CANMORE – A local leg burner offering scenic views of Canmore is welcoming hikers again after being closed for nearly three years.
To reopen Mount Lady Macdonald trail, Alberta Parks had to design a detour where construction for the Town of Canmore’s Cougar Creek debris retention structure dug deep into the trail, which used to start in the creek bed.
“The beginning of the trail was missing – is missing. It’s utterly missing because the dam construction took it away,” said Derek Ryder, co-chair of the Friends of Kananaskis Country.
“Kudos to (Alberta) Parks for coming up with something they could do. They’ve come up with a bypass for the part of the trail that’s no longer there.”
Ryder, who has visited the site wearing “various volunteer hats” with the Friends, WildSmart and others over the years, said construction bit about the first 300 metres out of the trail.
While the first part of it is no more, the rest of the well-loved path was left untouched, away from construction hazards.
“The question became what was Parks going to do,” said Ryder. “Looking at the dam construction going on and on … It’s a popular trail, and if the trail is fine other than the first 300 metres of it, is there something they could do to get it reopen?”
The trail, which was first closed in August 2020, borders a wildlife corridor. The bypass makes use of an existing pathway adjacent to a construction access road to gap the missing section of pathway, said Alberta Parks spokesperson Bridget Burgess-Ferrari.
“To accommodate the reopening, Alberta Parks constructed a short bypass to ensure safe access to the trail,” she said in an email. “The bypass is very short and construction avoided the wildlife corridor.”
Because it made use of an existing trail, construction was minor and consisted only of trail brushing work, she added.
The trail was originally closed as a measure of public safety with flood mitigation construction nearby and without safe access to the trailhead.
Burgess-Ferrari said there is no longer a risk to the public as flood work progresses and with the bypass in place, but reminded trail users to check Alberta Parks’ website for updates.
“The potential for short-term closures in the future remains due to the ongoing construction but the Town of Canmore’s project has progressed to a stage where we can safely welcome visitors back to the trail,” she said.
“The trail is now open and we look forward to welcoming Albertans and visitors back to enjoy this popular out-and-back trek to the ridge of Mount Lady Macdonald.”
Alberta Parks reminds outdoor recreationists to always plan ahead when heading into the mountains.
“Wear sturdy footwear, bring food and water, pack a first-aid kit, bring extra clothing and a rain jacket, wear sunscreen, bring emergency items, have a cellphone and satellite GPS with you, use paper maps in addition to navigation apps and make sure to let someone know where you are going and when you will be back,” said Burgess-Ferrari.
Visitors should also expect and be prepared for bear and other wildlife encounters.
“Be alert and aware of your surroundings at all times, make lots of noise, watch for fresh bear signs like tracks and droppings, and travel in groups,” said Burgess-Ferrari. “Every person should have bear spray accessible and know how to use it.”
The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada. The position covers Îyârhe (Stoney) Nakoda First Nation and Kananaskis Country.
