The Tryst Ridge hike is a challenging and rewarding trail located in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada. This hike offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains and valleys, making it a favorite among outdoor enthusiasts. Enjoy panoramic views of the Spray Lakes Reservoir and the surrounding peaks. The area is home to various wildlife, so keep an eye out for animals along the trail. This trail is less crowded compared to other popular hikes in the area, offering a peaceful experience. Canadian Rockies Hike.
September 28/2024 Fall Hike, Alberta Canada
Today we are in Kananaskis Country, Alberta Canada. We will be hiking up to Tryst Lake Ridge to see some beautiful Golden Larch Trees. The trail is 8.6 kilometers (5.3 miles) out and back, with an elevation gain of 525 meters (1720 feet). Our maximum elevation was 2350 meters (7700 feet). We started our hike at 9:40AM and finished at 4:40PM. Our total time was 7 hours. I chose to start the hike from the Smutwood Peak parking lot, this is not where All Trails says to start. Larch Madness has begun, as you can see from the cars at the beginning of the video.
For the first portion of the hike, we walked along an old road for about 2 kilometers. This portion was relatively flat. There were a lot of people on this portion but almost all the people were hiking up to Smutwood Peak. Just over 2k we made a right into the trees onto the Tryst Lake Trail. Once in the trees we started to get some minimal elevation gain. We came across a couple beautiful little creeks. As we climbed the trail got a little bit steeper and steeper. Soon the trail opened up, and to our right we could see one of the peaks of Tent Ridge. We worked our way up the drainage and as we climbed the trail got steeper. Soon we came across our first Larch Trees. Now the fall colors were really starting to pop. The trail eases up in a couple spots between a few steep sections. Don’t forget to look back to get a beautiful view looking down at the valley. Soon the trail will level out and you will be able to see Tryst Ridge ahead of you, loaded with Larch Trees. At 3.4k we arrived at Tryst Lake. The water level this time of year is always low. After a quick break it was time to start heading up to the ridge. We entered the trees, and now we were hiking amongst the Larches. Here the trail gets really steep. As you climb the views just get better and better. Once you gain the ridge, do not go straight, take a right and follow the ridgeline. Here the trail eases up quite a bit. Soon you will be surrounded by Larch Trees. This was the most stunning part of the hike in my opinion. At 4k we went off the trail to the right to have our lunch and a stunning view of Tent Ridge and the valley below. From here we continued up the trail. Soon you will come across a chute on your right and be able to see Tryst Lake below you. At 4.2k you will arrive at another beautiful lookout point. From here it is a steep climb. At 4.3k we arrived at the summit of Tryst Ridge with awesome views in all directions. I enjoyed my beer here, before heading back down.
This was an awesome Larch Tree hike. There weren’t too many people on the trail, unlike some other Larch Tree hikes. If you plan just to hike up to Tryst Lake, I highly recommend going further up to the ridge. It is well worth the effort.
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Thank you,
Cary Mason
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