Wedge Pond

Elevation: 1540 m
Elevation Gain: 0 m
Wedge Pond takes its name from the large wedge-shaped peak below which it sits.
My Ascents:
January 13 2018
Trailhead: Wedge Pond Day Use Area

So far winter sucks. I know it’s cliché to complain about the weather but it’s been REALLY cold. It’s hard enough to get out of the house when it’s thirty below but it becomes next to impossible when you add a toddler and an infant to the mix! And so, after an icy end to 2017 and a frigid start to 2018, Brianne and I were eager to get out with our girls when the forecast suggested that it would be reasonable to do so. We initially considered a return trip to the, always beautiful, Chester Lake but after a couple of ill-fated ‘test walks’ outside realized that Mera’s penchant for not cooperating would probably make this more of an adventure than it need be. At the last minute, we decided on a less ambitious objective (Wedge Pond) and were able to convince “Grandpa” and “Grandma” to join us as well.

After a relatively short (by my standards) drive past Nakiska, we arrived at the Wedge Pond day use area in Kananaskis and set off along the less-broken-than-hoped-for trail. As you can see from the above panorama (click to see larger), Wedge Pond sports a very nice view despite its roadside location. With views like this only a minute or so from the parking lot, it’s a great bang for your buck!

Brianne may be teaching Mera how to break trail but Penny’s the one who has it all figured out. Why post-hole when you can get someone to carry you in a warm, forward-facing ‘snuggly’?

‘Hiking’ Hobbs’.

After falling into the deep snow a time or two, Mera decided that winter hiking was for suckers and recruited one to pull her along on a sled (thanks Grandma!).

Grandpa enjoying the views as we work our way around the pond.

A wintry Wedge Pond panorama. From left to right: the Wedge, Unnamed, Limestone Mountain (really just a shoulder of unnamed), the Fortress and Spoon Needle. Click to see larger.

A closer look at the nearby Wedge’s challenging summit.

Attempting to be artsy despite the poor lighting. While the forecast had called for reasonable near-freezing temperatures, we failed to account for the fact that the January sun would be too low in the southern sky to rise above the Wedge! As a result, we spent our whole hike in the cold shade.

Eventually Mera tired of the sled as well and insisted that Brianne carry her in addition to carrying Penny. I’d have offered to help but someone needs to take the photos, right?

After completing the approximately 1 km loop around the pond, we stopped to enjoy a final spectacular view towards Mount Kidd’s South (left) and North (right) summits.

A happy ‘hiking’ family. Thank God we brought Timbits® or we never would have been able to get Mera to cooperate for a nice family photo!

My Penny Bear and I.

After such a trial of endurance (1 km distance with 0 m elevation gain), we made our way towards Kananaskis Village to reward our efforts with hot chocolates. From the Village, we enjoyed the view back towards the Wedge (center) and the small (but scenic) pond somewhere at its base.

The best part of any winter outing in the Rockies: Hot chocolate time!