July16th 2025

It’s been a long time since I walked a different route

Although I have done many hikes along other ridges in the area not this well named ridge. Starting from Mist Creek Day use area.

From Hwy 1 at the casino, it is about 80 Km to the right turn.

The trail leaves the parking lot and then crosses Hwy 40. Walk for about half an hour or so and watch out for a fork. There is a sign, but it points left. I think to do the whole ridge clockwise. Look very carefully because the trail is hidden with overgrown bushes. Further up it clears up and becomes an old wide road. Trail snakes up along the hillside at this point I am thinking this is not a ridge walk. Eventually the trail becomes single track, and a col is in site, up until this point no ridge walking. At the col DO NOT follow the trail into the trees. Turn right up the hill. Now at the top the ridge walk appears. By this time, it was 11:30 and we had gone 8.25 km. Not enough time to finish the whole ridge. At 2430 meters and another 1 km we called lunch. A 100m down climb was ahead. So, after a pleasant lunch we headed back.

I found this ridge walk to be too much waking in the tress. I like to be out in the open with the expansive views. I therefore am not recommending this hike.

https://willski.ca/trailheads/MistRidge.gpx

https://willski.ca/kml/MistRidge.kml

The post Mist Ridge Traverse first appeared on Willski.

The Eyes of Bataan is a climbing name for the rock wall that is on Grotto Mountain. To reach this area drive from Elk Run Blvd east to the first turnout on the left. This is sometimes occupied by camper vans.

Update they I assume Alberta Parks now want you to access this trail from the Grotto Canyon trail.

The trail climbs immediately but flattens out when on the bench. Many trails intersect with the up trail from the maze that come from the Horseshoe are, across the creek that is Grotto Canyon. Forge upward after the bench area it becomes steep again until reaching the cliff band. Walk under the cliffs until reaching the Eyes which are like big scoops out of the rock face. Depending on the time of year you may meet rock climbers. They leave a lot of gear up there.

Another trip up will be needed as I would like to explore further along the cliff passed the Eyes. Is there a way up to the summit from here. If you know please comment. I have five different routes to the summit I would like to add a sixth.

https://willski.ca/trailheads/EyesofBataan.gps

https://willski.ca/kml/EyesofBataan.kml

The post Eyes of Bataan Grotto Mt first appeared on Willski.

Some thing new but not places I have not been before. So two summits which have been hiked many times but this time by a different route. The new route would be to the Rimwall from the Orphan. See normal routes to both Peaks on these blogs https://willski.ca/the-rimwall-summit-scramble/ https://willski.ca/the-orphan/ https://willski.ca/middle-sister-via-the-orphan/

From the summit of the Orphan go back down 200m and head to the left to reach the low point of the Col. We then cut diagonally across the scree. Some faint tracks to follow. In the end it’s up to the ridge gaining 300m to the summit. Then walk up to the rocky outcrops to scramble up. No problem with these and no exposure. Of course going up is easier than down climbing so we opted to go down the Rimwall normal route. The cars would be 2km from the West Wind Pass to Driftwood Day Use As luck would have it two young girls offered to take Ron to his truck so no extra walking. The High Rockies Trail would have been the route back.

Distance 8Km Total accent 1130 m Time 5:45

https://willski.ca/trailheads/OrphantoRimwall.gpx

https://willski.ca/kml/OrphantoRimwall.kml

The post Orphan Peak to The Rimwall Kananaskis first appeared on Willski.

This hike was first seen when we went along the trail to James Walker Mountain. Let’s do Chesmill that looks doable. Here is my disclaimer I thought we were talking about the green mound with a nice ridge walk. Not until I did some research did I realise that there is a 2850 m to the right or east of the green bump.

So we set off from Sawmill on the Smith Dorrian Rd. As you would for James Walker Mountain and the lake. In about 3km see an orange tape on the left. Exit down too the creek here or move on a bit to shorten the bushwhacking to the creek as we did.. In August it was very easy to get over the creek. It may be harder earlier in the season. There are two choices.Go up the drainage gully or up the steep meadow. The choice for us was the meadow. The creek looked abit gnarly.

We had to push through some trees to get to the meadow, but apart from the steepness the footing was OK. I headed to the west to reach the ridge earlier but straight up works as well. The ridge is still up hill but the views are better. At the top looking down at the col, which was only about 25m away, we decided with the smoke and tired legs not to go the next 300m to the true summit. Lunch was taken and we returned the same way The views of Mt Chester were good but smoke prevented a full panorama.

https://willski.ca/trailheads/LittleChesmillPeak.gpx

https://willski.ca/kml/LittleChesmillPeak.kml

The post Little Chesmill Peak first appeared on Willski.

Lost Lake is found by going up Galatea Trail for about 4 km. There are two bridges one crosses the creek to the left and almost immediately another goes back across to the right. At this bridge the trail is visible on your left.

Shortly come to a dry creek. Look right down the creek for cairn on log and flagging to pick up the trail again. Trail is blocked by deadfall in numerous places. As you skirt by downed trees keep an eye on the trail ahead so as to not lose it. The trail is visible and worn all the way to the lake.

As we were scouting out a route to go over Rummel Pass we went around the lake and looked for a trail through the trees and bush. We did not find one until we came across dry waterfall. So maybe follow the dry creek to this point. Then walk left of creek /waterfall around a large rocky mound. A trail is now seen going up. Follow trail and flagging we placed to come through clear of the trees. We went up to a bench with a big erratic boulder and turned around. Confident that it would be possible to go through to Rummel Lake.

https://willski.ca/trailheads/LostLake&Beyond.gpx

https://willski.ca/kml/LostLake&Beyond.kml

The post Lost Lake & Beyond first appeared on Willski.

July 12th 2023

Ochre Springs Peak in Kootnay National Park . A walk through the Paint Pots starts off this challenging scramble. Walk along the backback trail to Ottertail Pass / Helmet Falls for about 2km. Ochre peak can be seen now. Large wide avalanche path is the route forward. No trail,bushwhack up to your waist in alders, soaking wet in a couple of minutes. Maybe try the creek you end up in it anyway. The route does not relent until the summit. Oh it does get worse in the shale and scree. Steeper as well. This scramble is a ” I will never do this one again ” I went a bit to the left and did OK some went more centre. On the descent we found decent scree far right going down. I have never been on a scramble when only four of us made the summit out of ten. The summit views made up for the gut wrenching grind to the top. Three of the highest mountains in the area Goodsirs ,Temple and Assiniboine. See the mountains of Morraine Lake. Helmet Falls and The Rockwall and many many more.

https://willski.ca/trailheads/OchreSpringPeak.gpx

https://willski.ca/kml/OchreSpringPeak.kml

The post Ochre Springs Peak first appeared on Willski.

June10th 2023

Johnson Lake is a very popular destination for Banffite and Calgarians to take a swim on a hot day. Take the lake Minniewanka Rd from Hwy1

The walk around the lake will take about one hour and has fine views of Cascade Mountain and Mt Norquay and Mt Louis. As well as Inglisemaldie. The cabin of the hermit of Inglismaldie can be found by walking clockwise around the lake. At the bottom of the lake start heading back on the otherside of the lake walk 325m and look through the trees for the cabin it can be seen. A worn trail leads to it. There are other turn berfore so make sure you can see the cabin.

To hermit in the Rockies is no easy task, and best left for those who can endure months of extremely cold weather. However, over the years many brave souls have called Rocky Mountain backcountry their home, and before it wasn’t allowed, even built homes far off the grid.

One such person was Billy Carver, known as the Hermit of Inglismaldie, so named for Mount Inglismaldie, the second-tallest peak in the nearby Fairholm Range. For nearly 30 years, he lived a recluse life in a small cabin that he built in 1910 near Johnson Lake. Carver sometimes worked coal seams below Cascade Mountain, but other than that he was never seen.Carver’s only friend was Gee Moy, owner of the Market Garden in the town of Anthracite, who’d often bring supplies to his cabin. In 1937, locals found Carver ill in his cabin and help brought him to town, where he later died. More than once, hikers have reported seeing Carver’s ghost at his cabin, which still stands near Johnson Lake. You can find it by walking to the far side and taking an obvious trail into the woods about 30 metres. A nearby sunken boat might have belonged to him.

Distance 3.5 km Elev 28M Time 1 hr

The post Johnson Lake and Hermit Cabin first appeared on Willski.

July 5th 2023

Red Basin to Red Peak and back down Buller Pass North. The idea came from Gillean Dafferns route into the basin with some modifications. See Dafferns Kananaskis Country Guide Vol1.

Start at the Spray lakes day use area walk across the road and head up to the High Rockies trail. On the north side of the creek see trail. This trail is very good for quite some way, but like all good things it ends and bushwacking begins. Stay above the creek as long as you can but keep the creek insight. When alders and other ugly bushes bar the way drop into the creek. From the creek we could see a big pile of rocks which turned out to be the foot of the Rock Glacier. For all you rock hounds this is a very important geological area. Moving rocks by shear weight and force. Although I understand there could have been ice deep underneith and some time. Keep to the creek and skirt around all this jumble of rocks. My picture shows the route we took,which was OK but on reflection I would have contiued further along the creek to maybe avoid some of the rock we walked over and then headed up. As per Dafferns/Alf Skrastins route. Getting to the col was a steep unrelenting slog. Once at the col it is just a matter of pushing onto the Red Peak summit,where lunch awaits.

Return down to the col and cut across the shoulder of an outlier of Mt Buller to Buller Pass summit. Not very pleasant as it is loose and steep, but saves going down and round. Then it is the standard route down Buller Pass trail

We had placed a car at the Buller trail head parking to perform the car shuttle.

https://willski.ca/trailheads/RedBasinRedPeakBullerPass.gpx

https://willski.ca/kml/RedBasinRedPeakBullerPass.kml

The post Red Basin to Red Peak Return Buller North Pass first appeared on Willski.

Begby Falls is short hike in the Revelstoke area. Drove down Hwy 23 S for 8.5 km Parking lot on left side of road. Follow trail down to the river and falls. Beautiful area and you can relax down by the Columbia River. 5km 325m Elev gain about 2.5 hrs

The post Begby Falls Revelstoke first appeared on Willski.

June 6th 2023

This well known trail from Barrier Lake goes up the praire View Lookout. Take a right at the top and go up to the Fire Lookout. A bit of a tuffer slog but worth the effort. Return down to the Lower lookout and then head down to Jewell Pass. The first 100m may look abit daugnting but then it becomes a nice treed trail. Keep left at all turns and return to Barrier Lake. Passing by waterfalls on Jewell Pass. Then walk back along the shore. Take a short cut if water level low.

Stats 13Km 775M Elev gain 4.5 hr

The post Praire View to Mt Yates Firelookout & Jewell Pass Loop first appeared on Willski.