Moose Mountain

Posted May 21st, 2007 by Chris

Distance:

15.2 km

Difficulty:

Strenuous

Elev. gain:

525 meters

Time required:

4 - 7 hours

Bikes permitted:

Yes

Dogs permitted:

Yes

Download GPX

Directions to trail head

Drive south from Bragg Creek on highway #22 and turn west (right) onto highway #66. After approximately 14 kilometers you will see the turnoff for Paddy's Flat Campground. Keep driving west about 800 meters west of the turnoff for Paddy's Flat Campground and there will be an unmarked turnoff to the right. This is the road to the Moose Mountain trail. Drive 7.5 kilometers up this gravel road. There is a gate on the side of the road. You can either parallel park on the gravel road or turn into the parking lot and angle park. The trailhead is both in the parking lot and immediately across the road from the signs to parallel park on the road.

Hazards on trail

Signs warn of lighting during storms and loss of footing during the assent to the peak of Moose Mountain.

Hike Description

This is Moose Mountain from the distance at waypoint #02. The hike traverses the ridge from the right side up and over the first rise ending at the top of the second on the left side of the photo. At the top is Alberta's highest fire lookout.

The trail is a relatively gentle ascent for the first 5.5 kilometers on a fire road and then climbs quickly to the peak during the last couple of kilometers. During this hike you will increase in elevation 525 meters but the total climbing is 650 meters. Until you start the climb you walk along overlooking the valley below.

The views on this hike makes it one of the more popular in this area. There are great views of the surrounding mountains and on a clear day you can see the towers of Calgary and the valleys in between.

The GPS track for this hike can be downloaded via the file attached to this post. Go to the "About" page for directions prior to download or use of this data. Please submit your feedback and let me know your thoughts on the hike. If you have the the GPS data for other hikes in Alberta please send it along with a couple pictures to chris[at]hikealberta[dot]com.