Bull Creek Hills

BOU AVENUE
Bull Creek Hills

On 24 January 2015, I joined Wietse Bylsma, Matthew Hobbs, Rafal (Raff) Kazmierczak, and Crux (Matthew's dog) for a hike up Bull Creek Hills in the Highwood region of Alberta's Kananaskis Country. Although I had already hiked here in 2004, I welcomed the opportunity to hike with friends, old and new, and to take advantage of some unseasonably warm weather. In 2004, we did a counter-clockwise loop which included the high point (east summit) of Bull Creek Hills. On the most recent trip, we basically hiked the loop in reverse (clockwise), but we also included the slightly lower west summit which I had yet to visit. Snow patches throughout the trip varied in depth, but we seldom had to post-hole for any significant length of time. The final approach to the west summit from the south is actually more challenging than expected and requires a bit of route-finding and perhaps even some hands-on scrambling. The highlight of the day was having a relaxing lunch break on the east summit while being entertained by Raff, Crux and a hacky sack from the geocache located there.

Be sure to check out Matthew's trip report and Wietse's photos.

Watch your step around here--lotsa cow patties! Everyone gears up beside the park sign.

2nd dog in as many trips for me in 2015; the start of a new trend?? Crux faithfully follows the group up the lightly-wooded hillside.

Doh! We're going downhill already! The two highest summits of Bull Creek Hills are straight ahead. The group would eventually ascend the ridge on the left and descend the hill on the right.

What a nice day for a hike in January! The terrain is generally open and easy.

Don't worry; no avalanche danger here...yet! The slope here is quite steep.

Trickier than it looks, especially in the trees below the west summit. Here is the remainder of the route to the west summit (right).

A couple of must-do peaks for any competent scrambler!

Holy Cross Mountain and Mount Head dominate the view to the west.

	Matthew and Raff admire Holy Cross Mountain and Mount Head from the west summit of Bull Creek Hills (2142 metres).
	Here is a closer look at Mount Head.
	Here is a closer look at Holy Cross Mountain.
	Matthew and Raff head for the east summit.
	Raff holds up some of the contents of a geocache found on the 2160-metre east summit of Bull Creek Hills. Wietse is signing the register.

Ladies, the guys that are wearing orange are single!

Relaxing on the east summit are (L to R) Sonny, Matthew, Crux, Wietse and Raff.

	Crux absolutely loves the snow!
	Orange is indeed the new black! Photo courtesy of Rafal Kazmierczak
	Matthew dances on the rocks near the east summit.
	The broad east ridge will be the group's route of descent.
	Here is a look back at the east summit of Bull Creek Hills. The top of Holy Cross Mountain is just "peaking" over the left-hand ridge.
	Matthew, Crux, Raff and Wietse pause briefly on the descent.
	The highway is just on the other side of the low hill in the middle.
	Total Distance: 10.8 kilometres Round-Trip Time: 6 hours 36 minutes Net Elevation Gain: 715 metres GPX Data

	Everyone gears up beside the park sign.
	Crux faithfully follows the group up the lightly-wooded hillside.
	The two highest summits of Bull Creek Hills are straight ahead. The group would eventually ascend the ridge on the left and descend the hill on the right.
	The terrain is generally open and easy.
	The slope here is quite steep.
	Here is the remainder of the route to the west summit (right).