When your car drifts around the westward lane near the Casino, you know that it will be a windy day. But as we had intentionally chosen a trip that was mostly in trees, we were not too alarmed.

However four Ramblers and a dog must have looked a bit drunk as we tried to walk a straight line across the dam at Barrier Lake soon after 9.00am. We had the same difficulty when returning about 2.00pm. In between, in the trees it was actually quite pleasant with the air temperature above freezing.

We made our way up on the old road initially in only a few cms of snow, but about 10cms deep near the lookout with a few short deeper sections. We all donned micro-spikes for the steeper upper rocky section to lunch a few metres down from the closed lookout about 11.45am.

Barb and Deb approach Barrier Lookout

Deborah and Barbara rest on the heli-pad of Barrier Lookout: view looks east to Calgary.

View to NorthEast from near Barrier Lookout (east end of Yam in top left)

Barrier Lake from lower lookout outcrop about 3/4 up trail to Barrier Lookout

Despite the snow balling up, for descent we kept the spikes on until nearly at lake level. A final "drunken" stagger in the gusty wind brought us to the cars soon after 2.00pm. There were a few other parties on the trail including two young ladies with a baby carriage. When we told them that they still had a fair distance to go (2km?), they turned around promptly. Overall, I thought it was a good trip with the dam traverses in the howling gale being the only real negative aspect.

The RMRA database gives 14km return with 630m elevation gain, which we managed in 5:15hrs, car to car. Thanks to participants: Damian,Barbara,Deborah from C/S/P David. Also dog Spektor.