Bragg Creek-Banded Peak School Trail hike on 13-Jan-2023

Sometimes you don't have to travel very far to experience a totally new hike! Today we did a nice loop of 8 km with elevation gain of 175m in the foothills around the hamlet of Bragg Creek.

From the Bragg Creek Provincial Park parking lot we took the Alder Trail and Banded Peak Connector to the top of a lovely ridge, where we were likely the Ramblers official "first ascent."

Summit team on RMRA "first ascent" of high point on Banded Peak Connector

Relaxing in relative comfort on the summit

The trail continued to Banded Peak School, by several interesting interpretive signs and numerous bird houses. After a false start getting around the school we realized we had to go through a gate onto a path taking us to the paved Banded Peak bike path. Here we removed our traction devices--except for Bob, who managed so far without putting them on by some careful footwork on steep icy patches.

When we reached the hamlet, what to our wondering eyes did appear--the Cinnamon Spoon, where we paused for some urban sophistication in the middle of a foothills hike.

Doug and Moh enjoy coffee stop at the Cinnamon Spoon

Susan and Bob enjoy urban delight on a foothills hike

Leaving the Spoon, we found our way to the Elbow River berm, following it west to where we had to go on the road for perhaps a couple of hundred metres, and then got onto trails through the provincial park back to our cars, which we reached by 2:30. We did not see another soul on the trail all day.

It was a pleasant day, starting at minus 4 and ending at plus 2 in the sun. We saw four deer cozying up to a house in Bragg Creek. All in all, a pleasant change and addition to our repertoire.

Participants: Carl, coordinator and scribe, Susan, Mohsen, Douglas, Bob, Janet.