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Storelk East Ridge
Kananaskis, Alberta
September 24, 2023
Distance: 5.2 km
Cumulative Elevation Gain: 485 m
When larch season rolls around, crowds flock to Highwood Pass, but for our larch adventure, we hiked nearby in solitude, up the east ridge of Storelk Mountain. Not only were larches abundant on the ridge, but there were plenty of clearings to view them.
Exploring new terrain is always welcomed, so Jonathan, Zora, Tomiji and Mikako were willing to join me. We used Storelk Mountain Trail for the approach. Within minutes of starting, however, we encountered a difficulty: a mudslide on a creek bank had scoured away the trail. After finding the trail on the other side of the creek, we hiked 250 m before turning off onto a little side path. We crossed a brook and started up the east ridge.
The ridge crest was bushy, so we kept left where bushwhacking tended to be light and brief. An hour after starting, we were delighted to be brushing against yellow larches. In contrast, the sky grew darker, and it began to snow lightly. Later it turned to drizzle and it continued for the rest of the trip.
As we followed the ridge, we marvelled at the autumn scenery, and each turn revealed something interesting. Eventually we reached a grassy high point and settled down for a break before moving on. We followed a grassy ridge far down to the end of a valley to a talus basin edged with larches. We spent considerable time wandering through the yellow trees, taking photos.
We continued down the valley, mistaking going left instead of right, but after bushwhacking a bit, we found the trail and followed it back. It wasn’t an easy trail to follow, being overgrown, and at one point we inadvertently got on another trail and had to bushwhack to get back on track.
When we reached the creek, we followed a path downstream which avoided the mudslide we encountered earlier. Strangely, we saw no trail on the other side, but a short bushwhack led us back to the trail and thus to our car.
Because of the inclement weather, we finished our hike, a bit wet and muddy, but it wasn't enough to detract from the satisfaction of a tranquil trip through golden larches.
A small cairn marks the trailhead
The trail drops down to cross the stream
Crossing was easy but climbing the opposite bank proved difficult
We had trouble finding purchase in the soft mud
After a couple of hundred metres, we left the trail and crossed a brook using a path that appeared recently cleared
After starting up the ridge, we soon found clearings
We saw Storelk Mountain before low clouds swallowed it up
Bushwhacking was mostly light
Mount Lipsett in the background
We made our way to the ridge on the far left
Looking across the valley to the ridge south
We continued up the ridge
Hiking up a steep patch of bare ground
Once we reached the ridge, we easily followed it
Continuing up the ridge
Loose dirt offered poor purchase up the steep slope
It snowed lightly as we ascended
Highwood South Peak on the left
Continuing up the ridge
Jonathan snaps a photo from our high point
Jonathan, Zora, me, Tomiji and Mikako
I hung back to take a panorama while the others started down to the basin
We regrouped on the ridge below
We followed the grassy ridge down to the basin
Stopping to admire a brilliant larch
Nearing the end of the ridge
Looking back at the ridge we descended
Looking down the valley
Wandering through the larches
We came down, stopping frequently to regard the larches
We crossed the remains of an avalanche
Back on the trail
Looking across the valley at the ridge we climbed
The trail was bushy throughout its length
To avoid the mudslide along the stream, we took a different trail and crossed downstream but didn't find a trail on the other side
82 J/10 Mount Rae