I have heard it said on occasion that there are only two kinds of Rambler - those who hike for the flora and fauna and those who hike for the elevation. So where can an elevation/off-trail aficionado go for the obligatory autumn larch expedition. Well, if you want your larches to be flavoured with steep, off-trail elevation gains and seasoned with eye-popping vistas then Odlum Ridge is definitely the place to be on a cloudless fall day under a bluebird sky.

Six elevation lovin', off-trail cravin' Ramblers showed up for the coordinator's second attempt at traversing Odlum Ridge, the entire ridge, all 18.4 km and 1553 meters of elevation gain. After a bracing, early morning ford of the Highwood river - mid-calf deep, breath-taking cold - we hiked along a moderately good trail that was overgrown and boggy in places. We soon reached Gillean Dafferne's gushing stream and the start of a brutal ascent up open grassy slopes to the ridgecrest and then on to the first summit.

Dave grinds it up to the east summit of Odlum Ridge.

Odlum Ridge is a truly classic ridge walk and as one of only a few east-west ridges in Kananaskis Country it offers un-paralleled vistas in all directions.


Odlum Ridge from the east summit looking on towards the middle summit.

Kaare, Dave, Margaret, Arma, Jerome & Jim enjoying sunshine and blue skies on the middle summit of Odlum Ridge.

After completing the standard traverse of the east, middle and west summits of the high ridge, we continued on to traverse the entire ridge which winds and undulates through prime larch country.


Did I mention the blanket of larches awaiting the off-trail hiker on Odlum Ridge.

Or the eye-popping vistas offered by Odlum Ridge.

Odlum ridge is a grueling, long distance traverse over a winding, undulating ridge with three significant summits and considerable accumulated elevation gain. And once you have completed the ridge you are still faced with over three kilometers of bushwhacking, several minor creek crossings and a fording of Storm Creek in order to get to the highway. But Odlum Ridge is very much worth the effort and a fall day in the high country under a bluebird sky is worth whatever effort is required to get there. Just ask any of the Ramblers who were tough enough and lucky enough to be there.

Participants: David; Jerome; Margret; Kaare; & Arma. Coordinator, photographer & scribe: Jim.

Trip statistics: Distance - 18.4 km; Cumulative elevation gain - 1553 meters; Maximum elevation - 2518 meters; Time = 9 hours, 47 minutes; Autumn on Odlum Ridge - Priceless.