July 26/2021 Summer Hike

Today we are in Kananaskis Country, and we will be hiking the Memorial Lakes Trail. This hike is 18.2 kilometers, out and back, with an elevation gain of 1078 meters. I should clarify saying that this is not just a hike, there are scrambling sections near the end of the route. There are two different routes to get there. The way we went was .8 kilometers longer. I would recommend taking the shorter route going up Ribbon Creek, it is more scenic at the beginning of the hike.

For the first 4.2 kilometers the trail is fairly wide and has minimal elevation gain. You will reach an intersection and you will go straight, the Ribbon Creek Trail goes left. Now you will be hiking a narrower hiking trail. This is where you will start to work and get some elevation gain. Around 4.6 kilometers in you will come across a creek. You will zig zag over this creek a few times, there are a couple bridges. There will be some route finding, as you will come across numerous trails going in different directions. At 7.7 kilometers you will reach a waterfall, this is a great spot to take a break. Now the beauty of this trail really starts to show. Stay left and climb up the right side of the creek and you will come across a second beautiful waterfall. If you weren’t going to do this whole hike, this is a beautiful destination. Now you have to go straight up to get back on the trail. You will see waterfall after waterfall. At 8.4 kilometers it opens up and you are at the first lake. Now you really have to start to work climbing up to the second lake. This is where the scrambling begins. At 9.5 kilometers you will reach the second lake. In my opinion this is the jewel of the hike. The colors in this lake are just stunning. Now you will have to scramble up two different sections. Don’t forget to look back for a beautiful view of the second lake. At 10.9 kilometers you have arrived at the third lake and the memorial. This third lake usually dries up by the end of August.

These three mountain lakes have been named and dedicated to the memory of thirteen people who lost their lives in three aircraft accidents in Kananaskis Country in June 1986.

This hike has a little bit of everything, creeks, waterfalls, lakes, mountain vistas, hiking scrambling, I can go on and on.

I am now filming in 4K with my GoPro Hero 9.

This is my 61st video. Thank you very much for watching. If you enjoyed this video, please give it a thumbs up. If you would like to see my other hiking videos, subscribe to my channel, LIVE ON Alberta. I feature over 55 different hiking videos. CHEERS
Thank you,
Cary Mason
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Email - [email protected]