The trail is about one meter wide and winds along a knife like ridge with abrupt cliffs dropping into nothingness on either side. The view exposes magnificent peaks of the Rocky Mountains that surround you. The above has been an image that has intrigued me for several years. Where is it? I didn’t know but last winter I met up with a couple who are Rocky Mountain experts. They are Kathy and Craig Copeland, publishers of unique hiking guidebooks and some very cool eBooks, and I asked them where do I find a hiking trail that brings you to a knife-like ridge in the Rockies? Here is there answer!
To answer your initial question, we know precisely the trail you’re looking for: Northover Ridge, in Kananaskis Country, which is the provincial park area of the Canadian Rockies immediately south of Banff National Park. Northover is the SUPREME arete ridgewalk. We have a guidebook that
covers that region and includes that hike. The book is titled “Where Locals Hike in the Canadian Rockies” and is subtitled “The Premier Trails near Canmore and Calgary.”
You’ll find it on this page of our site: http://www.hikingcamping.com/hike-locals-rockies.php
If you are interested in this adventure please see this informative Northover Ridge and GDT post as well: https://tracksandtrails.ca/2010/04/northover-ridge-in-kananaskis/
I haven’t purchased the guide book yet but as I begin to plan the trip it is definitely on my to-do list. I started a little search thus far and here are some great pics and info from others who have been there.
A member of ClubTread.com with the alias northernalberta writes:
“Kcountry, myself and four others spent friday to sunday slogging up Northover Ridge from south to north, on what Andrew and I have since voted the Most Spectacular Hike in the Canadian Rockies.
We weren’t able to leave the trailhead till 7:40pm on the friday night, which I thought wouldn’t be a problem since it’s *only* 10 km up to Aster Lake. What I failed to realize was the tortuous path over deadfall around Hidden Lake and the ascent up 600 vertical metres of scree and slippery wet rockbands would add a little time. Aster Lake campground is amidst mounds of barren bedrock, scree and raging waterfalls so the fact we were able to find it in the dark, at 12:30pm, still amazes me. It wasn’t without a few heated exchanges in frustration over which direction to hike.”
NorthernAlberta also posted several great photo’s at this link.
If you are interested in planning a trip with me, comment below.
Please read Part 2 of the Best Canadian Hike series.