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Haig Ridge
Castle Provincial Park Alberta
February 17, 2002

Distance: 8.0 km
Cumulative Elevation Gain: 810 m

Our trip for Haig Ridge started at the Castle Mountain Ski Resort, a half hour's drive west of Pincher Creek. From the resort, we climbed the northeast ridge of Mount Haig. After reaching the treeline, we stopped for lunch. Here we split up into two groups. A more leisurely group took a long lunch before turning around. Dinah Kruze, Lori Badran and I pushed on to the high point on the ridge. Just before the ridge crest, we were able to remove our snowshoes and continue on foot to the top where we were treated to fine winter views, not to mention a mountain goat that fled before I could pull out my camera.

On our return (route not shown on the map), the three if us dropped down the west side of the ridge to the valley and followed Gravenstafel Brook back. It turned into a stunning canyon. Although beautiful, it turned into an adventure as was also difficult to snowshoe down. Eventually the three of us emerged from the canyon and caught up with the rest of our group.

KML and GPX Tracks


Heading up a cutline


We passed intertwined trees on the ascent


The ski hill, Gravenstafel ridge, lies in the background


Burnaby Ridge behind us


We split up soon after I took this photo


Dinah, Lori and I continued up the ridge


The ridge leads to Mount Haig seen here


The grade eases before the top


Lori hams it up


Lori and Dinah made their way to the highest point on the ridge


On top in front of the cairn


Looking northwest down the valley


Heading back


Lori and Dinah stop on an outcrop


Lori slides down


Returning via the creek


The creek drops into a canyon


We lost the sun as we dropped down to the creek


We passed an icefall


Negotiating the narrow confines of the creek


82 G/8 Beaver Mines

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