Northover Ridge Loop, Kanaskis Country

Lynn and I spent an afternoon in Banff shopping and we found this hike in a guidebook at the Northface store. On paper it had all the elements of a great hike: elevation gain, ridge line walking, some distance and a short car shuttle ....we were not disappointed.

We walked down a wide valley through pine forest that smelled like cotton candy, I am totally serious. The flowers were in bloom, alpine lakes were drying up, and then we gained the ridge.

Yogi Lynn in the Mountains

 

If this ridge would have lasted another 10 miles I would have been in heaven. The views off both sides were spectacular and the walking was interesting in a few places....the trundling was pretty awesome too.

Lynn on the Ridge

 

Northover Ridge
Photo By Lynn Peterson

 

Eventually we left the ridge and headed back down another valley full of lakes, wildflowers and an opportunity for some more fossil hunting. It was smooth travel until we hit a seriously steep crumbly side hill traverse with some impressive exposure, it felt good that it didn't let us through easily at the end, I like hikes that just keep giving it hard, it makes the gentle wheelchair accessible trail along the lakeside feel more like a reward. I love trails.


Stream Jumping
Photo By Lynn Peterson

 

Slide Show of Lynn and My Pics



T.12:D.22:EG.5250