We are monitoring our operations to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and this page is updated as adjustments are made. Hike the Fortress Ridgeline with 360 degree … The original lease was granted in 1967 which pre-dates both Kananaskis Country itself by 11 years as well as the Provincial parks which now surround it. Happy hiking! KPow delivered the goods last week when we went up as group of 16 for a full day cat skiing. Although we followed the trail through the trees it becomes very steep and slippy. Be wary of a few snow patches that are lingering on the col plus two snow cornices. This is one amazing hike, has a little bit of everything. This isn't much of a big deal but I believe normally people take the trail to NW shore at the lake but I took the SE shore since there was a bear with a cub (due to the bears I was off-trail for a little while around the lake). 9 9. There was still a large patch of snow lingering that we easily avoided. We didn't encounter any wildlife. Did the fill loop today in a counter clockwise direction. One of my favourite scrambles I’ve done. if doing the loop definitely go counter clockwise. The High Rockies Trail is a newly completed 80 km long multi-use trail outside of Canmore, Alberta. Neil… would recommend bringing bicycles to ride to where the Headwall Creek intersects with the logging road. Completed the loop counter-clockwise, highly recommend going this direction rather than clockwise. Trail head has outhouses. Amazing hike! Very challenging but very rewarding hike, took me 6.5 hours in total, about 4 up and 2.5 down or so. :). Stay to the right side of the lakes! An ice axe would be helpful until the snow on the col melts, plus you could use it to glissade down the snow that is on the Chester side of the col! If you are coming from Highway 40, continue south to the junction of the Kananaskis Lakes Trail, 50 kilometres from the Trans-Canada Highway turnoff. The ice shelf is much deeper than you’d think it be even as an experienced mountaineer. The whole loop is quite beautiful and definitely worth your time, just be sure to complete it counterclockwise. The trail is primarily used for hiking, nature trips, and bird watching and is best used from March until October. Not something to do in running shoes. It is owned and operated by Fortress Mountain Holdings Ltd. Vakantiepakketten voor Kananaskis Country; Vluchten naar Kananaskis Country; Restaurants in Kananaskis Country; Wat te doen in Kananaskis Country; Foto's van Kananaskis Country; Kaart van Kananaskis Country; Alle Kananaskis Country hotels; Hoteldeals voor Kananaskis Country; Op hoteltype. This loop hike starts at Chester Lake parking lot. Would recommend. White Mountain Adventures is excited to announce the launch of new exclusive summer mountain experiences for small groups and families at Fortress Mountain in Kananaskis Country. Everyone else I met had turned back, so I may be missing something. The water level was low, as is normal at this time of year. If you aren’t experienced navigating scree and steep descents, I would gain a bit more experience before doing this trail, especially the summit. Access road is gated and camera monitored, you can still attempt the trail but you will have to park at the gas station across the street and add an extra 8km of hiking up the access road. Fortress Mountain Cat Skiing, Kananaskis Country: See 8 reviews, articles, and 5 photos of KPOW! We went counter-clockwise, which I highly recommend! There was also a fair number of snow patches on the Chester side but lower elevation. Located in Spray Valley Provincial Park near Kananaskis, this beautiful and easy hike takes you through the forest on to an alpine meadow by Mt Chester. September 15, 2012 3000m Kananaskis - Smith Dorrien Valley, AB The Fortress is one of the most popular scrambles in Kananaskis Country due to its easiness to access, lack of technical difficulty, lovely approach valley (Chester Lake area) and gorgeous summit view. Fortress Mountain Cat Skiing. The route down from the saddle on the Chester lake side is crazy steep and loose. The Fortress Lake valley also provides hikers, canoeists, and kayakers a back country oasis to discover. There was a comfy little back-country campsite above the lake, compete with axe and shovel. As the title states I am looking to see if anyone has fished Fortress lake at the old ski resort. 1/2-day moderate hiking adventure to Fortress Mountain in Kananaskis with private, exclusive ATV-assisted access. I also tried to ‘shortcut’ and climb the left side of the last two lakes, but got myself into a sort of sticky situation and had to down climb some moderately steep mildy exposed bits with loose rock. Dogs are also able to use this trail. If you are looking for some solitude, the Shark Lake snowshoe isn’t well known, making it a great alternative to the Chester Lake snowshoe trail and other the other super-popular Kananaskis snowshoe trails. Make sure to go about 200m past the bridge to find the correct trail up to the lakes and the scree field. KPOW! Once at the saddle it looks like a short steep grunt up to the peak of Fortress (we weren't able to make it to the summit due to conditions, needed to get down from the saddle quickly). Even without the snow this is a decently advanced trail to be this popular. Headwall Lakes, The Fortress, Chester Lake is a 19.2 kilometer moderately trafficked loop trail located near Kananaskis Improvement, Alberta, Canada that offers scenic views and is rated as difficult. All the lakes were beautiful and the views were gorgeous. Take one of the x-country ski trails and initially continue east and then north towards Headwall Lakes.Continue past Headwall Lakes along the valley and ascent up the col and steep up to the Fortress summit, the last few meters requires some easy scrambling and use of your hands. I would recommend going down the center of the watershed on the rocks ,which is the way we returned. The Fortress can be ascended via either the Headwall Lakes or Chester Lake trails; we chose to ascend via Headwall Lakes and descend via Chester Lake. Perched high in the Canadian Rockies, Fortress Mountain Resort is located just over one hour west of Calgary, Alberta. It takes only 15 minutes on bikes to reach the bottom. Bow Valley Provincial Park March 2, 2020. We have hiked and snowshoed the Chester Lake trail in all seasons and keep returning due to … Dress for the weather, was fairly warm at the bottom but once I reached the summit it was extremely windy. All of the crew are super friendly and happy to help with anything, they all had heaps of knowledge on the area too which was awesome. I was doing the opposite. Grandeur. A Trail Made For Everyone. The hike itself was not difficult and the descent was even easier because we brought our bikes along. Did this last weekend! With three distinct names The Kananaskis Trail, Highway 40 or the highwood pass is one ride you want to put on your Bike-It-List..It is commonly known as one of the best motorcycle rides in Canada. Keep an eye out for the rock carns along the way. You don’t sink in most of it and can walk right over it. I found countless seashell fossils, crazy to think at one point in time this was all underwater! Fortress Mountain Cat Skiing, ranked No.56 on Tripadvisor among 80 attractions in Kananaskis Country. Coming up from headwall lakes it is very visible and thus easy to avoid. If you are going to do the summit, coming from headwall, almost go right over the pass. The trail is more defined at this point, just keep following! It was easy to "surf/ski" down but would be a nightmare trying to go up, that is why I would suggest going counter-clockwise. A new owner, Fortress Mountain Holdings, is taking another kick at the can. With its close proximity to the city of Calgary, and the unbelievable views and scenery this ride will want you coming back for more.. Fortress Mountain Ski Resort hopes to be back in business by December 2020. Poles needed, tracks or spikes for shoes if going up to Fortress like we did would be beneficial. Rawson Lake Hike: The route to Rawson Lake is one of the best hikes in Kananaskis Trail, taking you up a series of switchbacks through the forest to a picture-perfect lake. Fortress Mountain can also be reached via a steep off-trail hike from Chester Lake. I’d echo the recommendation of going counterclockwise - climbing up the pass to start the Fortress portion is easier on the Headwall side vs. Chester Lake side. Good conditions coming from the Headwall Lakes side. The hike up to Headwall is easily navigated and stunning, once you pass the lakes, you'll head into a mossy valley, followed by a slow lead up to the steep scramble up to Fortress. Blessed with stunning mountain scenery, the Chester Lake hike is one of the best hikes in Kananaskis. About a 10km round trip out and back. I am looking to do a specific adventure this summer and i think this would be the perfect location. Make sure Chester lake is open as it was closed today due to bear activity. Luckily the rocks surrounding the trail havent't been traversed too often so they are still quite grippy. The Hogarth Lakes snowshoe trail in Kananaskis Country is a great half … This one has a bit of everything. Highly recommend this trail! About an hour in you’ll come to a wooden bridge that crosses over a small waterfall, and soon after you’ll see vibrant Rawson Lake pop out through the trees on the right, framed by towering Mount Sarrail. Great low intensity hike. Fortress Lake Trail [PRIVATE PROPERTY] is a 9.0 kilometer moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Kananaskis Improvement, Alberta, Canada that features a lake and is rated as difficult. But the snow coming down the really steep part of the pass into the Chester lake area is knee to thigh deep and you do sink. Go counter-clockwise as the other way seems very difficult to get up but you can kinda surf or slide down which is fun. Please refer to the trail description in the guidebook, especially for unofficial, off-trail hikes. Due to Chester lakes route being closed (damn bears...), I did an out and back through Headwall lakes. Once past the lakes the route up to the saddle looks very daunting and almost not doable from a distance, as you get closer and closer you realize its going to be pretty easy. This describes the bivy at The Fortress. All that said, beautiful trail. We crossed 2 small snow patches in the upper Chester Lake valley. To gain permission to use the access road to the lake, you must call the number on the gate 403-591-0320. The scree slope in and around the pass is very steep and intimidating. Fortress Lake sits right under the wall of the mountain in a grand setting. It’s certainly one of the Kananaskis hikes we have done most often in our lives. I wouldn’t currently recommend actually doing the full summit of fortress mountain. Great scramble with lots of variety. Highly recommend gaiters, hiking boots, and poles if you use them. We met back up with the trail by the pass and the small switchbacks up to fortress was great. Kananaskis Country Advisories & Public Safety Kananaskis ... Wedge Connector Trail Bridge Washout. Overall it was a good hike with nice views from the ridge. Has anyone fished Fortress Lake in Kananaskis. A great day out to scramble up The Fortress. Fortress Lake Rummel Lake Pigeon Creek C S t o n y C r e e k H e a r r e e k ... ananaskis Riv e r Chilver Lake Baldy Pass Trail Heart Mountain Trail Heart Creek Trail Wedge Pond Trail Mt. The guy was friendly and let us know that grizzlies had been spotted on the road. On the flip side if you are scared of, or nervous around, heights I might give this hike a pass. Head up the service road or one of the runs to gain the first ridge (not Fortress Ridge). Motels in Kananaskis Country; Hostels in Kananaskis Country Our plan was to hike to fortress lake and fish for a bit, but thunderstorms rolled in and we turned back before reaching our destination. The Fortress lake is to your left and any of the trails … The trail is primarily used for hiking, nature trips, and bird watching. Evan-Thomas Provincial Recreation Area January 27, 2021. This was done as the 3rd objective of a long multi-peak day. https://www.alltrails.com/.../headwall-lakes-the-fortress-chester-lake Definitely go counter clockwise. Then add Chester Lake Trail to your list of places to visit in Canada’s Rockies. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/fortress-lake-trail The trail starts at the popular Goat Creek Parking Lot on the Smith-Dorrien/Spray Lakes Trail and ends on the Alberta/BC border at Elk Pass in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, paralleling the Spray Lakes Road until you reach the Lower Kananaskis Lake. Also to gain permission to use the access road to the lake, you must call the number on the gate 403-591-0320. Did Elbow Lake Trail and continued to the right of the lake to connect to Rae Glacier Trail. We did the full loop, up Headwall and down the Chester Lake side. Really nice hike with many different things to see. Fortress Ridge starts at Fortress ski hill in Kananaskis country, and to make it even better, you're already at 7,000'. The resort is located near the Kananaskis Trail (115 km west of Calgary). Start earlier than 12 noon to make it out before dark especially with all the snow, cold and windy conditions. You can go to Big bend and fortress campsite but not across the river unless you have a raft. On the day I went I am pretty sure I was the only one who went over the pass. We lost them half way up between some of the snow drifts. Took me close to 9 hours, but I was hiking in 28 degree heat and taking time to grab my camera out of my bag frequently. Stay safe! This is not currently a trail I’d trail run, you’d have to stop and slow down for a large portion of the trail due to the snow and extremely loose scree. Attempted this today from the Chester Lake side and turned back due to wind / snow. These winter cross-country ski trails take you SE until you come to a damaged bridge. The top is a little challenging but worth the extra effort. Starting off by Upper Kananaskis Lake Rawson Lake covered in snow A socially-distanced snowshoe across Rawson Lake Snowshoeing in Kananaskis – Hogarth Lakes Loop Trail. Starting from the south side of Upper Kananaskis Lake, the well-travelled, wooded trail has a moderate incline (300 metres) and hugs Rawson Creek. Will attempt again from the Headwall Lakes side as most people here suggested. I also recommend going counterclockwise and ascending via the Headwall lakes side. When you leave the lake, you'll get another wide open meadow to admire -- this hike is just magnificent. This isn't much of a big deal but I believe normally people take the trail to NW shore at the lake but I took the SE shore since there was a bear with a cub (due to the bears I was off-trail for a little while around the lake). Headwall Lakes, The Fortress, Chester Lake. There are also a lot of snow bridges that I could hear on the Chester lake side approaching the pass, so be careful as the snow melts. The scree is very loose and sketchy (easy to lose your balance in places where falling could kill you). Read our COVID-19 guidelines by clicking this banner before visiting one of our parks. DO NOT GO CLOCKWISE RIGHT NOW. I don’t recommend ‘shortcutting’ as I lost a bunch of time and energy. Barrier Lake Visitor Information Centre Closed as of April 1, 2020. There is still a little snow on the Chester lake side, but shouldn't be an issue anymore. On the way down to Chester there's a small scree ski and then a few boulder valleys leading to Chester lake. There is a massive ice shelf that is impossible to see (coming from Chester lake) right in the pass. Shark cross-country ski area. What a beautiful valley! Weather was really cold and blowing snow and heavy wind so be prepared for all weather. It is a longer day but the climb up to the col from the Headwall side is easier scree than the Chester side (which is great to descend on). There isn’t a clear defined path in the North portion of the loop, but we followed the AllTrails map and Inukchuks and didn’t have any issues. Kananaskis Country Trail Guide Volume 1 Trail #95 Trailhead: Chester Lake 50.7912N, -115.30062W With 750cm (300 inches) of average annual snowfall, wind-protected slopes, incredible tree skiing, and up to 2000+ acres of stunning terrain, Fortress is a … Hotels in de buurt van Elbow Lake Trail; Hotels in de buurt van Peter Lougheed Park Discovery & Information Centre; In de buurt van luchthavens. I'm looking forward to getting to the lake next year. I used Chester Lake trail to go to Chester. I had a few scary moments with some unavoidable snow. We hiked July 24 2018. I proposed to my wife here! We made it as far as the ridge just west of the challet. Hotels in de buurt van (YYC) Internationale Luchthaven Calgary; Alle dingen om te doen in Kananaskis Country; Activiteiten in de omgeving van KPOW! The parking lot is very busy, got there at 10am on long weekend and go parking but when were done people were parked along the highway. Cross the logs and up the slight hill and there is a clearly flagged trail to the left into the forest. The Shark Lake snowshoe trail is a very enjoyable easy Kananaskis snowshoe trail near the very popular Mt. The route is initially steep, but levels off as you reach the stunning lake, allowing you to appreciate the glorious scenery in all its majesty. Please note that this is not the Fortress Lake in Jasper National Park. Whether you’re with your kids, your partner or a group of friends who either hike a lot – or only when lunch is promised afterward! The best path is almost right on the cliff of the Chester lake side. It was a great hike then scramble. Barrier Lake is one of the more famous trails for Kananaskis Country hiking. Once again, take some time to enjoy Chester Lake -- try to capture it from many different angles, or just relax. A 25 km perimeter provides stunning lake vistas, and several hiking trails. This hike is often confused with the Fortress Lake found in Jasper. This has been my favourite hike I’ve done in the Rockies. Starting at the Chester Lake Trailhead, take the unmarked trail on the right side of the parking lot. I ascended via Headwall Lakes and descended via Chester. The company has been operating KPOW!, a Cat Skiing operation since 2011 and has some ambitious plans for the area. The sun was still shining on the waters, although the long shadow of the mountain was swinging across to envelop the lake. I used Chester Lake trail to go to Chester. Just a side note, there still is a ton of snow. I was doing the opposite. There was snow, ice and mud. Awesome hike, definitely not for the faint of heart. Honestly the view is just as good about ¾ of the way from the pass to the summit. ... Can you bike the trail to the lake? You get to finish the hike by passing by beautiful Chester Lake which was a treat for sure. This loop option is only marginally longer than a direct in-out ascent via Chester Lake (the shorter direction) and would allow us to avoid the hordes at Chester Lake for half the trip as well as provide a bit of scenic variety. The hike isn't very interesting up to this point. 3.5 up 2.5 down. – Barrier Lake Trail is a breath of fresh air all spring, summer, fall and winter long! However once you are actually there it’s really not that bad in my opinion. The hike up to the Headwall lakes is wonderful and scenic. In the valley the creek from the lake feeds into Galatea Creek.