Sun, May 26, 2013, 9:00 AM: Opal Ridge South Scramble/Strenuous HikeDistance: 10 kmElev. Don’t let the short 4.6 mileage fool you. The Sulphur Skyline is rated as strenuous, due to the 723 m. elevation gain. Time. After that, it was a matter of following the ridge south to the summit. She usually hikes it in the spring when the winds can be quite cold, but this time, the weather was gorgeous and warm. Some snow offered good step-kicking. gain: 1000 metersTime required: 5 - 7 hours be prepared for longer we are in the Canadian RockiesDifficulty Rat I debated whether the south peak of Opal Ridge should be classified as a hike or a scramble. The eastern area of the national park is prone to afternoon thunderstorms, especially on warm days. A great early season hike or first time scramble! The views from the top, however, easily justify doing this hike at any time of year. Tent Ridge. Sat, Apr 23, 2016, 6:30 AM: ***NEW***In signing up for this hike you will be automatically placed on a waitlist. World's largest black opal set to sell for up to $1million after being found in a mine in the Australian outback 'The Pacific', a gargantuan opal found near Lightning Ridge in NSW Tent Horseshoe Ridge is one of my favorite Kananaskis hikes in all of Alberta, it’s easily one of the best Kananaskis hikes – just look at the photos! Opal Ridge is a 4,718 foot trail in Alberta. The large ACC group, half of whom were last-minute event crashers, took a relaxed pace up and down the tourist trail to Opal Ridge South Peak. Stay on the right (counter-clockwise) for the fastest way, which is a very steep hike to the viewpoint. Difficult Hike - Opal Ridge South Event Time & Tickets; Mature Level: Machine-set Level 1. Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Kananaskis Country. Altitude: 2,590m (8,495 ft) Ascent Time: 2 -3 Hours. Opal Hills: Wonderful hike - See 57 traveler reviews, 52 candid photos, and great deals for Jasper, Canada, at Tripadvisor. This trail goes by Opal Ridge. 5432 Dalhart Rd NW Calgary, Alberta. This ridge, which reaches down from the heights of the Turquoise Range, has been informally named Opal Ridge and a trail goes up its southeast nose. It can be accessed by foot and bicycle. Crocus on the lower section of the Opal Ridge trail. I decided to go Sonny’s route since he usually researches things quite thoroughly! Travel Resources Great Places To Stay Packing Guides. I should have saved this for a family hike, but I enjoyed it enough that I’ll go back some day. Many of the kilometers covered are on rolling, wide trail. As a matter of fact, in my research to see how far up the ridge I should go to ‘officially’ nab the north summit I couldn’t find two accounts that gave the same idea of the summit. Rate this Hike ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Public Tracks. We enjoyed a very good HalF-day hike at Opal Hills trail. Follow the Opal Creek trail a quarter mile past the Gold Creek Bridge. terrain. Events Opal Ridge - A Level Hike - now Friday, June 19. Exact matches only On your left (north) take trail 3369 to climb up an old road towards Whetstone Mountain. Where to Park for This Kananaskis Hike: Goat Creek Day Area; 3.) Park about one kilometre south of the Rocky Creek Bridge in a parking lot on the west side of the highway. We could see the impressive Mt. There is no water access for the first 9 miles. Opal Ridge South reminded me very much of King Creek Ridge, another easy scramble that I’ve done more than once. The trail starts at the northeast end of the Fortress Junction service station parking lot. Disappointed ... Not impossible, just slow going. Some snow just made them even more attractive. Indian Paintbrush - the Creator's handiwork. This is a moderate one way trail in Elbow-Sheep Wildland Provincial Park. 100 Likes, 0 Comments - Alberta Hikes (@albertahikes) on Instagram: “Opal Ridge . Opal Hills: Wonderful hike - See 57 traveler reviews, 52 candid photos, and great deals for Jasper, Canada, at Tripadvisor. Opal Cone Hike Intro. Denny and Mt. NeluGoia 1 year, 2 months ago Opal Ridge. Jun 21, 2018 - A trail description and photo journal of Opal Ridge South in Kananaskis Country. Distance: 7.5 km Elevation gain: 1020 m Route map The south summit of Opal Ridge is a relatively easy, albeit steep, early or late season objective. The weather forecast was a bit sketchy as it was calling for thunderstorms in the area starting in the afternoon. Elevation Gain: 1,026 m How To Get There: From Calgary, travel west on Hwy 1 until you reach the turn off for Hwy 40. The summit was not far up, and it was mostly just a hike. Old growth trees and blooming wildflowers complement the rock formations, the last of which is a fifty-foot high natural arch which frames the montane woodlands. The Opal Ridge is on the East side of the Kananaskis Trail (Hwy 40). You will climb steeply to a trail junction where the Opal Hills Trail begins. At 35 km, the hike is a very long day-hike, however, the trail is not overly challenging or technical. Please answer the questions on the RSVP if you have never hiked with me before so we ca Leg burner hike up to opal ridge. Moderate One-Way. That’s what I wanted to know the first time I saw it. Like many of the hikes in Garibaldi Provincial Park, the hike to Opal Cone is one that seems to provide endless breathtaking views. . After dropping in to the creek we edged are way on the right bank until a rock gorge forced us to the left. Allow about 2 more hours for that add on. Date of experience: July 2019. There is also a small general store that you can also park behind. Snow is melted from most of the trail except…” Opal Ridge – A Level Hike – now Friday, June 19. 3,084 ft. Elev Gain. This is truly one of the best hikes in Jasper. Generic selectors. Limit of 10 participants. Time: 4 1/2 hours Distance: 6.4 km (return). Jun 21, 2018 - A trail description and photo journal of Opal Ridge South in Kananaskis Country. The view to the other side fully opened up. Overview. Ask Richard R about Opal Hills. The trail has a lot of steep up and down … But once you break out into the open the views are tremendous. Short, hard and Sweet !! A map is highly recommended on this hike. There were a number of flower species in bloom on the lower section of the trail. This event is for A level hikers. Dinah and I parked on the side of Highway 40 and hiked up the steep west slope of Opal Ridge. The idea to return back through Grizzly Creek came from Dafferns trail guide. Heading south on Hwy 40, travel for 41 km, until you reach the Fortress Junction service station on the east side of the road. This is near the Eau Claire Campground. The Opal Hills loop, if you stick only to the loop and don’t add on the extension up the ridge, is rated as a moderate hike. Scramble: Class 1 – Steep Hiking. I also noticed Dave didn’t even have pictures from this trip. Find the Rocky Creek Bridge, and it's easy to find the place to park. A great early season hike or first time scramble! Highlights. Just hike straight ahead. The book says to follow the trail but we never found one. The majority of this trip is indeed a hike, but there is a mid-section of steep slabs with some cliffy bits that require route finding, plus a bit of hands-on-rock action. The North Peak is actually the start of a long ridge. . Opal Ridge North is not a grand objective by any means. While not sunny the conditions were perfect for a 'grunt' offtrail hike. This time around, the route was completely different, and a whole lot easier. From the gates cross over the col to Opal Ridge and the start of a nice ridge hike of about 2 km. Caught this picture in late October a few years back. In fact, there is a trail. 1 of 1. Opal Ridge South is a great early season hike in Kananaskis Country. Potts. Opal Ridge North Peak Kananaskis, Alberta July 21, 2002 . Its full of surprises. 1,000 m (3, 280 ft) Best Season to Scramble: May to September. Best Time To Hike: Possible year-round, but attention must be paid to avalanche cycles in winter/spring. The Opal Hills hike in Jasper National Park is exhilarating, with a unique beauty that casts a spell on the hikers who make it through the steep trail – moving up to a lush meadow and beautiful mountains. Jun 16, 2018 - If you're looking for Kananaskis hikes that deliver big time on mountain views be sure to include the steep hike up Opal Ridge South. (I believe Opal Hills is in the 400 - 500m range.) Distance : 7.2 km (out & Back) Elevation Gain : 1,035m Summit on July 25, 2020 The group set a moderate steady pace to the 'Hump' where a well deserved rest break was taken. High cloud and no wind were the weather conditions for this trip. May 30, 2010 Sunday 9:00 AM Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Due to the weather forecast, it was decided to postpone the hike by 1 day from Thursday which was forecast to be cloudy with showers to Friday which is forecast to be mix of sun and clouds. Sign up on line &/or contact me. You could alternatively go left for an easier hike. After completing Opal Ridge South this past week with my hiking partner Lucas, I was inspired to share some of the photos I took!! Opal Ridge South. Opal Ridge is one of Adriane’s favourite hikes. Opal Ridge South is a peak you don't mind repeating. Difficult Hike - Opal Ridge South in Calgary Track Share. They both are scrambles and I’d like to tick them off in the following summer. And if you have the time, you can continue on to the highest ridge and then back to the more traditional route. Best of all, this hike … On Saturday, Paul, Robin, Adriane, Tom and I decided we would hike to the south peak of Opal Ridge, which is located off of Highway 40, about 40 km south of Highway 1. Weather may play a role. This hike heads west from the French Creek Ridge Trailhead, making an undulating path along a rugged ridge crowded with features and views. Because Lineham Ridge is a full-day hike, Kim and I decided to book the 10:00 am shuttle time (I would have booked the earliest time at 8:00 am but had a wedding the day before…and well, you fill in the blanks). Noble firs and Pacific silver firs dominate the summit ridge with rhododendrons and beargrass in bloom from June to early July. Following the steep way to the view, you will reach a sign at mile 1.7; where the hiking route divides. This event has been marked mature level 1 due to the following, "crack". 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