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Black Prince Outlier
Kananaskis, Alberta
December 13, 2015
Distance: 4.3 km
Cumulative Elevation Gain: 470 m
I joined Zora and Kari on a snowshoe trip up an outlier east of Mount Black Prince. The short trip would have been unremarkable except for the moose licking a car in the parking lot that we pulled into. It was a surreal experience, getting our gear ready while a cow (female moose), just a few feet away, nonchalantly tongued Zora’s car for salt. A bull soon joined her, and when a couple in a truck stopped to watch, the two moose ambled over to taste their vehicle.
Eventually we turned our attention to our objective, a treed ridge a short distance away. The ridge is popular with skiers, so from the get-go we had to avoid trampling over ski tracks. After finding a snow bridge over Smith-Dorrien Creek, we plodded up a steep slope in soft snow to the ridge crest. Parts of the ridge were open, but leaden skies dulled whatever winter beauty the nearby mountains held. We didn’t get far along the ridge. From my 2003 trip, I knew that the highest point was hundreds of metres away at the north end of the ridge, but the traverse through trees is uninspiring even under clear skies and the summit not much higher. We turned around and followed our tracks back to the parking lot.
When we returned to Zora’s car, we noticed that the moose had left tongue streaks on the side panels. They had also slobbered over the windows. This is not a trip we’ll likely forget.
Black Prince Outlier (mouse over for a close-up of the moose)
Cars take a licking
A moose kneels to lick the salt on a car. Later she laid down to lick the undercarriage!
Kari takes a photo of a moose licking Zora's car
Looking for a place to cross Smith-Dorrien Creek
Crossing a snow bridge on the creek
The grade was gradual at first
We enjoyed good snow conditions
Kari cuts switchbacks in the steep slope
On the ridge crest
Looking east at the South Peak of Kent Ridge
Looking at Blacksmith Ridge
Kari and Zora standing on the flattened area we stamped out for lunch
82 J/11 Kananaskis Lakes