Peter Lougheed Provincial Park

Trip Dates: July 2008 & July 2009

The tradition continues.  Once again Kyle and Mike made the trip out west for a weekend filled with camping and outdoor adventures.  This year we chose the Lower Lake Campground in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, which is part of the Kananaskis park system.

Swainson's Hawk

Rocky Mountain Sheep along Highway 40

Close-Up

Our campsite in the Lower Lakes Campground

Mt. Sarrail above Lower Kananaskis Lake

We chose to hike up to the Kananaskis Fire Lookout via the Whiskey Jack and Lookout Trails.  The entire hike was about 7km round trip with 200m in elevation gain.  It's not a difficult hike, but you get some amazing views of the Kananaskis Lakes and the surrounding peaks.

Kananaskis Fire Lookout

Panoramic view from the lookout station

Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel

He stole a couple of our cookies so easily it's almost like he'd been doing it for years!

Kyle, Mike, Jaryd, and I near the lookout station

The next day we decided to check out Rawson Lake.  We definitely were not disappointed.  Rawson Lake is an 8km round-trip hike with an elevation gain of 320m.  It leads to a beautiful lake completely surrounded by massive peaks.  Jaryd, Mike, and I decided to expand the hike by climbing up one of the ridges that overlook the lake.  Spectacular views awaited us...

Sarrail Creek Falls

Rawson Lake panoramic shot

Rawson Lake

Lunch break

The day's final goal

Beginning the climb

Rawson Lake as viewed from the top of the ridge

Myself, Mike, and Jaryd enjoying the view of the Kananaskis Lakes

Made it back down safe and sound.  Upper Kananaskis Lake.

We enjoyed this trip so much that we came back to the exact same spot the year after, except we were without Kyle and Mike.  We were still with a great group of people so it didn't matter and we still had an adventure filled weekend.

Rocky Mountain Sheep and a lamb

This year's camp site

Red Squirrel swiping discarded sunflower seeds

Mt. Indefatigable standing guard over Lower Kananaskis Lake

Perfect reflection on the lake

Lower Kananaskis Lake

Kola proving that she's a true Rider fan!

The Rawson Lake hike was on this year's agenda too

Ryan and I decided to climb the opposite ridge that Mike, Jaryd, and I climbed the year before

Beginning the scramble

Apparently I really like that shirt considering I wore it for the same hike two years in a row!

Really big tracks.  Since this is prime Grizzle Bear habitat I'm going to assume that's what made them.

We made it to the ridge

Ryan

Rawson Lake as viewed through the rocks

Ryan and I on the ridge

We all really enjoy Peter Lougheed Provincial Park and will definitely be back at some point in the near future.  It's a fairly short drive from Calgary, but you're completely immersed in the wilderness and surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery.  What's not to like about it?

You can read even more about my adventures in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park by visiting my post titled Elk Pass & Kan Lakes.