September 2013 Update: Kananaskis Flood Damage and Repairs

What used to be McGillivray Creek is now McGillivray Log Jam

The floods of June 2013 in the Canadian Rockies destroyed roads, trails, bridges, buildings, campsites, the golf course and just about anything else made by man in Alberta's Kananaskis Country. At the time, I'd written off Kananaskis for hiking and scrambling for at least the 2013 season, but I've been amazed at how much and how quickly the parks staff, the Friends of Kananaskis and volunteers have been able to repair and reopen.

At the Kananaskis Trails Advisory Group, on which I sit, we learned some details on when some of the remaining infrastructure is scheduled to reopen. It must be stressed that the dates below are only estimates, however. Anything can happen in the mountains! Click here for links to up-to-date road and other status reports for Kananaskis and other parks.

• Peter Lougheed Provincial Park information center is expected to reopen in early December. It suffered damage to its foundations.
• Highwood Junction store won't reopen until summer 2014.
• Main bridge on Highway 66 won't be fixed until summer 2014, but the temporary bridge will stay in place until then.
• Not all x-country ski trails will reopen this winter. Check trail status before heading out.
• Forestry Trunk Road south of Highwood Junction should be open to Cataract Creek (but not across the creek to the parking areas) by early December.
• Highway 40 south of Highwood Meadows to Highwood Junction won't reopen until the middle of summer 2014.
• Powderface Road won't reopen until the middle of summer 2014.