The Hiking / Backpacking Thread - Page 35 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Wormius · 08-15-2020, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Yeah, Smith-Dorrien trail is pretty crap to drive on. I don't like the ride south from canmore cause of the uneven road and tend to avoid it.

If there's one road that's begging to be paved its that one, from the bottom of grassi to the connector with hwy 40. Would do wonders to have easy/painless access to the trailheads along there.

I don’t even mind dirt roads, but why is that one like a freaking washboard? Is it intentional or does the wind and rain or whatever cause that? Maybe it’s good, the parking lot wasn’t even full at 10am on Saturday, so maybe it deters some people.

Anyway, looked like lots of people enjoying the water along the route. Maybe next week we will just do a fun day at Barrier Lake or something if he weather is still nice and hot.

Deegee · 08-16-2020, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Yeah, Smith-Dorrien trail is pretty crap to drive on. I don't like the ride south from canmore cause of the uneven road and tend to avoid it.

If there's one road that's begging to be paved its that one, from the bottom of grassi to the connector with hwy 40. Would do wonders to have easy/painless access to the trailheads along there.

We came back from Upper and Lower Lakes by that Smith-Dorrien trail and I ended up blowing a strut after replacing them a month before. I hate that road. Such a shame because there are some nice spots along it.

Weitz · 08-17-2020, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wormius

We went to Chester Lake and Elephant Rocks. Kids absolutely loved Elephant Rocks. Great day, except for the drive. I forgot how damn jarring that road is. Is it rippled like that on purpose or by the way the grader works or do the ripples form naturally? I wish they could smooth it out. After finished tried to go to 514 Poutine (formerly La Belle Patate) and they are closed indefinitely

too bad their website and Google aren’t updated with this info.

It washboards after a lot of travel. Need a grader to get in there and smooth it out, but that costs money.

surferguy · 08-17-2020, 12:13 PM

Grader was on that road on the south end on Thursday

Deegee · 08-17-2020, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weitz

It washboards after a lot of travel. Need a grader to get in there and smooth it out, but that costs money.

Wonder how much it would cost for a Kananaskis Toll to get that road paved?

Fuzz · 08-17-2020, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deegee

Wonder how much it would cost for a Kananaskis Toll to get that road paved?

The road would be incredibly dangerous paved in the winter and cost way to much to maintain. Which is why it is still gravel. They do grade it several times over the summer, it just sees lots of use and like all gravel roads, ends up a washboard at some point.

Weitz · 08-17-2020, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fuzz

The road would be incredibly dangerous paved in the winter and cost way to much to maintain. Which is why it is still gravel. They do grade it several times over the summer, it just sees lots of use and like all gravel roads, ends up a washboard at some point.

Why would it be dangerous? Its a basic road outside the bit outside canmore as far as I remember.

djsFlames · 08-17-2020, 02:18 PM

Even if they just paved the flat sections along spray lakes and left the steep section descending to the Nordic center (which obviously would be difficult to pave and subsequently maintain) that would do wonders. Highway 40 is a dream to drive on, would be nice to enjoy that quality of roadway to the picnic areas and viewpoints along the lakes, i would frequent it way more.

Fuzz · 08-17-2020, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weitz

Why would it be dangerous? Its a basic road outside the bit outside canmore as far as I remember.

There are lots of twisty bits through trees and narrow sections. Even as it is it can get super slippery. A paved road would require huge amounts of gravel to keep it in drive-able condition. I've been up there plenty of times in the winter, it would not be safe paved.

Weitz · 08-17-2020, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fuzz

There are lots of twisty bits through trees and narrow sections. Even as it is it can get super slippery. A paved road would require huge amounts of gravel to keep it in drive-able condition. I've been up there plenty of times in the winter, it would not be safe paved.

i think you could easily pave from highway 40 to Chester lakes without any issue. After that it gets a bit twisty I guess. Is there any value in doing that though? Not really I don't think.

Fuzz · 08-17-2020, 03:14 PM

Ya, I'm less familiar with that side of it, I'm always coming up from the Canmore side. Most of it from Canmore to the end of the lakes would not be good paved.

Mazrim · 08-17-2020, 03:26 PM

I did Stanley Glacier on the weekend. We showed up at 9:30 AM and the parking lot was still half empty. When we got back the parking lot was full and there was about 30 cars parked on the side of the highway. We watched some kids climbing the moraine of the glacier which seemed super sketchy.

GGG · 08-17-2020, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weitz

i think you could easily pave from highway 40 to Chester lakes without any issue. After that it gets a bit twisty I guess. Is there any value in doing that though? Not really I don't think.

They just need to run a grater down it. I’m sure it’s far worse this year then previous years but it could be I usually come from the Canmore side and this year had a few trips from the South side.

djsFlames · 08-17-2020, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mazrim

I did Stanley Glacier on the weekend. We showed up at 9:30 AM and the parking lot was still half empty. When we got back the parking lot was full and there was about 30 cars parked on the side of the highway. We watched some kids climbing the moraine of the glacier which seemed super sketchy.

Glaciers are 2020's playgrounds!

Wormius · 08-17-2020, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weitz

i think you could easily pave from highway 40 to Chester lakes without any issue. After that it gets a bit twisty I guess. Is there any value in doing that though? Not really I don't think.

I don’t know if it’s a lot of value, but it would be nice. What determines whether a road should be paved or not? How much maintenance does HWY 40 cost?

It wouldn’t be bad if they took the grader down it down more frequently. How long does it generally stay in good, non-rippley condition?

Besides being dusty, it feels like there is not a lot of traction.

Kybosh · 08-18-2020, 11:14 AM

Another waterfall drowning at Marble Canyon this time.

Folks: fast moving, cold, glacier fed waters will kill you very quickly. Be very careful and enjoy them without getting super close. If there are barriers/railings on the trail, they are there for a reason.

stampsx2 · 08-20-2020, 09:49 AM

I disagree. Leave the Smith Dorrien unpaved, dusty and crap. That place would see an astronomical amount of traffic if it ever got paved. You’d get people just cutting through at high speeds to get from Kananaskis to Canmore.

Wormius · 08-20-2020, 09:59 AM

Don’t pave it then. Just take a grader in more frequently during the busy months to knock down the ripples. The problem is that there is no reasonable speed you can drive and not feel like your vehicle is being shaken apart.

I don’t think anybody would use that as some kind of shortcut between Kananaskis to Canmore. If they did they’d probably be sightseeing and driving more slowly.

djsFlames · 08-20-2020, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kybosh

Another waterfall drowning at Marble Canyon this time.

Folks: fast moving, cold, glacier fed waters will kill you very quickly. Be very careful and enjoy them without getting super close. If there are barriers/railings on the trail, they are there for a reason.

Also three drowning deaths at crescent falls.

Sad because those are two great places that will have these tragic accidents associated with them.

If you aren't super experienced, just respect nature. Even if you are, respect nature and just play it safe.

OMG!WTF! · 08-21-2020, 10:49 PM

This is a picture of the great divide west of etherington creek taken about 5 km's west of the parking lot. I think the mountains are Mt Farquar, Mt McGilvary, Mt Strachen and Mt Knowles. But don't quote me on that.

I'm quite sure I'm not crazy because today I had another person with me and she heard it too...a very large explosion coming from the area between the photo and the mountains behind. I've heard the same explosion here before...3 times during winter and 4 other times including today. I thought it was an avalanche during winter. But it certainly isn't that. It's a good five seconds of rumbling.

Any idea what it is?