The view to the other side fully opened up. Scramble: Class 1 – Steep Hiking. Generic selectors. I decided to go Sonny’s route since he usually researches things quite thoroughly! Altitude: 2,590m (8,495 ft) Ascent Time: 2 -3 Hours. Jun 21, 2018 - A trail description and photo journal of Opal Ridge South in Kananaskis Country. Leg burner hike up to opal ridge. Find the Rocky Creek Bridge, and it's easy to find the place to park. Opal Ridge South reminded me very much of King Creek Ridge, another easy scramble that I’ve done more than once. A great early season hike or first time scramble! The eastern area of the national park is prone to afternoon thunderstorms, especially on warm days. 3,084 ft. Elev Gain. There is no water access for the first 9 miles. Tent Ridge. Like many of the hikes in Garibaldi Provincial Park, the hike to Opal Cone is one that seems to provide endless breathtaking views. Don’t let the short 4.6 mileage fool you. I should have saved this for a family hike, but I enjoyed it enough that I’ll go back some day. May 30, 2010 Sunday 9:00 AM Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Kananaskis Country. Opal Ridge South is a peak you don't mind repeating. After dropping in to the creek we edged are way on the right bank until a rock gorge forced us to the left. Following the steep way to the view, you will reach a sign at mile 1.7; where the hiking route divides. Dinah and I parked on the side of Highway 40 and hiked up the steep west slope of Opal Ridge. And if you have the time, you can continue on to the highest ridge and then back to the more traditional route. Snow is melted from most of the trail except…” 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. Moderate One-Way. NeluGoia 1 year, 2 months ago Opal Ridge. 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. Opal Hills: Wonderful hike - See 57 traveler reviews, 52 candid photos, and great deals for Jasper, Canada, at Tripadvisor. The North Peak is actually the start of a long ridge. Elevation Gain: approx. Short, hard and Sweet !! Its full of surprises. She usually hikes it in the spring when the winds can be quite cold, but this time, the weather was gorgeous and warm. I never want to undersell a route (and have someone get into trouble) nor oversell it (and scare someone off). The idea to return back through Grizzly Creek came from Dafferns trail guide. This is a moderate one way trail in Elbow-Sheep Wildland Provincial Park. Opal Ridge South is a great early season hike in Kananaskis Country. 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 summit was not far up, and it was mostly just a hike. Events Opal Ridge - A Level Hike - now Friday, June 19. 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. Opal Ridge North Peak Kananaskis, Alberta July 21, 2002 . At 35 km, the hike is a very long day-hike, however, the trail is not overly challenging or technical. Heading south on Hwy 40, travel for 41 km, until you reach the Fortress Junction service station on the east side of the road. A map is highly recommended on this hike. While not sunny the conditions were perfect for a 'grunt' offtrail hike. (I believe Opal Hills is in the 400 - 500m range.) Caught this picture in late October a few years back. After snapping some summit shots of the scenic Opal Range vistas, I descended for a round trip time of under 3.5 hours. It can be accessed by foot and bicycle. A great early season hike or first time scramble! The trail has a lot of steep up and down … There is also a small general store that you can also park behind. You could alternatively go left for an easier hike. Please answer the questions on the RSVP if you have never hiked with me before so we ca On your left (north) take trail 3369 to climb up an old road towards Whetstone Mountain. 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. 5432 Dalhart Rd NW Calgary, Alberta. But once you break out into the open the views are tremendous. Opal Ridge North is not a grand objective by any means. 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 100 Likes, 0 Comments - Alberta Hikes (@albertahikes) on Instagram: “Opal Ridge . Date of experience: July 2019. That’s what I wanted to know the first time I saw it. Jun 21, 2018 - A trail description and photo journal of Opal Ridge South in Kananaskis Country. There were a number of flower species in bloom on the lower section of the trail. Opal Ridge is a 4,718 foot trail in Alberta. This trail goes by Opal Ridge. Where to Park for This Kananaskis Hike: Goat Creek Day Area; 3.) Weather may play a role. This is truly one of the best hikes in Jasper. . The book says to follow the trail but we never found one. gain: 1000 metersTime required: 5 - 7 hours be prepared for longer we are in the Canadian RockiesDifficulty Rat . I also noticed Dave didn’t even have pictures from this trip. Early season last year, I completed an easy scramble in the same range, Grizzly Peak. The trail starts at the northeast end of the Fortress Junction service station parking lot. The weather forecast was a bit sketchy as it was calling for thunderstorms in the area starting in the afternoon. Park about one kilometre south of the Rocky Creek Bridge in a parking lot on the west side of the highway. 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. Opal Hills: Wonderful hike - See 57 traveler reviews, 52 candid photos, and great deals for Jasper, Canada, at Tripadvisor. 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. We could see the impressive Mt. 1,000 m (3, 280 ft) Best Season to Scramble: May to September. This is near the Eau Claire Campground. They both are scrambles and I’d like to tick them off in the following summer. Many of the kilometers covered are on rolling, wide trail. You will climb steeply to a trail junction where the Opal Hills Trail begins. This hike heads west from the French Creek Ridge Trailhead, making an undulating path along a rugged ridge crowded with features and views. Disappointed ... Not impossible, just slow going. 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. 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. Time. terrain. We enjoyed a very good HalF-day hike at Opal Hills trail. Stay on the right (counter-clockwise) for the fastest way, which is a very steep hike to the viewpoint. In fact, there is a trail. The Opal Ridge is on the East side of the Kananaskis Trail (Hwy 40). Ask Richard R about Opal Hills. Rate this Hike ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Public Tracks. Potts. Noble firs and Pacific silver firs dominate the summit ridge with rhododendrons and beargrass in bloom from June to early July. Just hike straight ahead. Opal Ridge is one of Adriane’s favourite hikes. The Sulphur Skyline is rated as strenuous, due to the 723 m. elevation gain. This time around, the route was completely different, and a whole lot easier. Difficult Hike - Opal Ridge South Event Time & Tickets; Mature Level: Machine-set Level 1. 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! Sun, May 26, 2013, 9:00 AM: Opal Ridge South Scramble/Strenuous HikeDistance: 10 kmElev. Sign up on line &/or contact me. Some snow just made them even more attractive. Overview. Allow about 2 more hours for that add on. The group set a moderate steady pace to the 'Hump' where a well deserved rest break was taken. This event is for A level hikers. Sat, Apr 23, 2016, 6:30 AM: ***NEW***In signing up for this hike you will be automatically placed on a waitlist. The views from the top, however, easily justify doing this hike at any time of year. 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. I debated whether the south peak of Opal Ridge should be classified as a hike or a scramble. Limit of 10 participants. Travel Resources Great Places To Stay Packing Guides. Exact matches only Difficult Hike - Opal Ridge South in Calgary Track Share. 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. 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). After that, it was a matter of following the ridge south to the summit. Opal Cone Hike Intro. Opal Ridge South. From the gates cross over the col to Opal Ridge and the start of a nice ridge hike of about 2 km. 1 of 1. Indian Paintbrush - the Creator's handiwork. Time: 4 1/2 hours Distance: 6.4 km (return). Opal Ridge – A Level Hike – now Friday, June 19. Distance : 7.2 km (out & Back) Elevation Gain : 1,035m Summit on July 25, 2020 Crocus on the lower section of the Opal Ridge 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. Best Time To Hike: Possible year-round, but attention must be paid to avalanche cycles in winter/spring. Highlights. 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. Best of all, this hike … Some snow offered good step-kicking. High cloud and no wind were the weather conditions for this trip. This event has been marked mature level 1 due to the following, "crack". Denny and Mt. Follow the Opal Creek trail a quarter mile past the Gold Creek Bridge.