The brand new bridge over Lost Horse Creek at 6.9K with longer ramps
Did you ever try to ski over the Lost Horse Creek bridge on Redearth Creek? You’ll know it was very difficult because of the steep ramp on the north side. A new bridge has been installed with a much longer ramp which should make it a lot easier to cross while skiing.
The previous bridge had a very steep ramp. Skiers chose to cross the creek instead.
Lost Horse Creek is 6.9K along the Redearth Creek trail. The floods of 2013 destroyed the original bridge. A temporary bridge was constructed by the Shadow Lake Lodge owners soon after the flood which was level with creek banks and was very easy to cross.
Banff National Park installed a new bridge a couple years later but the ramps were very short and steep. Most skiers used the temporary bridge until it was destroyed in the summer of 2017.
Warden’s cabin at 10.6K
Thereafter, when there was enough snow, we tended to ski across the frozen creek. I crossed the “official” bridge a couple times but had to remove my skis to do so.
There is also a brand new bridge over Redearth Creek at 7K(the campground).
The gate at the parking lot has been changed. The old gate was sagging on its hinges and difficult to close.
The warden’s cabin in 2009 with corral and hitching post
I biked to the warden’s cabin yesterday on excellent conditions. A few minor mud puddles which were of little consequence.
For those of you who skied Redearth Creek in the “old days” you will remember the corral and hitching post in front of the warden’s cabin. The corral and hitching post were removed about ten years ago.
Last winter Banf National Park only groomed as far as the campground at 7K. Normally the trail was groomed all the way to the Shadow Lake junction at 10.3K.
In the past, the final 2.6K to Shadow Lake Lodge was groomed by the Lodge. The Alpine Club of Canada now owns Shadow Lake Lodge and I don’t know what their plans are for the winter.
Redearth Creek Sep 30, 2020
The vehicular bridges over Lost Horse Creek and Redearth Creek were removed about 40 years ago. Our crew sure had fun replacing them with the hiker/horse bridges. They and others still standing in the Banff backcountry have stood the test of time.