Nihahi South Ridge Hike

Where:

• Nihahi South Ridge

 

When:

• July 8, 2023

 

Who:

• Ed, Oak, Erin, Dave, Craig, Roger, Carolyn, Colleen, Kent, Jim, Angela

 

Trailhead:

• from Bragg Creek take Highway 66 West to the end of the road
• you have to park at the equestrian center which is 1.7 km before the trailhead at Little Elbow Campground
• walk along the road that parallels the river through the campground and then turn right at the sign for Nihahi Ridge
• the trail branches off at times but ultimately seems to get you to the top

 

 

Degree of difficulty:

• 750 meters of elevation gain
• 12.5 km round trip
• the hike took us four and three-quarter hours
• it starts on the road through the campground for 1.7 km and then turns you start the ascent
• it’s a fairly steep climb with two challenging scrambles near and at the top

 

 

Interesting notes:

• this was my first time doing this hike, and the views were amazing
• I suffered an oxygen deprivation headache for the first time in decades and likely due to being at sea level the few days prior
• our group got separated on the way down as there are multiple branches of the trail
• there are sweeping views of the entire Kananaskis region as well as the Elbow and Little Elbow Rivers and Nihahi Creek
• you can hike the whole ridge, but it is 9 km long and tricky footing with steep drops on both sides
• Nihahi Ridge was named in 1922 after the Stoney Indian word equivalent of ‘rocky’