10 of us headed up #Pocaterra Ridge in the #Highwood Pass area of Kananaskis on Sept.7th. Pocaterra Ridge met all the criteria. The vibrant yellow colours that paint the mountainsides are so beautiful to look at, it’s hard not to fall in love with the larch trees that cause this stunning scenery. Located in Kananaskis Country, Pocaterra Ridge is a solid day hike at 12 km long (roughly 5 to 7 hours). Commonwealth Ridge (Kananaskis) 7.9km rt We did it. I was so excited when some friends invited me to do some larch hunting on Pocaterra Ridge the third week of September. Link. The larch forest is particularly thick between the second and third peaks and there are wonderful views of larches in the valley below. As expected, golden forests abound, yet it is significantly less well-known than nearby trails — a welcome reprieve while hiking in the mountains. Larch trees have green needles that turn a brilliant yellow before they fall in the winter. We did hear that it gets quite busy during peak larch season, especially on weekends, so figured this year would be a good year to take advantage of a weekday outing while on maternity leave. The trail-head is a short walk across Kananaskis Trail (Highway 40) after parking in the Little Highwood Pass parking area north of the Elbow Pass trail-head (the route to Elbow Lake and beyond to the Rae Glacier). Burstall Pass is definitely one of my favourites, not as crowded compared to Larch Valley or Pocaterra Ridge. As summer fades all too quickly from the memories of Albertans, the upper elevations of the Rocky Mountains contain a feast for the senses in the form of golden larch trees. Pocaterra Ridge near Highwood Pass is an outstanding ridge hike in Kananaskis Country, Alberta, Canada.. Pocaterra Ridge is a 4–humper. This is due in part to the stunning colours put on display as the Larch trees change with the season. Not only did we find a few more early golden larch trees, but we also enjoyed an unobstructed view of Pocaterra Cirque, which was still covered in snow. It was stunning. Pocaterra Ridge. The view is outstanding. For this one, we’d recommend having your phone handy as it is a bit tough to navigate, but don’t let this scare you away! Calgary, AB. The cirque (located below Mt. Kaptain Kananaskis The valleys, waterfalls and peaks of K Country and beyond . This trail climbs steeply from the parking lot area, then descends gradually through open meadows and forested areas. Hikers praise Pocaterra Cirque/Ridge of Kananaskis Country as the best for larches during the autumn. 10.1 km. RyderDA Sep 17, 2018, 11:04 pm. In speaking with locals, Pocaterra Ridge is the hike that comes up as their number one choice in Kananaskis Country. 2) Pocaterra Ridge. Boom Lake (Banff National Park) 10.6km rt. The ridge walk provides some of the best views in Kananaskis Country – at its highest point reaching 8,750 feet. This stunning display of color happens in late September and if you blink, you’ll miss it. A group of us met at the Highwood Pass parking lot that morning. There’s a small window of time from when the needles turn and fall off. That turned out to be a good decision. Toggle Sidebar. Pocaterra Ridge (Highwood/Peter Lougheed) September 2016. Walk 11 km along the ridge (over the better part of 6 – 7 hours) and enjoy some of the best views in Kananaskis Country. Pocaterra Ridge is one of the most stunning trails in Kananaskis. But the ridge is above treeline, and not walking in the larches, whereas the access route to the start of the ridge is good. We share a common goal: to see… Sep 12, 2017 - It’s a glorious mid-September day and Pocaterra Ridge trail is full of hikers. Pocaterra Ridge. The ridge walk (approx. Tyrwhitt) and the ridge can be accessed via an unofficial trail beginning at Highwood Pass. There are some, but not many. Located in Kananaskis Country, Pocaterra Ridge is a solid day hike at 12 km long (roughly five to seven hours). Details. Reply Cindi | aneasyjourney at 6:01 PM. We share a common goal: to see… Pocaterra Ridge. Park your car at Highwood Pass parking lot and head into the meadow on foot. We enjoyed the opportunity to photograph the blue sky, white snow and mixed alpine forest, … Pocaterra Ridge in Kananaskis Provincial Park. Pocaterra Ridge… no. in Kananaskis, but they are particularly spellbinding in the autumn. ... Pocaterra Ridge . Twenty other amazing larch hikes in the Canadian Rockies: Boulder Pass (Skoki Area, Banff National Park) 13.9km rt to Skoki Lodge. 500 m elevation gain (total) Well the word is out… thanks to the CBC, Pocaterra ridge is one of the best larch hikes in the … One of our favourite destinations during wildflower season, Grizzly Peak is also a solid option for larch season. The total elevation gain is nearly 1,000 metres, meaning that the views you’ll get at the top are more than worth the trip — just make sure to bring your poles. We could smell rain in the air and knew we'd best hurry to get off the ridge. Pocaterra Ridge in fall with larches at peak colour: You’ve gotta get high to find larches – they grow above 1,800 metres (5906 feet) – but it’s worth it in autumn when the needles turn from green to gold. Enjoy dramatic views of Mt. Located near Highwood Pass in Kananaskis, Pocaterra Ridge is home to tons of larches. The Pocaterra Ridge hike is something that Louise and I had talked about doing for years, and last week we finally had a chance to do it. One of the most popular larch hikes in K-Country, this ridge hike offers breathtaking views. Look for a GRAY VW car. We did a point to point 12 km trek along the Pocaterra Ridge in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park in the Kananaskis. Pocaterra Ridge is an epic Larch hike (I'm seriously considering doing it again soon to see the larches) It's one of the best hikes I've come across in the Rockies. Although not in Banff National Park, Pocaterra Ridge is easily one of the most popular and best larch hikes on this list. Pocaterra Ridge Image credit: Hikebiketravel.com. Rocaterra Ridge is a 7-mile hike in Kananaskis Country. Alf Skrastins Sep 28, 2016, 10:52 pm. Pocaterra Ridge has become one of our all time favourite hikes. I hope you can visit next Fall. Larches and Pocaterra Ridge Fall is hands down my favourite time of year, and it’s most definitely my favourite time to be in the mountains. Photo by Shannon Martin. Start from Highwood Pass Parking Lot. This is a moderate to difficult hike that is best suited to seasoned climbers. Less well-known than the crowded trails around Lake Louise, it's a half-day hike that's easy to extend with a ridge walk or an exploration of Pocaterra Cirque. A post shared by Karly Jacobsen (@karlyjacobsen) on Sep 13, 2017 at 9:06am PDT. Pocaterra Ridge. Journey through thick forest, over rocky peaks, and down steep mountain-side meadows. It’s best done as a car shuttle with a start at the Highwood Pass parking lot. This heavily trafficked trail is another one that’s practically lined with larch trees. This hike is gorgeous without too much effort required to enjoy it. I knew we would get see some pretty amazing views, but it ended up being even better than I expected. Link. View this post on Instagram . It’s at the Highwood Pass and the elevation is 2941 m. It was absolutely stunning. It’s a great thing to do in Banff in the autumn. Jul 3, 2018 - It’s a glorious mid-September day and Pocaterra Ridge trail is full of hikers. Larch Trees on Pocaterra Ridge : By late September, this whole forest would be a bright golden yellow: Pocaterra Ridge is glorious in the fall : Forests turn magical in September: We enjoyed the end of our ridge traverse and made it to the final summit just as the wind was picking up. You can view items sort by Interestingess or shuffle images, all on a black background. The Pocaterra Cirque and Ridge hikes are favourites year round (well, June to October!) One of the best places to experience this is Pocaterra Ridge, located in the Highwood Pass of … September 30, 2016 September 30, 2016. Chester Lake to Three Lakes Valley (Kananaskis) 15.3km rt. If you have two vehicles available you can do it as a point to point hike without retracing any steps. We picked ourselves up and dusted ourselves off and headed back into the mountains to do the hike we had planned! Most of the elevation gain is at the beginning, and then once you’re on the ridge it’s fairly easy! It snowed throughout the week so we looked for a hike that had a fairly dry trail, larches and a spectacular view. It’s a relatively long hike, but you get to walk along a stunning ridge for virtually the entire hike. It also gets very busy during autumn, thanks to the abundance of larch trees lighting up the trail, so come early if you plan to hike in late September or October. Length: 7.9 km one-way Elevation gain: 250 m Trailhead: Pocaterra Hut parking lot along Hwy 40. Burstall Pass (Kananaskis) 16.4km rt. Pocaterra Ridge / Alpine Larch Hike - The muddy route to the ridge by benlarhome on Fluidr. Sparrowhawk Tarns. Pocaterra Ridge is a quintessential larch hike in the Rockies. Pocaterra Cirque & Ridge has been on our radar for a couple of years ever since we heard it was supposed to be a good larch hike in fall. From the mountain views to the pristine lake and golden larches in the fall, it’s a perfect half-day out. Nugara's personal favourite hike is Pocaterra Ridge, located off Highway 40, which has a 727-metre elevation gain. Although the hike is quite lengthy, the view on top of the summit, which overlooks rolling mountains and vast hills, is one not to be missed. You could compile into a beautiful coffee table book. Skip to content. I’ve now been up both Running Rain Ridges and… not great. Now that we've done it, I've come to 3 conclusions: The photos don't do this place justice. Popularity: Low-Medium Whether during larch season or not, this is one of the premier ridge walks in Kananaskis. Grizzly Col-ish and Pocaterra Tarn, yes. It’s also a one way hike, meaning you need to bring two cars with you (leave one at the finish). During the fall I find the biggest treat is the changing of the larch trees and the beautiful contrast they provide against the landscape with their intense golden yellow colors. Fluidr makes it easy to view photos and videos on Flickr using continuous pagination which essentially means that you can view hundreds of photos and videos without ever having to click on a 'next' link. Pocaterra ridge will not disappoint. We opted to go part way up Pocaterra Ridge to enjoy a better view of the Kananaskis Valley at lunch. How to find us. The hike itself is pretty challenging, but it’s totally rewarding – if you can stay on the path! Wow – your photos of this Gorgeous area of Banff are utterly spectacular! When the needles start to turn yellow this is one of the first places you should head. Pocaterra Ridge – an outstanding larch hike . Buller Pass (Kananaskis) 20.4km rt. Wintour and the Opal Range. Group of us met at the beginning, and down steep mountain-side.... 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