Do you take your cellphone or iPod into the mountains? Chances are you put them in the pocket of your supposedly waterproof jacket and forget about them when you get rained on. When you get home you try drying the moisture-laden device in the oven, or use one of a number of other home remedies. A Portland company has come up with a more reliable solution to your problem—The Bheestie Bag.

The Bheestie Bag is a Ziploc-style bag with a self-contained bag of water-absorbing beads inside, designed to ‘dry out’ electronic devices: cell phones, iPods, small cameras, etc. The silicon beads can last up to a year for frequent use in a damp environment, though a lot less if used for an extreme soaking.

To dry-out an electronic device, turn it off, dry the surface, take out the battery if possible, open flip phones, drop it in the Bheestie Bag and close the zip. Leave the device in the bag for 24-72 hours, depending how wet it got and recharge if necessary.

From Canada, order through REI. Cost US$20.

Actually, it’s a replacement trail. Do you remember Link trail, the section that connected Volcano Ridge trailhead to the  pass between Volcano Ridge and the rocky knoll which is South Volcano Ridge? — a long boringly straight cutline lined with alder, followed by a horrendously steep and stony cutline up onto a ridge?  Well, the new Link  trail is the anthisus of straight; it winds A LOT  up an east-facing ridge to the south of the old route. A few other facts: It  starts 820 m south of the old junction on what was Gorge-Link trail. It’s 2.6 km long, has bridges over every creek starting from Volcano Ridge trailhead,  and joins the old route almost midway between Volcano Ridge Summit trail and the pass.

It was flagged back in 2009 by Don Cockerton (now retired) who saw the desperate need for a better trail. As I write this, the contractors have reached the meadows about 200 m away from its flagged junction with the old Link.  So. though not quite finished,  the trail is definitely followable. Right now it’s a wide track, which I found  a little off-putting, but I know that in time the grass creeping  in over the edges will make it a more aesthetic trail. It would be interesting to get other people’s opinions of the new route on the blog. I think the bikers will love it.

To get there, we parked at Gorge Creek trailhead and biked the closed section of Gorge Creek road to the old Volcano Ridge trailhead. The road  is still in excellent shape and is being driven on a regular basis by the contractors who have keys to the gates. If you don’t want to bike the road (and returning up that hill is NOT something to look forward to after a day’s hiking), you can make a 12.5 km loop from Gorge Creek trailhead with  South Volcano Ridge trail and the new Link trail. If you want to visit Volcano Ridge summit, add on 5 km. OK, so getting to Volcano Ridge still requires a lengthy walk. But it’s so worth it: Volcano is the best viewpoint in the foothills, the flowers are full out, the access trail is still clear.

To answer  Willibrad, here is a list from RMB of where the books are available. If a store doesn’t have it, ask them why not.

• Amazon.co.uk (United Kingdom)
• Amazon.de (Germany)
• Amazon.jp (Japan)
• Audrey’s Books (Edmonton)
• Bentley’s Books (Cochrane)
• Blurb’s Books (Camrose)
• Boundary Ranch (Kananaskis)
• Cafe Books (Canmore)
• Camper’s Village (Calgary & Edmonton)
• Canadian Rockies Rafting Company (Canmore)
• Chapters (Calgary)
• Fortress Junction (Kananaskis)
• Friends of Banff (Banff)
• Friends of Kananaskis (Kananaskis)
• Glenbow Museum (Calgary)
• Goro Canyon Gift Shop (Banff)
• Greenwood’s Bookshoppe (Edmonton)
• Indigo (Calgary)
• Indigo.ca (Canada)
• Kananaskis Outfitters (Kananaskis)
• Kerry Wood Nature Centre (Red Deer)
• Map Town (Calgary & Edmonton)
• Mountain Equipment Coop (Calgary)
• Mountain Lights (Lake Louise)
• Nanaimo Maps and Books (Nanaimo, BC)
• Norseman Ski Shop (Calgary)
• Owl’s Nest Books (Calgary)
• Pages Books on Kensington (Calgary)
• Second Story Books (Canmore)
• Sparrowhawk Photo (Kananaskis)
• Sundance Lodges (Kananaskis)
• University of Calgary Bookstore (Calgary)
• Valhalla Pure (Calgary & Edmonton)
• Viewpoint (Banff)

The situation with MEC is frustrating, ever since all the book ordering was done from Vancouver by people who don’t know a lot about books. (Dennis, we miss you.). For instance, in the past MEC has sold well over a thousand trail guides. But  the latest edition is not even on the shelves yet, despite the book being out in mid May. When I asked customer service how many they had ordered, they looked it up on the computer and said 6, with 2 going to the Vancouver store!

At one time MEC was the place where I bought all my climbing books. Now they only stock guidebooks and Lonely Planet guides. The Calgary store should be supporting local authors like Chic Scott, Glen Boles and Kathy Calvert. Is anyone else irked by this?

Incidentally, most of the royalties from my books have gone  to the Bow Valley SPCA since its inception a number of years back.  (It’s a non kill facility.) So keep on buying!

The road is starting to grow-in and drainage runnels are appearing

Recently drove up the truncated northeast end of the Gorge Creek Trail, which, perhaps, should be renamed the Ware Creek Trail as it goes nowhere near Gorge Creek.  Despite it being a holiday day, the Ware Creek trailhead was deserted and wore an air of abandonment. It badly needs some maintenance plus picnic tables to lure people there. Not to mention some brushing out of the Ware Creek trail. The closed section of road, destined to be the new Link trail, was barricaded by not one but two gates and numerous strands of barbed wire, the barbed wire extending both sides into the bush. I was about to make some quip  about border controls  when Tony noticed  a cattle gate at the side of the road, the kind that is hard to open and even harder to shut  unless you’re an arm wrestler. (Does anyone else have a problem with these gates?) So we got through and walked up the road a way. I can report it is growing grass down the centre line; the gouge out of the road is still there; there is no sign of logging yet.

Gates on Gorge Creek Road at Ware Creek. Overkill?

But back to those fences. Anyone going to Allsmoke Mountain along the meadows of Ware Creek now has to navigate two of those gates in a new fence extending right across the meadow.

Damage near the Ware Creek end of the Gorge Creek Road that precipitated the road closure

The area between Station Flats and Canyon Creek Road has become a popular mountain biking destination, with more bikers than hikers on many of the trails. There is everything from short, steep, obstacle-featured “Downhill Specific” (DHS) trails that descend to Canyon Creek, to long-distance trails such as Tom Snow, which is used as part of the Bow 80, an 80 km loop that starts along Sulphur Springs, then over Cox Hill and Jumpingpound Mountain. Some of the new trails built by the mountain biking community are multi-use, some are DHS, while the two sections of Pneuma joined by Hotlaps are heavily used as an alternative to cycling up the road.

Hikers to left, bikers to right - Wet Pants, Special K

Hikers need to use caution on high-speed DHS trails such as Special K and Race of Spades. Hike them only in spring and fall when traffic is lighter; hike them in small groups, in the uphill direction, with head up and eyes open. Avoid Pneuma on busy weekend days, with the exception of the top section which descends the open ridge above the first section of Moose Mountain trail, providing spectacular views and a pleasant alternative to the boring old road.

The map below shows the conglomeration of trails in the area. DHS trails are shown as dashed red lines. Not shown are the DHS trails that descend to Canyon Creek. Click on the map for a larger, printable version.

The map in a previous post, New Bike Trails in the Elbow, shows trails to the east between Tom Snow to Elbow Trail.

A new mountain bike trail has appeared along the section of McConnell Ridge north of Barrier Lookout. This aesthetically-routed trail makes an excellent loop out of the boring Quaite Valley-Jewell Pass trail. If you are mountain biking, the trail is designed for riding in the counter clockwise direction, using the wide, easy Quaite Valley trail to gain elevation for the fun descent back to the highway.

If you are hiking the trail works better the other way round, going in a clockwise direction from the Trans-Canada Highway. That is how I’ll describe the route.

Drive 2 km east of the Lac des Arcs/Heart Creek overpass and park at the unofficial pull-off at the Quaite Valley road. Hike east along the highway for about 1 km until you come to to a small draw after the wide rock-cut. Look for some pruned trees and perhaps a cairn or flagging to start onto the trail. The trail goes up the draw a short distance and then contours across an open slope above the second rock-cut. It crosses over a ridge-line and descends slightly through the trees to a tiny stream. If you missed this section, don’t worry, simply go to past the second rock-cut and make your way up the east side of the next gully. After crossing the gully, the trail again contours east and slightly up hill to get above the next rock-cut. From here, the trail follows a series of limestone outcrops near the crest of the ridgeline. The route is marked with cairns and lined with bits of deadfall. You know if you are on the route if the path is clear of debris. If the path seems a bit steep, simply look around for an easier way. This section is very open, with great views of Yamnuska and the rest of the lower Bow Valley.

Ascending the lower part of McConnell Ridge with Goat Mountain and Yamnuska in the background

The ridgeline levels out after about 200 m of elevation and the bare limestone comes to an end. A very nice trail enters the forest and gradually climbs along a bench on the east side of the north peak of McConnell Ridge. The trail is close enough to the edge of the bench to offer frequent views towards the Camp Chief Hector area to the east. At about 1600 m elevation, you emerge from the shady forest to an open ridge-line with views to the west.

From the ridge, the trail again follows bands of bare limestone, with short jogs to the east in a couple of spots. This is the most scenic section of the hike, with superb views of Mt. Yamnuska, the peaks of the Exshaw Valley, Barrier Lookout and the entrance to the Kananaskis Valley, Jewell Pass, the Heart Mountain loop and more. The trail continues south along McConnell Ridge to a low saddle at the base of the steep, rocky slope with Barrier Lookout on the top. Along this section, there are a few spots where the mountain bike route takes a steep drop down a bit of limestone slab. Wherever these bits are too steep for hiking up, there is always an easier route that gets you back up onto the trail.

More images  

From the saddle, look for a well flagged trail that leads southwest, roughly following the 1650 m contour. This nicely made trail winds through a mossy pine and spruce forest until it reaches the Prairie View trail, 500 m from Jewell Pass. Follow the Prairie View trail to the view-less Jewell Pass 4-way junction and hike down the Quaite Valley trail back to your car.

An excellent mountain bike trail has been developed between the eastern end of the present Stewart Creek development and Deadman’s Flats. It connects with the Lac des Arcs – Deadman’s Flats section of the Trans-Canada Trail. Apart from a short, somewhat boggy section, the tread is very good. While not offering a particularly good hiking experience: it’s in the trees all the way and there is a lot of highway noise, it’s a great easy mountain biking trail at 12 km return.

West access
Leave the Trans-Canada Highway at the Stewart Creek interchange and head up to the four-way junction. Turn left and follow he road up to a traffic circle. Drive straight on to a turning circle at the end of the road. Park here. Continue up the road (chain across) for 300 m to a side road on the left also blocked by a chain. The bike trail starts on the right a few metres beyond the chain.

East access
Drive the Pigeon access road from Deadman’s Flats. Just beyond the highway wildlife fence there is a track to the right. The Trans Canada Trail is on the opposite side of the road. Follow the track to Pigeon Creek. Rather than wading the creek, head right to the wildlife fence and across the top of the culvert. A track leads through trees back to the powerline road. Follow the powerline road a short distance to where it bears slightly right. A track to the left heads up to the powerline proper. Make a sharp U-turn here and head back toward the quarry. The bike trail soon becomes obvious.

Click on the map below to download a larger printable version.

I have finally found the time to produce a topographical map showing the Highline Trail above Canmore. Signage on the trail is somewhat spotty with a variety of signs from junction maps stapled to boards to blue plastic strip signs. I suspect it’s a work in progress. Quarry Lake is the only location that marks the start of any of the trails. There are four ways of getting on or off the Highline from east to west as follows:

Three Sisters Creek access
The trail starts at the end of Three Sisters Boulevard, heading up and bearing left through a gate. It follows the the fence line (wooden) of the new golf course and through a patch of trees between the two golf courses.

East access from Peaks of Grassi
The trail starts from the middle of the turn-around at the east end of the Peaks of Grassi community. It climbs at a moderate grade to the Highline Trail.

West access from Quarry Lake parking
Start at the left side (Quarry Lake side) of the parking area where there is a Highline Trail signboard. The gravel trail crosses mostly open ground to the powerline where it jogs left and almost immediately right. In a little while there is a junction where you bear right up a moderately steep and winding trail with well-banked corners to the Highline Trail.

Riders of Rohan access
From the Quarry Lake parking area head across by one of several routes to the powerline. Follow the powerline west to the Riders of Rohan trail. Turn left and follow the moderately steep and sometimes rocky trail to where it merges with the Highline Trail.

Click on the map below to download an 11″ x 8.5″ version.

Unlike access to Stewart Creek which is  longer than it ever was and requires a bike, access to Three Sisters Creek  has been shortened.

From the Trans-Canada  going west, get onto Three Sisters Parkway. Go straight at the first junction into Three Sisters Mountain village and  follow Three Sisters Boulevard up a long straight  hill to its end. The route starts on the gravel road  beyond the locked gate, but you can’t park in front of the gate. Turn right at the top of the blvd. and park on Hubman Landing road. Hopefully, one day there will be a small parking area here to serve  people on foot, because this is also the eastern terminus of the Highline trail and not everyone has a bike or lives in Canmore. Right now there is no sign to indicate the trail.

At the T-junction just beyond the gate, keep left  (right leads to a construction zone). Almost straightaway the road dips away left, but you keep straight on a good trail that follows the wooden fence.  After the fence turns right, the trail crosses a strip of woodland between Stewart Creek Golf Course on the left and the fence  enclosing Three Sisters Golf Resort to the right. The trail then veers right, en route crossing a logging road. This marks the start of blue posts indicating the Highline trail. Nearing Three Sisters Creek, the trail turns sharp left and heads up valley. Cross another logging road.

The second bridge across Three Sisters Creek

At the next 4-way junction the Highline turns right and crosses a bridge over Three Sisters Creek to get onto the west side road—the original access to upper Three Sisters Creek. Rather than do this, at the 4-way junction go straight on an unsigned  trail that follows the east bank of the creek alongside historic flumes. In about half a kilometre this trail crosses the creek on a second bridge amid discarded flumes and joins the west side road higher up. Turn left and follow the road to the dam.

Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation, as part of its Plan for Parks, is looking for feedback on proposed legislation to simplify the park classification system in Alberta. Provincial parks, wildland provincial parks, provincial recreation areas, wilderness areas, ecological reserves, natural areas and heritage rangelands would be classified as either Provincial Parks or Heritage Rangeland. Provincial Parks will be divided into zones that would define the amount of recreation/conservation allowed in areas of a park. The government believes that the simplified classification will allow visitors to clearly understand what recreation and conservation activities are supported in each park and why.

This is a scary proposal for outdoor recreation in Kananaskis Country, and the implications need considerable thought. For example  random-camping backpacking, presently allowed by some area classifications, would probably not be allowed in any of the three proposed zone definitions, significantly reducing the amount of backpacking terrain in K Country.

To provide feedback, read the Frequently Asked Questions and complete the Online Survey.