Stumbling out of bed around 7 a.m., I quickly gathered my food and stuffed my gear into my well-used hydration pack. A late start for me, I gave myself permission to linger because the previous day had been long – both on the the trail and behind the wheel.
Maybe I will do something short – an hour’s drive away. What should I do? Opal Ridge has been on my ‘to do’ list all summer. I was turned around once before I even hit the trail because of the rain. Today would be the day I would tackle the south ridge.
The trailhead for Opal Ridge is at the north end of the gas station on the Kananaskis Highway (Hwy 40). Surprisingly the parking lot was practically empty when I arrived around 8:45 a.m. I expected to be circling for a parking spot because of my late start.
Two hikers were just beginning when I opened my trunk to grab my stuff. I kept a close eye on them to see which direction they had headed. From the parking lot, I walked straight to the creek then up through a well-defined trail up to the power lines. Turning left I continued for about 400 metres until I spotted the orange tape marker. Through the trees I went until I came to an open bit where I could see the the clear path up the mountain.
This was a good spot to sort myself out before I began the scree section directly ahead of me. The scree slopes and rocky bits were not entirely fun. I climbed over huge boulders as opposed to trying to secure my footing on loose scree and rock. I cursed myself for wearing shorts as I added more bumps and bruises to my summer legs. Many trails lead up the scree and it doesn’t really matter which one you take because they all lead up to the same spot.
I caught up with the two hikers at an open grassy section. We exchanged a few words before they moved on. I gave them space because nobody likes to be crowded on a hike. Besides I like to see someone in the distance ahead of me – it’s almost like a beacon encouraging me to keep moving.
Before reaching the ridge, I hiked up between two huge rock pillars that resembled a gate welcoming visitors. This bit was a slippery and I really had to take my time. I wasn’t using poles because I wanted to rely on my core and leg strength. Going down would be another story.
Emerging from the “rock gate,” I was overwhelmed by the stunning views. I lingered taking photos and enjoying the solitude while the two hikers were making their way across the ridge.
The elevation gain was quick on the ascent to the ridge but it was well worth the slog as I looked out on the day. I spotted several goats or big horn sheep (I can never tell from a distance) on the side of the mountain while I meandered across the ridge.
The route to the summit was pretty straight forward along the ridge. There is a bit of a scramble to get to the cairn marking the summit. If you continue on for about 500 metres, you will reach the highest point of Opal Ridge.
At the true summit, I chatted some more with the two hikers. It was chilly on the top so I was a little jealous of their hot soup. I listened as one pointed out the different peaks in the distance. I am terrible at recognizing peaks so I was happy for the quick lesson. I spotted Kananaskis Lakes in the distance so I guess that’s something, right?
Green. Brown. Red. The colours on the mountains were simply gorgeous. It almost looked like someone took a crayon and drew on the mountains. How lucky was I to savour such a day in such solitude.
Usually this hike/scramble is very busy. So I was not surprised to see all the people when I headed down. I chatted with many people who wanted more detail on the hike. Mostly I think it was more of a breather as the climb is no easy feat for most people. The elevation gain for the hike is roughly 1,000 metres over nine-ish kilometres.
The descent was more than a pain in the butt than anything. I took out my poles to help with the scree section. I am not sure they helped much because I ended up tossing them aside a few times. There are some runnable sections for this hike but mostly not so I just went with the flow. On the way down – as always is the case – I spotted trail markers that might have made my ascent a little more clear cut.
Hands down Opal Ridge (south peak) was one of my favourite new-to-me hikes this summer. I love the climbing over the boulders, the elevation gain and the spectacular views. Well worth the wait.
Are you enjoying the last days of summer? What has been your favourite adventure this summer. I would love to hear from you in the comments below.