Pocaterra Ridge Trail - AB-40

Great hike! Awesome views

A great place to hike specifically during fall with colorful sceneries

Amazing Hike.... Larches are in full bloom and gorgeous

Kananaskis classic. I’ve done this hike a couple times and it’s a dependably great one. Know the route before you go and make sure you’re ok with decent elevation gain with some steep sections.

Pocaterra Cirque was an incredible (and very popular) larch hike in Kananaskis! ⁣I hiked the cirque on September 25, 2020. ⁣ The trail started off along a wide path and then branched to the left through an open area before entering the forest. It continued through forest for the first 2 km. There were lots of offshoot trails which eventually all converged together but it was slightly confusing and there was no signage. There were also lots of muddy sections to navigate. ⁣ ⁣ After the first 2 km, the trail opened up to expansive views of the surrounding mountains and forests of larch trees! There were consistently amazing views for the rest of the hike. The trail gained steady elevation but was mostly gradual and levelled out in between, with some steeper sections. It passed through beautiful larch forests and by a pretty lake with gorgeous reflections from the trees on the water. At the junction, the trail to the cirque continued to the left. It was a steep uphill climb from here until the end, leading above the trees and across an exposed rocky terrain. The trail ended at a ridge with gorgeous views overlooking the mountains and valleys. I spotted two mountain sheep on the ridge pretty close to me which was awesome. The trail continued back down along the same way. ⁣ ⁣ I arrived to the trailhead around 8:45 am and got the last parking spot in the lot. I was shocked at how busy it was already, and on a weekday too. When I returned, there were hundreds of cars parked for miles along the highway. Make sure to go early if you want to hike without all the people! This was such a stunning larch hike to do!

Difficult hike, many 90 degree hills, be prepared for the combination of loose gravel, muddy road, snow (in the summer)

Parking high wood and leaving bicycles in Little wood maybe a wrong opinion. It's very difficult to ride high elevation in a short time and have to be ware to the mother bear and her three cubs. But the view on the ridge is worth. Enjoying the yellow and green of the fall. The trail has narrow and sharp parts, especial downhill of the second summit. Watching your steps and keeping balance with poles. The hiking boots are very important too.