A Short Hike-GOG |WORK|
Carlie Bhairo
I headed along the west ridge of Mount Magog, quickly coming across a rock outcropping. Rather than drop left around it, I decided to stick to the crest (Class 2) and continued unencumbered for a while until the landscape became a bit fractured, a maze of weird landscape features. I had to drop in and out of a few gullies and avoid some rock outcrops, but somehow managed to keep the route pretty straightforward and found myself back on the Naomi Peak Trail. I followed the trail to a saddle and then took the short spur trail to reach Naomi Peak. More excellent views.
I started north along the ridgeline, where a social trail wrapped me around to the start of the ridge traverse to Bullen Peak Peak, but it faded away shortly after. I was in excellent spirits as the sweeping tundra around me was lit by morning light. Maybe I should start getting up earlier to enjoy more light like this. But like, probably not. Suddenly I came to a steep near-cliff, which surprised me since I sort of expected the ridgeline to be a no-brainer. Keeping mostly to the ridge crest, I descended loose Class 2, then side-hilled on more of the same. This section didn't last long, but it was totally out of character for the rest of the grassy traverse. After some more tundra walking, I made it to the summit of Bullen Hole Peak, which gave a really cool perspective toward Cherry Peak's sloped cliffs in the distance.
An easy, low-grade, 2.5-mile hike from the naturally surfaced Overflow Parking Lot (located at the main entrance). Follow the paved Foothills Trail to connect with the paved Gateway Trail. This trail will cross the road to start the Central Garden Trail where you can explore short loops at the base of the tallest rock formations (1.5 miles total). Return to the Overflow Parking Lot along the Gateway Trail again.
The first video is an introductory short that shows glacial erratics at Okotoks, Alberta composed of Gog Quartzite. These make up part of a chain of boulders (the Foothills Erratics Chain) extending for 930 km from the Jasper area to the north, and as far as Montana to the south. This outcrop is known as Big Rock. My daughter provides a (very active!) scale.
Rock formations get bigger and more interesting with all their lines and grooves. Rocky Top offers the first really good views of the surrounding forest. Fill up on water in Hart Creek before reaching Herod. You'll make another short jog on the road here before heading north again through the woods.
The climb from the valley up to the hilltops inside Garden of the Gods is the hardest part of the trip. Luckily, you will be bedding down for the night shortly after reaching the top. The views here are so incredible, you'll likely have a hard time forcing yourself to leave in the morning! The open campsite faces an open vista of the rolling, wooded hillside, visible for miles and miles into the distance.
The trail starts at the base of this hill and follows the Mitchell River to Wedgewood Lake and then to Magog Lake (distance of hike is about 30 km, and hiking time is about 8 hours; elevation change is 1,100 metres). Although the trail crosses the Mitchell River in numerous locations it is not necessary to make all the crossings, as they are connected by short and very easy bushwhacks. Stay on the east side to the ford (see map) then cross over to the west.
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