Stumbling around in the gloomy grey light, tired from post-holing through pockets of knee-deep snow and zigzagging through jumbled rock, the ridge suddenly – and fortuitously! – opened up to a flat plateau. Better yet, a ragged row of twisted, wind-tormented limber pine stood leaning on a ledge, clinging to life; it was a perfect place to pitch my tent and, hopefully, get a few cool photos in the fading light. My overnight adventure into the Whaleback was looking like it might be a success after all! (That is, until the storm hit during the night.) Read More
Stumbling around in the gloomy grey light, tired from post-holing through pockets of knee-deep snow and zigzagging through jumbled rock, the ridge suddenly – and fortuitously! – opened up to a flat plateau. Better yet, a ragged row of twisted, wind-tormented limber pine stood leaning on a ledge, clinging to life; it was a perfect
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Stumbling around in the gloomy grey light, tired from post-holing through pockets of knee-deep snow and zigzagging through jumbled rock, the ridge suddenly – and fortuitously! – opened up to a flat plateau. Better yet, a ragged row of twisted, wind-tormented limber pine stood leaning on a ledge, clinging to life; it was a perfect place to pitch my tent and, hopefully, get a few cool photos in the fading light. My overnight adventure into the Whaleback was looking like it might be a success after all! (That is, until the storm hit during the night.)
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Located approximately 140 kilometres southwest of Calgary – just north of the Oldman River and west of the Porcupine Hills – the somewhat under-the-radar Whaleback region in southwest Alberta is a treasure. (Basically, the Bob Creek Wildland Provincial Park and the Black Creek Heritage Rangeland areas comprise “The Whaleback,” which is the colloquial name given to this iconic natural area. The total size of the Whaleback is 285 square kilometres.)
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Home to one of the largest and least disturbed montane areas in Canada (think transitional land between mountains and prairies), the Whaleback is a unique, bio-rich area of stunning natural beauty. Wind-blasted, north-south oriented ridges and and spines (hence the “Whaleback” name), studded with old limber pine and Douglas fir, fan out through both parks, offering free hikers a plethora of options to ramble and explore. Chattering creeks and vast, rough fescue grassland coat the valleys and hillsides. It’s a sensitive and fragile environment, a critical ecosystem for elk, especially, who rely on the powerful snow-eating Chinook winds to keep food sources accessible during winter.
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But first, a warning: hikers who prefer well-marked trails, definitive routes, washroom facilities and the comfort of others on the trail should probably recreate elsewhere. Limited access points, frequent creek crossings, bogs, blow downs, barbed-wire fence lines, steep and challenging terrain, limited cell coverage, and the necessity for route-finding skills further complicate matters.
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However, for skilled hikers and backpackers who value a more “out there” experience, the Whaleback is a golden ticket. It’s relatively remote, wild and primed with possibilities. Everything from half-day hikes to multi-day excursions traversing numerous ridgelines are doable. Horseback riding, OHV trails, fishing, and hunting are other activities that are allowed (with regulations) in the area.
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Without a doubt, there is something idyllic and eminently “Albertan” about the Whaleback. The grazing cattle, the melding of mountains and plains, the wind-polished Chinook clouds; it’s “Wild Rose Country” on steroids.