Little Highwood Pass upper center right dropping down to Rockfall Valley used for loop hike option. At the 600m mark the Pocaterra Ridge trail enters the forest. Check out some other amazing trails there: To get to the trailhead of Pocaterra Ridge, from the Stoney Nakoda Casino on the TransCanada, take Highway 40 south for roughly 60.0 km. After 1.5 km and 310 m of elevation gain in the forest, youve arrived at the treeline. We got to the parking lot at 8am on Saturday. Arrive early if you want a spot. If your small kids are not experienced hikers, Id think twice about taking them to the summit of Pocaterra Ridge. After the forest it's mixed terrain, dirt, big rocks, bit more up hill. Also ran into mountain goats on the way down. Once going up the ridge there is loose dirt, bring proper footwear. Well drop it off at a registry location or police station tomorrow or Monday. Pocaterra Cirque with the ridge at center and Mount Pocaterra in the background. We arrived early and the lot was full by 930 am. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 4 h 45 min to complete. Mount Pocaterra is the unofficial name of a rocky formation named after the Pocaterra Creek in the same region. The scenery on the Pocaterra Ridge hike is so varied and so beautiful, its no wonder its such a popular Kananaskis hike! The trail is quite fragmented in here, likely from people trying to pick a line which doesnt look slippery. to: msg: Submit Cancel . Cell Phone Coverage Map. Steady incline to the top but manageable with poles! Is this hike beautiful? Overall great hike! Carry your bear spray in an easily accessible location. Be sure to download your hiking maps prior to leaving as youll get no cell phone coverage that deep into Kananaskis Country. Similar Site Search. You can see the path ahead. One vehicle can be left at. The north ridge was closed, and there are high levels of bear activity. The ridge is often hiked in combination with Little Highwood . Some mud and nice elevation gain at the end. Its now a popular spot not only for its iconic photos, but for hiking, camping and is home to some fantastic picnic spots. Is it a nightmare? Travel Map; Destinations; Aprs; Learn; Gear Reviews; Printables; About Me. Just take a few cautious steps when its steep. Awesome trail. Yes. Beautiful hike all the way through. A downloaded AllTrails map is key! Pocaterra Ridge hard (1023) Peter Lougheed Provincial Park Photos (2,554) Directions Print/PDF Map Explore this 6.1-mile point-to-point trail near Kananaskis Improvement, Alberta. Wasootch Ridge Trail Duration The trail is 15.4 km in length and has an elevation gain of 850 meters. Saw 15+ goats. The Pocaterra Ridge trail is reasonably easy to follow the entire way, although its not well signed. Self inflicted disappointment - a great hike but don't sleep in! Didnt summit, took us long to battle with some knee deep snow on trail. It was a beautiful hike woth some pretty steep uphills at the end. Parking lot was full and had to park on roadside. By the time we reached the peak everyone was parking down the highway. To get to the trailhead of Pocaterra Ridge, from the Stoney Nakoda Casino on the TransCanada, take Highway 40 south for roughly 37.3mi. It was FULL!. Please leave a contact number here if you see this message. Beautiful day and larches are fully bloomed . Find Similar websites like rimrockresort.com. Everyone was polite allowing to pass if you were a quicker hiker. Not only will it be cool in here, theres a good chance the trail will be snowy or icy if you are hiking Pocaterra Ridge in larch season. South Ridge 8 summits 12.6 km 1,033 m gain 8 hr 53 min Class 4 Mount Pocaterra 9.9 km route 1 summit 9.9 km 764 m gain 5 hr 23 min South Ridge 1 summit 10.4 km 821 m gain 7 hr 12 min Latest summits see all summits "Redid Tyrwhitt and got Mount Pocaterra! This meadow skirts the outside of another rockslide (more pikas!) Cold Water Safety: Mountain water is cold ALL year. I found Pocaterra to be a better hike if you want to see Larches, way more to see. Its worth the early wake up to get the hike done before the crowds! If there is snow or ice at elevation, definitely take microspikes. Rae (3,218m) and Storm Mountain (3,095m) across the highway. !.Very busy trail and some sections are dry so poles and micros spikes will definitely help. Definitely very steep at the end with loose rocks/dirt, walking sticks recommended! rimrockresort.com alternatives Take poles with you, as this hike is very steep at times. Stay bear cautious especially with your kids, even on such a populated trail. Suitable for intermediates who are ready for a little bit more adventure. Bear was scared off by dogs barking. 2nd. Still closed to do the full hike and have to turn back at the summit. Wish we had more time in the Kananaskis. Got to the parking lot around 9am and not a chance of getting in! Very busy today but all great people on the trail. Stunning scenery; wet and muddy in places. Such an awesome day! Challenging but rewarding. This section of the Pocaterra Ridge hike is on a side slope, which can get quite slippery if wet or snowy. The forest is quite dense, making it hard for the sun to reach through to the bottom. These three beautiful Kananaskis mountains wrap around you here in an incredible 180 degree panorama. There are a few streams along the way for dogs to drink from or utilize as a water refill. Weve been exploring these mountains for decades and are excited to be sharing our insider knowledge of the Canadian Rocky Mountains with you. Loved it! The out-and-back option will put you at 9.3 km (5.7 mi), while the point-to-point comes in at 11.4 km (7.1 mi). Awesome hike! Pocaterra Ridge starts in the forest from Highwood Pass Day Use. Very muddy, tree roots, and slippery for the most part but once you start the ascent to the ridge the larches are a sight to behold. So, we share this route as an out-and back route for Pocaterra Ridge. Further on from the lake there is a fun hike to Rae Glacier. Everyone was friendly but there was lots of toilet paper in the the bushes all throughout the hike, multiple people carrying stereos blasting up the ridge, dogs off leash (I LOVE dogs, but they need to be on leash in the back country for their safety and the safety of wildlife), and garbage and food being tossed on the ground. The Kananaskis Mountain Lodge is a mere 35-minute drive to the excellent Kananaskis larch hikes around Highwood Pass. At the Kananaskis Trail Intersection, continue driving south. Arrived at 9:00 a.m. plenty of parking spaces. People of all experience levels and dogs of all temperaments flock the trails. Speaking of the final section of the hike, youll gain roughly 325m of elevation over the final 1km to the summit. Note: This report is NOT for the Pocaterra Ridge or Cirque trails. You may find the final route-finding (near Pocaterra Creek) back to your car fairly challenging. This is a very popular area for hiking and snowshoeing, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. Delancy Ridge via Driveway Butte, Okanogan NF, WA (5/20) Hiking & Camping: 3: May 23, 2018: Part 1: Telluride Via Ferrata and Mount Sneffels SW Ridge from Blue Lakes- Colorado Trip # 1 - 2017: Backpacking: 0: Nov 7, 2017: Pioneer Ridge Trail, Hiking & Camping: 6: Apr 27, 2017: Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness / Rattlesnake Canyon maps: Trip . Found this post useful? Beautiful hike all the way to the top of the ridge with magical golden karches and stunning views. If anyone found it please contact me at 5875001788. Faye Iris Young - we found your drivers license on the trail. Getting Started. There are several little creeks running around and through the Pocaterra Ridge hiking trail, so it can get very muddy in spots. But it was beautiful, and there were no people! The final ascent is the most challenging, as the path goes to the left of the rock band and can be very slippery if there was snow recently (definitely take microspikes if there is snow on the trail). The amount of people on this trail today was insane. We spent around 7 hours on the tail and took time for photos and lunch with no rush to finish. The trail is actually well marked with flagging tape and the odd cairn, I just dont think people know to look for them. Tack on 20 minutes for lunch at the summit of Pocaterra Ridge and we were back to the car in 3.5 hours. Faye Iris Young - we found your drivers license on the trail. Sonny holds up the register canister on the 2934-metre summit of Mount Pocaterra. Pocaterra Ridge Trail starts at Highwood Pass 140 km SW of Calgary. K Country is fast becoming like Canmore & Banff - very overcrowded. Pack layers including gloves - hiking poles a high value asset for the final ascent and descent. Banff, AB, Canada Req #603 Monday, November 7, 2022 Our hotels in Banff include the Moose Hotel & Suites, Fox Hotel & Suites, Banff Ptarmigan Inn, Banff Caribou Lodge, Banff Rocky Mountain Resort, Tunnel Mountain Resort, Hidden Ridge Resort, The Dorothy Motel, Rundlestone Lodge . A dog ran out in front of me from behind a car, nearly squashed it. Amenities en route: Kananaskis Village (26 km south of Hwy 1) has dining and lodging. You enjoy and you never get bored on this trail. Definitely going to head back with the right equipment. Pocaterra Ridge Hike Details Trail length: 9.3 km one way Elevation gain/loss from Highwood Pass: 550 m gain; 875 m loss Highpoint: 2670 m (8758 feet) Time needed: Allow six hours one way with breaks. Considering many of the best larch hikes in Alberta are 15km+, this makes Pocaterra Ridge one of the shortest larch tree hikes in Alberta, which adds to its popularity. Panoramic view south from central part of Pocaterra ridge. Microspikes maybe would be useful for a few minutes, but would be such a hassle. Poles were helpful but not required. Traditional Territory of the Stoney, Tsuu T'ina, Ktunaxa, and Blackfoot First Nations Distance: 3.67 km one-way Total Ascent: 415 m Elevation of Objective: 2435 m Hiking time: 2h 13m ascent Safety and Disclaimer Pocaterra Cirque is accessed from the same trailhead as the massively popular Ptarmigan Cirque, but draws only a fraction of the traffic. Go right along the creek and look for red or yellow tape in trees, as this tape has been put-up to assist in finding the best route to cross the creek. All of the significant elevation comes on the back end with extremely steep climb to the top. If you dont know where you are going, you may miss the trailhead at the Fragile Area sign, and a few of the trail turns are not totally clear. Really busy though, with people parked all over the road. Score: 4.1/5 (30 votes) . The trail is actually well marked with flagging tape and the odd cairn, I just dont think people know to look for them. Rae. Arrive early if you want a spot. Its probably preferable to just do this as an out-and-back for now, going as far down the ridge as you please. It's an accident waiting to happen!! April 13, 2022. Explore this 9.8-km point-to-point trail near Kananaskis Improvement, Alberta. Hiked on the very busy Saturday 1 October. Map: Gem Trek Kananaskis Lakes Happy trails! From the ridgeline youll enjoy amazing vistas of Mt. Wasnt to busy for the holiday Monday. Still closed to do the full hike and have to turn back at the summit. Posted on Last updated: September 12, 2022. Theres nothing technical or scary to it and it really is beautiful, just not my cup of tea. Now the fun hiking begins. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 3 h 47 min to complete. ThePocaterra Ridge trailhead is found approximately 300 m in on the Highwood Meadows trail. Pocaterra Ridge is perfectly framed through the infamous 'window' in the ridge to the summit of Tyrwhitt. It's an accident waiting to happen!! Really busy though, with people parked all over the road. Also, please remember to ask permission before grabbing at or petting strangers dogs. Pocaterra Ridge You'll want to make a day of this one. Your path goes up a very steep slope that can freeze after cold weather. But your views aren't going to change much after the first flat section until the very top. 903 6 Ave, Canmore, AB T1W 2X5 . Highway 40 will be closed beyond the Kananaskis Lakes Road turnoff from December until June 15 each year as it is a critical wildlife corridor. The hike overall was amazing!! they need to have good listening ears on. It got pretty sketchy in the last 50 meters of elevation that I did the rocks were loose and icy under the snow, and every step required 3 - 5 kicks to ensure footing. In theory, for keen hikers like me, the short distance and the mere 500m elevation gain to the first peak should have been, literally and figuratively, a walk in the Alberta park. Poles absolutely are an asset. South Pocaterra Ridge Trail Quick Details. The trail to the summit of Pocaterra Ridge can get quite congested as its a popular hike and its quite common for people to need to stop and catch their breath on this section. We did the Pocaterra Ridge hike right after doing the Ptarmigan Cirque. I've done this 57 people have done this I want to do this 136 want to do this route Check our eBook of this region on Amazon About Pocaterra Ridge Hike Elevation Graph Every fall, the large forest of larch trees along the Pocaterra Ridge trail turn golden yellow. . Very muddy, tree roots, and slippery for the most part but once you start the ascent to the ridge the larches are a sight to behold. Unlucky she lost her iphone on the trail. The larches are such a beautiful hue! It is located in the Elk Range in Alberta. Follow the path, up over the false summit and come down on the other side. As well, the area serves multiple hikes (highwood, Tyrwhitt, the cirque, the ridge), so there are people wandering every which way creating multiple trails, confusing those without a GPS track to follow. Trail was east to follow. Stunning scenery; wet and muddy in places. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 4 h 45 min to complete. Before you go too far, stop and look behind you for an excellent aerial view of the huge Pocaterra Ridge larch forest you just hiked through. With two kids often tagging along on our adventures, you can rest assured that when we give advice on activities with kids that weve done it with our own kids. Night Auditor. If you arehiking in Kananaskis with kids, the hike along Pocaterra Ridge to the end of the larch forest would be a fun hike for the entire family. This hike becomes crazy during larch season. They've been our companions hiking and snowshoeing in these mountains since they were babies. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a lead. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash. Got away with a warning but is a fine of a couple hundred dollars. From the Pocaterra Ridge parking lot, head west on the Highwood Meadows trail. The main summit is just out of view to the right. We hiked the more prominent trail to the right which we easily followed by looking for the steady stream of pink blazers on the trees. All trails offline map will be handy as there are no trail signs. Youll notice that just to your right there is a faint path down through bushes. A downloaded AllTrails map is key! We enjoyed warm weather and calm winds. My friends just a bit ahead of us ran into a curious grizzly, so stay alert. Its not unusual to encounter grizzly bears in this area, especially when larch season is upon us. You come back to the main path and follow along Pocaterra Ridge. It is important to educate yourself onBear Safety in Kananaskis. There are a few streams along the way for dogs to drink from or utilize as a water refill. The trail is braided but we've taken most of the trail options and they all end up in the same place. definitely enjoyed the different terrains this hike offered that kept it interesting. This is looking back at the first summit and the exposed connecting ridge from the main summit. or just go up to the first flat section and enjoy the views into the Pocaterra cirque. Considering many of the best larch hikes in Alberta are 15km+, this makes Pocaterra Ridge one of the shortest larch tree hikes in Alberta, which adds to its popularity. Note that our map shows us going right into the larches after the 2nd hump. The footing is poor on steep side slope and springs making it very muddy.
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