Foran Grade Ridge

BOU AVENUE
Foran Grade Ridge

On 22 November 2025, Zosia Zgolak and I invited ourselves to join Dinah Kruze and Bob Spirko for a loop hike of Foran Grade Ridge which straddles the boundary between Alberta's Sheep River Provincial Park and Bluerock Wildland Provincial Park. The fairly straightforward route is described in Gillean Daffern's Kananaskis Country Trail Guide, but all of us had already previously done this hike--me as far back as 2003 and Zosia only the week before. At the trailhead (50.64339, -114.54795), we met up with Zora Knezevic and her friends, Suzy and Tomiji, who would also join us for the hike. Although the loop could conceivably be done in either direction, we chose to hike it clockwise in order to avoid uphill travel at the end.

From the trailhead parking area, we crossed to the south side of the highway and made our way downhill across an open field. We soon intersected Sheep Trail and turned right to hike along the north bank of Sheep River. After stopping briefly at a viewpoint overlooking the river, we re-crossed the highway to hike up Windy Point Trail to a four-way junction at a low pass. Turning right at the junction, we climbed past some scenic clearings to gain the north end of Foran Grade Ridge. There are two distinct high points of virtually identical height on the ridge top, and we made sure to tag both before finding a suitable spot to take a break. While most of Foran Grade Ridge is tree-covered with limited views, the traverse was nevertheless enjoyable and we finished the loop by descending another open field before passing through a gate near the trailhead.

A big thank you goes to Dinah and Bob for allowing Zosia and me to join them on this hike and for driving us to the trailhead.

Be sure to check out Bob's trip report.

Quite the international group: Canadian (2x), Polish, Japanese (2x) and Serbian. Dinah, Zosia, Tomiji, Suzy, Zora and Bob rendezvous at the trailhead.

I haven't climbed Mount McNab...yet! The group crosses an open field to intersect a trail along Sheep River (not visible). The forested hump in the background is Mount McNab.

Still don't see the Sheep River!

Windy Point Ridge comes into view as the group hikes the trail along Sheep River.

	The group arrives at a pass which separates Windy Point Ridge and Foran Grade Ridge.
	The group ascends the north end of Foran Grade Ridge.
	Zosia stops at a clearing partway up Foran Grade Ridge with Windy Point Ridge visible behind her.
	The group stops at the more northerly of Foran Grade Ridge's two high points of equal height (1689 metres).
	On Foran Grade Ridge's southern high point (1689 metres) are (L to R) Tomiji, Zora, Dinah, Suzy, Zosia, Bob and Sonny.
	Zosia and Bob pause at one of the few places along Foran Grade Ridge that has decent views to the west.
	The group descends another open field not far from the trailhead.
	Total Distance: 7.0 kilometres Round-Trip Time: 2 hours 53 minutes Cumulative Elevation Gain: 263 metres GPX Data

	Dinah, Zosia, Tomiji, Suzy, Zora and Bob rendezvous at the trailhead.
	The group crosses an open field to intersect a trail along Sheep River (not visible). The forested hump in the background is Mount McNab.