It’s also well known as being a great larch hike in the … Check out our guide! Took us about 5.5hrs in and out and we kept a brisk pace with only a 20min break at the top of Lookout. A bit muddy but not that bad. Keep an eye out for the flagging tape that marks the trail. This trail starts off in a forested area which is easy enough to get your blood pumping. Definitely pack bear spray and bug spray if you go. 01 Aug 2020 by Vagabond No Comments. Definitely recommend poles which help during the descent as it decently steep. Did it last on last Saturday. As many have stated previously the trail braids off near the beginning but most of the paths run parallel to each other and end up at the cirque. Once on the ridge enjoy hours of mountain views in all directions. To the southeast are Highwood Ridge and Grizzly Ridge. You will come to a clearing where the sought after larches can be seen. I’m assuming that the filled in mine shaft on the north end of the ridge in the trees is one of his making. If you have an issue with crowds I would avoid this hike. It was muddy and slippery the whole trail, and extremely crowded. Black Prince Cirque Interpretive Trail to Warspite Lake, Kananaskis Fire Lookout via Tyrwhitt Trail, Blackshale Suspension Bridge via Black Prince. This trail is gorgeous, but it needs to be rated ‘hard’. The east face of Mount Pocaterra is an arresting sight. DOWNLOAD ROUTE (GPX FILE) DISCLAIMER: Use at your own risk for general guidance only! (July 12 2020). People were falling everywhere, you honestly needed poles and crampons to walk in the forest. Went for a great hike here today. Alberta Parks, highway crews and volunteers have been working hard to re-open all of Highway 40 and Kananaskis Country since … Continue reading Hiking Kananaskis Country – Pocaterra Ridge Little Highwood Pass and Pocaterra Ridge are just out of view to the right. It ranks as one of the best day hikes I’ve done in Alberta. This weekend was probably the last for larches viewing. There was a ton of evidence of bear activity, fresh and old bear scat, and areas that appeared to be dug out by a bear. A bit of a boring trail honestly but nice to stretch our legs after camping at Elkwood. 360 Views were beautiful at the top. We found the trail pretty easy, the only elevation gain seemed to be on the last hike up to the ridge. Pocaterra Ridge Trail to Little Highwood Pass Route, Tombstone Lakes and Rae Lake Loop via Elbow Pass Trail. Vagabond Hikes Pocaterra Ridge. It is well marked. Easy/moderate trail most of the way until you reach the ridge, at this point I would rate it as quite difficult as it’s a straight up incline to the top. Read our Guide! Nearing the top is dangerous if you’re not prepared for a steady incline! At its end it connects to Whiskey Jack Trail and Fire Lookout Trail. Head down to Boulder Creek Trading Post on the Kananaskis for an ice cream and to explore the lakes once you’ve finished. Completed on 10/06/2020. Overall you can expect almost 22km hike if you do both Pocaterra and Lookout. Be sure to turn right at the first fork junction. We had winter coats, warm hiking boots and poles which you definitely will need (crampons too). Completed the full ridge from the North parking lot to the South (two cars) in about 6.5 hours with a few breaks. Too many people this weekend, a lot of them came not prepared for winter conditions. Completed with my 8yr old pup. Pocaterra Ridge is a 7.1 mile heavily trafficked point-to-point trail located near Kananaskis Improvement, Alberta, Canada that features a lake and is rated as difficult. Nice and wide and easy walk. This forum is for you to use as you wish for asking questions or generating discussion on non-motorized use of trails in Kananaskis Country or of issues relating to trail use. Gorgeous trail. On July 13 though, we did the traverse of Pocaterra Ridge in the Highwood Pass area of Kananaskis with a rather large group, not to mention a lot of others taking advantage of a decent forecast, and the onset of flower season in the alpine. We also had one other at the summit with us who accidentally sent a rock at us. Also, super slippery and steep, poles are definitely necessary. Easy/moderate trail most of the way until you reach the ridge, at this point I would rate it as quite difficult as it’s a straight up incline to the top. Pocaterra Ridge Overview There are several ways to hike this ridge but our favourite always requires a car shuttle and a one-way traverse from Highwood Pass to Little Highwood Pass. Pocaterra Ridge was an extremely scenic outing that in my opinion combines the best of many features the Rockies have to offer. 1725 Bow Valley Trail Looks like a better choice for cross country skiing rather than hiking. The old trails route isn’t correct, the old road is washed out and the new path is clearly marked. Nice easy trail. I’m active, but I’m not an experienced hiker, so don’t do this if this is one of your first hikes. This narrow snow-brushed mountain top is, at 8,750 feet, the highest point on Pocaterra Ridge. The red arrow shows Sonny's ascent route while the green arrow shows his descent route. The ridge is named after the crazy Toscanesi, Giorgio Pocaterra. Pocaterra Ridge is one of the more popular hikes in Kananaskis. The pond is about 1.5km directly west from the parking lot, but the trail head is not always obvious, especially if there is snow. It's very busy this time of year with the larches so expect a crowd. Users be alert! The trail offers a number of activity options. Steepness can be a bit sketchy on the way down, especially if muddy. Although most of the needles have fallen, it’s still a nice splash of colour. Absolutely stunning! Planned to do Sarrail Ridge but they had just closed it due to bears. 08 Mt. Extremely well marked trail, nice and wide so great for conversation. Easy trail, for a sholder season. We are in the Canadian Rockies just outside Banff National Park. The way down is just as tough so I advise poles and ensuring you have the appropriate footwear is crucial for this trail. Normally, these gates are open from June 15 to November 30 each year. Gorgeous views the entire way. There are still a handful of larches but there mostly lost their needles now. The trail is primarily used for hiking and is best used from May until October. Cute picnic tables for lunch. The Lookout Trail was straight elevation and it was a nice break from the flat-ish Pocaterra. Flat and rolling wide trail in the woods with some mountain and meadow views. Pocaterra | 2009-09-27. The elevated start at Highwood Pass (7239’) and approach through golden Larches makes for a good recommendation. It was heavily trafficked on the way back down and I had to step aside for a lot of groups that were trying to make their way up. Saw some bear tracks, which was cool. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Some areas have blown off, others had drifts as deep as our knees to walk through. make sure you are carrying bear spray! The trail is primarily used for hiking, running, and nature trips. This hike is much easier with two poles and good hiking boots for grips on the way down. Super peaceful and wide open trail. Planning a Trip to Kananaskis Trail? South Pocaterra Ridge ist ein 5.8 Meilen langer, stark besuchter Hin- und Rückweg in der Nähe von Kananaskis Improvement, Alberta, Kanada. Pool and Waterslide. One of the best places to experience this is Pocaterra Ridge, located in the Highwood Pass of the Kananaskis region in the Alberta Rockies. no reports have been added for Pocaterra Ridge yet, add a trail report. I can definitely see why this trail was so popular the last few weeks! The trail offers a number of activity options. We added the extra 2km to see the Lookout. Update: Reservations are required to be made at the front desk to gain access to the pool area. With negative temperatures in the mountains, most of the larches have lost their needles. The access route is shown. Very quiet along the trail. Trail reports are used to indicate a trails current condition and inform builders and … I’ve never been on a busier trail, crowds and crowds of people walking inches within each other at some parts. The views from the ridge are a solid 10. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. It’s a beautiful hike that doesn’t have crazy elevation gain or length and is very attainable as far as hikes in the Canadian Rockies go. Total distance = 8.5 km (includes about 2.5 km to go part way up the start of Pocaterra Ridge) Total elevation gain = 400 meters (includes about 200 meters to go part way up the start of Pocaterra Ridge) Total hiking time = 4 hours 20 minutes (includes about 90 minutes for extended photography stops) This is where the rockier terrain shows up. Do not follow this GPX track blindly but use your own judgement in assessing terrain and choosing the safest route. Consider bringing snowshoes in November. The trail was so poorly marked that we at least saw ten groups were misled to a wrong way when we were struggling there. No snow or ice or mud. The trail to Pocaterra Ridge is steep. Keep right for the south ridge. The trail is primarily used for hiking, running, and nature trips. The only published route up Mount Pocaterra is the moderate traverse scramble via Mount Tyrwhitt. Benutzer haben berichtet, dass die Wanderwege nicht gut markiert sind. Basically a forestry road. 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. Nothing technical. We sat for a little whole and had a snack and gave our muscles a break. Dorota and Sonny stand on the highest point of Pocaterra Ridge (2671 metres). Do not underestimate the steepness of the reminder of this trail. We went for the sunset and it was breathtaking. The most unique feature of the Pocaterra side of the route is a fascinating gendarme on its south ridge. South Pocaterra Ridge is a 5.8 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Kananaskis Improvement, Alberta, Canada that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. Start high at Highwood Pass and you'll save yourself some height gain. Just off the lobby we have a fantastic indoor pool and waterslide. We arrived about 9:30 on a Friday and the parking lot still had spots, but there was constantly people coming in as we were starting. You will eventually come to a fork in the trail. Check out the Pocaterra Ridge. The Pocaterra Ridge hike in Kananskis Country deserves to be on your must-do list. An early mining prospector, rancher at the Bar D and Buffalo Head, and the only white person to ever learn the Stoney Nakoda language. Tyrwhitt to Mt. Larches were lovely. Overall, the trail is not marked overly well but you will notice ribbons tied to trees to mark it her and there. Pick a well traveled one and don't be an ass by making your own. A few kilometers in, after passing the small tarn, the trail levels and forks as it approaches a small stream. Views at the Lookout were nice. Please note: I want to say this right away – this is absolutely NOT a hike for beginners. Beautiful hike with amazing views, but the first chunk of the trail is SUPER icy. 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