Raspberry Ridge Hike

We started our summer hiking season last weekend with a hike up to Raspberry Ridge. Head west from Longview, Alberta on Highway 40. Turn south at onto highway 940 (a loose usage of the word “highway”, more like a forestry road) at Highwood House. Continue past Etherington Creek Recreational Area on 940 and you will find the turnout a little further down the road (before you hit Cataract Creek starting point). It is not labelled, but looks like the photo below.

Do not take what looks to be the obvious trail to the right here. Follow the road in a few more feet and you will see the trail emerge uphill to the right, parallel to the road you are on.

A fellow hiker took pity and labelled the trail head like this.

The trail sets out at a mild, but steady ascent on an easy to spot path.

Some nice, open views on the way up. We hit a little rain shower, but nothing to be concerned with.

The path gets a little more rocky as you go up. It is one of those climbs where you think you are almost there, and then crest the hill to see that there is still a mountain in front of you.

A wee breather…

Still going up…

My husband packed trail-name-appropriate snacks as a pick-me-up. LOL

Looks close, yes?  Look again. The last kilometer looks like this….

The last part of the trail is walking up this steep pitch.

Just over this rise…..

The continental divide appears.

The fire look out is a little further up. The man tending the lookout spotted us and invited us up for a chat and to get the best views.

Pretty much eye level with the peaks to the west.

Peaks to the east. Raspberry Ridge is a high point in a valley between the two mountain ranges. Beautiful views in all directions

To the east, and hopper tv…..

The fire lookout

On the way back, we took the switchback route that loops back down, adding a couple km to the trail, but looked to be easier on the knees. Not so! The trail is impossible to see in some places due to lack of use, and only my husband’s good nose for navigation found the way down on some pretty windswept hillsides. Nope, if we do it again, it is straight down the way we came up.