed, and then this end of the valley would fall silent until next May.  I hope the horse rider got safely off the hill in time.

Statistics
South Volcano Ridge
Fri. 30 November
Total Dist.	9.1 km (‘shoe) +   6.3 km (hike)  = 15.4 km
Height Gain	1,525 ft.
Max. Elev.	6,300 ft.
Time	5 hrs. 25 mins.

Other Stats.
Dep. car:        9.02 am W View:        10.41 am Peak:            11.27 am Road:             1.12 pm Ret. to car:     2.27 pm	Temp: around minus 5 C Sun, cloud, flurries, no wind

Jumpingpound Mountain

Sat. 24 November:  Jumpingpound Mountain

Only a week to go until the winter gates swing closed for another long season.   I was keen to choose a destination beyond the gates.  In a last-minute decision, I chose Powderface Mountain.  The trailhead is at a high point along Powderface Trail.  This narrow, gravel road, although well maintained, was snow packed and icy.  Luckily there was almost no traffic on it, and so I took my time driving the first ten kilometres from the northern end at Sibbald Creek to the start of my hike.

Nobody had been up the summit trail since the last snowfall.  This made it a perfect snow shoe journey up the steep forested hillside on the well graded switchback trail.  The sun shone through the trees but it was a cold morning, perhaps around eight degrees below freezing.  Halfway up the summit trail, the ground eases off a bit.  Don’t be fooled!  There is plenty of climbing still ahead to reach the ridge.  And then there is more climbing still, before one breaks out of the trees onto the open slopes leading to the summit of Jumpingpound Mountain.

There was plenty of snow along the ridge, but the final open section to the summit was almost snow-free.  I stopped to take off my snowshoes and to put on my MICROspikes for the final few hundred feet to the top.

Jumpingpound Mountain, at 7,350 ft., is the highest point along the whole line of ridges stretching from Cox Hill in the north to Powderface Ridge in the south.  Yet it is one of the easiest summits to reach from a road.  Of course, the views were spectacular, particularly on such a bright sunny day. The line of snowy peaks stretched across the whole western horizon.  There was a line of cloud above the mountains, but it was bright and sunny eastwards from there.  A biting wind blew across the open hillsides, although it was very pleasant in the sheltered, sunny sections.

Stretching eastwards from this summit is a line of gentle ridges which eventually connect to the enormous bulk of Moose Mountain, 7,995 ft.  I decided to head east to the first and most prominent peak along the way.  A trail could be seen on the open snow-free sections.  Soon after dropping off the summit, I entered a forest where the snow was deep.  I put my snowshoes back on and slogged down through the trees to the col and then up the other side to the open hilltop.  Here I could enjoy the view back to the summit, which looked high and remote.  

To the south and east stood Moose Mountain, with the fire lookout clearly visible on its summit.  The full trek to Moose would make a great summer hike, when there would be plenty of time to make a long one way trip or a strenuous circuit of ridges.

Today I turned around at this first hilltop along the east ridge.  I fought my way back down and then up through the trees across the snow.  As I arrived back at the summit, two women strode up the ridge.  We exchanged cheery hellos and I told them I had made a trail for them to the next peak to the east.  Since they didn’t have snow shoes, they wouldn’t have got far.  In fact, they did very well getting to the summit.  On my return down the ridge, I saw that they had come up the long way from the south, and not up my access trail.

It was a fast descent down the perfect snow shoe trail to the car.  I had seen no other travelers.  I decided to continue southwards along the twisting, narrow Powderface Trail, driving extremely carefully as it would have been very easy to have slipped off the side of a cliff or into a deep ditch.  Luckily I saw perhaps one car coming the other way, and a few parked trucks.  The occupants of one truck were securing a large Christmas tree in the back – surely illegal! Finally after about twenty kilometres of cautious driving I came out into the Elbow River Valley. 

The section of road over the Rainy Pass was slick and snow packed.  I passed the winter gate, knowing that it would not be until next May that I would next be driving over that Pass.  But I might just come back in mid-winter for a long ski trip, past the gate and into the silent reaches of the upper Elbow Valley!  

Statistics
Jumpingpound Mtn + East   Ridge
Sat. 24 November
Total Dist.	8.4 km (‘shoe) + 0.4 km (hike)  = 8.8 km
Height Gain	1,785 ft.
Max. Elev.	7,350 ft.
Time	3 hrs. 36 mins.

Other Stats.
Dep. car:        8.59 am Summit:       10.25 am 1st Top:        11.04 am Summit:       11.42 am Ret. to car:   12.35 pm	Temp: minus 8 C to about zero Sunny, a few clouds over mtns., cold breeze on the open slopes

Moraine Lake

Fri. 16 November:  Moraine Lake

There’s been a lot of talk about user fees in Kananaskis Country.  Out here at Lake Louise, I would have gladly paid an extra 50 bucks (on top of the Banff Park pass) for the privilege of being on the Moraine Lake trail today.  Conditions were superb, especially for mid-November. 

Venus was shining brightly as I left the house around a quarter to six in the morning.  By the time I passed Banff, dawn was breaking.  Somewhere between Banff and Lake Louise the temperatures dropped from minus two to minus twelve degrees and I entered into a winter scene of snow-draped trees.  If I had been worrying about snow conditions on the Moraine Lake road (which I hadn’t been), I could now relax.  The track-set road was in excellent shape for so early in the season.

I was first in the parking area beside the winter gate.  In fact, I had the place to myself all the way, until I started my return.  My goal was to try and make it the full twelve kilometres to Moraine Lake, and back again.  I made it, fairly easily.  The road is not completely flat, rising some seven hundred feet over its length.  In fact, the high point is two or three kilometres from the lake, at which point it drops gently down to the lakeside. 

This high point, also a good viewpoint, is the usual turn-around point for most skiers.  Beyond here the road crosses some exposed avalanche slopes below Mt. Temple (11,627 ft.).  So the track setting also stops at this point.  I had checked the avalanche report and it showed “low” (green), so I continued on down to the lake.  

Luckily a skier had been down here perhaps the day before, so I followed the single tracks down the road, towards the most impressive set of mountain peaks in the Canadian Rockies.  These mountains, forming a section of the Great Divide, rise steeply from Moraine Lake.  This spectacular scene was captured on the Canadian $20 bill.

At Moraine Lake there is a lodge and some posh cabins, all boarded up for the winter.  I cleared a handy lakeside bench of about a foot of snow and sat down to admire the view of lake and peaks.  A hungry Clark’s nutcracker flew from branch to branch to check me out.  Already the snow was deep here, and it would get a lot deeper as winter progressed.  At this time of year, the sun does not reach the lake, so even at noon I was in the cool shade.

The return up the hill was easy enough.  Here I met my first people, a family of four who were interested to know how far the lake was.  They were encouraged by my reply.  At the top of the hill I encountered a lone skier who recognized me as a work colleague.  After a friendly chat I started back down the road.  While it is not all downhill, it does make for a very enjoyable eight or nine kilometres of easy skiing, gliding or just whizzing along with very little effort. 

In no time I was back at the car, having met perhaps ten or fifteen people along the way.  An early weekday is the best time for this route.  Tomorrow it would be mobbed by hundreds of people.  I can think of no more enjoyable trip for a novice or intermediate cross-country skier wanting a nice track-set route to work on their skills.  I felt almost like a professional by the time I cruised back to the car.   

Statistics
Moraine Lake Road
Fri. 16 November
Total Dist.	24 km (XC ski)
Height Gain	700 ft.
Max. Elev.	6,400 ft.
Time	4 hrs. 38 mins.

Other Stats.
Dep. car:        8.15 am Arr. Lake:     10.43 am Dep. Lake:    11.09 am Ret. to car:   12.53 pm	Temp: minus 11 C to minus 3C Sunny, no wind, a few clouds over mtns.

Who could resist dropping in at Lake Louise, having got as far as the Moraine Lake road?  Certainly not me.  The snow-laden trees made this wintry scene so perfect today, and there was plenty of sunshine.  Yet there were only a few vehicles in the car park, and no crowds beside the lake. 

I stopped in at the magnificent Chateau Lake Louise for a sandwich and hot chocolate at the friendly German deli. It was a quiet afternoon at the hotel.

Twenty four kilometres of skiing had not yet finished me off, and so, as an added bonus, I stopped at Johnston Canyon for a leisurely walk up to the Lower Falls.  The snow-covered trail was hard packed, so I wore my MICROspikes for good traction. 

Winter is the best time to visit Johnston Canyon.  It’s a magical stroll up the narrow walkway, which clings to the cliffs beside and above the icy creek.  I met a handful of people along the way.  The lower falls were still running, but there was plenty of ice forming and soon it will totally freeze up.  The most spectacular sight was of multiple rows of gigantic icicles draping the sides of the gorge, like banks of pipes from some huge church organ.

I drove very slowly along Route 1A back to the Trans-Canada Highway – partly because the road looked very icy, but mostly so I could enjoy the scenery and keep an eye out for wildlife (none to be seen).

The sun was setting as I left the mountains behind me.  To avoid various rush-hour traffic problems I continued south to Bragg Creek then back along Highway 22X. In the process I enjoyed a colorful sunset, above the clear line of mountain peaks.  My photo editing tool has made it even more spectacular, to better fit the day itself.

Statistics
Johnston Canyon (Lower Falls)
Fri. 16 November
Total Dist.	2.2 km (hike)
Height Gain	150 ft.
Max. Elev.	4,840 ft.
Time	0 hrs. 51 mins.

Other Stats.
Dep. car:        2.29 pm Falls:             2.53 pm Ret. to car:     3.20 pm	Temp: minus 1 C Sun, cloud, snow packed trail

Fresh Air

Sat./Sun. 10/11 November:  Fresh Air

Saturday:  Pine Creek Plod

It was cold out there today.  Not that this has ever stopped me from heading out into the hills.  Winter had swept into the city the previous week, leaving a good cover of snow and temperatures way below freezing.  Today it started to clear up.  So I took the opportunity to head down to the south end of the city, and out to the Cross Conservation Area.  Here the prairies meet the foothills, and there is plenty of good walking in remarkably remote country.  Yet off to the north the city spreads across the prairie, the view dominated by the skyscrapers of the downtown core.

I should have worn snow shoes, but instead chose my warm snow boots. This made it more of a plod around the circuit of the Pine Creek Trail, through snow that lay up to six inches deep.

Nobody had been on this entire trail since the snowfall, so I could see all the prints of the deer criss-crossing the trail.  There are large herds of deer here, yet I saw only one animal.  The rest were hiding in the woods, well out of sight.

Not many people take the Pine Creek Trail all the way to the grand viewpoint at the western end of the park.  Today the mountains were hidden by a thin haze.  During my walk, this haze cleared away, leaving sharp mountain peaks sticking out of a low mist.

It was a pleasant amble across the open hills, up through the woods, and down Pine Creek.  Some of the route was already in the cold shade, as the low sun was sinking towards the horizon.  The trees were draped with the new snow, making this a very pretty, yet wintry, scene.

I returned along Fescue Trail, up past the southern viewpoint, then northwards back to the city viewpoint.  Although there was no wind, my face started to feel very cold when the sun was at my back.  I was happy to jump in the car at the end, and turn up the heat!  I had seen no other people along the way, but towards the end of my hike, I saw the footprints of a party of three on a shorter circuit. 

This beautiful Alberta landscape is always well worth the $2 entrance fee, and to have this winter wilderness all to myself, yet in plain sight of a city of 1.1 million.

Statistics
Cross Conservation Area
Sat. 10 November
Total Dist.	9 km (hike)
Height Gain	600 ft.
Max. Elev.	4,270 ft.
Time	2 hrs. 51 mins.

Other Stats.
Dep. car:        1.37 pm West End:      2.30 pm S. viewpt:       3.41 pm Ret. to car:     4.28 pm	Temp: minus 12 C to minus 17C Clear, v. light breeze, snow covered, cold day.

Sunday:  “Luncheon is served, Madam!”

Another one of those famous (at least in my own mind!) “Tours by Dad”.

Today C and I toured the Elbow Valley on a clear but cold Sunday.  Highlights were Elbow Falls, Forgetmenot Pond, and Allen Bill Pond, plus a detour part way up Moose Mountain road for the view.

The area around Elbow Falls was a scenic wonderland, with snow-draped trees framing the Falls, with the Elbow River passing through the forested foothills, diving over the Falls, then sweeping away eastwards towards the prairie.  A perfect place for photo shots along the short but scenic walkway above the Falls.

A fully catered luncheon was on the agenda.  At the far end of the Elbow Valley, over Rainy Pass, lies Forgetmenot Pond, the most scenic of small lakes, with its backdrop of snowy peaks.  Here we chose a picnic table in the trees beside the lake.  After clearing a foot of snow off the picnic table, we spread the bright yellow table cloth, set the crockery and cutlery, and proceeded to enjoy our lunch.  A broad menu was available to the diners, but I have to admit that the favorites were kettle chips, mini-eggs, grapes and raspberries, washed down by a bottle of sparkling apple/pomegranate juice.  Of course, the proper attire is essential for the discerning diner.  Ours consisted of winter coats, wooly hats, mittens and blankets wrapped around the legs.  After all, it was around minus 8 degrees C.  The breeze was bitter and on one occasion gave us a free coating of snow off the nearby trees.  But what a view, and such a bright sunny day, as we sat beside this beautiful, frozen lake.

The Moose Mountain road rises steeply from the valley.  We ventured a short way up the icy road as far as a nice viewpoint of the valley.  This was far enough.  I had visions of sliding gracefully over the edge into a deep snow-filled ditch, but we returned safely to the valley floor.

Allen Bill Pond was shining crazily in the sun.  The frozen surface consisted of thousands of tiny slivers of ice crystals, many in the shape of small leaves.  I don’t recall ever seeing anything like it.  In the sunshine the whole lake glinted and glittered.  Of course, we ignored the warnings not to stand on the ice.  This would make a perfect skating rink, but they seem to have signs up all winter warning people to stay off the ice – spoilsports that they are!

We detoured through the tiny village of Bragg Creek, stopping at the old-fashioned trading post to admire four young deer.  They seemed unconcerned by our presence as they wandered across the narrow road into the trees beside the Elbow River.  C went on a shopping spree in the store, coming out with a postcard of a moose (and nothing else!).

Today we didn’t need money to enjoy our adventure.  There was plenty of fresh air out there for free – both fresh and cold!