Grizzly Peak Trail

Grizzly Peak Trail is an informal out-and-back from Highway 40 at Ripple Rock Creek to a 2,538-metre summit. Plan on about 6.4 km (4 miles) round trip, roughly 850–900 metres of climbing, and four to five hours. The mileage looks modest, but most of that climb comes in about 3 km each way. This is for hikers who want a direct summit outing and are comfortable with a steep, loose trail and a short scramble. I could not confirm an official trail designation, maintenance status, or authorization for the reported roadside access. Check signs and parking restrictions before leaving the road.

The reported start is on the east shoulder of Highway 40, just south of Ripple Rock Creek, with the route beginning on the creek’s north bank. It climbs through trees and small rock bands, eases briefly, then steepens again as it emerges onto open slopes. Near the cliff wall, the line traverses below the rock before steep switchbacks gain height quickly. The change from forest to open ground is a useful marker that the upper part of the climb is beginning.

There are faint branches on the open slopes. Stay on the lower traverse beneath the cliff wall, then follow the route around the right side of the summit block. A short cliff-band step is the crux and calls for your hands. Above it, the route crosses a steep, hard-packed slope to a grassy ridge. Some descriptions say the obvious tread fades near a scree gully; the last stretch to the saddle and summit is on open ground rather than a built path. Keep to the described line: the separate South Ridge route is a different, more technical outing.

The summit sits above a broad saddle between Grizzly Peak and Mount Evan-Thomas. From the ridge, look east toward Mount Evan-Thomas, Packenham and Mount Hood; west, Mount Joffre rises beyond the Kananaskis Lakes. The wide panorama is the reward for the relentless climb. A strip of the rocky ridge in the foreground gives a phone photo a sense of the height without losing the mountain view.

Route reports place roadside parking on the east side of Highway 40 just south of Ripple Rock Creek; no marked lot or parking capacity was confirmed. This is not the Grizzly Creek day-use parking area, which is about 1 km away. The access is informal, so only park and enter where signs and conditions allow. A Kananaskis Conservation Pass is required for vehicles at eligible park and public-land sites; whether this roadside shoulder qualifies was not confirmed. Alberta Parks allows pets in provincial parks on a leash no longer than 2 metres. I found no reliable information about toilets, drinking water or food at this roadside start, so do not count on a refill there.