This hike is gorgeous without too much effort required to enjoy it. You can view items sort by Interestingess or shuffle images, all on a black background. It snowed throughout the week so we looked for a hike that had a fairly dry trail, larches and a spectacular view. 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. It’s best done as a car shuttle with a start at the Highwood Pass parking lot. Although not in Banff National Park, Pocaterra Ridge is easily one of the most popular and best larch hikes on this list. Pocaterra Ridge near Highwood Pass is an outstanding ridge hike in Kananaskis Country, Alberta, Canada.. Pocaterra Ridge is a 4–humper. The ridge walk (approx. Pocaterra Ridge. When the needles start to turn yellow this is one of the first places you should head. It’s a great thing to do in Banff in the autumn. 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. The Pocaterra Cirque and Ridge hikes are favourites year round (well, June to October!) We picked ourselves up and dusted ourselves off and headed back into the mountains to do the hike we had planned! The ridge walk provides some of the best views in Kananaskis Country – at its highest point reaching 8,750 feet. There are some, but not many. We share a common goal: to see… 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. View this post on Instagram . 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). That turned out to be a good decision. Twenty other amazing larch hikes in the Canadian Rockies: Boulder Pass (Skoki Area, Banff National Park) 13.9km rt to Skoki Lodge. You could compile into a beautiful coffee table book. How to find us. This is due in part to the stunning colours put on display as the Larch trees change with the season. 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. It’s a relatively long hike, but you get to walk along a stunning ridge for virtually the entire hike. Pocaterra Ridge / Alpine Larch Hike - The muddy route to the ridge by benlarhome on Fluidr. 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. It was stunning. Details. Located near Highwood Pass in Kananaskis, Pocaterra Ridge is home to tons of larches. Pocaterra Ridge. Skip to content. Reply Cindi | aneasyjourney at 6:01 PM. Walk 11 km along the ridge (over the better part of 6 – 7 hours) and enjoy some of the best views in Kananaskis Country. Sep 12, 2017 - It’s a glorious mid-September day and Pocaterra Ridge trail is full of hikers. Park your car at Highwood Pass parking lot and head into the meadow on foot. We share a common goal: to see… Most of the elevation gain is at the beginning, and then once you’re on the ridge it’s fairly easy! 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. Pocaterra Ridge (Highwood/Peter Lougheed) September 2016. 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. As expected, golden forests abound, yet it is significantly less well-known than nearby trails — a welcome reprieve while hiking in the mountains. Pocaterra Ridge Image credit: Hikebiketravel.com. A post shared by Karly Jacobsen (@karlyjacobsen) on Sep 13, 2017 at 9:06am PDT. Journey through thick forest, over rocky peaks, and down steep mountain-side meadows. This is a moderate to difficult hike that is best suited to seasoned climbers. One of the most popular larch hikes in K-Country, this ridge hike offers breathtaking views. From the mountain views to the pristine lake and golden larches in the fall, it’s a perfect half-day out. A group of us met at the Highwood Pass parking lot that morning. Tyrwhitt) and the ridge can be accessed via an unofficial trail beginning at Highwood Pass. 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. Burstall Pass (Kananaskis) 16.4km rt. Enjoy dramatic views of Mt. Pocaterra Ridge is one of the most stunning trails in Kananaskis. ... Pocaterra Ridge . 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. Pocaterra Ridge. I knew we would get see some pretty amazing views, but it ended up being even better than I expected. September 30, 2016 September 30, 2016. Located in Kananaskis Country, Pocaterra Ridge is a solid day hike at 12 km long (roughly five to seven hours). Length: 7.9 km one-way Elevation gain: 250 m Trailhead: Pocaterra Hut parking lot along Hwy 40. Link. 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. Calgary, AB. 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. I’ve now been up both Running Rain Ridges and… not great. Located in Kananaskis Country, Pocaterra Ridge is a solid day hike at 12 km long (roughly 5 to 7 hours). Link. Sparrowhawk Tarns. Pocaterra Ridge has become one of our all time favourite hikes. 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. 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. 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