https://keepitsecretadventures.com/home daily 1.0 2024-04-18 https://keepitsecretadventures.com/adventures daily 0.75 2020-06-17 https://keepitsecretadventures.com/adventures/wildhorse-ridge monthly 0.5 2020-06-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb37b8a059bb74572dba657/1590469750118-AAQ8NAAQOLRTDLQWE8KG/IMG_0286.jpg Adventures - Wildhorse Ridge Some furry friends at the base solve the mystery of the mountain’s name https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb37b8a059bb74572dba657/1592204806945-NJ7JAUT099U92IIXDQPE/Screen+Shot+2020-06-15+at+1.04.29+AM.png Adventures - Wildhorse Ridge Cairn atop the southwestern spur https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb37b8a059bb74572dba657/1591576444042-K79Q7SDWTC829E27ZZB6/Screen+Shot+2020-06-07+at+6.33.11+PM.png Adventures - Wildhorse Ridge My path, roughly traced around the bottom of the ridge, then gradually to up the scree to the top, and then left towards the summit. It was at this point that CalTopo mysteriously stopped recording my track. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb37b8a059bb74572dba657/1591503211214-5BS4JCPZ8ETCKZA56AEA/IMG_0343.jpg Adventures - Wildhorse Ridge Looking down from the ridge and into the bowl, with a view of Mount Minos across the Red Deer River. The parking lot is hidden at the bottom of the ravine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb37b8a059bb74572dba657/1591504634181-DCYBI361BLUS84ELOU22/IMG_7170.jpg Adventures - Wildhorse Ridge Views of Labyrinth Mountain in the foreground and Ya Ha Tinda. A pink ammo can holds the register at the cairn. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb37b8a059bb74572dba657/1591508316173-IKGQ52N1VPCQIG3GSUDB/Screen+Shot+2020-06-06+at+11.36.30+PM.png Adventures - Wildhorse Ridge The top portion of the spur still had deep snow, but it was no problem thanks to the path made by my friend, who I happened to run into at this point during her descent https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb37b8a059bb74572dba657/1591502856910-FTJ07TPC5NMV2JSD6UC3/IMG_0305.jpg Adventures - Wildhorse Ridge Because of the dearth of trees, the bowl opens up and the summit becomes visible quite quickly. The summit is not the obvious peak in the middle; it is the one slightly to the right. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb37b8a059bb74572dba657/1591506989665-AH7ZWOXWJ70ZXKACGAPK/Screen+Shot+2020-06-06+at+11.15.24+PM.png Adventures - Wildhorse Ridge To get to the summit (at left), I first had to climb to the top of this steep, craggy spur. I elected to climb up the front of it on the left side. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb37b8a059bb74572dba657/1591503452046-4ZHH3VOQOOETK3D17I5P/IMG_7156.jpg Adventures - Wildhorse Ridge At the summit, with Minos and Banff National Park beyond, guarded by Dormer Mountain (the prominent peak in the background). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb37b8a059bb74572dba657/1590962147156-YUJ29L76JR01YPNAOQ3W/Wildhorse+Ridge+Trailhead+approach+from+road.png Adventures - Wildhorse Ridge Here, you can see a tent at the parking area. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb37b8a059bb74572dba657/1591504226828-U0JE1G8ZQ1QRASRP0TQ4/IMG_7168.jpg Adventures - Wildhorse Ridge Pano atop the summit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb37b8a059bb74572dba657/1591503527923-166VASP89DU7LINFB1DW/IMG_7157.jpg Adventures - Wildhorse Ridge View of the foothills to the east https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb37b8a059bb74572dba657/1590469869982-LB0AICAAJUNKLVABRCO1/IMG_0279.jpg Adventures - Wildhorse Ridge The southeastern spur is likely the longest way up. Might be a fun one for next time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb37b8a059bb74572dba657/1591508656273-UAJBFOJQVTBCY8F9L910/Screen+Shot+2020-06-06+at+11.43.21+PM.png Adventures - Wildhorse Ridge The crusty surface of the snow cut my knee and scraped my legs until they were red. Lesson learned: wear long pants during shoulder seasons (and try to cross snow fields in the morning). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb37b8a059bb74572dba657/1591504340822-O8584AFY26YWK6AKQ7HV/IMG_7169.jpg Adventures - Wildhorse Ridge Summit cairn, with Maze Peak centred in the distance and Eagle Mountain further on and to the right. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb37b8a059bb74572dba657/1591505650151-VP5IFLWWTQT3VPL7W3HT/IMG_7171.jpg Adventures - Wildhorse Ridge My latest iteration of hiking fashion: a wool shirt pulled over my shorts and affixed to my pack with a carabiner to prevent the shirt from falling down https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb37b8a059bb74572dba657/1590457433024-KTCSODLD5WX77146KKVQ/IMG_0276.JPG Adventures - Wildhorse Ridge Approach to Wildhorse Ridge, seen from the east https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb37b8a059bb74572dba657/1591507801346-736DM56FT7ESBSOBCZHW/Screen+Shot+2020-06-06+at+11.29.04+PM.png Adventures - Wildhorse Ridge To get past this outcropping and on top of the ridge, I chose to go around it on the right side for a while before climbing it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb37b8a059bb74572dba657/1591504945639-2UB4F3T5RQE6M1QSBL3G/IMG_7172.jpg Adventures - Wildhorse Ridge Deep, soft snow in this terrain trap made me think twice about traversing around this side of the outcropping https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb37b8a059bb74572dba657/1591505939234-CDZ2AZC90S6A3ZLVYHAC/IMG_7175.jpg Adventures - Wildhorse Ridge I picked up five little wood tick friends. Female wood ticks have a light colour just on the upper part of their backs (the tick furthest right), whereas males have an interesting spotted pattern all over their backs (the tick beside the female tick). Ticks can normally be taken to the hospital or doctor via the Alberta Submit a Tick program for Lyme Disease identification, but this program appears to be suspended during COVID-19. The good thing is that you can still book a doctor’s appointment if you are worried about getting Lyme Disease. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb37b8a059bb74572dba657/1590465944121-06OSNCEMECLFNZYCBZSG/IMG_0289.JPG Adventures - Wildhorse Ridge There are two ways to summit from the trailhead. If you go right, you will eventually get to the ridge at the top right of the photo. https://keepitsecretadventures.com/musings daily 0.75 2021-12-01 https://keepitsecretadventures.com/about daily 0.75 2021-09-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb37b8a059bb74572dba657/1590466541283-BI94EHLK8JPYX9SZXA6B/IMG_8844.JPG About