Wind Ridge

July 4, 2016 by Bill Rowe ·

View back down the ridge from the summit

Friday July 1 2016

Wind Ridge on Canada Day. After a late start from eating pancakes at Centennial Park in Canmore and watching the Bow Valley Line Dancing on the Stan Rodgers Stage. We set off from Pigeon Creek Parking at the Banff Gates Mountain Resort. This is accessed from Dead Mans Flats from Hwy 1. The trail and bridges have change from the flooding and now there is one new bridge and some new trail. After the bridge turn right on a wide road towards the creek passing a large log jam then look for a new trail on the left to the log bridge. The other leg of the creek is crossed on three logs. Then follow the old road it does a big switch back bend before ending into a single track. This leads up a grassy trail to the first mound called Windy Point. If not going to Windy Point stay on the main trail up a steep dirt worn trail. The crux is a small cliff band with some hands on scrambling. If this is not your thing check out the trail to your right. It goes around the rock face but is still steep and I would guess slippy if wet. Then head up some more to the ridge summit. The ridge carries on past the summit and a trail on the right by-passes a rock down climb. Ramble on as far as you like. Dafferns book suggests a route down into the valley but I did not go any further than the ridge summit and returned the same way.