Dist: 5.7km Elev: 590m Summit: 9009' Time: 2.5h Difficulty: 3/5
Anticipating another full day of working from home, Melinda sent me off to the mountains for a solo Sunday adventure. Little Arethusa's stats fit the bill for a short-and-sweet morning summit and I also hoped to catch some late-season larches in this region known for its golden conifers. The drive along Kananaskis Trail was exceptionally gorgeous with its freshly snow-dusted peaks, which was nice considering I spent about the same amount of time in the car as I did on the trail.
I parked in a small pullout along Highway 40. The trail began by winding through forest, gently gaining elevation to an alpine cirque which offered nice views of the surrounding wilderness. From here the summit ridge was gained by ascending a steep and scrambly slope. Thankfully this is a fairly popular trail and the knee-deep snow was already broken since last snowfall. I was the first of the day to reach the summit, and got to enjoy beautiful views in solitude. Given that I had skipped church to go adventuring, I decided to spend some of this time giving thanks and reflecting on the majesty of the Creator. I eventually returned the way I came, passing about a dozen others on my way down. Little Arethusa was an excellent half-day trip and a great addition to the Thanksgiving weekend festivities!
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| First views. Golden larch trees add a pop of colour to the snowy landscape. |
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| Little Arethusa comes into view. |
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| Arriving at the alpine cirque. It's a steep grind up the scree from here. |
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| Starting the climb, looking back. |
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| Getting higher. Storm Mountain to the left and Kananaskis Trail below. |
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| Final ridge section to the summit. |
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| Summit panorama. It's narrow but very scenic. |
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| Little Arethusa: Check! |
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