The Mist Ridge Group

Before leaving Calgary we had a choice of two destinations for today's hike, Mist Ridge and Mist Mountain. Four chose the mountain, we chose the ridge.

And off we go.

Mist Creek Trail starts on the other side of Highway 40.

We start out on Mist Creek Trail but will leave it shortly.

Bears are always a concern for hikers in the mountains. Just last week one of our members startled a bear on the trail with just a hiking pole distance separating the two. By Joy's account, she had thought the bear had just woken up and was not too sure what to make of the situation. That hesitation on the bears part was enough time for Joy to burst out of the woods and join up with us, as we were only about fifty feet away.

I'm wondering if anyone ever takes this trail.

Trail Art

The Cow Parsnip on this hike was in full bloom. This plant can grow to a height of seven feet and hikers can detect a very distinct aroma when walking through a field of this Indian rhubarb.

We went through long stretches of thickets today.

It is hard seeing one's way through these bushes. Keeping your head up and giving some distance between you and the person ahead, saves being slapped in the face by a swinging branch. Then there is the problem of not being able to see where a person is planting their feet.

Platter size mushrooms were also a common sight along the trail.

Mist Creek Trail is just that, a trail paralleling a creek, and not too interesting a trail at that. It's also a trail I have not done before, and one I will not do, again. This day I am the sweeper of the group--actually I'm most often the one in the tail end of the group, which is okie-dokie by me--and I'm a few paces behind that brown hat just through the leaves ahead of me.

Time For a Refresher.

One hour into the hike and it's time for some local gossip.

We do sacrifice some loss in elevation before starting our final and steady up hill trek towards the summit.

It is a quarter hour after eleven and there are a few hungry and rumbling stomachs amongst us. Just ahead and around the corner is where we will set up shop. Our lunch stop is scheduled to be at the top of the ridge straight ahead and to the right. Your eyes are leading you to a rock outcrop that looks like a wave.

We indulge in a ten minute snack break, while the other three have continued on ahead. Our plan is to meet up again with them for lunch at the outcrop on the summit.

We have just passed the col between two ridges, and boy-oh-boy was it windy. I yanked my hat down below my ears for fear of it lifting off. And if it does take flight, I'm sure as heck not chasing after it. If I do so I'll be in pursuit of my head cover right into the next province.

Wayne is studying the trail marker, Melody is in contact with the summit lunchers, Donna is surveying the landscape, and I am having a pixel moment. The three that are lunching ahead of us are ten minutes up the slope to the right.

It's certainly is a tad windy up here.

It is even windier at the summit.

The advance party of Nancy, Cathy, and Jeanette, hunkered down on the lee side of the outcrop to shelter from the constant strong wind.