Peter Lougheed Trail Report - Kananaskis Country

May 19: Scheduled grooming of ski trails has now concluded for the season. Be bear aware as the bears are now out and about, and tracks have now been seen on the ski trails. Winter signs have been removed north of Packers (and Boulton Campground) , and most summer signs have been installed in this area, with the exception of the paved bike trail (which is still mainly covered in snow and ice).

Trails at lower elevations are a mix of bare with patches and/or long stretches of snow and ice. Trails at higher elevations are still mainly covered in snow, very deep in places, with some bare spots possible in areas of direct sun exposure. Both Upper and Lower Kananaskis Lakes are fully ice covered (with the exception of some open water at the outflow at the south end of Lower Lake. Sign changeover is in progress or complete on some lower elevation trails; trees that have come down over the winter will be removed starting at lower elevations as the snow base begins to melt.

Annual Road Closures:

Highway #40: CLOSED south of Kananaskis Lakes Trail to Highwood House Junction, December 1^st - June 14^th, inclusive.

Closures:

Chester Lake: CLOSED, May 1^st - June 29^th
William Watson Day Lodge - Construction Closure

Notes:

Be aware of avalanche conditions. Current conditions can be found at Avalanche Canada.
Practice wildlife safety. Travel in groups, make noise on the trail, and keep pets on leash. Carrying bear spray and knowing how to use it is highly recommended.
Caution is advised for natural hazards such as downed trees. Please report any downed trees on the trails.
Be sure not to overestimate your ability when planning your trip: Humility can be a life saver. Plan for rapidly changing conditions and bring extra socks.
It’s tick season! Ticks live on our trails and are prominent in the spring. Protect yourself from tick bites by covering your skin with light coloured clothing, using bug spray containing DEET, and checking yourself and your pets after you have been outside.

Warnings:

Highway 40 South of Winter Gate Closure - Bear Warning

Snow Depths:

Mud Lake: 137 cm
Burstall Pass: 224 cm

Snow depths are most up-to-date on https://www.avalanche.ca/

Trail Name	Status	Keywords
1982 Canadian Mount Everest Expedition Interpretive Mostly snow/ice covered. Downed trees removed.	Open	Hiking
Bill Benson Many trees currently down across the trail from viewpoint thinning (caution tape at each end). Snow free. Sign changeover in progress.	Open	Hiking
Black Prince Cirque Interpretive Trees removed. Mix of snow and ice covered. The Blackshale Creek Suspension Bridge is NOT accessed on this trail.	Open	Hiking
Boulton Creek Interpretive Mainly snow covered. Sign changeover in progress.	Open	Hiking
Burstall Pass Deep snow. Bikes permitted on first 2.9 km of trail ONLY.	Open	Biking/Cycling,Hiking Duane
Chester Lake Seasonal Closure in place. Deep snow.	Closed	Biking/Cycling,Hiking
Elbow Lake No vehicle access to primary trailhead. Deep snow. Parking lot, trail, and campground scheduled to close on June 15th.	Warning	Biking/Cycling,Hiking,Horseback Riding
Elk Pass Snow covered.	Open	Biking/Cycling,Hiking
High Rockies Observed only from Black Shale suspension bridge to Peninsula Day Use. Mainly packed snow/ice covered.	Open	Biking/Cycling,Dog Sledding,Hiking
Highwood Meadows No vehicle access to trailhead. Snow covered.	Warning	Hiking
Kananaskis Canyon Interpretive Stream crossings washed away by penstock/dam construction. Trail is impassable and is closed indefinitely.	Closed	Hiking
Lookout Snow covered.	Open	Biking/Cycling,Hiking
Lower Lake Trees removed. A mix of snow and bare sections.	Open	Hiking Duane
Lower Lake Interpretive Snow covered.	Open	Hiking
Marl Lake Interpretive Mainly snow covered.	Open	Hiking
Maude-Lawson Deep snow.	Open	Hiking
Meadow	Open	Skiing Cross Country Skiing, XC
Peninsula Partly snow covered.	Open	Hiking
Peter Lougheed Paved A fairly even mix of bare and snow/ice coverage with deep snow in a few places. Sign changeover in progress.	Open	Biking/Cycling,Hiking
Pocaterra Mainly bare with snow and ice patches at lowest elevations; fully snow covered at higher elevations. Sign changeover complete.	Open	Biking/Cycling,Hiking
Ptarmigan Cirque Interpretive No vehicle access to trailhead. Deep snow.	Warning	Hiking
Rawson Lake Snow covered, deep at higher elevations. Downed trees removed in February.	Open	Hiking
Rock Glacier Interpretive No vehicle access to trailhead. Snow covered.	Warning	Hiking
Rockwall Mainly bare, with a couple patches of snow and ice.	Open	Hiking
Three Isle Lake Downed trees removed and mostly snow free from North Interlakes to Point campground junction. Trail not observed beyond Point campground. Bikes only permitted to Invincible Creek, 3.8 km from trailhead	Open	Biking/Cycling,Hiking
Upper Lake Snow covered.	Open	Biking/Cycling,Hiking
Whiskey Jack Mainly snow covered with a few bare patches likely at lower elevations. Campground Roads have been plowed. Sign changeover complete.	Open	Biking/Cycling,Hiking

Trail Name

Permitted Activities (Legend)

Status

1982 Canadian Mount Everest Expedition Interpretive
Mostly snow/ice covered. Downed trees removed.

Open

Bill Benson
Many trees currently down across the trail from viewpoint thinning (caution tape at each end). Snow free. Sign changeover in progress.

Open

Black Prince Cirque Interpretive
Trees removed. Mix of snow and ice covered. The Blackshale Creek Suspension Bridge is NOT accessed on this trail.

Open

Boulton Creek Interpretive
Mainly snow covered. Sign changeover in progress.

Open

Burstall Pass
Deep snow. Bikes permitted on first 2.9 km of trail ONLY.

Open

Chester Lake
Seasonal Closure in place. Deep snow.

Closed

Elbow Lake
No vehicle access to primary trailhead. Deep snow. Parking lot, trail, and campground scheduled to close on June 15th.

Warning

Elk Pass
Snow covered.

Open

High Rockies
Observed only from Black Shale suspension bridge to Peninsula Day Use. Mainly packed snow/ice covered.

Open

Highwood Meadows
No vehicle access to trailhead. Snow covered.

Warning

Kananaskis Canyon Interpretive
Stream crossings washed away by penstock/dam construction. Trail is impassable and is closed indefinitely.

Closed

Lookout
Snow covered.

Open

Lower Lake
Trees removed. A mix of snow and bare sections.

Open

Lower Lake Interpretive
Snow covered.

Open

Marl Lake Interpretive
Mainly snow covered.

Open

Maude-Lawson
Deep snow.

Open

Meadow

Open

Peninsula
Partly snow covered.

Open

Peter Lougheed Paved
A fairly even mix of bare and snow/ice coverage with deep snow in a few places. Sign changeover in progress.

Open

Pocaterra
Mainly bare with snow and ice patches at lowest elevations; fully snow covered at higher elevations. Sign changeover complete.

Open

Ptarmigan Cirque Interpretive
No vehicle access to trailhead. Deep snow.

Warning

Rawson Lake
Snow covered, deep at higher elevations. Downed trees removed in February.

Open

Rock Glacier Interpretive
No vehicle access to trailhead. Snow covered.

Warning

Rockwall
Mainly bare, with a couple patches of snow and ice.

Open

Three Isle Lake
Downed trees removed and mostly snow free from North Interlakes to Point campground junction. Trail not observed beyond Point campground. Bikes only permitted to Invincible Creek, 3.8 km from trailhead

Open

Upper Lake
Snow covered.

Open

Whiskey Jack
Mainly snow covered with a few bare patches likely at lower elevations. Campground Roads have been plowed. Sign changeover complete.

Open

Kananaskis Country

Peter Lougheed

Kananaskis Country

Maps

Trail Weather