Tue, Jun 24 2025 - Bumpy Meadows and Pedley Pass (View Original Event Details)
| Event Coordinator(s): |  |
Kate B
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| Participants: | | Kate B, Kate Kampel, Helen W, Audrey Whitson, Eileen F, Deb K, Shelley L, Maureen H, Deb K, Helen W |
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Write Up:What an exhilarating day –> from the 22 km drive to the trailhead, to hiking the circuit atop Pedley Ridge! We departed The Piccadilly at 9:15 with two cars, Eileen Forbes taking 3 in her Outback and Kate taking 3 in her MDX. The Alltrails driving directions were accurate but a bit short of the trailhead - we had backup directions from The Summit Trail Makers Society just in case. On route, the paved road surface gave way to a dirt/rock surface after passing an active mining site; driving initially around potholes, rocks and over wash-boarding. By the 18 km mark, the road had become very rough with a significant washout to navigate. The MDX got through this deep ditch - Eileen decided not to take her car any further, parking it at a wider road point down from the washout. Luck would have it that Medicine Hat natives Colin and Brenda came by in their very road-worthy truck, to pick up PMHer’s who had stuck their thumbs to hitch a ride! Colin and Brenda gladly took half our party up to the trail head, while the others followed in Kate’s car.
At the trailhead, we got hike-ready and began our hike counter-clockwise. Interestingly many folks do this hike in a clockwise direction, as did Colin and Brenda. We climbed a gentle grade and through the grassy mounds in Bumpy Meadows – I was very pleased there was none of the snow reported two weeks/10 days prior. We then made a steep and at points slippery assent to the pass, 300 meters above our parking area. We had about 100-150 meters to do to our lunch spot on a wide open rocky shoulder which was the beginning of the ridge. Great 360 degree views up there! We could see west towards the Tarn and our cars down in the valley (north?) in the parking lot. A low ceiling of cloud hung east and south, so we could kind of see panorama of mountains - their tops obscured by the clouds. Our group made the decision to continue forward around the Pedley Loop, while gauging the weather and watching hikers cross the ridge. We were again fortunate to have the help of Colin and Brenda, as they approached us from the opposite direction. We were appreciative of information regarding the few scrambley bits ahead. We enjoyed a spectacular hour long hike across the ridge. Many photos were taken! Once off the open ridge and into the trees, the trail made a rapid decent of 450 meters, most of it switchbacks. Colin and Brenda were at the picnic table in the parking lot, having reached it about 10 minutes before our group. Their descent from Pedley Pass was a slippery one, so we were glad we’d made the choice to hike in the counter-clockwise direction. Once again, we were so thankful of Colin and Brenda’s help to take half of our group to Eileen’s car. We picked out way out the forestry road to pavement and then onward. A super-amazing hike with everyone, from start to finish! We finished hiking under the 5 hour time period; my Alltrails says we had a 550 meter gain but the hike officially calls in 450 meters and 10.2 kms for the loop.
