Entranced

Fri. 10 June:  Entrance Ridges, Sheep River Valley

Since these ridges are on the very eastern border of Kananaskis Country, Mike Potter, in his book “Ridgewalks in the Canadian Rockies”, has called them the “Entrance Ridges”.  They are certainly entrancing.

The Entrance Ridges are ideal for early season hikes.  They run in a SE to NW direction, from the Sheep River road, where it crosses over into Kananaskis Country.  In an 8 kilometre circuit, one can enjoy much of what makes K Country so perfect for hikers.  This was also a good route for J to check whether his ankle had healed or not – and it passed the test.

Our route took us up one ridge and then back along another one, running parallel and to the east.  They are quite different.  The first, higher ridge, after an initial open grassy hillside, is mostly forested, but with some superb views west to the Front Ranges.  The eastern ridge, however, was mostly open grassy hillside.  The two are joined at the northern end by a col, reached by a steep, muddy path down through the trees.

Once on the second ridge, we first walked a few yards northwards, for a great view of the snowy line of Banded Peak, Mt. Cornwall, and Mt. Glasgow to the west.

About three-quarters of the way back along the second ridge, we reached the fence which marks the boundary between K Country and the Anchor D Ranch.  Here we followed the fence down off the ridge into a pretty valley – at least, until we reached the boggy section.  Here we detoured back into the trees and found a drier trail, leading back to the start.  

Lower down the fence-line we came upon a cowboy from Anchor D with his horse and two dogs, working his way up the fence, making sure it was secure.  A true Western scene. 

The day had started cloudless, but later, clouds started to form out of the blue sky.  For the first time it felt warm.  Spring had finally arrived, and the hillsides were full of colorful wildflowers.

Back at the car, we decided to drive up to the end of the Sheep Valley road.  We stopped at Tiger Jaw Falls, where the river was in full spate.  After rounding the tight corner at Indian Oils bridge, the river continued down a chute and round another tight bend into a wider pool.  

A family was enjoying a picnic by the falls, and a couple of horse riders ambled down to the river and across the bridge – giving lots of good opportunities for the amateur photographer.

Statistics
Entrance Ridges
Fri. 10 June
Total Dist.	8.5 km (hike)
Height Gain	640 ft.
Max. Elev.	5,180 ft.
Time	3 hrs. 24 mins.

Other Stats.
Start hike:       7.56 am Top 1st ridge:  9.21 am 2nd ridge:       9.44 am Ret. to car:    11.20 am	Temp:+10 to +18 deg.C Warm and sunny, clouds starting to form

The Highwood Valley

Sat. 14 May:  The Highwood Valley

Imagine having, on a sunny Spring Saturday, to yourself, an entire valley, complete with a modern highway closed to traffic, a swiftly flowing river running through the valley, snow-free foothills rising enticingly above it, and framed all around by jagged snowy mountain peaks – to say nothing of the wildlife running about all over the place.  Too good to be true?  Not if you come to the Highwood Valley in the Eastern Slopes of Alberta in May.  Today was such a day for me - yet another in a long line of memorable experiences.

Thursday May 12th marked the opening of the camping season in Alberta, with a couple of campsites opening up.  One of these was Etherington Creek, on the forestry road south of the Highwood Junction.  I was surprised it was open so early, given all the snow still lying around.  But I took a chance, and after work on the Friday I drove south to Longview, where I turned west into the Highwood Valley.  The road was almost empty.  The mix of fields full of cattle, with a backdrop of dramatic snowy mountains, was spectacular.  

Arriving at Etherington Creek I found the campsite was indeed open, although empty apart from a couple of other campers.  When I met the custodian later, a friendly middle aged Quebecer, he told me that they had a bob-cat in there a few days ago, to clear all the sites.  As a result, each campsite, although useable, was ringed by snow drifts.

I set up the tent and settled for an early night.  As the light faded, the temperatures dropped quickly under clearing skies, and I was glad of my warm sleeping bag and extra blanket.

Up early the next morning, I drove the short distance back down the forestry road and parked at the winter gate on the Highwood Road.  All the snow had melted on the road, and on the lower slopes of Junction Hill – quite a contrast from only three weeks ago when I tackled the wintry Bull Creek Hills just down the road from here.  

I had chosen my hybrid road bike for this trip, which proved to be a good choice.  My plan was to bike northwards up the road towards the distant Highwood Pass – highest point on a paved road in Canada – and then perhaps to go hiking in the Cat Creek Hills.  I knew that snow would still be lying on the road higher up the Pass, and I was curious to see how far I could get today.

As it turned out, I was able to bike just over fifteen kilometers up the valley until, at a high point between Lineham and Lantern Creeks, I was faced by total snow cover.  It was a pleasant ride, with plenty of deer grazing by, or on, the road, and early morning clouds clearing away from the mountain peaks.  It was a photographer’s paradise.  And I had it to myself.  The silence was broken only by the distant sound of the woodpecker and the wind in the treetops.

Turning around at the point where the snow still lay on the road, I whizzed back as far as Cat Creek, where I parked my bike in the picnic shelter, changed from biking to hiking gear, and set out onto one of my favourite trails in Alberta.  Crossing over Cat Creek, I headed east along the old roadway, now a grassy trail, into the Cat Creek Hills.  At the point where the road used to cross Cat Creek, I turned up onto the hillside, onto a long disused mine/logging trail.  

From here the views were more and more spectacular, as I rose up above the forests, onto the open hillsides.  The bare trees still allowed the ideal views.  The main feature was the Elk Range of jagged peaks to the west, and the Highwood Range to the east.  After negotiating a snowy section in the forest, the snow now soft and melting rapidly, I turned directly up onto the open slopes of the Cat Creek Hills. 

These are the perfect hiking hills, not only for the views they give, but for the interesting outcrops and ridges, as well as all the deer which winter here – and leave their droppings all over the hillsides.  I did not try to reach the highest point in the range, but was happy to make the high viewpoint which is visible from the road below.  From here the views were fabulous, down into the valley, across to the Elk Range, and north to the spectacular jagged outline of Mist Mountain (10,302 ft.) – which I climbed many years ago!

The return down the steep slopes and back through the forests was a pure delight.  This would be the perfect trip for a newcomer to the Rockies.

Back at Cat Creek, I saw the occasional bikers speed by, as I relaxed by the edge of the Highwood River, already racing past, and probably too dangerous to try and cross.

By now a strong southeasterly wind was blowing.  It had tried to catch my baseball cap on the ridge top, but I had it anchored to a length of string so instead it just flew behind me like a kite!

It didn’t take me long to bike back down the road to the car, where it surprised me to learn that I had been out in this magical countryside for almost seven hours.  I could have stayed much longer.  After packing up my campsite, and relaxing in the warm sunshine, I returned on peaceful roads to the city.  Finally the fields are showing some green, and the country is coming alive as if someone has suddenly switched the land from black and white to colour.  And I didn’t need either my long underwear or my snow shoes today!

 

Statistics
The Highwood Valley
Sat. 14 May
Total Dist.	31 km (bike)   +   6 km (hike)   = 37 km
Height Gain	1,630 ft.
Max. Elev.	6,230 ft.
Time	6 hrs. 54 mins.

Other Stats.
Start bike:       7.32 am Cat Creek:       8.06 am Turn around:  9.18 am Cat Creek:     10.16 am Start hike:     10.30 am Top:              12.12 pm Cat Creek:      1.29 pm Ret. to car:      2.26 pm	Temp.+5 to + 16 deg. C Cloudless all day, with a south-easterly wind Ht. gain (bike):  600 ft. Ht. gain (hike):1030 ft.

Ahead of the Storm

Fri. 1 April:  Back to the Highwood

Winter storm warning!  But reading between the lines, the snow would not really fly until Friday night.  So as soon as I could, just around lunchtime, I left the city heading south through Turner Valley to Longview.  The clouds were low and there was still a lot of snow lying alongside the road in large drifts.  It started to snow as I turned west onto the Highwood Valley road, and for a minute I hesitated.  But then I decided to press on up the valley to the hidden mountain wall.  Soon the snow stopped.

I had this glorious highway to myself.  It was clear that Spring had started to make inroads, with large bare patches on the hillsides where the snow had already started to melt.  Apart from one truck turning east off the forestry road, I saw no other vehicle or person all afternoon.  Parking at the winter gate, I decided to head up the familiar lower slopes of Junction Hill, up to the col about halfway to the summit.  It was fun finding a snow-free route to the top and, except for a few short sections, I succeeded. 

The huge snowy wall of Mt. Armstrong was half hidden in the cloud to the west, but there were some good views back down to the winter gate and Highwood Junction, with the forestry road winding up the forested hillsides to the south, and the ridges stretching away into the distance.

The great feature of this particular hillside is the number of majestic limber pines silhouetted against the skyline.  Several of them have been hit by lightning and now stand (or lie) as bare skeletons.

Coming up to the top of the ridge I startled a small herd of elk, which kindly ran along the skyline as I took a few snaps with my camera.  Now up here I could see northwards up the Highwood Valley.  The river and road, far below, were both snow-covered.  It was a silent wintry scene.  An occasional light gust of wind reminded me that a winter storm was blowing in.  But in the meantime a hazy sun was managing to shine through the cloud, and it was warm enough that I didn’t need hat or gloves.  It was two or three degrees above freezing.

Would this be the last time I would need my long underwear this season?  Would a shower sweep in from the mountains to the west? Did my lunch get squashed inside my backpack?  Such were the weighty questions that I pondered as I sat on this high hillside looking down across to the lonely, wide forested valley below, and the wild, snowy mountains behind.    

I crafted a leisurely route down off the mountainside to the highway below.  This time I could not avoid putting on my snow shoes to navigate the snow-filled hillsides.  The snow would no longer hold the weight of a snowshoe, so I ploughed my way slowly downwards through the snow until I came to the road.

 Here the Kananaskis Highway makes a sweeping turn northwards above the Highwood Valley, giving a grand viewpoint which I always stop at when biking up this road in summer.  Today there were bare sections of road, but plenty of drifts still lying across the road.  The winter gate would not be opening for another two and a half months, and it would take that long (or longer) this year for the snow to melt, all the way up to the remote Highwood Pass.

I ambled happily down the road back to the winter gate, looking out for wildlife.  A few white tailed deer ran across the road ahead of me. The Highwood River was starting flow again here, between the banks of snow.

There were no other vehicles at the winter gate.  The forecast had been enough to keep people away.   As I returned to the city, a snow flurry swept across the road, but by now I was almost home.  Later that night, the storm hit the city, and as I write this, snow continues to fall.

Statistics
Col below Junction Hill
Fri. 1 April
Total Dist.	4.5 km (hike)  + 0.5 km (‘shoe) = 5.0 km
Height Gain	1,150 ft.
Max. Elev.	6,150 ft.
Time	2 hrs. 55 mins.

Other Stats.
Start hike:    12.48 pm First top:        1.55 pm Second top:    2.11 pm Ret. to car:     3.43 pm	Temp:  +2 to +4 deg.C Mostly cloudy with some hazy sun.  Forecast for major winter storm later

The Weather Window

Fri. 11 March: Sandy McNabb Ski Trails
Now the warmer temperatures are here, but I’m not ready for them yet! I really wanted one more good outing on my cross-country skis. And temperatures below about 10 degrees C are ideal for waxing and snow conditions.

But the forecast for the next week was for above zero – apart from early on Friday when it would still be around minus 11 degrees! That was enough for me. I was up early and on the road before dawn, anxious to grab what might be the last really good burst of a long, cold winter.

It had snowed overnight in the Sheep Valley, and I was lucky that the snow-plough was somewhere ahead of me clearing and gritting the road. A few minutes later, there he was, hurtling down the road towards me on his way back out to Turner Valley, leaving a well-ploughed road behind him.

I was on the trail soon after 7 a.m., the sun having just risen. Today I would explore some of the Sandy McNabb ski trails which I had not ski’d last time I was here in December. There were about 2 to 3 inches of new snow on the trail, covering a crusty surface, caused by well above zero temperatures the day before. Luckily all these trails had been track-set just a week ago, so there was almost a tramline of crusted snow-covered ski trail to follow most of the way round. The tricky thing was controlling one’s speed on the downhill sections.

My route took me westwards along Long Prairie Loop, which made its way up a pretty valley, then northeast on Balsam Link, before heading up to the viewpoints on Pine Ridge Trail and so back down Macabee Creek, perhaps 9 km in total. These gentle, forested foothills make the perfect cross-country skiing terrain, and scenery. When the snow is good, such as now, it makes for a very enjoyable adventure.

Balsam Link starts off easily enough as it threads through the forest, but then it starts to climb a long hill, finally reaching the top of a forested ridge. Although the air temperature was around minus 13 degrees C at the start, the snow temperature measured only minus 5 degrees. I picked the right wax. It allowed me to climb these long hills quite easily, only herring-boning up the steepest parts.

Turning left onto Pine Ridge, I followed the crest of the hillside until I came up to the two viewpoints. Here were two clearings in the trees, the first with a low bench and the second with a picnic table. It was cloudy and so the views were not extensive. On a clear day apparently one looks across to Calgary over the rolling hills to the northeast. Today it was a magical combination of low forested ridges, with open snow-covered meadows, merging into the sky.

I was not brave enough to try skiing down the precipitously steep and narrow trail down off the ridge. Instead I plodded down the hill in my boots until the slope seemed more manageable. I made good time down the valleys, with just a couple of small upsets, and plenty of slightly out of control sections through the trees on a hard packed trail.

Finally with one long, fast descent I came down into the valley and was soon back at the car, with no bones broken, but a newly bent ski pole!

There was nobody else on these trails today, and already the temperatures were rising and the snow changing its consistency. It might have been the last opportunity for a good winter’s outing, and I had made the best of it.

But would I have enough energy left for tomorrow’s expedition?


StatisticsSandy McNabb Ski Trails
Fri. 11 March

Total Dist. 9 km (X-C ski)
Height Gain 705 ft.
Max. Elev. 5,380 ft.
Time on trail 2 hrs. 27 mins.

Rainy Pass

Sat. 26 February: Elbow Winter Gate to Rainy Pass

Today a noteworthy event - the forecasters got it exactly right! They called for the snow flurries and cloud to clear away by 10 a.m. leading to clear skies, and a windchill around minus 16 degrees C. This is exactly what happened.

J and I were in two minds as we left the city heading west on Highway 8. We had thought that we would have a go at climbing Eagle Hill, abandoned two weeks ago due to wild winds and blowing snow. But as we drove west, the wind was blowing the snow across the highway, and it was almost as if we were driving along a frozen river. So as we reached the end of the road, where one has to turn right or left, we made an instant decision to turn left and head into Bragg Creek and up the Elbow Valley.

The road was snow-covered and icy, but the mountains were clear ahead, and already there was a hint of some blue sky appearing between the clouds. Parking at the winter gate, we were a little surprised to find a half dozen cars parked already, yet it was not quite 9 a.m. Snow was piled up around the gate.

Our plan was to walk up the road, beyond the winter gate, as far as Rainy Pass. From there we could either make a loop down to the Elbow River, or simply return down the road. There was packed snow on the road surface beyond the gate, and we soon strapped on our snow shoes, for better stability. From here it was a steady climb up the wide road, for five kilometres, curving up the forested valley to Rainy Pass. After a kilometre or so, there was a very good view of the Elbow River, as it swung away to the south side of Rainy Hill, below the high cliffs of Quirk Ridge (Iyarhe Ipan).

As we climbed the pass, gusts of freezing wind would blow the snow across the road in swirls. We could see little whirlwinds of snow high up on the forested slopes above. But by now the strong winds were blowing the clouds away, and the sun came out. It was still very cold, especially in the gusts of wind.

After what seemed like a long slog, we came round a corner in the road, and above us we could see the gentle summit, and then, reaching the top, we were treated to the spectacular view of the snow-covered Front Ranges, right ahead of us to the west. The high ridges of Forgetmenot Mountain dominated the view to the west, with the wilder, more remote Mts. Glasgow, Cornwall, and Banded Peak to the right.

Here on the top of the Pass was a perfect place for a picnic lunch – if we could find a sheltered spot. A group of trees above the road gave us good shelter as well as a panoramic view. The original road down into the Elbow Valley lay hidden in the trees behind us. I had travelled that way last year. Today we decided not to chance that route, as there had been so much snow that it might have been impassable even with snow shoes.

As we strapped our snow shoes back on, a couple with a dog strolled up the snow-covered highway, heading west down towards the valley. The dog barked as it heard our voices. The couple looked back a little surprised to see us. Our tracks had been quickly drifted over by the wind.

We strolled back down the road, enjoying the now cloudless skies, but with a biting wind at our backs. This is a perfect outing for anyone wanting a good workout, with the reward of a “surprise” view at the top. But otherwise, it is a fairly ordinary route. Nevertheless, returning to the winter gate, we now counted over two dozen vehicles parked. We had met several people on the lower section of the road – hikers, snow-shoers, skiers, several of them with their dogs, even a woman towing her little baby in a carriage - its red cheeks glowing in the cold sunshine.

Back at the car, we were both feeling that we had certainly done enough for one day. We stopped at Elbow Falls to admire the icy waters. The volume of water was too great for the river to ice up completely, as had Troll Falls, but it was a very beautiful, wintry, and utterly Canadian sight.

Statistics
Rainy Pass
Sat. 26 February

Total Dist. 10 km (snow shoe)
Height Gain 800 ft.
Max. Elev. 5,700 ft.
Time on trail 4 hrs. 3 mins.

Temperature: minus 9 to minus 5 C (windchill minus 16 to minus 12)

Skiing in the Foothills

Sat. 11 December: Sandy McNabb Ski Trails

“’Tis the Season” - for driving out into the foothills and cutting yourself a nice Christmas tree for free. But at least in the Sheep River valley, there were plenty of signs warning you not to do that, and the Provincial Parks “police”, known as Conservation Officers, were keeping a close eye on things.

Not that I was out to steal a tree. We had already bought ours in town at a large and unromantic parking lot. But I did want to get out into the foothills to try out the Sandy McNabb ski trails, and today the snow conditions might just be good enough to do so.

Very often, the Sheep River and West Bragg Creek cross-country ski trails are not great. The Chinook winds blow the snow off the hillsides and the wild temperature swings leave crusty and icy snow. But when it’s right, these trails are as much fun as any in the mountains, and ideal for a half-day adventure.

The Sheep River valley is a perfect place to take anyone on their first trip to the Alberta Foothills. You come around a corner, and there ahead of you the mountain panorama unfolds, the entire western horizon lined with the peaks of the Front Ranges. Today it was made even more spectacular by a morning sun shining on the snow-covered mountains.

The one slightly mystifying thing is that the Sandy McNabb trails are not well signposted, until you are ON them. The best start is actually right beside the visitor information centre, just a few kilometers before you get to the winter gate. Both the visitor centre and the winter gate are closed at this time of year.

Once on the trail system, the signposting is good, and you can make any number of route choices on trails which measure over 37 km in total. They wind up onto tree-lined ridges, open to the winds, and further into the rolling, forested countryside, generally keeping at a manageable angle. On the west side of the Long Prairie Loop are stunning views west across to the Front Ranges, snow-covered and remote.

Most of the rest of the trails are through the trees, across meadows with enticing junctions with signposts pointing into the forest. It’s not flat, and so you are either climbing usually gentle slopes or gliding effortlessly along winding trails. Occasionally there are steeper sections where I would point my skis downhill and hope for the best.

Today, I had to bail out just before a narrow bridge, as the trail took a sharp dip just before the bridge and I was worried the skis would go down a hole and snap in two. On the next hill, I found myself heading for a tree and stopped myself just in time, with my skis each side of a sturdy tree trunk. Apart from these adventures, it was a pleasant trip.

The snow conditions were reasonable except on the eastern slopes, where there were obstacles sticking up out of the snow, and I needed my metal edges to steer me across crusty and slippery surfaces. This had been a test of my new boots and bindings, which were a great success. I had good control of the skis, although the sharp rise in temperature during the morning, from minus 16 to close to zero, made the waxing a bit tricky.

It was only as I came down through the final meadow that I met my first people, a couple heading up the trail. Returning to the Winter Gate, I could see that the construction fence was still up, and there seemed to be activity in the Sandy McNabb campsite. They have been working on it all year, apparently a major renovation of the popular camping spot.

I drove slowly east on the snow-packed road, enjoying the scenery, with a very light fresh snowfall from the previous day resting on the trees. It had been yet another perfect outing into Alberta’s magical foothills.


Statistics
Sandy McNabb Ski Trails
Sat. 11 December

Total Dist. 10 km (XC Ski)
Height Gain 450 ft.
Max. Elev. 5150 ft.
Time on trail 2 hrs. 52 mins.
Temperature Minus 16 degrees C at start

Telephone Connection

Sat. 4 December: West Bragg Creek Trails

Off the beaten track – on a beaten track. Today I explored a trail which no longer shows in any guidebook. So I had no idea what to expect. As it turned out, someone had been there ahead of me, creating a helpful pathway across the snowy, forested hillsides.

Not far west of the city, in the foothills west of Bragg Creek village, lie some very popular cross-country ski trails. On a sunny weekend in winter, these trails will fill up with skiers (and hikers with dogs running free) and bedlam will reign.

Looking through my various guidebooks, I noticed an intriguing trail which runs across some remote ridges, connecting the eastern and western legs of the Telephone Trail. Telephone is the longest and toughest of the Bragg Creek trails. A full circuit is over 15 km, into remote forested valleys. This short-cut would take me up to some viewpoints, and would cut off the long northern section of this trail.

Another cloudless morning, with an orange glow along the eastern horizon. As I set out from the car park, the sunlight was just starting to catch the tops of the trees. It was a cold morning, at around minus 16 degrees C, and so I was not surprised to be first on the trail today. I had my snow shoes on for this first leg, and carried my skis, strapped to my backpack.

Telephone Trail’s east leg starts at the car park. Climbing the hillside I soon turned left up the Hostel trail, on a long climb. Somewhere in the trees there used to be a Youth Hostel, but it burned down in 1984 and was never rebuilt. At the top of the hill the ski trail turned right, while I continued straight on, up the hill. This is where my unmarked route started. For some reason it has disappeared from all the trail signs. But somebody must know about it, as the path was beaten down by at least one pair of snow shoes and one set of skis.

The lower part of the trail, which used to be called “Ridge Trail”, was identified by some snow shoe signs nailed to the trees, but that trail soon veered down to the right. My trail, an old logging road, continued at a gradual angle up the forested hillsides, curving round to the right to a nice viewpoint. From here I could see part of the city of Calgary and the lower foothills to the east of Bragg Creek. This pleasant trail continued to climb, until I came to a high point, with good views west, to the bare, snowy ridges of Moose Mountain, 7995 ft.

The older guide books describe this trail as running through open cut-blocks. But over the years, the trees have started to grow back, and it is now mostly enclosed. Nevertheless, there are still some fine views to the west. I was glad to be able to follow the snow-shoer and the skier, as the route from here was not obvious. The trail started to angle downwards, swinging to the right. The scale of my map was a little misleading. Once again it reminded me how easy it is to get disoriented in the foothills, especially when the snow hides any sign of a trail.

In the end, I was on the right path, but I turned off it earlier than planned, and quickly joined the western leg of Telephone Trail just south of its high point, instead of about a kilometre or so further north. Here I swapped my snowshoes for my skis. Telephone Trail runs through a narrow valley. Several skiers had passed through here, but the trail had not been track-set. My light skis were not ideal for semi-off-trail conditions, but I stayed upright and soon came to the junction with Moose Loop.

Turning west, I immediately came out of the forest into a wide, sunny valley, below the high ridges of Moose Mountain. I ski’d along this open valley for a short while, until I reached a junction with a more tricky ski trail heading up into the trees. Here I turned around and returned to the junction. The wind had blown the snow around, leaving bare sections, and exposed rocks and stones. I negotiated that section, then ski’d and walked down a slippery steep road to the creek (Bragg creek). Crossing over, I was now on the final section of road back to the car. Here were plenty of skiers out already, as well as some snow-shoers and hikers with their dogs. It was a pleasant glide back down the road to the car.

In the short time I had been on the trail, the car park had filled up, and weekend bedlam was well under way. It was still cold, perhaps around minus 14 degrees C, and people were well wrapped up. But the sun shone out of a cloudless sky.

I had found this Telephone connector trail quite fascinating, and look forward to returning in the summer to explore its northern section. In the meantime, it was time to leave Bragg Creek to the weekend crowd.


Statistics
West Bragg Creek Trails
Sat. 4 December

Total Dist. 4.0 km (’shoe) + 4.5 km (ski) = 8.5 km
Height Gain 660 ft.
Max. Elev. 5350 ft.
Time on trail 2 hrs. 37 mins.
Temperature Minus 16 degrees C

Disappearing Rivers

Fri. 12 November: Cobble Flats to Little Elbow via Wildhorse

No – I’m not crazy (as far as I know). I was NOT hiking the Canadian Rockies in sandals in November. But I WAS wading icy cold rivers in my sandals. Perhaps that qualifies me as at least slightly eccentric.

Keen to take advantage of a "bonus” hiking day, I headed up to the end of the Elbow Valley to have some fun by making two crossings of the Elbow River. The plan was to hike the northern portion of the Wildhorse Trail, below the northern slopes of Forgetmenot Ridge, returning by bike along the road. It was not a long trip, but it involved various river crossings and a route that was new to me.

A couple of inches of snow had fallen in the Foothills, but the road was bare and dry. While it was mostly cloudy, it promised to clear during the afternoon. I hid my bike at the end of the Elbow Valley road, just beyond Forgetmenot Lake, then drove back to Cobble Flats, where my hike would start. The last time I was at Cobble Flats, in late August, I was returning wet and muddy from my three day adventure along Quirk Creek and up Forgetmenot Mountain. The trip had ended with my splashing through the cold waters of the Elbow River with my bike, and not bothering to remove my boots. Today I needed to have dry boots, and so I sat on the wide stony edge of the river to remove my boots and socks for a wade across the icy river. The water came up to my knees. I sat in the snow on the opposite side of the river to put my boots back on, thinking that river crossings are always a lot of fun, even in the snow.

Now I turned right and joined the old snow-covered trail as it headed westwards. Soon coming to a small bridge over a tiny stream, I crossed over, and in a few hundred yards came to the junction with the Wildhorse Trail. Wildhorse runs southwards along the eastern flanks of Forgetmenot Ridge, to the remote campsite where I spent two nights in August. At this trail junction where I was now standing, Wildhorse Trail then turns west, passing below the northern end of the ridge, and leading to the far end of the Elbow Valley. The trail soon comes out into a wider meadow with mountain peaks ahead. Footprints in the snow showed me that one person had come the other way recently. Further along the trail, the number of footprints increased, indicating that several people had come part way along the trail from the western end. This surprised me since this involved a crossing of the Little Elbow river. The reason would be apparent soon.

Small ponds along the trail were rapidly icing up, and the scene was a wintry one. At a high point in the trail, a stone cairn marked the start of the route to the summit of Forgetmenot Ridge, a steep slog up the hillside for about 2000 vertical feet.

Now for the surprise. I came out onto wide open gravel flats. Here the Little Elbow River flowed out from the mountains – or not. For the entire river had disappeared underground, allowing people to walk right across the wide riverbed. It was a spectacular place to stand, surrounded by sharp-peaked snowy mountains – but no river. A little further along, I came to the Elbow River itself, which happily still had plenty of water in it. I crossed over the lovely pedestrian suspension bridge, and so back to the end of the road and my bike. I had met one group of three with a dog just before the bridge. They were the only people on this popular trail.

It only took me a few minutes to speed down the road back to the car. By now the skies were clearing, and it was another wonderful day in the Rockies. I drove slowly back down the valley, in no hurry to return to a busy city.

Statistics
Cobble Flats circuit
Fri. 12 November

Total Dist. 5.9 km (hike) +4.6 km (bike) =10.5 km
Height Gain 160 ft.
Max. Elev. 5330 ft.
Time on trail 2 hrs. 14 mins.