Mt. Allan Centennial Trail

**mbrager** · 08-21-2011, 11:28 PM

I've wanted to hike this trail for a year. Located between Kananaskis and Canmore, it's the highest maintained hiking trail in Canada, and has an elevation gain of 1360 meters (about 4400 ft). Varying terrain, and a total of about 16 km. but we had a gorgeous day. We were at the trailhead, an hour and a half drive out of Calgary, by 7:30 a.m. Took us 5 hours up, and about 3 1/2 down.

Plaque for the Builders, about 1/2 way up the trail.

The Ultimate Destination, on the Right

**mbrager** · 08-21-2011, 11:35 PM

Alpine Garden

My friend said this is a Rock Ptarmigan. Very hard to see.

Mushroom Garden (so called because the rocks appear to mushroom out of nowhere)

In Your Face Mountains

**mbrager** · 08-21-2011, 11:42 PM

Proof We Were There

View Towards Canmore (way down the valley)

Mountain Lake

**mbrager** · 08-21-2011, 11:48 PM

My Personal Favorite

Black and White and Gray

The Way Down

**JAS_Photo** · 08-22-2011, 12:32 AM

Great set, Mike! Good catch on the little ptarmigan! Congrats on conquering the trail!

**mbrager** · 08-22-2011, 12:38 AM

Thanks Jackie. Yes, conquering is the right word, but it's more about conquering my own fears.

**Iguanasan** · 08-22-2011, 07:42 AM

What an awesome looking place and some wonderful images. I almost didn't see that bird he was camouflaged so well. And on that "Proof we were there" shot, how can that rock look like a grey barrel? It looks amazingly smooth and circular.

**Greg_R** · 08-22-2011, 08:00 AM

Very cool set! Loved the B&W shots.

**Marko** · 08-22-2011, 10:24 AM

I also really dig this set and the BW in the set.
My faves are
Mushroom Garden (so called because the rocks appear to mushroom out of nowhere)
In Your Face Mountains
My Personal Favorite
Black and White and Gray