Wearing my bright orange Arc’teryx jacket, I stood in the middle of the road waiting to flag down my friend. I passed the first parking lot to park my Qashqai near the closest washroom. Planning is everything.
I did not need to worry that she would miss me. The small two lots were empty on this Sunday morning but I like being dramatic.
Our plan was to run the Mustang Hills loop from Cobble Flats Day Use in Kananaskis. I haven’t explored this area but I have taken a drive to Cobble Flats picnic area when I first moved to Calgary. A short run was just what I needed after the long day on Saturday.
We ran along the Elbow River before dipping into the trees and climbing up in the forest. We reached the Mustang Hills “summit” in no time before we continued on to reach the Mustang Hills East Summit. We had to laugh at moniker “summit” because we were just running hills. I am on the fence about counting these two on my 24 new-to-me peaks in 2024.
The trail, with a few cairns here and there, was straightforward for the most part. A few times we veered off the official route thanks to the numerous animal trails. I am not sure why I don’t hear about this route in the running community. It’s a lovely spot.
The lush, still-green forests and picturesque Elbow River were a perfect start to the day.