You may have noticed that I never provide difficulty ratings for my hikes on here, and that’s of course because of the subjectivity of a hike’s difficulty. Something that’s easy to me might be much more challenging to someone else, just as much as the inverse might be equally true. Instead I try to provide lots of photos and detailed descriptions of my hikes – hopefully allowing you to assess for yourself and decide if a hike is right for you.
The hike up Island Ridge is a perfect example of the subjectivity of the hiking experience. Even if I wanted to try and describe the difficulty of this one I’m not sure I could in a meaningful or accurate way. Island Ridge is a hike that nearly anyone could do. However, I think it’s a hike that far fewer people would enjoy doing.
The first third of the hike is a bushwhack up to the grassy and scenic spine of the ridge. In theory there are faint trails here and there but nothing reliable, so most of this time is spent navigating around trees and bushes and heading in a vague up direction. Fortunately with some routefinding skills it’s not difficult to make it up to the enjoyable part of the hike. It just takes time and effort. If the idea of bashing around in the bush without much of a trail doesn’t sound like your idea of a fun time, there are tons of other nearby hikes with clearly defined trails that might be more suited to you.
If you stick with it however, once past the bushwhacking section, the rest of the hike is a breeze. Seriously, though walking up the steep grassy spine makes up the latter two thirds of the hike, this section goes by in no time at all. Though there isn’t much more of a trail on this section, the ridge is open and easy to hike up. After the bushwhack, I didn’t notice myself working hard at all during this much more regular hiking section. In fact, it wasn’t even until the way down that I noticed the grade! Probably I was too busy enjoying the views.
Continue reading this blog post for everything you need to know to experience the Island Ridge hike in the Crowsnest Pass for yourself, including distance, elevation gain, how to get there, the best time to visit, and lots of photos of my experience.
When hiking it’s important to avoid harmful practices such as disturbing plants or rock-stacking, or removing any natural object from flowers to rocks, as it’s important to leave the environment as natural as possible for the animals and for fellow hikers to enjoy in perpetuity. As many flowers as there are, there are few enough that if we all took one, then there wouldn’t be any left. Take only photos, leave only footprints.
If you haven’t heard of Leave No Trace principles, they’re also really essential to read up on before heading anywhere into the outdoors in general. Following these important principles basically means doing your best to leave beautiful places like Island Ridge as good (if not better) than you found them, both for their preservation and for the enjoyment of other visitors.
Island Ridge Round Trip Details
Distance: 3 KM / 1.9 MI
Elevation Gain: 370 M / 1213 FT
Hiking Time: 1.5-2 HRS
Hiking & Safety Tips
- Prepare for the possibility of wildlife encounters. Bear spray is a must whenever travelling in bear country, as well as learning how to use it. Though your chance of an aggressive bear encounter is low, it is always better to be prepared with bear spray. Bear bells are proven to be an ineffective bear deterrent, and are actively discouraged by Parks Canada. The best way to let bears know you’re around is simply to use your voice. Make sure to keep a respectful distance from wildlife and never feed the animals. It may seem kind but it doesn’t just kill wildlife and put people in danger, it’s also in many cases illegal.
- Research current trail conditions and make sure you are well-informed about the route before you leave, and assess if it is within your capability. Be aware of what time it gets dark and check the weather forecast. Make sure to tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to return. Every year as more and more people try hiking for the first time, the number of rescues goes up. Being prepared is the best defense.
- Pack everything you need for a successful hike, including enough water and energy-rich snacks. Remember to pack out everything you pack in though – don’t expect to find a convenient garbage can halfway up the trail. Bring appropriate layers (remember you’ll warm up once you start hiking) and sun protection. Hiking poles may be helpful but are not required. In addition to not leaving any garbage on the trail yourself, I highly recommend bringing a garbage bag and collecting any trash that you do see on the trail. You’re guaranteed to make the hike up Island Ridge a more enjoyable experience for the next person.
How to Get to Island Ridge Trailhead
The trailhead for Island Ridge is located down Coal Road, in the Livingstone PLUZ. The turn-off from the Crowsnest highway is located between Island Lake and Crowsnest Lake – just a tiny bit east of the Welcome to Alberta sign. Down this road you’ll pass Crowsnest Creek Falls on the left side – worthy of a stop on its own if you have time. After driving 3.3 km down the gravel road, turn off at a pull-out where a road diverges to the left, crossing Crowsnest Creek. Island Ridge is now on the right. From here, walk up the road just past the stand of trees and you will see a faint trail leading up.
Click here to open the exact trailhead location in Google Maps.
Hiking Island Ridge
Just a little bit past the turn-off is where I’m starting to climb up the hill. There’s a bit of social trail here.
Heading into the woods. The road is still right behind me in this photo. Straight ahead of me a faint path leads up.
This is what a lot of the bushwhacking section looks like. No clear trail – just heading up.
Flowers make it all okay.
A rare section of trail.
Leaving the trees behind and making my way onto the grassy spine of the ridge. Everything is easy and scenic from here on out.
Even when the trail disappears the correct route here is pretty obvious. I tried to stay on the trail / most logical route so as not to trail braid and disturb the whole hillside.
Starting to see more wildflowers.
Views around me are opening up beautifully. Many stops were made to turn around and take in the view (and to catch my breath).
Coming over the very top now. Wildflowers everywhere.
I mean everywhere. The ridge just left of Crowsnest Lake is Crowsnest Ridge, another easy hike.
Recommended Hiking Gear
Water is a must whenever I’m hiking, especially if the sun is going to be out. My favourite water filter I’ve used is the Katadyn BeFree 0.6L, which unlike other water filters I’ve used packs up really small and lightweight. For hikes where I know there won’t be any readily available water sources along the way, I make sure to bring my own. The Hydrapak Stow 1L bottle is my go-to, for the same reason that it’s made of a soft plastic that folds up and doesn’t take up any more extra space than necessary in my pack. Finally, Aquatabs are another great option for purifying water, with one tablet being suitable for one litre of water. I previously used the Grayl water filter while travelling internationally, and though I found its hard body more convenient for day to day use and easier to drink from, it has a little too much bulk for my fast-and-light style of hiking.
The secret to all my photos of gorgeous sunset and sunrise mountaintop views? A lot of hiking in the dark. And let me speak from personal experience when I say that the last thing that you want to happen when hiking is to be caught in the dark without a headlamp. I used the Black Diamond Spot 400 for years and it worked great – until I lost it on top of a mountain somewhere. The only downside to it was having to worry about the batteries dying, though there’s also a slightly more expensive version that has a rechargeable battery. Nowadays I’m using the Petzl Actik Core, which is a bit pricier than the more budget-friendly Black Diamond, but is also brighter, more comfortable (in my opinion), and has a hybrid power system that is rechargeable but can also take AAA batteries if needed.
You won’t see me using trekking poles on shorter hikes often – but on long hikes and backpacking trips, as well as certain scrambles, they are an absolute lifesaver. I’ve invested in a high quality ultra-lightweight pair of MSR DynaLock Ascent carbon poles which, while pricey, I don’t regret one bit. If you’re not entirely sure how much use you’re going to get out of a pair of trekking poles, the best budget-friendly option would be the Trekology Trek Z 2.0. Amazon does sell a lot of cheaper Made in China-style trekking poles for cheaper, but these usually are much much heavier and not worth buying.
All the best and most long-lasting cables and power banks I’ve ever owned have been Anker. I once had a phone cable from them that lasted me over three years of daily use! That’s why I keep an Anker PowerCore Essential 20K power bank on me. Like many people I use my phone for a lot of stuff when hiking (checking in with family, using online maps, taking photos, flying my drone) so I like to be prepared for that low battery warning by having a backup power source on me just in case.
The only socks I ever buy for myself are from Darn Tough, and I almost always make sure to wear them when hiking. After years of having no problems only wearing these comfortable and rugged socks for hikes, I accidentally wore a pair of no-name socks on a hike last year and ended up with blisters on both feet. Safe to say I’m back to sticking with the Darn Tough. And the best part? They have a lifetime guarantee, meaning that if they ever wear out you can send them back for a brand new pair. For hiking footwear I go between a pair of lightweight approach shoes for quick and dirty mountain ascents or anything involving scrambling and more heavy-duty boots for longer treks. I’ve worn a couple different versions of the lightweight but super durable Arc’teryx Konseal FL 2 approach shoes for a few years now and am very impressed with the durability. I also really like the thick toecap that keeps me protected every time I stumble into a root or large rock. For longer, tougher, or muddier treks I rely on my LOWA Camino EVO GTX, which I find insanely comfortable and made of very high quality.
I wear my Ar’teryx Gamma Lightweight Pants on every single hike I go on, and on many days when I’m not hiking. After several years of abuse they are still holding together extraordinarily well, with only a few small holes from where I’ve fallen down and some slight stains from being repeatedly coated with mud. They’re lightweight, breathable, and super comfortable. For lightweight and breathable hiking tops I’m a big fan of both the Patagonia Capilene Shirt and the MEC Core Shirt. My Arc’teryx Squamish Hoody shows up in a lot of my photos. It’s super lightweight and packable, and does a great job of cutting the wind while also being pretty breathable. I also have an Arc’teryx Atom Hoody and Arc’teryx Beta LT that I pull out for cooler or wetter conditions.
I hope you enjoyed this guide to hiking Island Ridge in the Crowsnest Pass! Feel free to leave any questions in the comment section below or to contact me directly via social media.