Cataract Creek Lower, Middle & Upper Falls Trail Hike on 6-Sep-2003

The poplars were already autumn gold despite the scorching hot summer weather. With the endless hot summer it must be the drought which has caused the leaves to turn prematurely.

The scenery in the lower Cataract Creek Canyon, in the Don Getty Wildland Provincial Park, is unusual for the Alberta Rockies. In the hilly area between the Livingstone Range to the east and the High Rock Range to the west, the large creek cascades over three large falls and innumerable small falls and rapids. Here the smoky hills are reminiscent of eastern mountains.

Our hike was one way up the creek from the Highwood River at Sentinel trailhead to the Cataract Creek campground. We saw Arnold Westberg’s group across the river heading for the North Ridge of Mount Burke, which was directly above and parallel to our route. New Ramblers members Lorne Tetarenico and Pat Lee pose at the Lower Falls, the first highlight of the trip. Welcome to the club!

We had lunch at the Middle Falls. The deep green pools looked like heavenly swimming holes, especially in the heat of the day, but our crossing of the Highwood River and three crossings of the creek proved that the water, despite the hot summer, is still extremely cold.

The Upper Falls were our last highlight. The “Weeping Wall,” featured in an old Kananaskis Country poster, seemed to have dried up. The trail, which was reasonable to the Middle Falls, petered out below the Upper Falls, forcing about a kilometre of side hill bushwhacking, after which we regained the upper trail. We saw nobody until the Upper Falls, where suddenly several people appeared, enjoying playing around the stream. The only wildlife we saw were two grouse.