Canada (2019) Part Eight: Kananaskis Fire Lookout

On Sept. 16, 2019, Joan and I decided that, due to the iffy weather forecast for today, we'd hike up to the Kananaskis Fire Lookout, a journey not too high nor too strenuous.

We drove down Highway 40, discovering along the way that a number of the day use areas and pullouts/trailheads were already closed and gated. Perhaps this happens automatically after Labor Day. We continued to where the fire road leaves the highway, the place to begin unless you are staying in one of the Kananaskis campgrounds. The road is locked so that only authorized vehicles can use it, but the gate is far enough along that two or three cars can park here without blocking access.

It is as if three different services need access to this road, and each requires its own key: the barrier is sealed by three locks, and the key to any one will suffice to open the way.

Joan and I set off and soon discovered bear scat -- not fresh but not terribly old either. Fortunately the sight lines along the road are long.

Shortly thereafter we encountered spruce grouse. Here's a guy,

and a gal.

Sometimes multiple "grice" at once! Our count for the day would be four males and one female.

Also along this stretch we interlopers were chastised by a red squirrel.

The rolling up-and-down stretches had easy footing because there were no roots to worry about, but then transformed into a steep uphill hike, including switchbacks. Eventually the fire lookout complex came into view.

The lookout is residential and not to be disturbed.

There are benches for visitors.

A registry as well.

A chilling wind blew steadily up here, but Joan and I found a more sheltered stone bench and viewpoint for our lunch break. Here are some sights; first, zooming in on Upper Kananaskis Lake, which we've explored much of.

In the next photo the edge of Upper is at far left, and much of the Lower Kananaskis Lake stretches in front of Mount Indefatigable, which we had visited five years before to reach a viewpoint above the lake.

On our way down we spotted some Canada jays (known as the "gray jay" prior to 2018),

and also juncos, which have a number of variations. Unlike the slate gray juncos we see in the winter in Ohio, this one had the coloration of the Oregon variety.

On our way back after the hike Joan and I stopped at the Kananaskis Valley visitors center. Plenty of exhibits were sprinkled around; I could envision campers spending a rainy day here. One of the staffers told us that a grizzly had spent much of the previous day in the meadow next door, for which the center had a big-window observation room.

Tomorrow, our last hiking day on this visit to Canada, we would try to reach Upper Galatea Lake, our 2019 "goal" destination after having been toughened up by the previous two weeks of hiking.