Wind Ridge

This is such an awesome little hike, and so close to town, I can’t believe I’ve never done it before.

We parked at the Pigeon Mountain carpark, along with hoards of others (after arriving there the first time and realising we’d forgotten bear spray, and having to go back home and pick it up). This was the first weekend since the Wind Valley seasonal closure had ended, so perhaps we weren’t the only ones to come up with the cunning plan to hike in this area.

There are two different options to gain some height and reach the start of the ridge. Both involve following fire road, and my preference is the shorter way – after crossing the good bridge and the dodgy bridge, as you’re heading uphill, there’s a turn off to the right. Hike steeply up there for a few hundred metres until you reach a cairn marking some single track disappearing into the bush – follow. Soon enough you’re on fire trail again, and you meet up with the original track higher up.

We came across bear scat, but no bears. Just a lot of squirrels, and ground squirrels once we reached the open meadows along Wind Ridge itself. As the trail climbs the ridge, there are more and more fantastic views, out towards the Wind Valley and West Wind Pass, towards Skogan Pass and Mount Allan, and out towards Calgary and the scenic Lafarge plant.

As the ridge narrows, you reach a rock band (can’t go round it, have to go over it). Despite appearances, there’s just a metre of scrambling, then a short walk along a narrow ledge, then you’re back to grassy path for the ten minute walk to the high point.

Despite the weather seeming kind of ominous the whole time we were hiking, with humid heavy air, it stayed dry until we got back to the car. And then the rain came.

Distance: 12.6km return
Elevation gain: 760m