Second Gap and Vents Ridge | Trip Reports | Kananaskis Outdoors Forum

Post edited 3:58 pm – August 29, 2011 by Bob Stebbins

In search of  a relatively short hike with plenty of variety, we made the rounds on the 28^th of August to Second Gap Trail via the Old Pack Trail, then retraced our steps to climb Vents Ridge and return to the Powderface Day Use area off its east end. All this took 4.5 hours and, adding up the printed specifications for each trail, gave a total of 524m elevation gain. Daffern’s descriptions in Vol. 2 of the 4^th ed. arefine. I would only add the some additional detail about Second Gap concerning the next move once at the “solitary tree” (GR530370, should you want additional information). The end of the ridge to aim for is WNW on your compass. As ridges go in K-Country it is most petit. Ascend it for roughly 75m and then, at GR530371, look to the left for two old blazes. Follow a vague trail for 20-30m, which then suddenly gains remarkable clarity and continues that way to nearly the end. As for the variety on our trip, we had

quiet forest, bits of bog, steep gravelly zig zag, minor scrambling, and a long downward plunge to the parking lot through miscellaneous aspen, spruce, grass, and shrubbery.