One of my favourite of the many new-to-me hikes this summer was Wind Ridge near Canmore. Short and sweet, the out-and-back hike gave you lots of bang for your buck.
Since the weather has been so good lately for November, I decided to head there this past weekend before it was too late. The Wind Ridge trail is closed every year from December 1 to June 15 to protect habitat for elk and bighorn sheep.
I arrived at the nearly-empty parking lot just after 8:30 a.m. I started out in a light jog as the coffee kicked in to awaken my senses. The first four kilometres of trail through the forest was clear and completely runnable.
I started to slip when I started to climb so I pulled on my kahtoolas and took out my hiking poles. The skies were blue and the temperature was just right. It was going to be a beautiful morning. I couldn’t wait to see Wind Ridge under snow – every season offers a new perspective.
Surprisingly I didn’t see any sign of other hikers or runners. This is generally a very popular spot for those in the Canmore area. It was still relatively early for the hikers so I assumed I would see people when I turned around.
That was fine with me. One of the things I love about being in the mountains is the solitude. It’s the best therapy for anyone who wants to answer life’s big questions and figure out your stuff.
Wind ridge under snow & crotch blowout
Closer to the tree line, I ran into the waist-deep snow. At this point, I saw someone coming down the mountain. We chatted for a few minutes about the rest of the trail. He told me I would have the peak to myself. He also mentioned there were some bighorn sheep in the area. (Not convinced this was true because I saw no signs of them.)
Thankfully the guy had broken some trail but I swear he chose the deepest snowdrifts possible.
Deep snow stretched less than one kilometre in distance but it took me forever to get through. I was twisted and turned, trying to keep upright. Somewhere along the line, I ripped the crotch in my tights. Not fun when you are wading through waist-deep snow. It made for a chilly morning.
What a workout. I kept telling myself – I am getting stronger with every step. I am not one to give up so I kept on and on until I reached solid ground. This time around, I didn’t climb over the cliff face. I had my spikes on and I didn’t want to remove them. I went around the left side of the cliff face where a small trail bypasses the cliff.
In retrospect I think it would have been easier to climb over the cliff because I had to get down on all fours to climb up this section. It was challenging with the poles and the snow was slippery. I didn’t see any footprints so I am not sure how the other person got up this part.
The rest of the hike was fine – in terms of snowdrifts. Lots of trail making but it was nothing too challenging. When I passed others on the way down, a few thanked me for breaking trail. (Now I understand why some people wait until mid-morning to get out on the trail.)
Outstanding views of snow-capped Mount Lougheed and Wind Valley. No sign of sheep. What a wonderful way to start the weekend. I felt all the stresses of the work week quickly melt away as I gazed across the way.
Do you hike in the winter? What is your favourite season to run or hike? I would love to hear from you in the comments below.