A new chapter was written in the story of a treasured trail in Kananaskis Country that has undergone much-needed improvements.
Open to the public is Powderface Creek trail, a popular multi-use trail located between Highway 66 and Powderface Trail, recently saw a reroute of a 2.6-kilometre section to provide better grades, improved drainage, and a more sustainable trail design.
After decades of wear-and-tear from hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding, as well as natural elements, stewards Friends of Kananaskis Country completed work on the busy Powderface Creek trail following a $240,000 grant from the Alberta Forestry and Parks in 2023.
“Thanks to our team of volunteers and staff, the Friends of Kananaskis Country Board is so proud and excited to open this new and improved section of the popular Powderface Creek trail,” said Janice Pasieka, co-chair of the board of directors for Friends of Kananaskis Country, in a media release. “Those familiar with this trail will be delighted with the new rerouting.”
The entire $240,000 used for the improvements was funded by the Kananaskis Conservation Pass, which includes additional upgrades to the 1.6 km approach from the west of the trail from Powderface Trail.
Described as moderately challenging, the 12.2 km trail starts at Powderface Day Use area, off Highway 66, and offers access to the northern section of Powderface Ridge.
Additional details of the work that's been done include of the westernmost 1.6 km, approximately 600 metres was rebuilt, and approximately 1,000 m was rerouted. The next 2.6 km was rerouted out of the valley, “making the trail more sustainable and eliminate the risk of flood damage.”
The total length of the new build is approximately 3.5 km.
McElhanney and Lifetime Outdoor Inc. were hired to redesign the new trail and for heavy equipment reconstruction in the backcountry location, while volunteers from Friends of Kananaskis Country spent hours working on the trail to get it ready for the public and decommissioning the old section of the trail that is no longer in use.
Derek Ryder, Friends of Kananaskis Country’s co-chair and communications director said in a May 2023 interview with the Outlook that there is potential for the stewards to improve other Kananaskis areas in need following Powderface Creek trail.
“We’ve never done anything like this before,” said Ryder. “Successful execution of this two-year project will facilitate building capacity within the organization, which will enable tackling larger scale projects into the future.”