[MCR] Centennial Ridge/Mt. Allan traverse, Kananaskis Country

On Monday a friend and I did the Centennial Ridge traverse from south to north, starting at the Ribbon Creek Day Use parking lot and ending at the parking lot by Pigeon Creek 1.5km south of the Dead Man's Flats overpass.

The trail is mostly dry and in good condition. The snowline started around 2300m on the NE side of the ridge, but there were only a few short sections on the trail itself that we were forced to travel on snow. Mostly it was below gaiter-height with the occasional above-knee plunge. On the trail leading down the north ridge of Mt. Allan, there was a snowpatch covering where it branches east off the ridge to avoid some cliffs. If that trail fork is missed then the ridge cliffs out in another 50m and a brief backtrack and closer scrutiny over the E side of the ridge reveals a half-buried marker that indicates the trail around the cliffs. The bridge crossing Pigeon Creek 700m from the parking lot is washed out. People have placed a few logs across it, but even with increased afternoon flow the creek would have been fordable without the logs on that day.

We saw some bear scat at the Ribbon Creek parking lot and again right near the end of the north exit trail, but no fresh sign at the higher elevations. However, in the evening we did see a sow grizzly and two of last year's cubs just after we turned from Hwy 40 onto the road leading to Ribbon Creek Day Use area.

For the plant enthusiasts: the meadows at the beginning of the south approach are coming into bloom, and include a stunning amount of silky scorpionweed right now.

Cheers,
Jen Stelfox
HG
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