September 29, 2009 For some of the 10 hikers who took the two-day interpretive trip in the Castle Special Place backcountry, it seemed like a walk in the would-be wilderness park. For others, it was much more than a chance to explore Front Range canyons and their “nationally significant landscape that is ecologically unique in Canada and part of the equally significant cultural heritage of the Castle.” Early on, it became clear this wasn’t a casual walk. Instead of taking a Shell Canada road to the alpine Bovin Lake, a 441-metre elevation gain to the tree line campsite at about 2,340 metres, we

Sentinal over South Drywood Creek

It required sure-footedness and good hiking boots tight enough to keep ankles from twisting. Time was built in to admire the infinite sights, among them stunning wild mountain ash, bear grass, Douglas Maple, hare bells and elderberries. Some plants in the Castle are nationally rare, according to an inventory of environmentally significant areas.

	The Front Range is the east face of the Rockies seen driving west on Highway 3 southwest of Pincher Creek. From the highway, it appears as a solid wall, canyons that pierce the range not obvious until you’re almost upon them. The prairies melt
Hikers rest on grassy Loaf Mountain slope

directly into the mountains here, with no foothills transition, because ofthe eastward upheaval of pre-Cambrian rock over newer structure.

Our guide, James Tweedie of the Castle-Crown Wilderness Coalition, chose the route to illustrate how close we really are to the wilderness. We were constantly reminded of man’s encroachment on that wilderness, flares from the Shell Waterton Gas Complex still visible well into the trek the most obvious example.

Perhaps too high up, hoof prints mucking streambeds and hardened cow pies among the still-blooming alpine arnica provide evidence ranchers use the area.

“They should put a fence in down the canyon to keep cattle from coming up here,” says Wendy Ryan, a long-time advocate of more protection for the Castle.

The canyon used to be a prime big horn sheep habitat, Chinooks keeping montane grasses open in winter. But sheep numbers have dwindled because of contact with domestic sheep and the stress caused by human development and vehicle use. It’s unlikely to be the viable herd it was, says Dianne Pachal of the Sierra Club of Canada.

The hike was mainly about appreciating what Albertans have in the Castle area, in particular its importance as a water collector. Headwaters for the Waterton and Castle rivers are treasured as they accumulate with other sources for use downstream.

After climbing another 164 metres in elevation the second day, we crossed over Victoria Ridge that exposed a spectacular view of the South Castle, Waterton Lakes National Park and the prairies framed by Spionkop Canyon. Down a ways, headwaters sprung from mountainsides, joined by ice still melting from last winter’s snow.

Before we were led across a barely-discernible, 45-degree scree slope trail of  “living shale” to begin our descent, we were asked if anyone had vertigo issues.

So, as well as conquering physical demands of a wilderness hike, evidenced by burning thighs and dry mouth despite drinking two litres of water, we got past a fear-of-falling-off-a-mountain demons.

But the main demon to many – a lack of legislated protection for the Castle wilderness – remains unconquered after decades of effort.

A view from the top of Vitcoria Ridge overlooks the South Castle, Mt. Matkin , Walterton Lakes National Park and the prairies framed by Spionkop Canyon.

 Links:

Crown of the Continent Magazine

Waterton Hiking Guide