Etherington-Baril Ridge

Etherington-Baril Ridge
aka Three Cairns
Kananaskis, Alberta
December 10, 2011
Distance: 7.2 km (4.5 mi)
Cumulative Elevation Gain: 559 m (1834 ft)

I've always found the area around Highwood Junction in Kananaskis to be a good source for December hikes, and I figured "Etherington-Baril Ridge" would be no exception. This ridge, described in Mike Potter's Ridgewalks, can be climbed by walking up the Etherington Creek road and ascending the south end of the ridge. Although it's a minor point, Dinah and Sonny were willing to join me.

We were expecting to break trail in the snow on the road, but what little snow there was, snowmobilers had thoughtfully pounded it down for us. Trees lined the road, so we hiked 2.1 km up the road until we came to an open slope on our right. Although steep, it provided a suitable launching point.

After a few minutes of climbing, we came to a rib of orange and gray rock. Sonny and I stuck to the rib with its bits of easy scrambling, while Dinah headed up the grassy slope on the right. However, the three of us soon converged and we continued together along the ridge.

The ridgewalk was hardly serene. The ridge relaxed its steep grade and azure skies provided clear views all around, but strong winds battered us. We reached the summit where we stopped to take photos. Afterwards, we turned around and enjoyed the ridgewalk back. In a season when many hikes are confined to trees, the open crest on Etherington-Baril Ridge was a welcomed diversion.

KML and GPX Tracks
Sonny's Trip Report

Etherington-Baril Ridge from the trailhead