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Long Prairie Ridge
Kananaskis, Alberta
January 4, 2020
Distance: 5.2 km (3.2 mi)
Cumulative Elevation Gain: 118 m (387 ft)
I hadn't hiked Long Prairie Ridge before, so when we showed up at the parking lot in winter I didn't know what to expect: snowshoeing, postholing or a beaten path in the snow. It turned out to be the latter, and a quick trip at that.
Long Prairie Ridge lies amid the Sandy McNab Ski Trails. While most of the trails here are verboten in the winter, restricted to XC skiing, three trails can be hiked: Long Prairie Ridge, Death Valley and the south section of Long Prairie Loop. Linked together they create a pleasant loop. The broad, gentle trails with maps at every junction make this hike suitable for beginners.
From the parking lot, Renata, Dinah and I started up the trail behind Sheep Headquarters. Five minutes later we came to the turn-off for Long Prairie Ridge. Another couple of minutes brought us to the junction of Long Prairie Ridge and Long Prairie Loop. We kept right. We would climb the ridge and return on the loop trail.
It was cloudy and snowing when we set off, but when we reached the ridge crest the sun appeared. With the sun beaming down on us, and the ridge open to the south, we enjoyed our stroll along the ridge. At the west end of the ridge, the trail drops down into the trees and hits Death Valley trail. We turned left and took a short connecting trail to Long Prairie Loop. We ambled down the wooded trail and reached the parking lot just in time to experience another snow flurry.
The trail begins behind the Sheep Headquarters
Starting up the trail
A few minutes later, we turned left and started up the ridge trail
We soon came to this junction: right for the ridge and left for the return loop
The trail passes stands of aspen
The trail is a gentle climb throughout
Behind us are Macabee Ridge and Arctic Hill
Ahead on the left is the summit, such as it is
Continuing along the ridge after the summit
The entire ridge is partly open permitting views south and west
Dinah and Renata pose on a high point on the ridge
The last viewpoint before the ridge drops down
In front of us is Windy Point Ridge (mouse over)
100 m ahead of us is the Death Valley trail junction
We followed Death Valley trail a short distance to get to Long Prairie Loop trail
Looking up at the ridge from the loop trail
Going through a stand of tall trees
82 J/10 Mount Rae